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Emergency and Urgent Care for Children: a Survival Guide

Learn to recognise & treat the commonest medical & minor trauma conditions affecting children with this short online course.

15,453 enrolled on this course

  • Duration

    3 weeks
  • Weekly study

    3 hours

This free, three-week online course will show you how to recognise and treat some of the commonest medical conditions that affect children.

We will use a combination of brief lectures, video simulations and guided group discussions, to introduce you to a range of conditions including:

  • Fever
  • Breathing Difficulty
  • Head Injury
  • Abdominal Pain
  • Seizure
  • Rash
  • Dehydration
  • Illness
  • Minor Injury

For each condition, we will look at how children present, what is important in managing them outside of the hospital setting, and what other things could cause similar symptoms.

Learn with experienced consultants and paramedics

The team presenting the course includes consultants in Children’s Emergency Medicine and Senior Advanced Paramedics from the University of Birmingham and a range of medical establishments, including Birmingham Children’s Hospital, Bristol Children’s Hospital, West Midlands Ambulance Service, and Leicester University and Hospital.

We encourage group discussion from all learners, regardless of role. For example, if you are a Paramedic and you have encountered similar experiences we welcome you to share them. Please be mindful not to share any identifying information. Similarly, if you are a non-Paramedic but wish to share your experiences you are welcome to do so.

Learning on this course

On every step of the course you can meet other learners, share your ideas and join in with active discussions in the comments.

What will you achieve?

By the end of the course, you‘ll be able to...

  • Demonstrate an understanding of the common causes, initial assessment and management priorities of children with the following: fever, breathing difficulties, head injuries, abdominal pain, seizures, rashes, dehydration, illness and minor injuries.

Who is the course for?

This course is primarily designed for advanced healthcare professionals working in the pre-hospital environment, including paramedics, pre-hospital medical teams, general practitioners (GPs) and health visitors. 

Knowledge of medical terminology will enhance the learning experience but this course will also be relevant to anyone who cares for unwell children, including teachers, parents and grandparents.

Who will you learn with?

Consultant in Paediatric Emergency Medicine at Birmingham Children’s Hospital. A Consultant in the NHS for 10 years, the Clinical Lead for the ED and Trust Lead for Children’s Major Traumas.

Who developed the course?

University of Birmingham

The University of Birmingham is a public research university, consistently listed as a leading UK university and ranked among the top 100 in the world.

Learning on FutureLearn

Your learning, your rules

  • Courses are split into weeks, activities, and steps to help you keep track of your learning
  • Learn through a mix of bite-sized videos, long- and short-form articles, audio, and practical activities
  • Stay motivated by using the Progress page to keep track of your step completion and assessment scores

Join a global classroom

  • Experience the power of social learning, and get inspired by an international network of learners
  • Share ideas with your peers and course educators on every step of the course
  • Join the conversation by reading, @ing, liking, bookmarking, and replying to comments from others

Map your progress

  • As you work through the course, use notifications and the Progress page to guide your learning
  • Whenever you’re ready, mark each step as complete, you’re in control
  • Complete 90% of course steps and all of the assessments to earn your certificate

Want to know more about learning on FutureLearn? Using FutureLearn

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