Apprenticeship training course

Operating department practitioner (level 6)

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Information about Operating department practitioner (level 6)

Supporting operating theatre staff and providing care to patients at all stages of an operation.

• Knowledge, skills and behaviours:
  View knowledge, skills and behaviours

  Knowledge

  • The importance of continuing professional development throughout own career.
  • The importance of safeguarding, signs of abuse and the relevant safeguarding processes.
  • What is required of them by the Health and Care Professions Council, including but not limited to the Standards of conduct, performance and ethics.
  • The importance of valid consent.
  • That relationships with service users, carers and others should be based on mutual respect and trust.
  • The importance of capacity in the context of delivering care and treatment.
  • The scope of a professional duty of care.
  • Legislation, policies and guidance relevant to own profession and scope of practice.
  • The complexity of caring for vulnerable persons in perioperative and other healthcare settings, and the need to adapt care as necessary.
  • The importance of own mental and physical health and wellbeing strategies in maintaining fitness to practise.
  • How to take appropriate action if own health may affect own ability to practise safely and effectively, including seeking help and support when necessary.
  • The need for active participation in training, supervision and mentoring in supporting high standards of practice, and personal and professional conduct, and the importance of demonstrating this in practice.
  • Equality legislation and how to apply it to own practice.
  • The duty to make reasonable adjustments in practice.
  • The characteristics and consequences of barriers to inclusion, including for socially isolated groups.
  • That regard to equality, diversity and inclusion needs to be embedded in the application of all HCPC standards and across all areas of practice.
  • When disclosure of confidential information may be required.
  • The principles of information and data governance and the safe and effective use of health, social care and other relevant information.
  • The need to ensure confidentiality is maintained in all situations in which service users rely on additional communication support, such as interpreters or translators.
  • That the concepts of confidentiality and informed consent extend to all mediums, including illustrative clinical records such as photography, video and audio recordings and digital platforms.
  • The characteristics and consequences of verbal and non-verbal communication and how these can be affected by difference of any kind including, but not limited to, protected characteristics, intersectional experiences and cultural differences.
  • The need to support the communication needs of service users and carers, such as through the use of an appropriate interpreter.
  • The need to provide service users or people acting on own behalf with the information necessary in accessible formats to enable them to make informed decisions.
  • The principles and practices of other health and care professionals and systems and how they interact with own profession.
  • The need to build and sustain professional relationships as both an autonomous practitioner and collaboratively as a member of a team.
  • The qualities, behaviours and benefits of leadership.
  • That leadership is a skill all professionals can demonstrate.
  • The need to engage service users and carers in planning and evaluating diagnostics, and therapeutic interventions to meet their needs and goals.
  • Psychological and sociological principles to maintain effective relationships.
  • The value of reflective practice and the need to record the outcome of such reflection to support continuous improvement.
  • The value of multi-disciplinary reviews, case conferences and other methods of review.
  • The value of gathering and using data for quality assurance and improvement programmes.
  • The structure and function of the human body, together with knowledge of physical and mental health, disease, disorder and dysfunction relevant to their profession.
  • The principles and applications of scientific enquiry, including the evaluation of treatment efficacy and the research process.
  • The roles of other professions in health and social care and how they may relate to the role of the operating department practitioner.
  • The structure and function of health and social care system and services in the UK.
  • Disease and trauma processes, and how to apply this knowledge to the service user’s perioperative care.
  • The main sequential stages of human development, including cognitive, emotional and social measures of maturation through the lifespan.
  • The theoretical basis of, and the variety of approaches to, assessment and intervention.
  • Relevant physiological parameters and how to interpret changes from the norm.
  • The principles of operating department practice and their application to perioperative and other healthcare settings.
  • How to order, store and issue drugs to service users safely and effectively.
  • The pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic effects and contraindications of drugs used.
  • Safe and current practice in a range of medical devices used for diagnostic, monitoring or therapeutic purposes in accordance with national and local guidelines, appropriate to their practice.
  • The principles and practices of the management of clinical emergencies.
  • A range of research methodologies relevant to own role.
  • The value of research to the critical evaluation of practice.
  • Service users’ elimination needs.
  • The role of the surgical first assistant in assisting with surgical intervention.
  • The management and processes involved in the administration of blood and blood products.
  • The need to monitor the effects of drugs.
  • Common abnormal blood physiology, including blood gas analysis.
  • The principles of life support.
  • The need to maintain the safety of themself and others, including service users, carers and colleagues.
  • Relevant health and safety legislation and local operational procedures and policies.
  • The impact of human factors within relevant settings and the implications for service user safety.
  • The nature and purpose of sterile fields, and the practitioner’s individual role and responsibility for maintaining them.
  • Appropriate moving and handling techniques.
  • Principles of safe use of medical devices used in perioperative, anaesthetic, surgical and post-anaesthesia care.
  • The role of the profession in health promotion, health education and preventing ill health.
  • How social, economic and environmental factors, wider determinants of health, can influence a person’s health and well-being.

