Nursing Studies BSc (Hons)

This module will provide students with the necessary skills to begin studying at level 4 in courses related to Nursing Studies. Students will be introduced to the core skills necessary to succeed in higher education, including thinking critically, researching and referencing appropriately, demonstrating appropriate numeracy and ICT skills, and communicating effectively verbally and in writing. Students will also be introduced to specific concepts related to their degree programme including the structure of health and social care provision in the United Kingdom, and the various professional roles with the sector. Students will practice applying theoretical frameworks to case studies and experiments. Students will enter this programme from a wide range of backgrounds with a breadth of experience in education- this module will give the students the opportunity to share their viewpoints and build a strong learning community, with opportunities for group work and self-reflection, supported by staff feedback. The module is made up of the following eight constituent elements: Interactive Learning Skills and Communication (ILSC); Information Communication Technology (ICT); Critical Thinking; Core Maths; Ethics; Psychology; Biology – Physiology; Preparing for a Career in Caring.

This module introduces the scaffolding that will allow the students to gain an understanding of the fundamental aspects and values of health and social care in practice for all client groups, such as care, compassion and professionalism, communication, personal learning, risk assessment and team-working. Students will also be introduced to the underpinning theories of normal anatomy and physiology from a bio-psychosocial perspective. Students will examine their own individuality in society, their lifestyles and their health behaviours as a means of formulating a personal perspective of health and to increase their self-awareness. Clinical skills experience will be gained through simulation within a clinical skills environment to include mandatory training (BLS and Moving & Handling) and development of fundamental aspects of care. Throughout all of these skills sessions important issues will be highlighted including: communication, documentation, risk assessment, health and safety whilst demonstrating care and compassion. During the module there will be an inter-professional workshop, which explores interprofessional service innovation and improvement.

This module promotes the importance of evidence-based care by providing students with an understanding of research and the impact this has on care delivery. The skills gained throughout the module will prepare students for the rigour of academic work, enabling the development of literacy, and providing a sound knowledge base to develop key research skills. Students will be expected to consider clinical skills, knowledge and aspects of clinical practice in order to demonstrate an understanding of the importance of delivering the highest standards of care and service, and maintaining the standards of professional practice. The module will include skills required for independent learning e.g. time management, IT skills, academic writing skills, note taking, referencing, presentation skills: the skills required for research e.g. finding and understanding appropriate evidence, understanding the research process, appraising research; and the skills to apply research to the practice setting. The students will develop academic skills and their ability to find and interpret simple research within their small groups.

Mental health nursing has always responded to dominant ideas about the nature of mental illness, and mental health nursing practice exists within the social, cultural and historical context of the time. Presently the influences on practice indicate that as a profession we need to work alongside people with mental health difficulties, families, care-givers, and other health and social care professionals in a collaborative, empowering and value driven manner. This module intends to enable the student to develop awareness of influences on care, and begin to establish sound and evidenced based professional perspectives on care delivery. Key mental health and mental capacity legislation will be introduced and explored. Students will be introduced to international mental health policy drivers that will offer global perspectives on mental health care provision. This will enable discussion and exploration around values based and ethical approaches to mental health care from an international perspective. The module intends to challenge students pre-existing values, beliefs and opinions and aims to facilitate the development of core principles that support a philosophy of recovery led and service user focused care across the lifespan. A life course perspective will facilitate this process. Students will develop values that promote a positive culture of care: respect, dignity, care, compassion, effective communication, competence in practice, courage to do the right thing and a commitment to quality of care and to improving lives. There will be an inter-professional workshop held within the University as part of this module to develop the ethos of working together for patients, and with their families and carers.

This module aims to raise the student's awareness of the factors that may impact on the health and wellbeing of children in a variety of settings. Students will explore factors that enable and factors that inhibit children and young people from achieving their innate potential, including care, compassion, competence, communication, courage and commitment. The factors will take into account the children and young people's cultural, spiritual, emotional, physical, intellectual, developmental and social needs. Students will develop awareness of the child’s rights as well as the needs of the whole family when considering care options. Students will evaluate the role of the children's nurse, focussing on the implications for children and young people living in contemporary society and across different cultures. They will explore how health care legislation, policy and other developments have encouraged children's nurses to examine practice, to use research, and to approach change in a dynamic way. Students will explore the importance of inter-professional frameworks in the delivery of care to children and young people, and consider their importance to the principles of safeguarding. The children's nurse's role in health promotion and the local, national and international policy that influence strategies and initiatives will also be considered.

This module will introduce students to behavioural science and the world of health communications. Using latest examples of campaigns from the UK and internationally, students will learn about theories used in behaviour change and in health communication. Through the course, students will examine and evaluate different channels of health communication (such as web-based communication, tailored communication, games and apps and more traditional forms like posters, video and radio slots), analyse existing specific health promotion campaigns and will produce a proposal for a real campaign. In addition to this, this module will have a practical element where students will be introduced to one counselling technique (CBT, DBT, motivational interviewing or solution-focused brief therapy) to develop their own communication skills. The workshops to develop these skills will culminate in each student having a simulated patient encounter where they will use their counselling skills to help the ‘patient’ or client consider changes around smoking, eating, physical activity or drinking behaviour. These practice scenarios will provide forums for formative feedback for students.

