BSc (Honours) Community Specialist Practice Primary Care Nursing/District Nursing

Attendance

Full-time, Part-time

Full-time – forty four weeks
Part-time – forty weeks study typically over two years

Starts September 2011

At a glance

About this course

This post-registration course helps you specialise in the growing area of district nursing. It reflects the changes in primary care with a focus on reducing inequalities and offering a greater variety of services for patients and carers in settings closer to home.

Building on your knowledge and experience, the course develops your leadership skills to initiate, implement and manage delivery of healthcare services.

You look at the key features of teamwork, partnership and collaboration between professional agencies, communities and individuals so that you can work effectively with them.

We have partnerships with healthcare organisations to deliver modern and diverse placements that meet the changing needs of primary care.

This course is available to study full-time or part-time. You can also study individual modules as stand alone units for continuing professional development.

Study individual modules
You can study individual modules from this course and gain academic credit towards a qualification. Visit our continuing professional development website for more information.

Associated careers

Greater emphasis is being placed on bringing care to patients, carers and their families. This means that specialist community practice primary care nurses have more influence in defining needs and services.

There are opportunities for district nurses to
• progress to management and community matron roles
• develop expertise in primary, intermediate and rehabilitative care
• move into different areas such as general practice, the independent sector, voluntary and charitable organisations

Professional recognition

This course is approved by the Nursing and Midwifery Council.

Course content

Core modules

• person centred primary care • evidence based case management • transformational practice through leadership and management • practice learning.

Options

• behaviour change • work-based learning • managing personal effectiveness

Assessment

• critiques • examinations • essays • research reviews • reports • case studies • practice-based portfolios

Entry requirements

Normally you should
• have at least 120 credits at level 5
• be registered on part one of the Nursing and Midwifery Council’s register
• have at least one year of post registration experience
• have successfully applied for a student district nurse NHS training post
• complete application forms for the University and your sponsoring health care organisation
• provide supporting references for both forms

We select applicants through a joint interview with the individual healthcare organisation.

Course enrolment – professional requirements
Before enrolling, you must fully declare during the admissions process any
• unspent convictions, cautions, reprimands or warnings. For further information on convictions that must be declared see the Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) website.
• disciplinary proceedings during paid or voluntary employment or educational establishments
• involvement with safeguarding proceedings, social services or related organisations

You also need to complete
• a DBS Enhanced Disclosure, and provide us with a copy of your DBS Enhanced Disclosure Certificate if requested. Enrolment also depends on the DBS check being deemed suitable for professional training.
• occupational health screening to determine your suitability to undertake the course and an approved programme of immunisation, as recommended by the Department of Health. Health screening and immunisation are provided by the University.

If your personal circumstances change in relation to any of the professional requirements – from when you apply to the end of your course – you must tell the Professional Issues Team immediately by calling 0114 225 3995 or 0114 225 5786. 

Fees

Home and EU students

2013/14 academic year

The Department of Health normally funds this course. Further information is available on the NHS Employers' website. If you are a self-funding student, the typical fee is £4,500 a year based on 60 credits.

How to apply

Places on the course are limited to NHS-funded student health visitors and school nurses. Check www.jobs.nhs.uk for details of available posts locally.

You do not need to submit an application to Sheffield Hallam until you are invited to interview at an NHS Trust. Download an application form from www.shu.ac.uk/study/form

Contact us for further information. 

Contact details

For further information contact the Post-experience and Postgraduate Office, Faculty of Health and Wellbeing, Collegiate Crescent Campus, Sheffield, S1 1WB. Phone +44 (0)114 225 2372, fax +44 (0)114 225 2394, e-mail NursingandMidwifery@shu.ac.uk