Ambulance Technician Practice (ATP) - Clifton Campus Certificate of Higher Education
- Level(s) of Study: Professional
- Start Date(s): February 2021
- Duration: 1 year(s)
- Study Mode(s): Full-time
- Campus: Clifton Campus
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Entry Requirements:
More information
Introduction:
This programme runs at both our Clifton campus and at NTU in Mansfield. Visit our Mansfield course page for more information about studying this course there.
If you are looking for a rewarding vocation that involves helping others at their greatest time of need, able to keep calm under pressure, make good decisions and take control, a career as an ambulance technician could be the ideal choice. It’s a role that provides job satisfaction, excellent benefits and a wealth of opportunities to develop your skills further.
As an ambulance technician, you will act as part of the emergency team, working with emergency care assistants and paramedics, responding to emergency calls and delivering high-quality pre-hospital care. It’s a highly rewarding role, and one where you will assess, treat and manage patients at the scene of an accident or in their home, deciding if they should be transferred to hospital or other medical facility for further treatment.
You may operate as a single responder, work on a double-crewed ambulance as the lead clinician or support a paramedic in clinical practice. You will attain many of the same skills as paramedics, such as being able to assess, triage and provide lifesaving treatment. You will have responsibility for the direct clinical care of patients, service users and their carers and significant others.
What you’ll study
This course provides a full-time route to achieving the Cert HE Ambulance Technician Practice (ATP). It combines all the components you’ll need to practice as an Ambulance Technician in the modern NHS.
You will study 120 credits at level 4.
- Foundations of Ambulance Care Practice (40 Credits)
- Principles of Human Health & Wellbeing (20 Credits)
- Foundations of Professional Practice (20 Credits)
- Principals of Human Illness (20 Credits)
- Healthcare Law & Ethics (20 Credits)
How you’re taught
Your learning will include a blend of face to face tuition at university, alongside independent activities, such as case studies or problem-based learning scenarios. You will also spend a significant amount of time on placement, predominantly alongside your practice educator within the ambulance service.
Placement
Practice placement is a compulsory component of the course and enables you to link the theory to practice and develop the necessary competences needed to become an ambulance technician. You will not be paid for this time and travel expenses are not refunded as part of the course.
You will spend the majority of you time on placement working with your dedicated practice educator, who will guide and develop your skills and knowledge of the assessment and management of a wide range of clinical cases. You will follow the clinical shift patterns of your practice educator, which will include unsociable hours including days, nights, weekends and bank holidays. You will be expected to complete approximately 750 hours.
Assessment methods
Assessment methods on the course include but are not limited to:
- OSCE (Objective Structured Clinical Examinations) - Practical demonstrations of skills in a simulated environment
- Practice Educators observations of competency in practice
- An E-portfolio (PebblePad)
- Case studies
- Reflective accounts
- Presentations
- Academic posters
- Essays
- Multiple-choice and short-answer question exams.
- Simulated Multi-disciplinary meetings
Careers and employability
After graduating from this programme, you will be able to apply for employment as an ambulance technician with a UK Ambulance Trust or private provider. You will have the opportunity to progress to team leader, supervisor or other management roles.
Having consolidated your clinical practice, you will also be eligible to apply to train as a paramedic. This certificate allows you to apply for advanced standing entry into year two of either the L6 Paramedic Apprenticeship, or BSc (Hons) Paramedic Science (subject to availability).
Other developmental roles include but are not limited to:
- Hazardous Area Response Teams (HART)
- Urban Search and Rescue (USAR)
- helicopter / search and rescue
- wilderness / remote medical support
- telephone triage / 111 call advisors
- event medical technician
Contact hours
Facilities
As an APT you will have easy access to the fantastic facilities in the newly refurbished Clinical skills centre in the Lionel Robbins building and other facilities at Clifton campus, including:
- clinical skills areas
- lecturer theatres and teaching classrooms
- open access PC's and secure wireless points
- study areas and social spaces
- Pavilion cafe,
- The Point Student Union
IT resources
Our IT resource rooms, Laptop loan stations and PC clusters are distributed across the Clifton Campus, with PCs providing access to:
- Microsoft Office
- web browsing
- networked file storage
- high-speed online printing services
Book and Library resources
In our library you will have access to an extensive and diverse range of books and periodicals that focus on specialist areas within Paramedicine. The library's OneSearch system provides access to all our:
- electronic resources
- journals
- books
We have a liaison librarian who is available to give you detailed help in finding and using print and electronic resources. They can also help you with things such as Harvard referencing and research skills.
