PG DIP COMMUNITY SPECIALIST PRACTITIONER � ADULT SOCIAL CARE NURSING (Subject to Validation) Postgraduate Diploma

Throughout this Postgraduate Diploma you will experience a range of creative and challenging learning opportunities and different environments. This will enable you to grow, personally and professionally, within safe and supportive spaces.

You will benefit from a newly developed curriculum, which reflects the contemporary clinical and socio-political landscape and collaborative working of Specialist Community Practice, meeting current professional and regulatory requirements. The NMC (2022) Standards for post-registration programmes will also be met, ensuring the completion of a period of experience of sufficient length to have consolidated pre-registration outcomes and to gain a deeper understanding in specialist practice.

All modules and their assessments are designed to help you synthesise contemporary theory with clinical practice, as well as to identify gaps between your current and desired performance to develop further. Progress review meetings will ensure that your progress is reviewed and that opportunities for learning are identified and maximised both in theory and practice. These will be supported by your Academic Assessor and Practice Assessor and Practice Supervisor(s).

You will be supported throughout your time at Northumbria by a truly remarkable team of highly experienced academics and specialist practitioners. Our staff are experts in their field; they use their diverse range of skills and experience to help develop the next generation of caring, compassionate, and competent health professionals.

The programme team have developed a robust supportive framework to support you pastorally, therefore you will have a personal tutor, who are there to ensure you receive support at key times during your programme. You will also be supported in the clinical setting by Practice Assessors (PA’s, Practice Supervisors (PS’s) and practice placement facilitators (PPF) and, as part of the SPQ programme there will be progress review meetings with you, your employer, and the University. There will be progress review meetings in each semester over the programme to discuss your progress and explore any issues that may impact on your ability to complete the required standards.  

At our base on Coach Lane Campus you will benefit from state-of-the-art teaching and practice facilities, and from being immersed in an environment dedicated to the study of healthcare.

Our innovative Clinical Skill Centre replicates a range of nursing environments and situations. Its virtual reality equipment, high fidelity Simulated Mannequins (SimMan and SimBaby), and immersive technologies will allow you to practise skills, challenge your learning and develop confidence in your clinical ability – all within a safe environment.

Technology enhanced learning (TEL) is embedded throughout the modules in this programme, and relates to learning, teaching and assessment (LTA) approaches. You will be introduced to TEL, within your induction period. The ELP Blackboard Ultra will provide a range of links to electronic and multi-media learning resources; this includes high quality e-learning materials, consistent with the blended approach to learning.

If you are an international student, you will have access to Academic Language Skills (ALS) sessions to help you develop your academic language, writing and study skills. These sessions will run throughout the course. 

Research is vital to the evolution of healthcare, and this postgraduate diploma will equip you to play a valuable role in generating new knowledge within the nursing profession. This programme will continue to build on your understanding and application of community specialist practitioner knowledge.

Research-rich learning will be embedded throughout the course, you will draw on your developing skills to show your capacity for independent, research-based inquiry, as well as those needed to reflect, critically evaluate, synthesise and effectively communicate research findings. In doing this you will systematically develop the required depth and specialist knowledge to evidence Mastery within your discipline and selected area of research interest, you will also experience high quality simulation events within the ClinicalSkills Laboratory where appropriate. Successful completion of all components of each module will lead to the achievement of your NMC SPQ.

Students will be encouraged to access the resources and online collaboration available through their field specific organisations such as the Queens Nursing Institute (QNI), National District Nurses Network (NDNN), Association of British Paediatric Nurses (ABPN) and the British Geriatric Society (BGS). This will support their national and global interconnection world within Community Specialist Practice. 

Experiential learning is consistently integrated throughout your programme of study during practice learning, allowing real-world application of your skills and knowledge, developing cultural competence, promoting lifelong learning and will prepare you for your role as a specialist practitioner.

The programme is funded through your employer via sponsorship or can be self-funded by the student. Your employer will provide specific guidance around your contract of employment and your future role within their organisation. 

The programme has been developed through collaboration with our coproducers, including employing partners, practice colleagues and current and previous students. As such, the content of the programme is designed to ensure that on completion, you are employable and meet the required NMC(2022) Standards for Specialist Practice.

The programme is designed to encourage you to take responsibility for your development and to proactively seek opportunities to advance your employability by building on transferable skills such as communication, leadership, time management, as well as showing creativity and enterprise through the completion of project work. Career development opportunities will be available and will include career guidance and continuing educational opportunities.