  Skills

  • Identify the limits of own practice and when to seek advice or refer to another professional or service
  • Manage own workload and resources safely and effectively, including managing the emotional burden that comes with working in a pressured environment
  • Keep own skills and knowledge up to date
  • Maintain high standards of personal and professional conduct
  • Engage in safeguarding processes where necessary
  • Promote and protect the service user’s interests at all times
  • Respect and uphold the rights, dignity, values, and autonomy of service users, including own role in the assessment, diagnostic, treatment and / or therapeutic process
  • Maintain high standards of care in all circumstances
  • Obtain valid consent, which is voluntary and informed, has due regard to capacity, is proportionate to the circumstances and is appropriately documented
  • Exercise a duty of care
  • Apply legislation, policies and guidance relevant to own profession and scope of practice
  • Recognise the power imbalance which comes with being a health care professional, and ensure it is not for personal gain
  • Practise in accordance with relevant medicines legislation
  • Identify own anxiety and stress and recognise the potential impact on own practice
  • Develop and adopt clear strategies for physical and mental self-care and self-awareness, to maintain a high standard of professional effectiveness and a safe working environment
  • Recognise that they are personally responsible for, and must be able to, justify their decisions and actions
  • Use own skills, knowledge and experience, and the information available, to make informed decisions and / or take action where necessary
  • Make reasoned decisions to initiate, continue, modify or cease treatment or the use of techniques or procedures, and record the decisions and reasoning appropriately
  • Make and receive appropriate referrals, where necessary
  • Exercise personal initiative
  • Demonstrate a logical and systematic approach to problem solving
  • Use research, reasoning and problem solving skills when determining appropriate actions
  • Respond appropriately to the needs of all different groups and individuals in practice, recognising this can be affected by difference of any kind including, but not limited to, protected characteristics, intersectional experiences and cultural differences
  • Recognise the potential impact of own values, beliefs and personal biases (which may be unconscious) on practice and take personal action to ensure all service users and carers are treated appropriately with respect and dignity
  • Make and support reasonable adjustments in owns and others’ practice
  • Actively challenge barriers to inclusion, supporting the implementation of change wherever possible
  • Adhere to the professional duty of confidentiality
  • Respond in a timely manner to situations where it is necessary to share information to safeguard service users, carers and / or the wider public and recognise situations where it is necessary to share information to safeguard service users, carers and / or the wider public
  • Use effective and appropriate verbal and non-verbal skills to communicate with service users, carers, colleagues and others
  • Communicate in English to the required standard for the profession
  • Work with service users and / or own carers to facilitate the service user’s preferred role in decision-making, and provide service users and carers with the information they may need where appropriate
  • Modify own means of communication to address the individual communication needs and preferences of service users and carers, and remove any barriers to communication where possible
  • Use information, communication and digital technologies appropriate to own practice
  • Use effective communication skills when sharing information about service users with other members of the multidisciplinary team
  • Use effective communication skills in the reception and identification of service users, and in the transfer of service users to the care of others
  • Keep full, clear and accurate records in accordance with applicable legislation, protocols and guidelines
  • Manage records and all other information in accordance with applicable legislation, protocols and guidelines
  • Use digital record keeping tools, where required
  • Work in partnership with service users, carers, colleagues and others
  • Contribute effectively to work undertaken as part of a multi-disciplinary team
  • Identify anxiety and stress in service users, carers and colleagues, adapting own practice and providing support where appropriate
  • Identify own leadership qualities, behaviours and approaches, taking into account the importance of equality, diversity and inclusion
  • Demonstrate leadership behaviours appropriate to own practice
  • Act as a role model for others
