Nursing (Learning Disability)

Nursing (Learning Disability) - BSc (Hons)

As a Learning Disability Nurse you will play a key role in supporting individuals with learning disabilities achieve the best outcomes to maintain and improve their health and wellbeing. You will develop the knowledge and skills to enable you to qualify as a competent and confident Learning Disability Nurse.

Year of entry

2023 - for 2024 entry see here - for 2023 entry see here

Course type

Single Honours

Location

Keele University campus Hospital campus

Subject area / School

School of Nursing and Midwifery

UCAS code

B761

Duration of study

3 years

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Why study Nursing (Learning Disability) at Keele University?

Top 20 for Nursing and Midwifery (Guardian University League Table, 2022)

Nursing and Midwifery Council approved programme

6th in England for Nursing and Midwifery (Complete University Guide, 2022)

£5,000 non-repayable annual grant to support your studies

Course overview

The healthcare needs of individuals with learning disabilities can be the same as the general population, however they are often more complex depending on the nature of their learning disability and other associated needs. As a skilled learning disability nurse you could be supporting or caring for individuals with a learning disability who may have health and social care needs in a range of settings. You will be key in facilitating prompt access to services with reasonable adjustments, as well as contributing to preventative and anticipatory care.

The course provides you with the skills to support people with learning disabilities and complex physical and mental health needs so you can provide interventions that improve outcomes and enable people to live more fulfilling and healthy lives. You and the individual with a learning disability will be at the centre of learning and practice. Learning disability nurses must use a person-centred approach and you will develop knowledge about a range of well established approaches, tools and strategies to utilise in delivering person-centred care.

The programme begins with exploring these person-centred approaches and developing the fundamentals of nursing. In years two and three you will build upon evidence-based knowledge and advanced skills both in theory and practice. This prepares you to be inquisitive, questioning, empowered, focused, clinically skilled and cognitively adaptable. Our curriculum is carefully designed to enable you be able to practice confidently and competently, whilst also giving you the opportunity to develop and refine your clinical skills in a safe and controlled setting before going onto clinical placement.

Individuals with learning disabilities are amongst one of the most socially excluded and vulnerable groups in the UK today who often experience . serious health inequalities.50% of people with a learning disability will have at least one significant health problem, higher rates of mental health issues and dementia when compared to their non-disabled peers (Public Health England, 2018). They are also living longer and thus experiencing health needs associated with older age.

You will develop a vast range of skills as a learning disability nurse to help overcome these barriers and challenges. This may include helping individuals to access services, assessing health and social care needs, providing interventions to maintain and improve health and and promote wellbeing, and acting to safeguard and protect the rights of people with learning disabilities.

The programme reflects the inter-agency nature of the role of a learning disability nurse and provides opportunities for you to develop advanced skills in order to collaborate with services around people and their families across the life span. Health care delivery as a learning disability nurse will include the management of critical and acute illness; the management of long term conditions such as asthma, diabetes, mental health and the provision of complex and technically demanding care involving rapid-response and high level decision-making.

Learning Disability nurses are the only Registered Nurses specifically trained to care for, and improve the quality of life for individuals with a learning disability. You will develop important communication skills, so you are equipped with alternative ways to engage and communicate with individuals with a learning disability in a way that they can understand and respond to. This will include language techniques like Makaton to support communication.

Multidisciplinary learning

We believe a multidisciplinary approach to teaching is the key to developing tomorrow’s global health care workforce. You will benefit from inter-professional education by learning alongside other aspiring healthcare professionals such as medical students and pharmacy students. This exposure allows you to appreciate the role that each healthcare professional plays in every patient's journey - a critical factor for success within the clinical setting.

Facilities

Gain evidence-based practice experience that supports the ethos of dignity, care, and compassion for patients. Learning is enhanced by our excellent facilities including an anatomy suite and Health Library. Innovative teaching methods including High Fidelity Simulation and skill-based development in our Clinical Skills Lab.

Strengthening your employability

Placements

We have strong partnerships with placement providers including NHS trusts, and the private and voluntary sectors. An important part of becoming a nurse is gaining real experience in diverse environments. Field placements provide a range of experiences to expand your professional values and nursing skills linking the theory you have learnt in the lectures with practice. This enhances your employability, increases your confidence, and fully develops your nursing expertise. 50% of your time is spent on clinical practice in different health care settings.

Placements take place normally within a 50 mile radius of Keele across NHS trusts and the independent health and social care sector.

Practice experience will be gained in a range of settings including residential and day services, special schools, general and specialist nursing services in the community and inpatient settings, across the NHS and in the private, voluntary and independent sector.

You will be supported in practice by clinical supervisors and assessed by a practice assessor, and reviewed by an academic assessor. This ensures you practice safely, and allows you to learn from clinicians who have a wealth of experience in their field.

