Nursing Studies (1 year top-up)

On completion of this module you will have in depth underpinning knowledge of the theory of clinical reasoning and through utilization of problem solving and information gathering skills you will be able to critically discuss the application of clinical decision making in practice.  

INDICATIVE CONTENT

• The theories, concepts and methods that underpin patient centred clinical reasoning and decision-making processes
•  The types and levels of information and their relevance to decision making and patient management
• Approaches to holistic assessment and communication strategies (including issues related to care environments, counselling, bereavement, long-term illness and disability)
• Rehabilitation, health education and health promotion for patients and carers in different environments
• Legal and ethical issues related to patient assessment and management

To develop the student's ability to lead and manage care, utilising psychological science and communication models to ensure high quality service provision for people with complex needs. 

SUGGESTED INDICATIVE CONTENT

·        Self-awareness and professional development in relation to leadership style, e.g. reflection and completion of self-assessment tools.

·        Maintaining relationships;

o  in difficult situations: refusal for treatment, raising concerns regarding standards of practice and conflict resolution;

o  when managing change.

·        Leadership skills to provide high quality dignified and compassionate care.

·        Leadership skills for building resilience in teams.

·        Leading and managing complex systems and processes

·        Application of psychological theories and communication strategies for leadership.

·        Developing relationships that cross professional boundaries.

·        Quality assured care.

·        Management skills - delegating, prioritising, preparing for autonomous practice, time management.

·        Leadership and Management theories.

·        Evaluating clinical risk

·        Safe decision making in complex need situations

·        Pharmacology

·        Innovation

·        Human factors training

·        Student management of assessment, recognition and treatment (SMART)

·        Nursing/clinical skills development

Employability attributes addressed in this module

• Professional values.
• Critical thinking.
• Personal resilience.
• Team working.
• Planning & organising.
• Problem solving.
• Communication.
• Creativity.
• Flexibility.
• Self-awareness.
• Self-management.
• Influencing & negotiation.
• Critical reflection.
• Personal Development Portfolio.

To critically apply knowledge and skills in order to respond to socio-political dimensions of Public Health for people of all ages, in all the fields of practice within a variety of care settings.

SUGGESTED GENERIC INDICATIVE CONTENT

• Public Health policy and sociological concepts.
• Health inequalities and vulnerable groups.
• Expert patient.
• Complex and diverse health and social care needs.
• Motivational interventions and interviewing.
• Communication for collaborative care.
• Partnership working with Health and Social care agencies and the voluntary and independent sectors.
• Anti discriminative practice.
• Needs of clients across the lifespan 

The aim of this module is to enable you to build on previous learning and to apply knowledge and skills in utilising, generating and evaluating nursing evidence in your chosen study.

INDICATIVE CONTENT

This module will build on previous research skills gained at levels 4 and 5 and provide you with the foundations for generating and evaluating evidence in order to gain a deeper understanding of evidence based practice. You will cover the following topics

Research approaches, methods and designs; Experimental (e.g. Randomised Controlled Trials), Non - Experimental (e.g. Observational / Survey/ Longitudinal - Cohort Study), Ethnography, Phenomenology, (e.g.Narrative Enquiry, Case Studies, Action Research, Grounded Theory).

Research terms: e.g. Variables (independent, dependent, confounding), central tendency, Power, Internal consistency

Sampling: Quantitative designs; Probability (e.g. Random/Stratified), Non-Probability (e.g. Convenience), Qualitative designs (e.g. Purposive), Recruitment process.

Data collection methods/tools, e.g. Interviews(unstructured, semi-structured), Focus groups, Observation, standardised assessments/ outcome measures, Internet

Qualitative Data analysis: e.g. Thematic /Framework analysis, Content analysis, Interpretative Phenomenological analysis

Statistics and Quantitative data analysis; descriptive statistics, Inferential statistics (e.g. p-value), Measures of Level and Spread (e.g. Reliability, Validity, Range),selecting appropriate tests & scales (e.g. Chi-Square, ANOVA, t-test, Mann Whitney, Wilcoxon, Spearman, Pearson)

Literature review; using advanced databases and searches, sources of evidence, appraising evidence, approaches for quantitative literature (e.g. systematic reviews), approaches for qualitative literature (e.g. meta-analysis/ meta-synthesis), presentation of findings

Critical appraisal tools and guides: application/use, hierarchy /quality of information & evidence

Proposal: research proposal plan/ development (research question/ Hypothesis/Null Hypothesis, Aims and Objectives, Gantt chart), research design /methods, interventions/tools, sample recruitment, data collection/tools and analysis, dissemination of results etc.

Research Governance and Ethics; improving/ maintaining quality, ethical issues, confidentiality, informed consent, mental capacity, Hawthorne / Placebo effect.

Organisations; involved in research development and funding, application process, ethics 

To enable you to critically evaluate service provision and appraise leadership skills which contribute to the implementation of service improvement

INDICATIVE CONTENT

• Quality improvement methodology and evaluation
• Leadership and entrepreneurial skills for collaborative service development
• Service user and carer involvement
• Contemporary policy drivers for integrated services and collaborative working