Clinical Fundamentals
ARU
General Knowledge
Operating Department Practice
100

This precise percentage represents the concentration of oxygen present in room air at normal atmospheric pressure.

21%

100

Following the recent addition of Writtle, ARU now operates this total number of main campuses.

5

Cambridge, Chelmsford, London, Peterborough, Writtle

100

Reaching speeds up to 70 miles per hour, this spotted feline holds the title of the fastest land animal on Earth.

Cheetah

100

ODPs register with this statutory body, abbreviated HCPC, which protects patient safety by regulating allied health professionals across the UK.

Health and Care Professions Council

200

Exhaled by patients at higher concentrations than inhaled, monitoring this gas via capnography is critical for verifying proper endotracheal tube placement.

Carbon dioxide

200

On a leap day: February 29th of 2024, this agricultural institution officially merged with ARU.

Writtle College

200

Thanks to its low moisture content and high acidity, archaeologists have found edible samples of this sweet staple in ancient Egyptian tombs.

Honey

200

Performed meticulously before, during, and after surgery, this vital routine prevents foreign items like swabs or instruments from being inadvertently retained in a patient

Surgical Count 

300

This estimated total volume of blood in an average adult male serves as a baseline for monitoring intraoperative blood loss.

5 litres

300

Opened in 2018 at the Chelmsford campus, this landmark facility was established to train the region's future medics.

School of Medicine

300

James Cameron’s 2009 sci-fi epic set on Pandora holds the record as the highest-grossing film of all time.

Avatar

300

This 19th century British surgeon revolutionised operating rooms by introducing carbolic acid as an antiseptic to drastically reduce surgical infection rates

Joseph Lister

400

Representing a neutral balance on the pH scale, maintaining blood near this level is crucial for preventing acidosis or alkalosis during surgery.

pH 7

400

Over the last 25 years, more than this impressive number of individuals have earned a qualification from ARU

140,000

400

If party entertainers or Pennywise give you cold sweats, you may suffer from this specific phobia

Coulrophobia; the fear of clowns.

400

Before achieving statutory regulation under the HCPC in 2004, practitioners in this role were known by this three-letter title ending in "Assistant."

ODA (Operating Department Assistant)

500

Smaller than bacteria or human red blood cells, this type of microscopic pathogen requires specialized filtration masks such as FFP3.

A virus

500

In 2017, ARU celebrated a quarter-century milestone marking 25 years since achieving this official standing

University status

500

Defined by low precipitation rather than high temperatures, this freezing southern expanse is technically the largest desert on Earth.

Antarctic Desert

500

Celebrated annually across NHS trusts and universities, this awareness day honoring Operating Department Practitioners falls on this specific date in spring

May 14th (National ODP Day)