1 December 2020
How to complete the ARTP CPAP Progression Portfolio
Portfolio Contents Overview
- All candidates that register for the ARTP Sleep CPAP Progression Certificate are required to complete a portfolio of evidence for assessment purposes.
- Candidates must submit only the requested portfolio requirements as detailed below.
- All pages in your portfolio must be numbered and recorded on the contents page so they can be easily located by the assessor. All the work must be clearly divided into sections.
- All work submitted must be your own
Your portfolio must consist of the following sections:
SECTION A - No more than 1000 words excluding copies of local paperwork
- Provide an account of how CPAP therapy works in Obstructive Sleep Apnoea/Hypopnoea Syndrome (OSAHS)
- Provide a description of the software used to download therapy data from a CPAP device used within your service/company. This should include details of the various methods by which this data can be obtained from the device and also the level of data that can be obtained using each of these methods (for example, compliance only, trend data or flow profiles).
SECTION B - No more than 1500 words per case study excluding download data
You will need to provide 4 case studies for patients treated with CPAP that you have personally initiated onto therapy and reviewed. These case studies should include pre-therapy traces demonstrating the severity of OSAHS, any interventions taken to aid compliance, and traces whilst on CPAP therapy demonstrating compliance/non-compliance as appropriate to the particular case.
- A patient with severe OSAHS successfully treated with CPAP.
- A patient where CPAP therapy was initially unsuccessful and what was done to remedy this.
- A patient that was found to have complex sleep apnoea, central sleep apnoea, or a co-existing sleep disorder. Explain how this was/could be diagnosed and what alternative treatment options were/could be offered.
- A patient that was unable to tolerate CPAP therapy, establishing the reasons for this, and what alternative treatment options were/could be offered. Include evidence, if an alternative treatment was offered, of the outcome.
Please ensure that all patient identifiable data in your portfolio is anonymised. Failure to do so will constitute a breach of patient confidentiality and will result in an automatic fail being awarded.
Declaration Form
You must include a signed witness statement from a senior member of staff (Band 5 and over) at the place that you are employed indicating that all of the CPAP data included have been downloaded by you.
Click here to download the Declaration Form
SECTION C - Direct Observation of Practical Skills (DOPS) Assessment
You will need to be assessed by a senior, qualified person within your service/company or a qualified external assessor to ensure that you are competent in the requisite aspects of CPAP therapy. The process of assessment will consist of formative and summative assessments.
The process for the Progression CPAP Certificate is at the level of a fully-fledged Practitioner. Therefore, the performance, skills, and knowledge, and the assessment of those factors are at a significantly higher level than for the previously undertaken Associate CPAP Certificate.
Formative assessment is the use of day-to-day, often informal, assessments to explore the candidates’ understanding. It enables mentors to decide how best to help candidates develop that understanding. There will be a number of formative assessments documented. These must all be included in the portfolio to demonstrate that the correct process has been followed and that there has been a structured process of learning and progression has been demonstrated. The number of formative assessments will depend upon the extent of prior learning and experience of the candidate.
Summative assessment is used to evaluate candidate learning at the end of an instructional unit by comparing it against the required standard or benchmark and therefore demonstrating that competence has been achieved. There will be a minimum of 2 summative assessments.
CPAP Setup (at least 1 Summative Assessment)
1. Setting up the CPAP device as prescribed
2. Provision of a humidifier as an adjunct
3. Fitting an appropriate patient interface
CPAP Review (at least 1 Summative Assessment)
4. Troubleshooting patient interface issues
5. Supporting patients to maintain and improve compliance with CPAP therapy
6. Downloading patient data and being competent in recognising key features of the data.
Click here to download the DOPS assessment paperwork
Important Information
- Formative and Summative Assessments must be included with your portfolio submission.
- Please ensure that all patient identifiable data in your portfolio is anonymised. Failure to do so will constitute a breach of patient confidentiality and will result in an automatic fail being awarded.
SECTION D - Case Based Discussion (CBD) Assessment
Assessment
You will need to be assessed by a senior, qualified person within your service/company or a qualified external assessor to ensure that you are competent in the requisite aspects of CPAP set up and review. You will be required to select a patient that you have personally performed the CPAP set up/review to discuss with the assessor. This should include the patient’s relevant past medical history, diagnosis, severity, lifestyle considerations, occupation and other relevant information.
This assessment is used to evaluate candidate understanding of the treatment, the physiological principles of the condition for which the patient is being treated, relevant scientific and clinical principles, as well as the importance of treatment use in the context of the individual (e.g. side effects).
The two areas of assessment are:
1) CPAP set up 2) CPAP review
You will need to complete one Case Based Discussion for each area.
Click here to download the CBD assessment paperwork
Important Information
- Formative and Summative Assessments must be included with your portfolio submission.
- Please ensure that all patient identifiable data in your portfolio is anonymised. Failure to do so will constitute a breach of patient confidentiality and will result in an automatic fail being awarded.
Submitting your completed portfolio
On completion, please send the portfolio electronically to development@artp.org.uk. If the file size exceeds 10mb, we kindly request that you submit your portfolio using an online transfer facility such as WeTransfer or Dropbox. Please ensure that all documents are labelled with your name. It is advisable to retain a copy for your records.
Deadline Date
You have 6 months to complete a portfolio and this date includes any reattempts required.
Results
Details of your results will be forwarded to you within 8 - 10 weeks of receiving the above. If you require any further information do not hesitate to contact us on development@artp.org.uk.
Extensions
If you are unable to complete your work by the assigned deadline, please complete this extension form here and email it to development@artp.org.uk
Reasonable Adjustments
Candidates with impairments or learning difficulties may apply for additional time to complete their portfolio by completing a Special Requirements Form and returning it to development@artp.org.uk