PGDip Specialist Community Nursing (District Nursing)

University of Wolverhampton

Aims of the Course:

1. Develop competent, safe and professional specialist community nurses who have a sound theoretical knowledge base and who are fit for practice in the designated field of district nursing.

2. Equip students with the knowledge, skills and understanding to evaluate, enhance and synthesise advanced levels of assessment of needs within the context of primary care and public health utilising biopsychosocial perspectives.

3. Develop and enhance leadership and management skills within the context of population health of primary care, with a focus on inclusion, equality, diversity and cultural competence, promoting independence, and preventing ill health.

4. Advance highly skilled practitioners in complex clinical decision making, risk management and pro- actively advocating in partnership with people in their care.

5. Provide the opportunity to engage in interdisciplinary and inter-professional working practices to lead improvements for the services they work within.

6. Enable practitioners to adopt critical reflective practice and lifelong learning that fosters a spirit of scientific enquiry and evidence-based care that promotes personal and professional development.

7. Equip practitioners with cognitive knowledge and skills to lead, innovate and contribute to an evidence base of practice to benefit people and their communities.

8. Support practitioners to work within professional codes and standards of practice to protect human rights and promote equality in the safe delivery of health care as independent and autonomous practitioners.

9. To develop and integrate the underpinning theory and practice to prepare Specialist Practitioners to prescribe safely, appropriately and cost effectively within their field of practice and utilising current supporting guidelines, policies and frameworks.

Assessment Methods

At the University of Wolverhampton, a variety of modes of assessment will be used to support and test your learning and progress and to help you develop capabilities that are valued beyond your University studies and into your working life. Your course may include a variety of assessment activities: Written examinations (including online examinations, open and closed book examinations and quizzes) Coursework (for example, essays, reports, portfolios, project proposals and briefs, CVs, poster presentation) Practical (for example, oral and video presentations, laboratory work, performances, practical skills assessment).

Employability in the Curriculum

This programme has been developed in conjunction with stakeholders/partners and service users in order to reflect the increasing and rapidly changing complex environment in which health care takes place. The educational philosophy of the programme aims to develop and demonstrate the qualities and transferable skills necessary for employment within district nursing requiring: The exercise of initiative and personal responsibility Decision-making in complex and unpredictable situations The independent learning ability required for continuing professional development.