Nursing (Learning Disability) BSc(Hons) drafted

Program Overview

This Nursing (Learning Disability) BSc(Hons) program equips students with the knowledge, skills, and values to become competent and compassionate learning disability nurses. Through a balance of theoretical instruction, practical skills development, and supervised practice, the program prepares students for registration as Registered Learning Disability Nurses with the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC). Graduates possess a deep understanding of learning disabilities and autism spectrum disorder, person-centered care approaches, and essential clinical skills.

Program Outline

Nursing (Learning Disability) BSc(Hons) - Detailed Extraction

Degree Overview:

This course, regulated by the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC), can lead to a potentially life-enriching career, working in the exciting world of learning disability nursing. The program aims to equip students with the knowledge, skills, and values necessary to become competent, caring, and compassionate learning disability nurses.

Objectives:

• Develop a deep understanding of learning disabilities and autism spectrum disorder.
• Gain proficiency in person-centered approaches to care.
• Master essential clinical skills, including personal care, life support, ABCDE assessment, venepuncture, and wound care.
• Enhance communication and interpersonal skills.
• Develop leadership and management skills.
• Foster evidence-based decision-making and teamworking abilities.
• Prepare students for registration with the NMC as Registered Learning Disability Nurses.

Outline:

The Nursing (Learning Disability) BSc(Hons) program is a 3-year full-time course structured into three academic years. Each year consists of core modules, totaling 120 credits per year, for a total of 360 credits for the bachelor's qualification.

Year 1:

• Becoming a Professional - Learning Disability Nursing: This module explores professional development, personal and professional attitudes and beliefs, and the transition to university.
It also covers ethical and professional codes underpinning learning disability nursing.
• Introduction to Learning Disability Nursing: This module introduces fundamental knowledge and skills for providing person-centered care to individuals with learning disabilities.
It covers holistic assessment, care for diverse needs, health promotion, and principles of anatomy, physiology, pharmacology, and medicines administration.
• Nursing Practice 1: This module focuses on developing fundamental nursing practice skills, including personal hygiene, infection control, observations, and basic life support.
It includes a practice learning experience to apply theoretical knowledge. It includes a practice learning experience to apply theoretical knowledge.
• Understanding Knowledge and Evidence for Nursing: This module introduces the nature of knowledge and its role in evidence-based nursing practice.
It covers searching and reading evidence, evaluating published research, and ethics within healthcare research. It also develops transferable skills like literature searching, critical appraisal, and evidence application.

Year 2:

• Developing as a Professional: This module builds upon Year 1's "Becoming a Professional" module, focusing on developing professional and transferable skills required for becoming a Registered Nurse.
It covers professional, legal, and ethical knowledge and frameworks, teamworking, leadership, and management skills.
• Developing Critical Knowledge and Skills in Learning Disability Nursing: This module expands upon Year 1's knowledge and skills, focusing on complex care encounters with individuals with learning disabilities.
It covers assessment skills, recognizing deterioration, identifying interventions, planning care needs, and formulating care plans.
• Developing Research Knowledge and Evidence for Learning Disability Nursing Practice: This module builds upon Year 1's "Understanding Knowledge and Evidence for Nursing" module, introducing research study design, including literature reviews and empirical projects.
It covers research methods and design, ethics, data collection, analysis, and research approaches (qualitative, quantitative, mixed methods).
• Nursing Practice 3: This module develops a wider range of nursing practice skills, including cannulation and phlebotomy.
It includes a practice learning experience to apply theoretical knowledge.
• Nursing Practice 4: This module further develops nursing practice skills, including cannulation and phlebotomy.
• Enhancing Knowledge and Skills in Learning Disability Nursing: This module expands upon Year 1 and 2's knowledge and skills, focusing on managing and coordinating care for individuals with learning disabilities in diverse settings.
It covers advanced care management and complex discharge or transfer planning.
• Nursing Practice 5: This module focuses on developing fundamental nursing practice skills, including intravenous medicine administration.
It includes a practice learning experience to apply theoretical knowledge.
• Nursing Practice 6: This module provides supervised practice in placement areas to develop knowledge and skills related to practice.
It includes simulated placement learning, mandatory skills, and transition to registered nurse. Assessment includes initial, intermediate, and final interviews in practice. Lectures provide preparation and support before and during placement.
• Using Evidence and Research to Enhance Learning Disability Nursing Practice: This module builds upon Year 1 and 2's evidence and research modules, enabling students to systematically undertake a literature review or a small-scale research project based on a research proposal developed in Year 2.
It covers detailed literature review reports, research study reports, data collection, and analysis.

