Specialist Community Public Health Nursing (Health Visiting) Higher Apprenticeship
18 months Full Time
Option for Placement Year
Option for Study Abroad
Option for Placement Year
Option for Study Abroad
Admission onto a higher or degree apprenticeship can only take place if applicants are currently employed and their employer has a training agreement in place with Northumbria University.
Applicants should normally have:
A minimum of a 2:2 honours degree in a any subject.
Registration with the Nursing and Midwifery Council and employed as a first level nurse.
International qualifications:
If you have studied a non UK qualification, you can see how your qualifications compare to the standard entry criteria, by selecting the country that you received the qualification in, from our country pages. Visit www.northumbria.ac.uk/yourcountry
English language requirements:
International applicants are required to have a minimum overall IELTS (Academic) score of 7.0 with 7 in each component (or approved equivalent*).
*The university accepts a large number of UK and International Qualifications in place of IELTS. You can find details of acceptable tests and the required grades you will need in our English Language section. Visit www.northumbria.ac.uk/englishqualifications
GCSE Requirements:
Applicants will need Maths and English Language at minimum grade 4/C, or Functional Skills English and Maths at level 2 and be able to provide evidence of these qualifications.
* At Northumbria we are strongly committed to protecting the privacy of personal data. To view the University’s Privacy Notice please click here
Module information is indicative and is reviewed annually therefore may be subject to change. Applicants will be informed if there are any changes.
HA7000 -
Research and Evidence for Contemporary Practice (30 Credits)
This module forms part of the Specialist Community Public Health Nursing (Apprenticeship route) (SCPHN) and Specialist Practice District Nursing (Apprenticeship route). This Semester One module will build on your existing knowledge of evidence-based practice and its application to specialist community public health nursing and district nursing. You will develop the skills to critically appraise contemporary sources of evidence, including research; theoretical concepts; practice knowledge; public health data; policies; guidelines and patient perspectives. Regarding research, you will develop key skills associated with literature review and appraisal, as well as a critical understanding of research paradigms and related methodology. You will be able demonstrate your research knowledge, understanding and skills through the design of a research proposal, focussing on an identified topic relating to public health practice. Importantly, you will explore concepts of best evidence and clinical expertise within the context of patient/client centred care, specifically patient preferences and values in relation to shared clinical decision-making. You will also develop and be able to demonstrate appropriate knowledge, skills and experiences associated with specialist practice through clinical placement, underpinned by the clinical and managerial expertise of your practice assessor/supervisor and supported by your academic assessor. Through the collection and assessment of a variety of robust evidence sources, you will be able to demonstrate competency and successful completion of NMC and Apprenticeship standards related to your specific area of specialist practice.
HA7001 -
Building Community Capacity (20 Credits)
The module focuses on four key elements:
• development of critical knowledge and appreciation of the changing patterns of ‘communities’ health, disease and need to meet the public health agenda.
• evidence-based analysis and synthesis of public health data in order to determine a community profile in order to assess the health and social needs of a given community.
• determine a strategy for health improvement to address a chosen health priority in relation to your area of practice.
• critically explore and evaluate how to build community capacity, including the resource implications in relation to the chosen health priority.
The module introduces you to the existing evidence base which informs your Specialist Community Public Health Nursing (SCPHN) practice; enables you to understand and critique the evidence and apply it to your own practice. You will learn how to; find and critique evidence directly related to the module using online library and skills plus services, develop your writing, referencing and presentation skills at postgraduate level enabling you to build upon and further develop your current academic skills.
The module develops your ability to understand how to undertake a community profile and identify a health priority relevant to you practice in that given community. This will be undertaken by utilising a range of resources and based upon current legal, ethical and professional guidance to inform your decision.
HA7002 -
Fundamental skills for Specialist Public Health Practice (30 Credits)
This module focuses on Fundamental skills for Specialist Public Health Practice. You will develop appropriate theoretical knowledge, complex skills and behaviours to advance your specialist practice and to understand the theory and context of public health. You will critically explore key concepts in contemporary public health, promoting and facilitating health enhancing activities within defined populations. You will explore and apply local policies, governance, and legislative requirements to identify vulnerable children and adults, using strategies to protect children and adults from risk of harm, help prevent risk taking behaviours and adhering to policy for sharing confidential information. You will explore the complex relationships between the wider health determinants, wellbeing, and health inequalities, enhancing critical thinking and decision-making skills.
