Undergraduate study

Overview

Would you like to train as a Health Visitor? Keele University School of Nursing and Midwifery have developed a full-time one-year Specialist Community Public Health Nursing programme.

This course has been designed to produce specialist community public health practitioners who are safe, competent, and deliver professional practice in a community public health setting, meeting Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) standards for Specialist Community Public Health Nursing.

Students are prepared to work with communities, families and individuals to improve health and reduce health inequalities to optimise life chances, in partnership with people and organisations, in support of the government health and social agenda.

On successful completion of this course the student is able to register with the NMC on the third part of the register as a Specialist Community Public Health Nurse. Students studying at post-graduate level have an opportunity to undertake a dissertation after the course to convert their post-graduate diploma to a Masters Degree.

Students develop their leadership skills on the programme, to plan and lead services and initiatives which promote health improvement, as well as community practitioner prescribing as applicable to their role.

Health Visiting Pathway

Our course currently focuses on the Health Visiting pathway, in response to the government initiative to strengthen the Health Visiting workforce by increasing numbers and re-designing service provision to meet population needs.

The Health Visiting pathway reflects the current standards and initiatives for health visiting, developing public health awareness and understanding of key health challenges using a social model of health and well-being, and has a particular in-depth focus on the physical, social and emotional aspects of the developing child, recognising how these contribute to social capital and life chances.

The programme will support students in applying their skills of critical reflection to enhance their professional, personal and academic development. It will encourage the development of sound health visiting practice based on the critical application of research and evidence and will introduce students to theories and practice of leadership and partnership-working. Students’ clinical placement experience will
enable them to gain expertise in the full range of Health Visitor skills, through observation and practice supervised by a practice Teacher.

Course Content

Core Modules for BSc (Hons) Specialist Community Public Health Nursing (Health Visiting):

• Evidence-Based Practice (15 level 6 credits)
• Clinical Leadership (15 level 6 credits)
• Public Health and Social Policy (15 level 6 credits)
• Specialist Community Practice (30 level 6 credits)
• The Developing Child (30 level 6 credits)
• Community Practitioner Prescribing (V100) (15 level 6 credits)

Core Modules for PgDip Specialist Community Public Health Nursing (Health Visiting):

• Research Methods (15 level 7 credits)
• Leadership and Management in Healthcare (15 level 7 credits)
• Public Health and Social Policy (15 level 7 credits)
• Specialist Community Practice (30 level 7 credits)
• The Developing Child (30 level 7 credits)
• Community Practitioner Prescribing (V100) (15 level 6 credits)

Codes and Combinations

Teaching and Assessment

Programme specifications (new window)

Skills and Careers

Visit our Careers pages (new window)

Course Leader: Dawn Johnson
Main Contact: Lynsey Rees
Email: l.j.rees@keele.ac.uk
Tel: 01782 679559

Clinical Education Centre
University Hospital of North Staffordshire
Newcastle Road
Stoke on Trent
ST4 6QG

To apply, please complete and return the application form:

Application forms can be downloaded here.