Respiratory Physiotherapy - elearning for healthcare
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This programme is in partnership with...
  • Portsmouth Hospitals NHS Trust
  • University Hospital Southampton_Partnership logo

About the Respiratory Physiotherapy programme

Respiratory Physiotherapy is a new elearning programme to support physiotherapists treating patients with respiratory conditions, including COVID-19.

The programme has been designed to support existing and newly qualified physiotherapists who want to update their knowledge and to help prepare for working in daily and emergency out of hours respiratory care.

The programme includes an introduction to respiratory assessment and the clinical reasoning process, followed by more detailed modules about Auscultation, Chest X-rays and Arterial Blood Gas analysis, which play a significant part in assessment and help to analyse a patient’s respiratory problems.

Further topics covered are:

  1. Oxygen therapy
  2. Humidification
  3. Manual techniques
  4. Active Cycle of Breathing Technique (ACBT)
  5. Incentive spirometry
  6. Suction
  7. Tracheostomies
  8. Intermittent Positive Pressure Breathing (IPPB)
  9. Mechanical insufflation: exsufflation MI:E cough assist
  10. Non-Invasive Ventilation

There is also a paediatric module which covers the differences in anatomy and physiology when assessing and treating an infant.

The modules on IPPB, NIV, suction and manual hyperinflation have videos incorporated of how to set up the equipment and apply to a patient.

All of the modules can be accessed in any order or worked through sequentially. Each module consists of a short self-assessment at the end to assess your own learning.

More information

While this respiratory care programme may support your learning, it is essential that you obtain clinical experience and follow the on-call competency training packages designed for your own Hospital Trust.

Meet the team

  • Dr Debbie Thackray – Principal Teaching Fellow, School of Health Sciences, University Southampton
  • Paula Casey – Lead Learning Designer, HEE elearning for healthcare
  • Matt Quint – Consultant Respiratory Physiotherapist, from QAH, Portsmouth Hospitals University NHS Trust
  • Pip Wright – Lakshman Thuraisingham, and Frances Monk – Senior Respiratory Physiotherapists, from QAH, Portsmouth Hospitals University NHS Trust
  • Dr Denise Gibson – Consultant Respiratory Physiotherapist, and Rebecca Vokes – Senior Respiratory Physiotherapist University Hospital Southampton
  • Bev Harden – AHP lead HEE
  • Jon Collins – Project Manager, HEE elearning for healthcare
  • Clair Guy – Programme Manager, HEE elearning for healthcare

How to access

In order to access the Respiratory Physiotherapy programme, you will need an elfh account. If you do not have one, then you can register by selecting the Register button below.

Register >

To view the Respiratory Physiotherapy programme, select the View button below. If you already have an account with elfh, you will also be able to login and enrol on the programme from the View button.

View >

Not an NHS organisation?

If you are not an NHS health or care organisation and therefore do not qualify for free access elfh Hub, you may be able to access the service by creating an OpenAthens account.

To check whether or not you qualify for free access via OpenAthens, you can view the eligibility criteria and register on the ‘OpenAthens’ portal.

Registering large numbers of users

If you are a HR, IT or Practice Manager and would like to register and enrol large numbers of staff within your organisation for access onto the Respiratory Physiotherapy programme, please contact elfh directly.

Organisations wishing to use their own LMS

For HR departments wanting to know more about gaining access to courses using an existing Learning Management System please contact elfh directly to express interest.

More information

Please select the following link for more information on how to use the elfh Hub.

elfh is a NHS England programme in partnership with the NHS and professional bodies