You will demonstrate an ability to synthesise appropriate knowledge and information, when undertaking a comprehensive assessment and developing intervention strategies for services users. This includes physical and psycho-social approaches and appropriate planning of care, intervention and evaluation strategies. You will develop understanding of the wider professional team and the multi-disciplinary role in providing evidence based holistic care to individuals, families, and communities. You will go on to show an enhanced ability to document your findings, identifying any areas of physical and emotional concern to health and wellbeing and effectively communicate these findings appropriately within the inter-professional team, as well as demonstrate the skills to refer to other services for the benefit of service users, their families and appropriate stakeholders.
HA7003 -
Leading and Advancing Specialist Practice (20 Credits)
This module is for students on the MSc Specialist Community Public Health Nursing (SCPHN) and MSc Specialist Practice District Nursing Apprenticeship routes.
This module will help you advance your knowledge, understanding and skills in relation to leading and advancing practice in your specialist field of SCPHN (Health Visiting and School Nursing). You will have the opportunity to identify and audit an area of contemporary public health or professional practice from your specialist field. Audit is a quality improvement process, which seeks to improve service user care and outcomes through the systematic review of services against specific criteria. Following this, recommendations for service improvement are identified. In completing an audit, you will source and critique a range of relevant contemporary evidence, apply leadership, and change theory and contextualise learning in order to prepare you for advancing and leading specialist practice. The module content will include, clinical audit approaches, leadership and change theory, development of strategic leadership skills and networking, promotion of research-based practice and integration of research and theory to practice. You will have the opportunity to develop knowledge, skills and behaviours of resilience. You will have the opportunity to apply and relate what you learn on the module towards your academic assessment, which is the development and presentation of a poster and written abstract for use in your area of specialist practice based on the process and findings of your specific audit.
AC7065 -
Community Practitioner Prescribing for Nurses and Midwives (V100) (20 Credits)
This module is integrated within the Post Graduate community nursing specialist programmes preparing for Specialist Community Public Health Nursing (SCPHN specifically health visitors) and District Nursing. The module will facilitate your development of the knowledge and skills required for safe and effective prescribing from the UK Nurse Prescribers’ Formulary for Community Nurse Practitioners as an integral part of your professional programme. Successful completion of all components of the module will lead to the achievement of a recordable prescribing qualification with your regulatory body, the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC). The subject areas you will study include assessing the patient and considering prescribing options, pharmacology for prescribing and de-prescribing, legal and regulatory frameworks, providing information, reaching shared decisions, monitoring and reviewing treatments, prescribing safely, professionally and as part of a team and improving prescribing practice.
More informationHA7000 -
Research and Evidence for Contemporary Practice (30 Credits)
This module forms part of the Specialist Community Public Health Nursing (Apprenticeship route) (SCPHN) and Specialist Practice District Nursing (Apprenticeship route). This Semester One module will build on your existing knowledge of evidence-based practice and its application to specialist community public health nursing and district nursing. You will develop the skills to critically appraise contemporary sources of evidence, including research; theoretical concepts; practice knowledge; public health data; policies; guidelines and patient perspectives. Regarding research, you will develop key skills associated with literature review and appraisal, as well as a critical understanding of research paradigms and related methodology. You will be able demonstrate your research knowledge, understanding and skills through the design of a research proposal, focussing on an identified topic relating to public health practice. Importantly, you will explore concepts of best evidence and clinical expertise within the context of patient/client centred care, specifically patient preferences and values in relation to shared clinical decision-making. You will also develop and be able to demonstrate appropriate knowledge, skills and experiences associated with specialist practice through clinical placement, underpinned by the clinical and managerial expertise of your practice assessor/supervisor and supported by your academic assessor. Through the collection and assessment of a variety of robust evidence sources, you will be able to demonstrate competency and successful completion of NMC and Apprenticeship standards related to your specific area of specialist practice.
Our Applicant Services team will be happy to help. They can be contacted on 0191 406 0901 or by using our Contact Form.
Full time Courses are primarily delivered via on-campus face to face learning but could include elements of online learning. Most courses run as planned and as promoted on our website and via our marketing materials, but if there are any substantial changes (as determined by the Competition and Markets Authority) to a course or there is the potential that course may be withdrawn, we will notify all affected applicants as soon as possible with advice and guidance regarding their options. It is also important to be aware that optional modules listed on course pages may be subject to change depending on uptake numbers each year.
Contact time is subject to increase or decrease in line with possible restrictions imposed by the government or the University in the interest of maintaining the health and safety and wellbeing of students, staff, and visitors if this is deemed necessary in future.
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