PGDip Specialist Community Public Health Nursing (School Nursing)

Module: 7NH039

Credits: 20

Period: 1

Type: Core

Locations: Wolverhampton City Campus

This module will provide a framework for specialist practitioners wishing to develop a deeper and more contextual approach to knowledge of public health in contemporary society. Understanding the context of policy and research is fundamental for effective multidisciplinary public health working. This will allow an opportunity to critically debate and analyse the social, political and cultural factors which influence health and health choices over the lifespan. Providing a contextual perspective will encourage closer scrutiny of current policy, public health theories and practice. Seeing themselves as part of the wider workforce will present challenges however, they will identify how skill and knowledge can be applied to new situations to improve population health. Moving beyond individual care to address health inequity and poor health outcomes over the lifespan will necessitate a proactive approach to more sustainable working and include effective use of resources from a local, national and global context. Using evidence-based policy, epidemiological data and evaluative skills practitioners will develop a contextual repertoire of public health knowledge and skill. This incorporates the utilization of community and population data to make informed decisions and contribute to the wider public health debate whilst still acknowledging individual specialist skill in practice.

Module: 7NH043

Credits: 20

Period: 1

Type: Core

Locations: Wolverhampton City Campus

This module aims to support the student to critically examine their role in working with children and adolescents in specialist practice .It will enable the student to develop and enhance their skills to assess and meet the health needs of the school aged population. Students will examine and debate a range of issues that impact upon children and young people and critically analyse their professional role and responsibilities in the provision of healthcare services

Module: 7NH042

Credits: 20

Period: 1

Type: Core

Locations: Wolverhampton City Campus

This module aims to support the student to critically examine leadership and management within specialist practice and healthcare, enabling the student to synthesise the leadership skills and operational requirements required for change. Students will examine leadership theory, team and change management and collaborative working and its application to clinical practice. This module will support the student to consider their leadership and management skills within their specialist field of practice and enable the student to construct a sound proposal for an innovative change.

Module: 7NH031

Credits: 20

Period: 1

Type: Core

Locations: Wolverhampton City Campus

The module is designed to critically further your knowledge in relation to the protection of children and young people, whilst critically exploring the notion of risk management and its relationship to safeguarding. Studying the module will enable you to work closer with families and professionals around child protection and to evaluate the interventions

Module: 7NH038

Credits: 20

Period: 1

Type: Core

Locations: Wolverhampton City Campus

This module is designed to enable you to develop a deeper appreciation and understanding of the research process which builds on existing skill and knowledge. Becoming a confident researcher is fundamental to your specialist practice skill as this knowledge will inform professional decision making and increase the scope of professional practice. Integral to this is an ability to synthesise existing literature specific to your area of expertise, develop a research question and using a critical lens position your methodological approach to procure a research proposal specific to practice. This distinct skill will evidence knowledge of literature searching, literature critique and incorporate paradigm belief. Using theories of being, knowing, methodology, ethics requires a deep engagement with the philosophy of research inquiry, an understanding of epistemology and ontology and how they intersect in the research act. Deepening knowledge of a range of research approaches will add to the specialist practitioners’ repertoire to advance practice and improve health care delivery.

Module: 7NH040

Credits: 20

Period: 1

Type: Optional

Locations: Wolverhampton City Campus

This module will provide a framework for specialist practitioners wishing to develop their knowledge of specialist community public health nursing practice in contemporary society. This will incorporate an understanding of the challenges of practice and an appreciation of how policy and research fundamental to professional development influence professional development. Integral to this progression is an opportunity to forge theory practice links, critically debate social, political and cultural factors as knowledge and skill in practice deepens. The use and application of a broad range of evidence-based practices combined with experiential learning opportunities will enable practitioners to contextualise learning to maximise their potential. This will increase their specialist repertoire, skill and knowledge, practice proficiency and overall competence. The aim is to promote an independent, knowledgeable and confident lead professional who is able to make informed decisions and use the evidence to deliver and evaluate specialist practice interventions effectively. Applying an enhanced critical approach to practice endeavours promotes an informed practitioner who is able to contribute to the wider healthcare debate specific to their specialism.

Module: 7NH044

Credits: 20

Period: 1

Type: Optional

Locations: Wolverhampton City Campus

This module will provide a framework for specialist practitioners wishing to develop their knowledge of specialist community public health nursing practice in contemporary society. This will incorporate an understanding of the challenges of practice and an appreciation of how policy and research fundamental to professional development influence professional development. Integral to this progression is an opportunity to forge theory practice links, critically debate social, political and cultural factors as knowledge and skill in practice deepens. The use and application of a broad range of evidence-based practices combined with experiential learning opportunities will enable practitioners to contextualise learning to maximise their potential. This will increase their specialist repertoire, skill and knowledge, practice proficiency and overall competence. The aim is to promote an independent, knowledgeable and confident lead professional who is able to make informed decisions and use the evidence to deliver and evaluate specialist practice interventions effectively. Applying an enhanced critical approach to practice endeavours promotes an informed practitioner who is able to contribute to the wider healthcare debate specific to their specialism.This module will incorporate the V100 Community Practitioner Nurse Prescribing. This module will incorporate the V100, NMC Standards for Prescribing Programmes (NMC, 2018) and the Royal Pharmaceutical Society Competency Framework for all prescribers (RPS, 2016). This will allow the student to integrate the underpinning theory and practice elements of the course (NMC, 2004; NMC 2018) to practice and prescribe safely.

Students accessing this course are from a wide range of areas from within the West Midlands area. Networking between students is encouraged and the extensive support offered to students is considered to be a strength of the course as evidenced in previous student course evaluations. Students are also visited individually in practice by a member of the course team to provide additional support.

The school nursing award has a designated full time member of staff who acts as course leader and who has expertise in the specific field of practice that the student is studying and as well as having experience of working as a practitioner in the same specialist area. In addition the award, course leader and course team have engaged in research, published books, chapters and journal articles within school nursing and public health and are members of national professional groups and forums.

Innovation on the course is strongly encouraged and several school nursing students have gone on to win regional and national awards for work initiated on the course.

Students will be required to undertake fifteen days alternative public health experience in order to enable them to experience the breadth of public health services available. In addition students will have the opportunity to undertake the V100 Nurse Prescribing qualification as part of the award. On successful completion of the Post Graduate Diploma students are able to continue (subject to funding) and undertake a dissertation to complete a Masters in Primary Care.

There is also an active practice teacher support network forum and practice teachers are provided with an annual update each year along with other professional development opportunities.

On completion of this course you will:

• Have an understanding of the principles of Specialist Community Public Health Nursing, including the development and maintenance of the health of communities and individuals.
• Use theories of research and evidence based information to identify trends in Health Policy and the implications for health care and health care services.
• Help to promote health and wellbeing, influence policies and develop smooth effective health care services through partnerships and collaborative working.
• Be able to analyse, synthesise, evaluate and present information, constructing rational and logical arguments to support
• Practice competently and evaluate personal and professional performance as well as being able to organise and lead others

Students must be a Level 1 Registered Nurse or Midwife on either Part 1 or Part 2 of the Nursing and Midwifery Council Register.

They must be seconded or sponsored by a NHS Trust or equivalent employer. The minimum academic entry requirement is a first degree. Students will be required to undertake a DBS check and occupational health clearance which is arranged by the sponsoring or seconding organisation. Applicants should apply direct to the University.