This module intends to provide the student with insight into different healthcare systems. Through the early part of the course, students will produce a series of questions that will then be applied to different global locations to investigate how public health is funded, and some of the challenges faced in different parts of the world. Through this virtual journey, students will learn about different types of data used in public health practice with some practical examples of how this is done effectively to make healthcare decisions. Students will learn how to identify relevant and valid sources of data. Students in this module will learn about the basic concepts of analysing the data, identifying the trends and reviewing the demographic changes that represent population health status. A fundamental understanding of the application of epidemiology in public health will be offered through exploring the theories, learning the practical skills and case study exercises. Students will be put through a challenging discussion to examine emerging public health issues and the contributors to the health system review of the selected health systems via a consistent approach to the country’s key indicators (eg geography, government, and economy, the country’s healthcare system facilities, workforce, technology, cost, quality, and access). Students will be formatively assessed by utilising an electronic workbook of relevant questions, on a regular basis, that will cover the content from classes, providing feedback on knowledge and understanding of the subject content and its application.

Public health practitioners need to be acutely aware of the issues surrounding sustainability as these impact on all aspects and outcomes of health. At the foundation of the module are the Sustainable Development Goals, which were adopted to replace the Millennium Development Goals. These now form the basis of International Public Health Practice, This module will give an introduction to the concepts of sustainability and resilience which are assessed formatively and summatively, in part, using examination formats. Using the SDGs students will explore the interrelationship of sustainability and public health globally. As these issues are complex and many aspects are intertwined, students will be encouraged to form their own opinions and reflect upon the complexity of these issues in all of their debates, negotiations and formal written work. In this module, students may also have the opportunity to participate in a simulated scenario where they witness some of the challenges of practical public health. These scenarios may include an emerging outbreak of disease, or managing an epidemic.

The needs of an individual will change during illness. In order to assess, interpret and manage a patient's needs nurses require particular skills and knowledge to provide high quality care. This module introduces the student to the theory which underpins nursing assessment and care management. Students will develop the necessary knowledge and skills to assess and plan care for adults, taking account of the multi-cultural needs of diverse patient populations. Students will be required to interpret and analyse the patient assessment process and understand how this is developed into evidence-based care delivery within an inter-professional environment. Taught theory days within the University will include a combination of lectures, group tutorials and simulated skills sessions.

With the increased emphasis on research and evidence based practice, it is essential that established practitioners who wish to undertake higher educational courses are conversant with research methodology and the application of theory to practice in their field. The ability to be analytical and insightful regarding research reports is an invaluable skill for anyone who wishes to provide effective, evidence-based and appropriate care in their individual sphere of practice. In addition, today's practitioner is required to work in an expanding field of multi-professional, multi-agency collaboration, and thus requires the skills and insight into the efficacy of research within these disciplines also. This module will revisit existing knowledge of the research process and assist the student in further developing skills of critical analysis. In addition, students will have the opportunity to appraise the ethical dimensions of research studies.

The health needs of an individual change on admission to hospital or when there is a change in health status. In order to asses, interpret individuals' needs and provide quality care, nurses require particular skills and knowledge. This module will enable the student to develop further their understanding of this nursing skill in a global context. This module aims to focus the student towards the necessary theories that underpin nursing assessment and care planning and to consider these from a global perspective. Students will be required to gather and appraise patient assessment and care planning strategies from international contexts and relate this to their professional development. The importance and partnership, within interprofessional framework of care, will be reviewed and its emphasis is on developing the requisite skills, knowledge and attitudes required to assess and implement safe and effective evidenced based care. Theory sessions will include on-line activities, small group synchronous /asynchronous discussion forums, recorded seminars, guided project work, and presentations, utilising appropriate technology.

The undergraduate major project enables you to raise and address significant questions relating to your chosen topic/issue. You will be supported by a tutor with similar interests and research profile. This module requires autonomous study and it is your chance to demonstrate that you have met our University’s expectations and are ready to graduate.

This module will consider the nature of health, and will focus on the political, social and psychological theories and issues that underpin the concepts of promoting health and well-being. The module will introduce key concepts and issues to develop the student’s awareness, knowledge and skills to promote health and wellbeing at individual and community levels. The role of the nurse in the promotion of health and wellbeing for the individual and the population (young adult to older person) will be explored, emphasising the importance of all nurses as health promoting practitioners. The focus of the module is upon contemporary theory and the main approaches to health promotion which underpin change including; the medical approach, behaviour change approach, educational approach, client-centred approach and the societal-change approach.