Specialist Community Public Health Nursing BSc(Hons)

Course in brief

This course is for registered nurses and other health practitioners wanting to gain another professional qualification in specialist community health, including health visiting and school nursing.

Successful completion of the course means that you will have met the ten key areas of public health practice required for second level registration as a specialist community public health nurse with the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC 2004).

The Specialist Community Public Health Nursing BSc(Hons) equips you to be responsive to the needs of client groups across different settings for public health practice.

The course allows you to specialise in health visiting or school nursing, with the opportunity to choose from a range of modules according to your personal interests.

Under the guidance of a personal tutor, you will map out a development plan before the start of the course so that you have a clear focus on your intended direction.

We are known for our flexible approaches to practice-based learning, with course durations and intensities that can be adapted to your individual needs and outside commitments.

You will be taught and supported by passionate and experienced staff, who are informed by current research, meaning teaching is up to date and adheres to best practice.

The values of the NHS constitution are embedded in our curriculum; where patients come first in everything the NHS does, and include respect and dignity, compassion and working together for patients.

We have a dedicated team of academic staff who are actively engaged in internationalising the nursing and midwifery curriculum, and we offer all our students the chance to experience practice in another country.

Key facts

Location Brighton: Falmer

UCAS code Not applicable. Apply direct to the university.

Full-time 1 year
Part-time 2 years

This course meets NMC standards and course graduates are eligible for registration.

Entry requirements

The entry requirements listed here are our typical offer for this course if you wish to begin studying with us in 2017. They should be used as a general guide.

We operate a flexible admissions policy – this means that you could receive a lower conditional offer than the typical offer, informed by our assessment of your complementary non-academic achievements and experiences. For courses that require interview or portfolio review, this may also be considered in the level of any conditional offer that follows if your application is successful.

How to apply

The next available course starts in September 2016 and the application process for trust sponsorship will be open through NHS jobs between 1 February and 28 February 2016.

The Trust and Clinical Commissioning Groups (CCGs) will shortlist the applications and, if successfully shortlisted, your details will be forwarded to the university where you will be asked to complete an online application form and invited to interview.

Please note that it will not be possible to make an application to the university unless you have applied and been shortlisted. Any applications that do not meet this criteria cannot be considered.

Interview procedures

Normally interviews are carried out with a representative from the university and representatives from the trusts (including a practice teacher representative).

At interview the following will be considered:

Knowledge of the role
Communication skills
Potential for development as a specialist community public health nurse
Potential for development to study at degree level

Offers are subject to the identification and approval of a practice teacher. Offers may be held for a period of one year.

Module choice will be planned taking account of the requirements of your sponsoring trust and previous study.

A maximum of 30 Level 6 credits APL / AP(E)L / RAWL may be brought into the course if they meet the learning outcomes and have been undertaken in the previous five years. For students who have obtained credit under the 4 HEI agreement, a maximum of 40 Level 6 credits (not including dissertation module) may be brought into the course provided they meet the learning outcomes and have been undertaken in the previous five years.

Degree and/or experience
Candidates will have their name on the Parts of the NMC register as identified below:

Field of practice Health visiting RN1, RNA; RN3, RNMH; RN5, RNLD; RN8, RNC, RM (Previously parts 1, 3, 5, 8, 10, 12, 13, 14, 15)
OR
Field of Practice school nursing RN1, RNA; RN3, RNMH; RN5, RNLD; RN8, RNC, RM (Previously parts 1, 3, 5, 8, 12, 13, 14, 15)

Applicants to the course are expected to:
1. Have a health or social care-related diploma of higher education, or foundation degree (minimum of 120 level 5 credits).

Or:

Hold a current registered qualification in health or social care with the Nursing and Midwifery Council, the Health and Social Care Professions Council or equivalent PSRB.

2. Normally have successfully completed study within the last five years at Level 5 or 6.

Or:

Successfully complete a Level 6 module prior to registering on the award.

3. Demonstrate some knowledge of community health and practice.

4. Have appropriate clearance from the Disclosure and Barring Service, organised by the sponsoring organisation.

For non-native speakers of English
IELTS 6.5 overall, with 6.0 in writing and a minimum of 5.5 in the other elements.

Course in detail

Course structure

The course is made up of a blend of practice placements and classroom-based learning.

Your placements will be arranged by your employing trust, and you will be assigned a practice teacher to support your learning in practice. You will also be given the opportunity to go on an additional placement where you can spend a week experiencing practice in a different environment that is of demonstrable value to your role.

