Do you have the leadership qualities and passion to become a district nurse and inspire your own team in the community? Our postgraduate programme will support your ambitions.

This one-year qualification is for nurses who wish to pursue a career as a specialist practitioner in district nursing. We combine the study of health, health promotion and prevention, inequalities, policy, research and evidence-based practice to progress your career. You will explore and debate policy, theory and research related to district nursing.

Our expert tutors help you develop the required knowledge and skills to deliver patient care in district nursing services. You will learn essential advancing leadership skills and can continuously apply the theory to practice. Nursing skills theory is taught and assessed in our four laboratories on campus, which provide a safe and protected environment for your learning.

Learning Outcomes

On successful completion of the programme students will be able to:  

1. Critically appraise how own and others attitudes, values, beliefs, perceptions and personal biases (which may be unconscious), might impact on behaviour and practice and identify personal strategies to address this, exemplify and actively promote person centred care, health, wellbeing and the principles of Equality, Diversity & Inclusivity;
   
   
2. Demonstrate critical understanding of the role of the District Nurse, as a leader, manager, researcher and educator, and work independently and autonomously in complex high-risk situations promoting evidence-based practice, innovation, and creativity to mitigate risk, safeguard and improve the quality of outcomes for people, families and communities;
   
   
3. Demonstrate comprehensive knowledge of the legal, ethical, professional frameworks in which health and social care are practiced from global, UK, national and local perspective and demonstrate critical awareness of own and others professional and legal responsibilities;   
   
   
4. Demonstrate  conceptual understanding of theoretical knowledge and evidence from research and practice, and synthesise information from multiple sources to underpin advanced patient assessment, clinical and diagnostic reasoning and decision making when dealing with differentiated and undifferentiated presentations, and critically evaluate the efficacy of treatment and care in partnership with others;
   
   
5. Critically appraise how emerging digital technology including genomics, informs the assessment and delivery of safe evidenced based are and utilise appropriate clinical informatics to accurately store, retrieve and appropriately disseminate information across teams and systems;
   
   
6. Critically reflect on own professional knowledge and competence, use skills of critical appraisal and enquiry to identify significant learning within the domains of  clinical care, leadership and management, facilitation of learning and evidence, research and development, and demonstrate self-direction, autonomy and leadership in planning and implementing learning at a professional level within the context of District Nursing.

Assessment

You will be assessed through presentations, written assignments, OSCE’s and a NMC approved practice assessment document. 

• Applicants need to be currently registered with the Nursing and Midwifery Council as a Nurse (level 1 with relevant professional registration), (including NHS, self-employed or non NHS employed registrants) 
• Normally have a least two years post registration experience including community experience (the applicant will have been registered with the NMC for a minimum of one year prior to application for entry onto the programme)
• Applicants will need to evidence that  they have the competence, experience and academic ability to study at the level required for the  programme  
• Applicants should have a relevant degree, normally at 2:2 or above (a minimum of 120 credits at Level 6). 

Applicants who do not meet these requirements may be eligible to make an RPEL claim for entry to the programme. To make an RPEL claim for entry to the programme applicants must be in possession of a relevant Diploma in Higher Education (consisting of at least 120 credits at level 5) and some level 6 credits and be able to produce evidence of this when requested. Applicants are advised to contact the Programme Leader to seek advice prior to applying.  

Normally, where English is not a first language applicants should demonstrate evidence of previous study in the English language or have a minimum International English Language Testing System score of 7 in every skill or an equivalent rating in another Secure English Language Test.