MSc Contemporary Nursing

This module will examine the epistemology of research, the principles of ethical research and a critical analysis of how it is used in practice. Key aspects of content will address data collection and analysis methods and concepts of validity, reliability, rigour and trustworthiness. It will also incorporate other forms of evidence including audit and service evaluation. The emphasis throughout this module will be on the use and relevance of research skills to practitioners seeking to assess, improve or evaluate services. The module will harness students existing personal and life skills and knowledge of care as a basis for developing learning that is relevant and focussed on their practice needs and stage of professional development.

The aim of this module is to enable students to continue to develop their knowledge, understanding and skills of leadership, education and professional development.

The module enables students to critically review leadership within the context of the advanced practice role, to understand the leaning and teaching approaches that support clinical development and to evaluate strategies to support and develop themselves and others.

The module will normally address:

•          Leadership theories and application to practice and understanding self as a leader.

•          Conceptual frameworks relating to leading and following, power and control, compliance and subversion.

•          Strategies for developing a learning culture within organisations.

•          Examination and application of skills to support leadership at an advanced practice level.

•          Evaluation of the role of the advanced clinical practitioner as a leader

This module is aimed at all registered and practicing nurses or midwives, and allied health and social care professionals.

This module evaluates and applies established theories and models relevant to decision making in the context of health and social care. These are drawn from a wide variety of disciplines including clinical reasoning, philosophy and ethics, legal frameworks, Service User involvement, Inter-professional and Values Based Decision Making. Throughout, students will develop their critical thinking skills, with an emphasis on applying their learning to decision making in the students’ own health and social care context.

This module is designed for experienced health professionals to develop skills for autonomous/advanced practice.

It will provide participants with the knowledge and skills to assess, examine, diagnose, and treat a range of minor injury presentations.

The module will support students to learn the practical skills required in this setting such as; x ray interpretation, wound closure (including suturing), immobilising and minor procedures. 

This module is aimed at health care professionals working in acute areas. It focuses upon the physiological processes that underpin the assessment process; explaining why these physiological changes are happening and enabling students to effectively assess the acutely ill individual, prevent deterioration and prioritise care decisions. 

Building on the student's fundamental specialist skills, an emphasis will be placed on developing the knowledge and expertise required to effectively assess the acutely ill individual and recognise and prevent deterioration. 

Teaching will include lectures, practical workshops and tutorials. There will also be a variety of materials such as videos, quizzes, and PowerPoints which will be put up onto the module site prior to a synchronous session with the module tutors.

The module will focus on a specific assessment with attendant, interventions, patient management, health advice and health promotion for patients presenting with minor illness. You will consider your approaches in caring for adults and/or children drawing on advanced communication skills and techniques. The course requires you to develop both knowledge and skills, with practical clinical skills being developed in a minor illness field.

Learners are required to secure an appropriate clinical field of practice and have access to a supervisor or practice assessor. 

The module will comprise of theoretical lectures, workshops, tutorials and seminar sessions to facilitate the development of the fundamental knowledge, understanding and skills underpinning the roles and responsibilities of coaching and its application within leadership.

The development of knowledge, skills, confidence and competence to select and apply a range of coaching skills within leadership practice.

Emphasis will be placed on how the skills of the professional leader may be utilised to coach peer practitioners to help them reach their full professional potential. 

A key learning activity for this module is practical work in which students practise their coaching skills and through peer group learning develop a functional, supportive community of coaching practice.

The whole student group are required to participate in a collaborative, facilitative and supportive manner at each study day.

This module is aimed at contemporary nurses who wish to develop their leadership skills and role modelling aspect of their role by designing, implementing and evaluating a clinical practice change to improve care for or the experience of clients, carers or those supporting them.

Students will develop a specific aspect of healthcare, e.g. development or a practice improvement initiative, practitioner-led clinics, health promotion or patient education, addressing a response need to a patient complaint or poor audit results.

It is designed to develop skills in critically evaluating current care provision, reviewing the evidence which supports the initiative and developing a plan for improving care to the satisfaction of the intended clients. Students will further develop their skills in project management, decision-making, communication, negotiating, and team working. They will demonstrate through their project a systematic understanding of their pivotal role in role modelling dynamic and responsive leadership in the Post Francis Inquiry era.

Using a problem-solving approach to their work, students will determine a practice initiative that will enhance care for clients or the families they care for in their area of work. Students will agree on meeting targets to disseminate their findings to peers. Using a range of e-learning resources, students will discuss strategies for extending their learning and developing autonomy to support personal learning with each other. This will be considered in terms of the context of their role within an organisation.

This module introduces the student to the complex aetiology and epidemiology of leg ulceration. It focuses on the holistic assessment and management of people with lower limb ulcers and discusses the controversies and evidence base surrounding effective leg ulcer management services. In addition, the student will have the opportunity to demonstrate competence in skills to effectively clinically assess and manage a person who has a leg ulcer, or is at risk of developing one. 

Through this module, students will develop a wide range of transferable skills relating to the advancement of teaching, learning and assessment in practice and academic settings. Students will be enabled to articulate their understanding of pedagogic research and educational theories and their application to practice−based learning. This module facilitates students to advance their understanding of personal and professional development needs and lead strategic educational developments in the practice arena. Students are supported through tutorials with the module team as either group or individual sessions. Taught sessions will be utilised to offer a forum for professional debate and enquiry and as a means of bolstering personal and professional development in relation to the advancement of clinical skills and knowledge.

