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Postgraduate Certificate - Specialist Neonatal Practice - Level 7

COMMENT OUT ANCHOR

Who is this Programme suitable for?

This programme leads to the award of Neonatal Qualified in Specialty (QIS). The programme supports the academic advancement of registered professionals working in neonatal care environments. The aim of the programme is to develop competent practitioners who will contribute to the care of infants, their families and carers.

This module is suitable for nurses and midwives employed within the Northern Neonatal ODN. Applicants must hold a substantive post in neonates. Applications are not accepted from individuals looking to complete the programme to pursue a career in neonates on completion.

How will I learn on the Programme?

The programme consists of two thirty credit modules.

MW0713- Special and high neonatal care (Semester one)

MW0712- Intensive neonatal care (Semester two)

In Semester one, you will develop your knowledge and understanding of the infant and family needing specialist and high dependency care. You will begin by understanding neonatal physiology from conception to birth and understand how an infant’s physiology changes to adapt to extra uterine life. You will also learn how any altered physiology/abnormality can lead to ill health within the neonatal period, requiring specialist and high dependency care. You will learn the importance of a collaborative approach to family centred care and how the needs of the infant’s family are essential to neonatal practice. You will understand the complexities of caring for a child requiring specialist and high dependency care in relation to nutrition, hydration, pain management, infection prevention, resuscitation, discharge and transfer to neighbouring units or home. The module builds the foundation to discuss these issues and others in the intensive care infant, in the second module of the award.

In Semester two, you will understand complicated altered physiology that leads to the need for intensive support and physiological care of the infant. You will understand the complexities of caring for a child requiring intensive care in relation to nutrition, hydration, pain management, infection prevention, resuscitation, palliative care, discharge and transfer to neighbouring units or home.

Will I have a Clinical Placement?

The Northern Neonatal ODN have agreed for staff employed in level one (special) and level two (high) dependency units to undertake a placement during semester two’s intensive care module. The region has three intensive care units and staff can choose which to visit.

How will I be supported on the module?

You will be supported by the programme leader and academic colleagues to help you achieve your full academic potential; this will include both informal discussions at a group level, and individual tutorials. Student led debates and case study presentations will also develop your academic skills. Discussion boards will be used to allow you to share ideas and post questions for the group.

Additional needs can be discussed as they arise. If you have an existing disability which affects your study performance or believe you may have a disability that impacts on your ability to learn, you may be eligible to access help from the university student support team. The student support team will liaise with module tutor to ensure you are offered appropriate support to help you get the most from your studies.

What qualifications do I need to have?

To apply for this level seven (Masters) programme you must hold a level six honours degree. For example, BSc (Hon’s) Nursing/Midwifery. Please contact the programme lead to discuss alternative qualifications. Contact details below.

Professional: You will hold a valid registration as a nurse or midwife on an appropriate part of the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) register. The programme is not available to health care staff on professional registers other than the NMC.

What will the module cost?

Please discuss funding with your unit manager and Trust educational lead. Self-funding is an option. However, you will need the support of your unit manager to be accepted. Please contact the programme lead for self-funding details.

What should I do next?

Please complete the on-line application. Applications are for the year long programme. You cannot apply to complete only one of the two programme modules.

Evidence of support from your employer is required. Please discuss with your unit manager and Trust educational lead.

If you require any further information or wish to have an individual discussion, please contact:

Programme Lead - Mike Stephenson mike.stephenson@northumbria.ac.uk

Course Information

Award Type Level 7

Sector
Health and Social Care

Designed by a multi-professional team including Nurses, Midwives and clinical leads within the Northern Neonatal ODN. This programme is tailored towards individuals who are driving and enabling neonatal practice in NHS North-East.

Northumbria is the principal provider of nurse education in the North-East of England and was named Nurse Education Provider of the Year (post-registration) for three consecutive years by Student Nursing Times.

We have excellent relationships with partner services in health, social care and social work and our range of specialist provision supports practitioners to engage in professional learning and then examine how this can be integrated in the practice arena.

How will I be assessed on the programme?

Assessment for both modules include a 3,000-word assignment, anatomy and physiology exam and successful completion of a clinical competency document.

Formative assessment:

Verbal feedback will be given from the programme lead and peers throughout the module during classroom teaching and seminars. You will also be able to engage in group discussion within the timetabled group tutorial and further online tutorials provided within the module.

Summative assessment:

The summative assessments for both modules are in three parts.

1. A pass/refer altered anatomy and physiology written exam.

2. Clinical competency document assessed and passed by a clinical supervisor.

3. A 3000-word assignment focusing on clinical neonatal care.

You will be taught or facilitated by research active and experienced teaching staff, specialists in the topics you will address.

