Syllabus

• Week 1

  The Brain, Managing Safety and Comfort, Movement Control

  • Introduction

    In this first week, we will consider how an understanding of anatomy and physiology of the brain , and of its pathophysiology relates to experiences of living with neurological disorders.

  • The brain

    Topic one introduces you to some fundamental aspects of physiology and pathophysiology of the brain (that is how it works when functioning well and what can go wrong as parts are affected by various neurological disorders).

  • Managing safety and comfort

    Learn here from a team struggling to agree on how best to provide safety and comfort for a patient. Hear also about how to meet challenges involving refusal of interventions intended to ensure safety and comfort.

  • Movement control

    This topic focusses on how to understand problems with mobilising and how best to assist people who live with movement disorder as a result of a long-term neurological condition.

  • Spotlight on 3 conditions

    Every week we will consider 3 conditions that you are likely to come across. This week we are looking at Dystonia, Cerebral palsy and Parkinson's disease.

• Week 2

  Breathing and Speaking, Eating and Drinking, Promoting and Managing Continence

  • Breathing and speaking

    How does the brain keep us breathing? Which brain areas enable speech and understand of language? How are people damaged in those areas affected? What can we do to help? These are all aspects addressed in this topic.

  • Eating and drinking

    Learn problems many people with neurological conditions experience relating to eating and drinking. Appreciate ethical dilemmas that professionals may encounter and how to balance respect and choice with safety and accountability

  • Promoting and managing continence

    Problems with self-management of continence impact negatively on self-esteem and dignity. Practical social, physical and psychological harm can result. Learn here how to help maximise independence and minimise adverse effects.

  • Spotlight on 3 conditions

    Each week we turn the spotlight on three conditions. This week it is the turn of Alzheimer's, motor neurone disease and haemorrhagic stroke. At the end of your reading, check your understanding by taking the quiz.

• Week 3

  Meaningful Days in Long-Term Care, Sexuality, Sleeping

  • Meaningful Days in Long-Term Care

    What makes life worth living? Needing to live in a long-term care facility because of a neurological problem should not mark the end of what matters to you and gives you a sense of purpose. This topic addresses this challenge.

  • Sexuality

    Neurological disease can impact physically, emotionally and socially on sexuality. This topic is designed to help you address difficulties that many patients and professionals regard as taboo even in this 21st century.

  • Sleeping

    Good comfortable sleep makes the day easier. Topic Nine addresses sleep problems experienced by people with neurological conditions, and ways to enhance sleep.

  • Spotlight on 3 conditions

    Each week we turn the spotlight on three conditions. This week it is the turn of ischaemic stroke, vascular dementia and epilepsy. At the end of your reading, check your understanding by taking the quiz.

• Week 4

  Mental Health, End of Life Planning and Care, Tricky Ethical Decisions

  • Mental health

    Mental health problems such as depression, anxiety and psychosis often occur among people living with neurological disorders. Topic ten considers promotion of good mental health and ways to relieve distress.

  • End of life planning and care

    This topic considers ways to prepare people with a long-term neurological condition practically and psychologically for the end of life. Collaborating with planning and the delivery of care are considered.

  • Tricky ethical decisions

    Supporting people with neurological conditions to make autonomous decisions sometimes seems at odd with our duty of care. This final topic explores ways to responsibly manage risk-taking to foster individuality.

  • Spotlight on 3 conditions

    In this final week we turn the spotlight on three more conditions, looking at peripheral neuropathy, Huntington’s disease, and multiple sclerosis. At the end of your reading, check your understanding by taking the quiz.

Who will you learn with?