Edexcel Level 3 BTEC Nationals in Health and Social Care

UNIT 14: PHYSIOLOGICAL DISORDERSEssential guidance for tutorsDeliveryIn order to gain maximum benefit from this unit, learners will need to be able toinvestigate two individuals with different physiological disorders. Sensitivity will beneeded in the choice of individuals, and confidentiality respected at all times. Theindividuals chosen for the assessment of the unit need to be appropriate. Forexample, learners may themselves have a physiological disorder, or a relative withone. It is anticipated that access to appropriate individuals is likely to come fromfamily members and friends, as it is unlikely that learners will have sufficient accessto other patients/service users. In either case, the formal consent of the individualmust be obtained and verified by an expert witness. If a care setting is involved, thenconsent should also be obtained from the setting, in accordance with its protocols.Learners will also need careful guidance regarding their choice of the disorder andthe experience of the individuals. For example, in the early stages of a disorder, theindividual may have received only limited medical care and it may therefore be morechallenging for learners to meet the requirements of the unit.Learners should be encouraged to select the more common disorders listed in thecontents section rather than select a less common condition, as their physiologicalunderstanding may not be sufficient to understand the disorder.Some tutor input will be required to introduce this unit, and a case study could alsoprovide a useful vehicle. Learners could gain understanding of the requirements ofassessment through examination of the case study, and be encouraged to considerrelevant appropriate steps that should be taken in the gathering of evidence.Guidance regarding the primary research methodology, for example interviewquestions, will be needed. Learners should be encouraged to research sources ofsecondary data that will be helpful both generically and individually.Following the initial introduction, support for learners is likely to be throughworkshops and tutorials, though guest speakers could be invited in and visits could bearranged if appropriate.AssessmentOne assignment could form the basis of assessment for this unit, with learnersinvestigating two individuals with different physiological disorders. Evidence could bein the form of a structured report on each chosen individual, using a conventionalcase study format.Use of photographs should be discouraged and clinical reports and images are notexpected to be included. Data may be quoted within the report, and itsinterpretation included in the written account, but care should be taken at all timesto maintain confidentiality of all data collected and to maintain the anonymity of theindividuals.198BN018467 – Specification – Edexcel Level 3 BTEC Nationals in Health and Social Care– Issue 1 – February 2007 © Edexcel Limited 2007