You will complete personal development plans and learning contracts that are agreed between yourself, the university and your employer.

The course is delivered in a variety of ways, and is flexible enough to meet the needs of part-time students. Delivery is typically via e-learning, lectures, seminars, workbooks for work-based learning and simulation in our state-of-the-art Clinical Skills and Simulation Suite and Flexible Learning Environment.

Syllabus

As a student on the course, you will share your learning with other community nursing specialities, allowing you to benefit from intra-professional collaboration. Our programmes are designed to allow students from other disciplines, and in some cases other professions, the opportunity to exchange knowledge and expertise.

During the course you will develop your ability to: assess risk in complex situations, cultivate effective relationships based on trust and openness, work flexibly with other services in a range of settings, deal with conflicting priorities and ambiguous situations, and know when to use different and sometimes contradictory theories and perspectives.

Modules

Work-based Learning
Developing Practice: the Challenge of Change
Practising Public Health
Capacity-building for Early Interventions

Options*

Prescribing from the Nurse Prescribers' Formulary for Comunity Practitioners
Mentor/Educator/Sgn-Off Mentor in Practice Preparation
Child Protection
Health Promotion
Contraception and Associated Sexual Healthcare

*Option modules listed are indicative and may be subject to change, depending on timetabling and staff availability.

Facilities

Clinical Skills and Simulation Suite

Our Clinical Skills and Simulation Suite is among the best equipped in the country, and is an invaluable tool for assessment and monitoring students' progress throughout the course.

You will benefit from practising nursing skills in an environment that simulates real-life professional experiences. Provided by the NHS’ South East Coast Ambulance Service, you may have access to our Simbulance, enabling you to work alongside paramedic students in an interprofessional learning environment. On board is a high fidelity mannikin with multiple uses, and a child-size mannikin for paediatric scenarios.

Learning by simulation means you will be confident in your ability to apply your knowledge and skills in your professional life.

Flexible Learning Environment

The Flexible Learning Environment is an adapted home environment in a residential location where you'll be able to practise skills and learn from other students while taking part in a realistic training experience.

Every room is fitted with cameras and microphones, so that students can be directed and monitored from the control room while the observation room provides the opportunity to review, playback and debrief.

Study abroad

Post-registration students

As a qualified nurse or midwife you may be interested in developing a European or an international dimension to your learning and development.

Here at the School of Health Sciences we can offer the opportunity to do this through our international work-based learning module. If you have a particular clinical interest, for example public health nursing, and are interested in how this is delivered and practised in Scandinavia we can arrange for you to access a placement area with one of our partners in Finland, Norway, Sweden or Denmark. We can also help structure your experience through establishing focused learning outcomes and detailed preparation.

Our courses are vibrant and internationally aware. Many of our academic staff have international health and education experience and some are members of groups such as Sigma Theta Tau and the Florence Nightingale Scholars.

We also have a vast range of modular opportunities for the following students:

UK nurses seeking additional hours/knowledge to enable registration in the USA and links with recruitment agencies
EU nurses wanting to register in the UK with the NMC and requiring additional hours/knowledge
International nurses wanting to register in the UK with the NMC and requiring additional hours/knowledge

Please do contact the admissions team for further information about these modules, by emailing namcpeadmissions@brighton.ac.uk.

Careers and employability

The skills and knowledge that you acquire can be applied to a wide range of community nursing or public health roles in various settings.

Once qualified, you will have the opportunity to enhance your practice, progress to a higher-graded band and take part in research and practice development. The context of practice both within and outside the NHS is constantly changing and the opportunities for innovative approaches to service provision exist.

Most graduates go on to work, or continue working, within the NHS in a variety of community nursing and primary care settings.

Fees and funding

Your fees

This course, which provides professional development for qualified health practitioners, is not currently affected by the recent government changes to funding for new students starting health courses in 2017.

Please contact us directly for exact tuition fees and for information on the funding available for this course.

Most students obtain funding through their trust, some choose to self-fund, and others secure funding through scholarships or bursaries.

How to apply

Applications are accepted in the February of each year, which is also when the relevant application form is made available by the School of Health Sciences.

For more information, contact the programme administator Claire Cossu on C.L.Cossu@brighton.ac.uk.

The fees listed here are for full-time courses beginning in the academic year 2017–18. Tuition fees are payable for each year that you study with us.

Where UK/EU students are subject to regulated fees, the annual fee increase cannot exceed the UK government’s maximum regulated tuition fee limit set for the relevant year. For all other students, ie those not subject to regulated fees, tuition fees are subject to a maximum annual increase of the higher of 5% or RPI.

