Postgraduate Diploma/Master of Science in Specialist Community Public Health Nursing (MSc/Diploma)
To support Flying Start posts in Wales the Welsh Government has funded places available to study Health Visiting - course commences April 2013
The School of Nursing and Midwifery Studies has developed this new programme, which responds to regulatory changes deemed necessary by the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC 2004). The Council has established a third part of the nursing register specifically for health visitors, school nurses and occupational health nurses as it has taken the view that these public health focused nursing disciplines have distinct features that differ significantly from general nursing and midwifery. This programme is aimed specifically at health visiting and school nursing. The programme recognises scope for integration and co-ordination between health visiting and school nursing, facilitating shared learning to promote flexible practice across settings, age-groups and roles. The programme will ensure students gain more in-depth experience in a range of specific circumscribed public health settings as stipulated by the NMC (2004).
On successful completion of the taught postgraduate diploma programme practitioners will be eligible to have their names recorded on the third part of the nursing register under the category of Specialist Community Public Health Nurse (SCPHN).
Programme Aims
The programme aims to:
- To enable students to develop academic knowledge and understanding to achieve master’s level competence
- To enable students to achieve clinical prowess and integrity to be awarded a specialist qualification
- To ensure students are fit to practice effectively as a specialist community public health nurse on completion of the programme
- To enable graduates to register as a health visitor or school nurse with the Nursing and Midwifery Council.
Content
A wide range of learning and teaching methods will be utilised appropriate to the module content. Methods used will include lectures, group work, tutorials, debates and seminars.
The clinical practice element will account for 50% of the taught programme, which is in accordance with NMC (2004) regulations. Students are required to pass assessment in both their clinical and theoretical work in order to qualify as a specialist community public health nurse. Each student will be allocated a practice teacher (PT) who will take accountability and responsibility for assessing the student’s clinical progress, which is evidenced through a clinical portfolio.
Postgraduate Diploma/Master of Science in Specialist Community Public Health Nursing taught programme is divided into four modules that are credit-rated. Each taught module offers 30 credits and all must be successfully completed in order for students to have their name included on the third part of the Professional Register as a Specialist Community Public Health Nurse. There is an additional zero credit-rated module for nurse prescribing which must be successfully completed for employment by the health boards in Wales. The programme offers an optional dissertation for those who wish to move to Masters level.
The modules are:
- Module 1: Research Skills: design, approaches and methods
- Module 2: Contemporary approaches in SCPHN practice
- Module 3: Public health: promotion and protection
- Module 4: Developing SCPHN practice to safeguard children and young people
- Module 5: Community practitioner prescribing
Full-time route
The Postgraduate Diploma full time route consists of the student undertaking five modules over a 45 week period, then have a period of consolidation which takes you up to 52 weeks. Each module is credit rated at M level and all five modules are compulsory. The programme is 50% theory and 50% practice, clinical practice is assessed via a portfolio.
Students who complete the programme successfully will be awarded a Postgraduate Diploma in Specialist Community Public Health Nursing and may proceed to part 2 to undertake a Masters Degree in Specialist Community Public Health Nursing.
Part-time route
Students undertaking the part time route would complete modules one and three in year one and then complete modules two, four and five in year two. The course will then finish in September of year two.
Part 2 (Dissertation)
The dissertation component to complete the MSc in SCPHN is optional and self funded. The dissertation comprises of the completion of a 20,000 word dissertation. (Students have three years following completion of the Postgraduate Diploma to submit the dissertation).
Student Progression
No student shall be permitted to proceed from the Postgraduate Diploma Stage to Master’s Degree Stage of a programme of study unless she/he has achieved at least 120 Credits or such higher number of Credits as may be required by the Programme Regulations.
Entry Requirements
Registered on either Nursing or Midwifery registers of the Nursing and Midwifery Council. This is inclusive of registered nurses from mental health, learning disability, adult and child. Registered midwives, including direct entry midwives.
Applicants whose first language is not English or Welsh are required to provide proof of their proficiency in the English or Welsh language. They must satisfy the English and Welsh Language requirements for entry to the NMC register by attainment of a minimum score of 7.0 (stipulated by NMC 2006 for entry to SCPHN programmes) on the IELTS no more than 2 years before the proposed date of entry.
Possess an undergraduate degree of an institution approved by Senate.
Non-graduates may be admitted to the programme as per Cardiff University regulations (2010-2011), and that the application is approved by the head of school.
Welsh Assembly NLIAH funded places only apply to nurses or midwives workin for the NHS in Wales. Nurses and midwives working outside the NHS or outside of Wales must provide evidence of funding on application.
Nurses working outside the NHS must provide evidence of secured funding on application;
A Criminal Record Bureau (CRB) check will be undertaken on prospective students and this deemed satisfactory before admission to the programme.
Health screening must be undertaken on prospective students and this deemed satisfactory before admission to the programme
Programme Commencement
Full time April 2013; September 2013
Part time April 2013; September 2013
Length of Programme
The Postgraduate diploma programme is offered full-time over one year or part-time over two years. The dissertation is offered part-time over an academic year.
Funding
Funding to undertake the health visiting programme is available from the Welsh Assembly Government via the Human Resource Department. Funding is available to individuals who work within the NHS in Wales and the number of funded places is set each year by the Welsh Assembly Government using workforce planning figures.
Welsh Assembly funded places only apply to nurses and midwives working for the NHS in Wales. Nurses or Midwives working outside the NHS must provide evidence of secured funding on application.
Students are also able to self fund and can apply locally, nationally and from overseas.
Contact
For an informal discussion, please contact:
For an application form, contact
Cardiff School of Nursing and Midwifery Studies
Cardiff University
Ty Dewi Sant
Heath Park Campus
Cardiff
CF14 4XN
See this course on the University's Coursefinder website.