Staff draw on years of health and social practice experience in their field, bringing their expertise to the classroom. Our staff maintain close relationships with our stakeholders and specialist network involvement, bringing this contemporary and ‘real world’ evidence to their teaching practice.

This course is based at our Coach Lane Campus where you will have access to cutting-edge facilities with technology embedded through all aspects of your course.

The programme runs with the support of the Northern Neonatal ODN and students in the programme will come from many of the units within the ODN.

In each of the two modules you will join staff from a neighbouring University to attend a regional day delivered by lead educational and clinical staff from the ODN.

Northumbria University has been ranked in the top quartile in the UK for research power in Allied Health Sciences and Nursing. Additionally, more than 80% of our research activity in Allied Health Sciences and Nursing is rated as world-leading or internationally excellent.

In Northumbria Universities Research Rich Learning approach, the teacher assumes the role of facilitator to encourage active, self-directed learning on the part of the student. Such approaches allow students to take responsibility for their own learning by requiring engagement with higher level academic skills. The aim is to equip students with skills of intellectual autonomy, collaborative working, critical and independent enquiry, and discipline-specific creativity.

This programme is designed to support the development of workforce roles and will equip you to enhance both academic and clinical practice knowledge and skills.

Applicants for the programme must hold a substantive post in a neonatal unit. The award of QIS recognises a commitment to the long-term care of infants, their families and carers. Supporting career progression.

You will also be able to consider routes to further Master's level education as the programme may allow direct entry into the second year of a taught Masters programme.

Course Outline Learning Environment Entry Requirements Key Learning Outcomes Enquiries

The Programme has been designed to meet the needs of nursing and midwifery staff caring for an infant in the neonatal unit. The programme leads to the award of Postgraduate Certificate - Specialist Neonatal Practice - Level 7. The programme allows you to explore neonatal practice with colleagues from many units in the region, to engage in discussion and debate to understand the complexities and challenges caring for an infant and their family receiving neonatal care.

Modules overview

MW0713- Special and high neonatal care- 30 credits. (Semester one)

This module explores the specialist needs of infants in neonatal units, to understand how thermoregulation, nutrition, pain management and infection control among many topics. You will also understand the physiological changes as an infant adapts to extra uterine life, and how problems with this transition lead to infants requiring your care.

MW0712- Intensive neonatal care- 30 credits. (Semester two)

The module builds on knowledge gained in the special and high dependency module and explores the specialist intensive care needs of infants in neonatal units, to understand how thermoregulation, nutrition, pain management, palliative care and infection control among many topics.

You will also understand the physiological changes as an infant adapts to extra uterine life, and how problems with this transition lead to infants requiring Intensive care.

You will develop both academic and clinical practice-based knowledge and skills including academic writing and evidence-based practice.

You will have access to our campus facilities both at Coach Lane or City campus, including our substantial library collection that is accessible both physically and virtually and a variety of learning environments to facilitate multiple learning approaches.

You will benefit from state-of-the-art teaching and practice facilities, and from an immersive environment dedicated to the study of healthcare.

Applicants should normally have:

A minimum of a 2:2 honours degree in a relevant subject.

Applicants must be working in neonatal care and hold appropriate registration with the NMC.

The programme does not accept Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) for entry onto the programme.

You will critically synthesise the evidence base which informs neonatal specialist and high dependency care, leading to an enhanced understanding of the contribution a neonatal qualified in speciality nurse/midwife (QIS) makes to specialist and high dependency care.
You will critically analyse the national, organisational and professional standards, guidelines and policies to lead safe and sustainable neonatal specialist and high dependency care.
You will conceptualise key concepts and theories in specialist practice to analyse dominant discourses in the context of specialist and high dependency care.
You will generate new knowledge and understanding to demonstrate how specialist and high dependency care is managed and coordinated at a regional level.
You will critically review legislation, professional guidelines, and ethical principles to professional practice.
You will look critically at the specific care of an infant to build intellectual knowledge and lead developments in professional practice.
You will enhance communication skills to involve parents in a collaborative approach to developing Neonatal care.
You will recognise the role of collaborative working within the regional network to deliver high quality specialist care.
You will critically reflect and build on your own intellectual, professional skills & abilities and develop action plans to problem solve and achieve personal and professional goals.
You will work collaboratively with peers in a learning community, this will help you to develop professional networks and peer support opportunities.

Mike Stephenson- Programme Lead

Email: mike.stephenson@northumbria.ac.uk

Tel: 0191 2156783

Regarding the application process contact:

Email: NSBackOffice@northumbria.ac.uk

Please register your interest for this course and we will be in touch once we have confirmed dates.

Register Interest