Continuing Professional Development (short course)
10 weeks
Module level: 7
Module credits: 15 credits
Develop your clinical leadership skills as a healthcare practitioner, enabling you to undertake the role of Professional Advocate (PA).
If you’re a current healthcare practitioner who wishes to develop their clinical leadership skills, the Professional Advocate module is for you. We'll combine academic rigour with practical applications to create a forward-thinking, dynamic healthcare practitioner with the ability to lead the services in which you work.
Modern health and social care practice is a challenging place to work. Stress and burnout will almost certainly increase due to the exceptional pressure that many healthcare staff are experiencing during the COVID-19 pandemic (Kinman et al 2020; NHS Confederation 2020; West et al 2020). Our Professional Advocate module supports learning located primarily in the workplace to enable practising staff to become Professional Advocates (NHS England, 2017). The role of a PA and the use of A-EQUIP model (advocating for education and quality improvement) is part of the solution to supporting many of these issues.
We aim to develop your skills and expertise in the four functions of the Professional Advocate: education and development (formative function), restorative clinical supervision (RCS), monitoring, evaluation and quality control (normative function) and personal action for quality improvement.
Delivered over ten online study days, the course includes online activities supported by interactive sessions and key speakers. There is an emphasis on the support of healthcare staff in practice, building resilience using RCS, demonstrating the importance of having a safe and confidential space allowing time to reflect and make sense of workplace issues. You will develop skills to be an advocate for colleagues, patients, and your profession.
The assessment will include a portfolio of evidence, demonstrating how you've utilised your new skills and knowledge to support staff in practice by using all elements of the A-EQUIP model. As an applicant, you'll need to identify a clinical supervisor to sign off your clinical competency.
On successful completion of the module, you’ll be able to undertake the role of the Professional Advocate (PA) and be appointable as a Professional Advocate by your employing organisation. This module has been developed to meet the PA standards set by NHS England, including the mandated ten taught days.
You'll be a current healthcare practitioner, registered with a professional, statutory regulatory body such as the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC).
You'll be a Registered Nurse, at Band 5 or above, and have also completed your preceptorship.
If you're a midwife, please see our Professional Midwifery Advocate Preparation (PMA) course page for more details.
There are dates available in January 2023. Please check with your trust PNA lead or NHS England regarding the dates for the module, and to secure funding before applying.
The Faculty of Health, Education, Medicine and Social Care is the largest in ARU, with over 7,000 students. Our Faculty is teeming with expertise and primed to meet the demand for creating health professionals, teachers, doctors, scientists and educators for the three districts we serve: Chelmsford, Cambridge and Peterborough.
We have been training undergraduates for professional roles for over 25 years, with a reputation for quality, dedication and ambition balanced with student satisfaction.
We know that to give our students the very best experiential learning, prior to getting into the workplace, simulation is second to none, for safe, realistic, learning environments. We have invested heavily in purpose built simulated wards, science labs and skills space, to support our students through their learning.
£792
Please ask your manager or Education Lead about available funding before you apply.
Linda Flack
linda.flack1@aru.ac.uk
CPD Admissions team
admissionscpd@aru.ac.uk
You'll be a current healthcare practitioner, registered with a professional, statutory regulatory body such as the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC).
You'll be a healthcare professional, at Band 5 or above, and have also completed your preceptorship.
If you're a midwife, please see our Professional Midwifery Advocate Preparation (PMA) course page for more details.
Short course continuing professional development (12 weeks)
May
Short course continuing professional development ()
September
Short course continuing professional development (12 weeks)
September
Apply directly to ARU
Apply onlineUse this link if your preferred date or campus is not currently available.
Register interestRead this institution's report