Specialist Community Public Health Nursing (Health Visiting)

Entry requirements

• a Degree of 2:2 or above or

• evidence of successful study at postgraduate level

• a valid Level 1 registration on part 1 or part 2 of the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) professional register (defined area of practice apply)

• successful interview

After achieving the above your offer of a place on the course is subject to:

• support of an employing organisation who will facilitate your access to appropriate learning opportunities - normally you will have supernumerary status throughout the course of learning.

• a nominated practice teacher who will contribute to the teaching and assessment process

• a satisfactory work-based risk assessment.

• a satisfactory Disclosure and Barring Service check (to be carried out by your employing organisation)

Under recognition of prior learning (RPL) you may be awarded credits for previous study or related work experience which can be credited towards the course you want to study.

Months of entry

September

Course content

This programme is for registered nurses or midwives who wish to gain registration on Part 3 of the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) register as a specialist community public health nurse (health visiting) and be recorded as a community prescriber. It offers you the opportunity to gain registration as a health visitor, community prescriber and for academic development at master’s level.

Course details

You develop public health practice knowledge and skills in order to work effectively with individuals, families and communities along with public health leadership skills, to enable you to contribute to the contemporary health visiting agenda.

Professional accreditation

Following successful completion of the required theoretical learning outcomes (120 credits at master’s level) and the specialist community public health nursing practice competencies (NMC 2004) you are eligible to register as a specialist community public health nurse (health visiting), and be recorded as a community prescriber on the NMC register. You continue your studies and complete a 60 credit master’s level dissertation module leading to the MSc Specialist Community Public Health Nursing (Health Visiting). This is undertaken as one year part-time or six months full-time study after Specialist Community Public Health Nursing (Health Visitor) registration with the NMC. It must be completed within five years of commencing the course.

What you study

You study evidence based practice and the factors which impact on the health and well-being of children and their families; protection and safeguarding standards for children and their families; the new health visiting agenda, UNICEF Baby Friendly Initiative standards; public health, personal leadership philosophies and behaviours and their application within organisational settings; public health nursing practice, legal and ethical dimensions; prescribing from the community practitioners’ formulary, and designing and managing a service evaluation.

Where you study

The course comprises 50% theory and 50% practice within an integrated approach. Practice based learning – you are allocated a practice teacher by your sponsoring organisation who facilitates your learning in practice and is responsible for the assessment of your competence in practice.

Course structure

Core modules

· Advancing Community Practitioner Prescribing

· Advancing Health Visiting Practice

· Advancing Leadership and Management in the Context of Specialist Practice

· Advancing Public Health

· Contemporary Issues in Public Health

· Developing Research Projects

· Evidence-based Practice

· Evaluating Practice

· Specialist Community Public Health Nursing Practice

How you learn

Teaching methods include lecturers, seminars, experiential learning, scenarios, problem based learning, case study work, simulations, action learning sets, and peer led seminars and discussions.

Learning in practice is supported with the development of a practice progress file, which includes self-assessment activities, learning contracts, learning logs, reflective dialogue and discussion with practice teachers, mentors and academic staff.

How you are assessed

Assessments include examinations, a defended poster, essays, case study analysis, research proposal, skill simulations and a service evaluation project. Practice is assessed via the practice progress file through the mechanism of the tripartite meetings which include you, your practice teacher and your academic mentor.

Career opportunities

This course prepares you to work as a health visitor and to take practice forward to meet the challenges of a dynamic health visiting profession.

Fees and funding

For funding information, please contact the University Finance Office, +44 (0)1642 342171, email finance@tees.ac.uk