MSc Clinical Skin Integrity and Wound Management

Content

Teaching focuses on the principles of promoting skin integrity in patients of all ages. Topics covered include: the burden of chronic wounds: diabetic foot disease, venous disease, pressure injury, assessment and diagnostic techniques, barriers to healing; clinical, lifestyle, organisational, wound physiology, and microbiology, cutaneous manifestations of systemic disease, inflammatory skin conditions, skin/wound infections, chronic oedema, psychological impact of wounds and associated skin conditions, patient education and compliance.

Core skills for specialist practice will be developed including decision making and problem solving skills, leadership and communication skills, information retrieval, critical analysis and application of evidence based practice, audit and research methods and an ability to support and influence service improvement amongst others.

Structure

The MSc Clinical Skin Integrity & Wound Management consists of 6 modules (30 credits each) of 12 weeks duration covering the core skin integrity curriculum delivered using face-to-face teaching by academic staff and clinical experts.

• The programme is offered on a modular basis, each module is assessed
• Progression depends on successful completion of existing modules
• Your programme of study will comprise of 2 compulsory core modules, 2 compulsory specialist modules and 2 optional (elective) modules.

The programme is offered in full time (12 months) and part time modes (2-5 years), and leads to the award of MSc Clinical Skin Integrity & Wound Management, Postgraduate Diploma Clinical Skin Integrity & Wound Management, Postgraduate Certificate Clinical Clinical Skin Integrity & Wound Management and a new Postgraduate Certificate Chronic Oedema Management.

MSc Clinical Skin Integrity & Wound Management (180 credits)

Postgraduate Diploma Clinical Skin Integrity & Wound Management (120 credits)

Postgraduate Certificate Clinical Skin Integrity & Wound Management (60 credits)
Postgraduate Certificate Chronic Oedema Management (60 credits)

The part-time pathway is available for Home / EU practitioners which usually comprises of a programme of study that includes 30 credits per semester and is designed to be studied alongside full-time employment. Part time students usually study 2 or 3 modules per year. Full time students complete 180 credits (6 modules) in one year to graduate with an MSc Clinical Skin Integrity & Wound Management.

You will be required to attend timetabled teaching sessions which are arranged into study blocks usually of 2 – 3 days duration which provides flexibility for you to fit study commitments you’re your busy professional life. In addition, you will be expected to study a minimum of ten hours per week in order to successfully complete this programme.

Full attendance or online engagement is strongly encouraged, promoted through innovative timetabling and increased use of blended learning materials where appropriate but a minimum of 80% attendance is required. Attendance and engagement of students will be monitored and reported back to relevant authorities.

Key features

• Part-time and Full-time mode of delivery
• Flexible programme of study
• Choice of specialist modules
• Flexible delivery modes (technology enhanced learning)
• Range of exit options: MSc, PGD, PGC
• Modular structure
• Compulsory specialist modules (30 credits each)
• Enhancing Skin Integrity Skills
• Health Technology and Innovation
• Optional specialist modules (30 credits each)
• Chronic Skin Conditions
• Mind And Skin
• Managing Chronic Oedema
• Advanced Chronic Oedema
• Optional modules common interest (30 credits each)
• Clinical Practice in Action
• Leadership in Practice
• Core Competencies Medical Practice
• Work based learning
• Compulsory core modules (30 credits each)
• Evidence Based Practice
• Health Disciplines Practice

What will I study?

All specialist teaching is done via face-to-face lectures and is supported by the universities online learning environment. You will experience a wide variety of teaching methods throughout the programme including: interactive and key-note lectures, seminars, workshops, individual and group based tutorials incorporating for example case studies, role play, problem based learning and discussion groups covering a broad range of topics.

Each module is led by a specialist module tutor who has a particular interest in the topic being studied and teaching is supported by a large enthusiastic team of academics and specialist practitioners who are visiting lecturers contributing to this master’s programme.

The University has fully integrated computing, library and media academic support services for students and staff, delivered through StudyNet, the University’s online managed learning platform which is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Students have access to the facilities on all campuses and can access electronic services and resources from home or work.

Full-time students at University of Hertfordshire have full access to all the facilities the University and the Students’ Union has to offer and the campus is a 30 minute train journey away from central London and all its attractions.

Assessment

All assessment processes are linked to work experience and work based learning, underpinned by evidence based practice to create assessments that add value to employers. Assessments are designed to provide both simulated and real world experience and are relevant to clinical practice. You will be encouraged to select topics to study that reflect your clinical interests and cultural background

The programme uses a variety of different assessment methods to enable you to demonstrate knowledge, abilities and skills in diverse ways and takes account of the pressure that mature, postgraduate students experience with busy lives. Assignments include essays, service reviews, presentations, clinical audit, posters and project work. You will be expected to apply coursework to your own clinical practice environment.

Completion of a Quality Improvement Project at the end of the programme provides opportunity to learn more about quality improvement methodology such as data collection, problem definition and diagnosis, generation and selection of potential changes and implementation and evaluation of those changes with support from specialist supervisors. Many students go onto implement their specific project, making changes in skin integrity practice, leading teams, and enhancing patient care.

Level 7

Module

• Clinical Practice in Action
• Work Based Learning
• Leadership in Practice
• Core Competencies in Medical Practice
• Health Disciplines Project
• Evidence Based Practice
• Chronic Skin Conditions
• Mind and Skin
• Health Technology and Innovation
• Enhancing Skin Integrity Skills
• Diabetic Foot Management
• Managing Chronic Oedema
• Advanced Chronic Oedema
• Evidence Based Practice