Entry requirements
Three GCSEs grade C / 4 or above including Maths and English
(Passes in Functional Skills and Key Skills qualifications at Level 2 in Maths and English can be accepted as equivalents)
Plus, one of the following:
A-levels
A minimum of 64 UCAS points ‘C C’ (excluding General Studies, Key Skills and music exams) One subject should be a natural science (Psychology is acceptable, or a health-related subject or public services).
BTEC
Typical Offer 'PPP' – BTEC Extended Diploma Applied Science / Health / Public Services
Access to HE Diploma
Pass in the QAA Access to HE with at least 45 credits at Pass. English and Maths GCSE required as separate qualifications.
Alternative entry approaches
NTU we recognise the commitment and achievement required to take part in national voluntary adult and cadet programmes, particularly those with a focus on health and first aid, such as St John Ambulance, Territorial Army, Army Cadets, 999 Academy or Community Responder programme.
If you do not have 64 UCAS points, we will still consider your application if you meet the following requirements:
- You can demonstrate over two years of commitment to a programme (and were aged 15 or older when this started)
- You can provide a supporting letter of recommendation from your unit manager, youth team or commanding officer.
Please note: the GCSE entry requirements will still apply.
Mature Applicants
We welcome applications from mature students (aged 21 and over) and do not necessarily require the same academic qualifications as school leaving applicants when supported by relevant work experience.
Disclosure Barring Service
A satisfactory Enhanced DBS (Adult and Child) disclosure will also be required.
Driving Licence
Whilst a full driving licence is not a requirement for this programme, it will likely be a condition of future employment.
Occupational Health
All offers will be made subject to the successful clearance to practice from our occupational health team.
Personal statement
In addition to the entry requirements listed above, you will need to submit a personal statement demonstrating:
- an understanding of the role of the Ambulance Technician and current issues in pre-hospital care
- any evidence of health-related work (paid or voluntary)
- How your personal values align to the NHS values
Other requirements
You will also need to:
- undertake an interview with a lecturer
- confirm the ability to use a range of IT facilities including email, internet, and word processing.
- Provide evidence of vaccination against Hepatitis B, or undergo a vaccination programme, before any placements can be undertaken.
IELTS
If English is not your first language you will need an IELTS score of 6.5. Please note: The Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC) require IELTS 7.0 with no element below 6.5 for registration.
The UCAS Tariff
We’ve created this calculator to help you work out how many UCAS points your qualifications relate to.
Getting in touch
If you need further help or information, please email our Admissions Team or call +44 (0)115 848 4200 Call:
Fees and funding
| Study route | Home (UK/EU students) |
|---|---|
| Full-time | £9,250 |
Fees may be subject to change.
Funding your studies
Preparing for the financial side of student life is important, but there’s no need to feel anxious and confused about it. We hope that our fees and funding pages will answer all your questions.
Getting in touch
For more advice and guidance, you can contact our Student Financial Support Service.
Tel: +44 (0)115 848 2494
While we aim to keep any extra study costs to a minimum, please see our page on additional costs and optional extras to find out about any additional expenses you may incur on your course.
Getting in touch
For more advice and guidance, you can contact our Student Financial Support Service.
Tel: +44 (0)115 848 2494
How to apply
Writing your application and personal statement
Be honest, thorough and persuasive in your application. Remember that we can only make a decision based on what you tell us, so include all your qualifications and grades, including resits or predicted grades.
Your personal statement is a really important part of your application – it’s your chance to convince us why we should offer you a place. You’ve got 4,000 characters to impress us. Make sure you use them to show how your skills and qualities are relevant to the course(s) you’re applying for. For more hints and tips, take a look at our page on how to write a good personal statement.
Keeping up to date
After you’ve applied, we’ll be sending you important emails throughout the application process – so check your emails regularly, including your junk mail folder.
You can get more information and advice about applying to NTU on our Your Application page. Good luck with your application!
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