Edexcel Level 3 BTEC Nationals in Health and Social Care

UNIT 5: FUNDAMENTALS OF ANATOMY AND PHYSIOLOGY FOR HEALTH AND SOCIAL CAREEssential guidance for tutorsDeliveryA range of strategies can be used to deliver this unit. Exploration of the grossstructure of body systems can be linked to an internet activity at an early stage ofthe programme. This could be supplemented by examination of anatomical models.Learners need to develop understanding of the organisation of the human body as awhole, in order to provide a firm basis for further studies or work within the healthor social care sectors. However, detailed understanding of all the systems of thebody is not required for this unit, and as a rough guide no more than six hours of classtime should be spent delivering learning outcome 1.It is also not necessary for learners to have a detailed understanding of cellmicrostructure and metabolism to understand this unit — an overview is all that isrequired. Practical activities examining prepared histology slides with simplemicroscopes may be useful and, if appropriate, dissection of a heart and a kidney canbe included in practical activities. Overhead transparencies could also be used todiscuss the structure of cells, different tissues, organs or body systems.Having taken an overview of the human body for learning outcome 1, learners thenneed to investigate in more detail the three systems of the body that are involved inproviding the necessary requirements for the release of energy in cells. Learningabout the physical aspects of energy should be briefly embedded here in order forlearners to fully understand the nature of energy and its role in the body.When learners are studying the structure and functions of the blood they initiallyrequire an overview, with a particular focus then being taken on the transport ofmaterials. The role of haemoglobin in particular needs to be understood. For thedigestive system, learners need to understand the structure and functions of thesystem, including an overview of digestion, the role of enzymes, absorption andassimilation.Learners need to appreciate the importance of homeostasis, and homeostaticreflexes, for the human body. This should be linked to possible scenarios of whathappens when homeostasis ‘goes wrong’, if time allows. Discussion of homeostasisand possible metabolic uses of the major products of digestion can be linked to diet,growth, exercise and weight change. Measurement of body temperature andbreathing rate do not require more than standard clinical observation techniques andequipment available through a retailer.Guidance in the safe use of appropriate techniques will be necessary for the practicalactivities. The standard exercise test used to generate data for assessment needs toinvolve a moderate level of exertion for the learner carried out for a period of ten tofifteen minutes, subject to individual capabilities. Examples could include climbingflights of stairs, jogging, the use of gym equipment or an activity such as the Harvardstep test.88BN018467 – Specification – Edexcel Level 3 BTEC Nationals in Health and Social Care– Issue 1 – February 2007 © Edexcel Limited 2007