Assessment:

Assessment methods are varied and include a combination of coursework, practice/proficiency-based learning, reports, presentations, and examinations. The nature of the assessment varies from module to module and mirrors the modes of communication expected of graduates in this field. Feedback is usually provided within three term-time weeks for coursework submissions. Feedback on exam performance/final coursework is available on request after the publication of results.

Teaching:

Learning and teaching are delivered through seminars, lectures, group work, simulation, and practical skills experience. Modules are designed to embed transferable skills and progressively increase knowledge and confidence. The University's virtual learning environment supports studies. Laboratory sessions, classroom-based learning, and simulated patients provide a safe and controlled environment for practicing skills. Practice placement experiences provide learning and assessment in real practice settings under the supervision of qualified practice supervisors and assessors. Students are assessed on placement through a Practice Assessment Document (PAD). A Personal Development Plan is available throughout the course to identify strengths and weaknesses, document achievements, and reflect on personal, professional, academic, and career goals.

Careers:

Graduates have gone on to work as nurses in local healthcare trusts, charities, and short-term care providers. Other career paths include leadership roles supporting individuals with learning disabilities and specialist needs, roles within specialist assessment and treatment areas, and management positions for local service providers.

Other:

• The course is designed to help students become competent, caring, and compassionate nurses.
• Students will develop their communication and interpersonal skills, become confident in person-centered approaches, leadership and management, evidence-based decision making, and teamworking.
• Students will be supported by a team of learning disability nurses with extensive and varied practice experience and diverse interests in the field of learning disabilities.
• Individuals with learning disabilities are involved in the development of teaching materials and will work with students in the classroom.
• Students will spend 50% of their learning undertaking placement opportunities in a wide range of clinical practice settings, providing care and support for both children and adults.
• Students may be eligible to receive a non-repayable grant of at least £5,000 each year through the NHS Learning Support Fund.
• The University of Huddersfield has been rated Gold in all three aspects of the Teaching Excellence Framework (TEF) 2023.
• The University ranks in the top three in England for the proportion of staff holding doctorates, higher degrees, and teaching qualifications.
• The University is first in the country for National Teaching Fellowships, which mark the UK's best lecturers in Higher Education.
• The University won the first Global Teaching Excellence Award, recognizing its commitment to world-class teaching and its success in developing students as independent learners and critical thinkers.
• Students will study the Global Professional Award (GPA) alongside their degree, gaining valuable qualities and experiences that could help them get the career they want.
• Placement providers may require students to have received a number of vaccinations, unless medically exempt, and provide evidence of these.
• Students must have satisfactory enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) and occupational health clearances prior to registration on the course.
• Students will be required to sign a self-declaration at the start of each year and at the end of the course.
• All police contact during the course must be reported to the course leader as a matter of urgency and may lead to suspension or termination.
• The University will request an Overseas Police Check if a student has lived in a country outside of the UK for 6 months or more in the last 10 years before applying and whilst aged 18 or over.
• Offers will be subject to an interview and references.
• Students may be eligible to gain accreditation for their prior learning towards this course.
• The course is regulated by the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC), which allows a maximum of 50% of credits for the award to be conferred through accreditation of prior learning.
• Students will have the opportunity to complete their practice learning experiences in a diverse range of health and social care settings, reflecting the diversity of the services accessed by people with a learning disability.
• Practice experiences are generally offered across West Yorkshire and beyond, covering 24-hour care including evening, weekend, and occasional night shifts.
• Students will be required to travel to and during their placements.
• Placement areas could be anywhere within the wider Calderdale, Kirklees, and Wakefield metropolitan districts of West Yorkshire.
• Placements will also incorporate night-shift and weekend working.
• The University offers a wide range of support services to help students get ahead in their studies and social life.
• The School of Human and Health Sciences provides support in a variety of areas, including the Student Hub, Academic Skills Development Team, and Learning Technology Support Unit.
• Students studying this course may be eligible to receive a non-repayable grant of at least £5,000 each year.
• The University will always try to deliver the course as described on the webpage.
• Students will be governed by a framework of regulations, policies, and procedures, which form the basis of their agreement with the University.

The full-time undergraduate tuition fee for 2024/25 entry will be £9250. Students studying this course may be eligible to receive a non-repayable grant of at least £5,000 each year.