You can find out more about our fees in the the university's student contract and tuition fee policy (pdf).

The tuition fee you have to pay depends on a number of factors including the kind of course you take, and whether you study full- or part-time. If you are studying part-time you will normally be charged on a pro rata basis depending on the number of modules you take.

What's included in the fee?

When costs such as health or DBS checks, or use of specialist materials are incurred as a mandatory requirement of the course they are included in your tuition fee.

You may incur additional costs depending on the optional modules or activities you choose. The cost of optional activities is not included in your tuition fee and you will need to meet this cost in addition to your fees. Before you apply check with the school that provides your course using the contact details in the Find out more tab (at the end of this page) for advice about what is included and what optional costs you could face so you can budget accordingly.

See our finance pages for advice about funding and scholarships as well as further information about fees and advice on international and island fee-paying status.

Location and living here

Location

About Brighton

Brighton has been called the happiest place in the UK, and it’s easy to see why. With five miles of pebble beach, more than 300 pubs and a packed festival calendar, Brighton is the ideal place to spend your student years.

Arts and culture: The Royal Pavilion is the most famous landmark in Brighton, opening its doors to around 400,000 tourists every year. Right next door is the Brighton Dome, the south coast’s premier multi-arts venue, and the Brighton Museum & Art Gallery, which holds a diverse collection of decorative arts, textiles and archaeological artefacts.

Festivals: The Brighton Festival is now the largest arts festival in England and a major milestone in the international cultural calendar. Meanwhile, The Great Escape has been established as the UK’s leading event for new music, with over 300 bands playing 30 venues across the city over three days.

Nightlife: Aside from the many nightclubs that line the city’s seafront, student favourites include The Haunt, Concorde 2 and Patterns, which attract leading bands and DJs from around the world. If you don’t feel like dancing, you can take your pick from the many hundreds of pubs and bars that dot the city centre.

Shopping: The quirky North Laine district houses Brighton’s finest collection of boutique shops and independent cafes, while the narrow, winding streets of the South Lanes house collections of jewellery and antiques. Churchill Square is the city’s main shopping centre and serves all of your high street needs.

Sports: Brighton’s seaside location offers the perfect opportunity to try paddle boarding, kayaking and windsurfing. Further into the city, The Level has a skate park for skateboarders and BMX riders to practise their skills.

Campus where this course is taught

Falmer campus

Surrounded by the South Downs National Park and just five miles from the centre of Brighton, our Falmer campus has benefited from over £60million of investment over the past 10 years. 7,000 students are based here, studying subjects including English, education, social science, nursing and medicine.

Recent developments include the Falmer Sports Centre – with its fitness suites and sports hall – and the innovative Checkland Building, which has natural ventilation systems and an insulating green roof.

Falmer has also recently installed more than 600 solar panels, which reduce the campus’s carbon emissions by more than 80 tonnes. The renovation has made us one of the top universities in the UK for on-site renewable energy production.

Accommodation

Brighton

Our Brighton halls of residence are located across the city in Grand Parade, Moulsecoomb, Varley Park and Falmer.

Our Grand Parade campus is in central Brighton and has one hall of residence, Phoenix Brewery, within walking distance. We have around 300 rooms available in Phoenix Brewery, which are all ensuite and self-catered.

Moulsecoomb is two miles from the city centre and also has one hall of residence, Moulsecoomb Place, on campus. All accommodation in Moulsecoomb Place is catered, offering breakfast and an evening meal during term time. There are more than 150 rooms available here, with six to eight rooms per flat.

Varley Park offers the biggest choice of student accommodation with ten halls of residence. The site is four miles from Brighton centre but within walking distance of Falmer train station.

Falmer campus has two halls of residence: Great Wilkins and Paddock Field. Great Wilkins offers 150+ self-catered single rooms and one-bed couples flats, while Paddock Field offers 450+ catered and self-catered single rooms only. All rooms in Falmer are en-suite.

Aside from halls, you have the option of Unihomes, which we let out to our students on behalf of private landlords. The rent covers all utilities and includes £5,000 of contents insurance for your personal belongings.

You can also choose to join the many students who live away from campus in private rented accommodation. We have a list of high-quality, university-endorsed private sector accommodation and can help you find housemates to move in with.

Find out more on our Brighton accommodation webpages and if you have any questions, our accommodation team will be happy to help. You can contact them by email at accommodation@brighton.ac.uk or by telephone on 01273 644100.

Paddock Field