SPECIALIST PRACTITIONER (DISTRICT NURSE) at University of West of Scotland

OVERVIEW

Our Postgraduate Diploma Specialist Practitioner (District Nurse) course will prepare you for 21st century district nursing. It combines theory and practice and you will develop your knowledge to become a safe, autonomous and competent specialist practitioner district nurse.

The PgDip comprises 50% theory and 50% practice and you will be assessed in practice by a Practice Teacher or an experienced District Nurse who will act as a sign-off mentor. The course will provide you with the new knowledge, understanding and skills needed for contemporary district nursing.

In addition to meeting the NMC (2001) Standards for Specialist Practitioner District Nurse, the PgDip is also mapped against the Queen's Nursing Institute (QNI) and The Queen's Nursing Institute Scotland (QNIS) Voluntary Standards for District Nurse Education and Practice (QNI/QNIS, 2015) for best practice and demonstrates that the programme is preparing you to be equipped to lead and manage current and future district nursing services.

Jobs

On completion of this programme students will have developed a significant range of new knowledge, understanding and advanced skills needed for contemporary district nursing practice and leads to the academic award of PgDip and the professional recordable qualifications of Specialist Practitioner District Nursing, Community Practitioner Nurse Prescriber and Nurse Independent/Supplementary Prescriber.

This programme will prepare graduates for a demanding and rewarding career as a Specialist Practitioner in District Nursing.

Further Study

Our course will prepare you to continue your studies; successful completion of a research and enquiry-based dissertation will allow you to exit with MSc Health Studies (Community Health).

COURSE DETAILS

Our Postgraduate Diploma (PgDip) consists of six core modules, some of which are discipline specific and others which are shared. The shared learning provides a highly effective experience and contributes to the overall strength of our course. All modules provide new knowledge, understanding and skills needed for contemporary district nursing practice.

The practice component will be undertaken within the District Nurse setting and you will be supervised and assessed by a Practice Teacher or an experienced District Nurse who is a sign-off mentor.

On completion of our PgDip you will also receive the professional recordable qualifications of:

• Specialist Practitioner District Nursing
• Community Practitioner Prescriber
• Nurse Independent/Supplementary Prescriber

The PgDip Specialist Practitioner District Nurse programme requires successful completion of all 6 core modules (120 credits), completion of the practice-based learning hours aligned to the modules and the additional Advanced Assessment Competency portfolio.

The PgDip comprises the following core modules:

• Consolidation of Practice (core, 20 credits) - 10.5 weeks continuous practice placement
• NMC Assessment & Decision Making in Adv Practice (core, 20 credits) - blended learning at Lanarkshire campus and practice placement time
• NMC Responding to Public Health Challenges (core, 20 credits)
• Prescribing in Advanced Practice (core, 20 credits) - includes 25 days face-to-face delivery at the Paisley campus and practice placement time
• Research for Health & Social Care (core, 20 credits)
• Contemporary District Nursing: Managing Long Term Conditions (core, 20 credits) - includes 4 weeks face-to-face delivery at the Paisley campus and practice placement time