BSc (Hons) Operating Department Practice

Why study this subject?

Demand is high. Operating Department Practitioners (ODPs) are sorely needed in hospitals all around the country.

ODPs are registered Allied Health Professionals (AHP) that are specifically trained to work within the operating department and associated areas. This incorporates working within a multi-disciplinary team (including nurses, surgeons, anaesthetists and healthcare support workers) to provide high quality, individualised care for patients throughout their perioperative journey and beyond.

If you have an interest in healthcare and are looking for a fulfilling role with great purpose, a career in operating department practice may be a perfect fit for you.

To support your studies, the UK Government are continuing to provide all ODP students with a payment of at least £5,000 a year which will not need to be paid back. Find out more about the NHS Learning Support Fund.

Once you graduate from this course, you'll be eligible to apply for registration as an ODP with the Health & Care Professions Council (HCPC), which enables you to practice in the UK.

Why study at Buckinghamshire New University?

Operating department practitioners are fast-paced, challenging roles and we’ve designed our BSc (Hons) Operating Department Practice to help equip you with all the skills and knowledge you need to start this exciting career.

We've been running our operating department practice programmes for many years and students benefit from an excellent standard of teaching provided by staff from the University. Our lecturers maintain close links with practice, ensuring that the programme is always kept up-to-date.

In addition, guest speakers regularly deliver sessions for students within the University to ensure we give a diverse range of views and experiences to our students. These include sessions speaking with local patients and carers to gain a real understanding of the varied needs of our community.

At BNU, we recognise roles in this field are hands-on – that’s why you’ll take part in simulated learning experiences throughout the course using our specialised facilities. This will enable you to recreate authentic scenarios and practise your skills in a safe environment.

Alongside your studies, you will take part in a range of clinical placements with our NHS partner hospitals. We work with a range of hospitals across the region and our students are highly respected whilst out in practice. We consistently see a high rate of employability after completing the course, with 98% of our students either in employment or further study six months after graduating (HESA 2020). Many of our students are employed by the Trust that they worked with during their time at the University.

In addition to your degree, all students are given the opportunity to achieve additional clinical qualifications. This includes the Immediate Life Support award, which is delivered at the University prior to completion of your studies.

As a BNU student, you will automatically become a member of Bucks Students’ Union giving you access to a wide range of services that we offer for free as part of our exclusive Big Deal package. We are the only university in the UK to offer our members free access to such a diverse and exciting range of activities, allowing them to experience new things, socialise with broader groups of people and boost their employability – all to enrich your university experience.

What will I study?

Throughout this course you will be able to gain real life experiences as well as understand the theory behind the perioperative environment and care delivery. The course will give you everything that is needed to help develop into a qualified practitioner that is eligible to apply for registration. Clinical placements will be undertaken throughout the length of the programme.

This role involves working within a multi-disciplinary team to provide high quality, individualised care for patients throughout their perioperative journey and beyond. Working alongside other professionals, such as nurses, surgeons, anaesthetists and health care support workers, care will be delivered to patients during all three phases of this acute care environment.

This is achieved through direct patient contact and care delivery in addition to demonstrating a high level of knowledge/skill within the management of specialist equipment and materials related to this highly technical area.

Patient safety is a priority within this field of care and ODP’s are required to demonstrate high standards in relation to professionalism, advocacy and decision making.

Our course will provide the key knowledge and skills to achieve what is both required and expected within this contemporary healthcare setting, through both classroom based teaching and clinical placement throughout the duration of study.

This course is also offered as four-year programmes, including an initial Foundation Year. The Foundation Year will allow you to develop your academic study skills and build confidence in your abilities, identifying your own strengths and development needs for progression onto an undergraduate programme.

What facilities can I use?

We utilise state-of-the-art simulation facilities for learning, development and practicing of skills and were winners of a Guardian University Award for our innovation and use of simulation to enhance our healthcare students’ learning.

We've invested in some of the best equipment for our students to practice their skills; we have an ultra-modern simulated operating theatre, anaesthetic room, recovery area and related clinical environments with the latest high-fidelity simulation manikins. During this time, students will be immersed in a wide range of medical equipment that is identical to those seen within the clinical environment including: anaesthetic machines, surgical equipment, diathermy, cell salvage, laparoscopic simulator, operating table and fibreoptic scopes.

How will I be taught and assessed?

Within the operating department practice programme, we use a variety of teaching and assessment methods to help you succeed. You’ll benefit from simulation sessions, lectures, seminars and group activities to ensure readiness for professional registration and autonomous clinical practice.

A huge part of your learning will take place on clinical placements covering anaesthetic, surgical and post-anaesthetic care. Whilst in practice, you will be supported by a clinical member of staff who will provide mentorship, supervise your experience and assess that you are meeting the requirements of the course.

Both your theoretical knowledge and application in practice will be assessed on this course and methods include:

• reflective course work
• case studies
• oral, written or visual presentations
• unseen examinations
• OSCEs
• critique of evidence-based articles
• dissertation
• construction of an ePortfolio
• practice competence demonstrated in practice*.

*80% minimum clinical placement attendance is required within the programme and is monitored within the Practice Placement Document

To ensure the programme remains current and responsive to the dynamic reformation of the NHS, we invite practitioners from our partner trusts to be involved in the delivery and on-going enhancement of the programme.