  • Promote and engage in the learning of others
  • Apply psychological and sociological principles to maintain effective relationships
  • Participate in team briefings and debriefings following treatment, procedures or interventions
  • Engage in evidence-based practice
  • Gather and use feedback and information, including qualitative and quantitative data, to evaluate the responses of service users to own care
  • Monitor and systematically evaluate the quality of practice, and maintain an effective quality management and quality assurance process working towards continual improvement
  • Participate in quality management, including quality control, quality assurance, clinical governance and the use of appropriate outcome measures
  • Evaluate care plans or intervention plans using recognised and appropriate outcome measures, in conjunction with the service user where possible, and revise the plans as necessary
  • Calculate accurately prescribed drug dosages for individual service user needs
  • Participate as part of a team managing a clinical emergency, where necessary
  • Change own practice as needed to take account of new developments, technologies and changing contexts
  • Gather appropriate information
  • Analyse and critically evaluate the information collected
  • Select and use appropriate assessment techniques and equipment
  • Undertake and record a thorough, sensitive, and detailed assessment
  • Undertake or arrange investigations as appropriate
  • Conduct appropriate assessment or monitoring procedures, treatment, therapy or other actions safely and effectively
  • Critically evaluate research and other evidence to inform own practice
  • Engage service users in research as appropriate
  • Undertake all sex urinary catheterisation
  • Undertake appropriate pre-assessment, anaesthetic, surgical and post-anaesthesia care interventions, including managing the service user’s airway, respiration and circulation and providing assisted ventilation where necessary
  • Monitor and record fluid balance, and where appropriate, administer prescribed fluids in accordance with national and local guidelines
  • Prepare and administer drugs to service users via a range of routes, including oral, rectal, topical and by intramuscular, subcutaneous and intravenous injection
  • Take appropriate action in response to any significant change or adverse reaction in response to the effects of drugs
  • Undertake venepuncture, peripheral IV cannulation and blood sampling
  • Assess and monitor the service user’s pain status and as appropriate administer prescribed pain relief in accordance with national and local guidelines
  • Modify and adapt practice to emergency situation
  • Undertake the management of a service user in cardiac arrest and participate in the team managing on-going resuscitation, where required
  • Receive and identify service users and their care needs
  • Participate in the briefing and debriefing of perioperative teams and the use of surgical safety checklists
  • Formulate specific and appropriate care plans including the setting of timescales
  • Effectively gather information relevant to the care of service users in a range of emotional states
  • Adapt and apply problem solving skills to clinical emergencies
  • Demonstrate awareness of relevant health and safety legislation and comply with all local operational procedures and policies
  • Work safely, including being able to select appropriate hazard control and risk management, reduction or elimination techniques in a safe manner and in accordance with health and safety legislation
  • Select appropriate personal protective equipment and use it correctly
  • Establish safe environments for practice, which appropriately manages risk
  • Promote and comply with measures designed to control infection
  • Apply appropriate moving and handling techniques
  • Position service users for safe and effective interventions
  • Ensure the safe use of medical devices used in perioperative, anaesthetic, surgical and post-anaesthesia care
  • Empower and enable individuals (including service users and colleagues) to play a part in managing own health
  • Engage in occupational health, including being aware of immunisation requirements

  Behaviours

  • Open, honest, courteous and professional
  • Caring, compassionate, confident, courageous and committed
  • Treat people with dignity, respecting individual's diversity, beliefs, culture, needs, values, privacy and preferences
• Apprenticeship category (sector): Health and science
• Qualification level: 6; Equal to degree
• Course duration: 48 months
• Maximum funding: £24,000 ; Maximum government funding for ; apprenticeship training and assessment costs.
• Job titles include:
  • Operating department practitioner

View more information about Operating department practitioner (level 6) from the Institute for Apprenticeships and Technical Education.