The module content will include teaching and learning activities relating to the learning outcomes associated with this module including:

• Enabling effective inter-professional teaching, learning and assessment in practice.
• Reviewing the current national and local educational standards related to education in practice.
• Evaluating pedagogical research and educational theories and their applicability in practice
• Developing and maintaining resilience in practice
• Inclusivity within the learning environment
• Enagaging in active learning and life-long approach to professional development.

The aim of this module is to enable students to develop the knowledge and skills required in undertaking advanced health assessment and clinical examination, including diagnostic indicators, of patients & families in a wide range of clinical healthcare environments.

In these challenging times Health and Care services need to be developed to meet growing demands but with decreasing resources. This course explores models, theories and the evidence base to enable you to identify how to lead change within your service.  

DEADLINE FOR APPLICATIONS STARTING IN SEMESTER A (SEPTEMBER 2024) WILL BE FRIDAY 5TH JULY 2024

The Return to Practice module is part of the Contemporary Nursing Programme and was revalidated at the University of Hertfordshire in October 2019 in line with the new Nursing and Midwifery Council standards relating to proficiency, education, supervision and return to practice. All of these various standards can be found on the NMC website at: NMC Standards

The module is designed to help lapsed registrants get back on to the NMC register and reactivate their NMC registration and we welcome applicants from all fields of nursing.

The learning outcomes for this programme will be achieved using a range of teaching and learning strategies including lectures, discussions, workshops, and enquiry-based learning approaches.

Knowledge gained will be further strengthened by the application of theory in the practice environment and by accessing appropriate learning opportunities as they arise

Learners will be encouraged to work with their Practice Supervisor to identify suitable learning opportunities within the immediate clinical environment and the surrounding clinical areas, including opportunities to work with professionals from other healthcare disciplines.

Length of Module

The module is offered in semester A (September to January) and semester B (January to May). Most RtP students have found this time frame allows enough time to complete the required hours however, should you need more time to complete your practice hours, you have the option to take an extended module over semester A and B (September to May) or B and C (January to July).

DEADLINE FOR APPLICATIONS STARTING IN SEMESTER A (SEPTEMBER 2024) WILL BE FRIDAY 5TH JULY 2024

The Return to Practice module is part of the Contemporary Nursing Programme and was revalidated at the University of Hertfordshire in October 2019 in line with the new Nursing and Midwifery Council standards relating to proficiency, education, supervision and return to practice. All of these various standards can be found on the NMC website at: NMC Standards

The module is designed to help lapsed registrants get back on to the NMC register and reactivate their NMC registration and we welcome applicants from all fields of nursing.

The learning outcomes for this programme will be achieved using a range of teaching and learning strategies including lectures, discussions, workshops, and enquiry-based learning approaches.

Knowledge gained will be further strengthened by the application of theory in the practice environment and by accessing appropriate learning opportunities as they arise

Learners will be encouraged to work with their Practice Supervisor to identify suitable learning opportunities within the immediate clinical environment and the surrounding clinical areas, including opportunities to work with professionals from other healthcare disciplines.

Length of Module

The module is offered in semester A (September to January) and semester B (January to May). Most RtP students have found this time frame allows enough time to complete the required hours however, should you need more time to complete your practice hours, you have the option to take an extended module over semester A and B (September to May) or B and C (January to July).

This module is designed for students working within the acute setting. It aims to develop professional competence in managing the complex care of a variety of conditions.  In order to maximise potential success students should be able to demonstrate prior understanding of relevant underpinning anatomy and physiology and therapeutic interventions for patients requiring acute care.

Drawing on relevant research-based evidence this module explores the planning, implementation and evaluation of care for a range of acutely ill clients. It also explores the physical, social and psychological implications of acute illness for both the patient and significant others and how these impact upon the patient post recovery.

Students will be supported through a range of classroom-based learning strategies together with group and individual tutorials. Students will be expected to enhance their understanding of theoretical concepts through further reading and use of technology to access material. 

Learning and teaching strategies will normally address the following topics:

• Pathophysiology of commonly occurring acute conditions, including:
• Respiratory failure.
• Cardiac arrest/MI.
• Haematology (sickle cell, clotting, venous thromboembolism, pulmonary embolism).
• Sepsis.
• Diabetic Ketoacidosis.
• Brain injury/stroke (Organ donation).
• Acute Kidney Injury.
• Allergic reaction/anaphylaxis.
• Musculoskeletal conditions.
• Hepatic conditions / oesophageal varices.
• Gynaecological conditions.
• Exploration of national and local policy initiatives.
• Legal and ethical issues.
• Psychological and social perspectives of care.
• Patient and carer perspectives. 

This module has been developed for motivated health care professionals who have not studied for some time. The module will enable students to develop key transferable skills through a range of online activities that prepares the student for transition to level 7 postgraduate study. This module will enable students to achieve the learning outcomes through guided activities that focus on: critical analysis and evaluation of research evidence, academic integrity and standards of academic writing for level 6 through to level 7. 

The units will direct students through a personalised journey of digital capabilities to develop knowledge and skills in referencing, literature searching and critical reading.  

This module has been developed for motivated health care professionals who have not previously studied at degree level. The module will enable students to acquire key transferable skills through a range of online activities that prepares the student for the transition to level 7 postgraduate study. This module will enable students to achieve the learning outcomes through guided activities that focus on: critical analysis and evaluation of research evidence, academic integrity and standards of academic writing for level 6 working through to level 7.  

The units will direct students through a personalised journey of digital capabilities to develop knowledge and skills in: referencing, literature searching, critical reading and academic writing.