You may also choose to study abroad through elective placements with organisations like Work the World.

Student support

An academic mentor will be assigned to you at the beginning of the course who is there to support you during every stage of your studies. Practice assessors and placement supervisors provide guidance during your placements.

You will have the support of the Faculty Student Experience and Support team who offer advice, guidance and one to one support to students within the School of Nursing and Midwifery.

There is peer support and additional help is available from the School's Disability Liaison Officer who provides an additional layer of support for all students, particularly for those who have special learning needs.

You will have access to a mixture of advice and support services at Keele which include;

Learning Support and Academic Guidance
Disability Services
English Language Unit
Student Advice at Keele (ASK)
Student Support Services
Occupational Health Department / University Health Centre

Financial help

Student nurses are eligible to receive an annual grant of at least £5,000 to help cover their living costs. Additional financial grants are also available for eligible students - more information and full eligibility criteria can be found here.

Related courses

Next Steps

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Approved programme

Learning Disability Nursing is approved by the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) and has been designed to meet the seven NMC platforms which underpin pre-registration nursing education. The course is taught by lecturers who are expert clinicians, and qualified teachers in different specialisms. Their research feeds into our teaching. On successful completion of this course, you can apply for NMC nursing registration.

Nursing and Midwifery Council logo

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Additional opportunities

Foundation year Explore more

There are a range of additional opportunities available when studying this course.
Please note, undertaking one may impact upon the availability of another.

Entry requirements

Keele strives to be a place where learning, living and working is a positive experience for our entire community, and we're committed to ensuring equality of opportunity to all our applicants with the potential and motivation to succeed, regardless of background. That's why we operate a range of 'alternative offer' schemes with clear eligibility criteria, including contextual offers, offers for those studying within the Keele region, and recognising a range of additional qualifications in your offer.

The entry grades outlined in this section indicate the likely offer or range of offers which would be made to candidates along with any subject specific requirements. This is for general information only. Keele University reserves the right to vary offer conditions depending upon a candidate's application.

UK / EU ENTRY REQUIREMENTS

Please note in addition to the academic entry requirements below, to be accepted onto a Nursing or Midwifery programme at Keele you must also fulfil a range of additional requirements. Details of these additional requirements and expectations can be found here.

GCSEs: GCSE English and Maths at grade C (or 4) or above or equivalent qualifications (e.g. Functional Skills Level 2 / Key Skills Level 2). Maths and English qualifications must have been achieved prior to application.

If English is not your first language, normally applicants will have IELTS (Academic) with an overall score of 7.0, including at least 6.5 in the writing section and at least 7.0 in the reading, listening and speaking sections. The University may be able to accept alternative English Language qualifications from applicants from outside the European Economic Area (EEA) on a case by case basis in line with the appropriate Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) guidelines.

Plus one of the following level 3 qualifications:

Qualification	Required Grade Profile	Further Information
A levels (Full A2)	BBC	GCSE Maths and English at grade 4 or above is required.
Access to Higher Education Diploma	112 UCAS points. At least 30 Level 3 credits at Distinction	Health / Science related Maths and English Language at Grade C/ Grade 4 or above or equivalent, or 12 credits at Level 2 or 3 in English and 12 credits at Level 2 or 3 in Maths. Maths and English qualifications can be pending if studied alongside a pending Access to Higher Education Diploma
T Level	Merit overall in Health T Level
Pearson BTEC National Extended Diploma / Pearson BTEC Extended Diploma (QCF)	DMM	Any subjects accepted.
BTEC Level 3 National Diploma (QCF) and National Extended Certificate (previously known as the Subsidiary Diploma) (QCF) are acceptable combined with additional A level or equivalent Level 3 qualification(s).	112 UCAS Tariff points from the equivalent of 3 A level qualifications. Use the UCAS Tariff Calculator to work out how many UCAS points your qualifications are worth.
NCFE CACHE Level 3 Extended Diploma/Technical Extended Diploma in Health and Social Care	Grade B
NCFE CACHE Level 3 Diploma/ Technical Level 3 Diploma in Child Care and Education	Grade B
NCFE CACHE Level 3 Extended Diploma for the Children & Young People's Workforce	Grade B
Open University K101/K102 - An Introduction to Health and Social Care	Pass - 60 points at Level 1
Previous degree	Pass Applicants with a previous degree at 2:2 or above and healthcare experience may be interested in MSc Nursing	Any subject accepted.
International Baccalaureate	H5, H5, H4 or 29 IB points	One science subject is required (Higher or Standard level – Biology preferred)
Irish Leaving Certificate	112 UCAS tariff points from 5 Highers. Use the UCAS Tariff Calculator to work out how many UCAS points your qualifications are worth.	Ordinary level English Language and Maths grades O1-O4 (or A-C / A1-C3 up to ands including 2016) are required in lieu of GCSEs.
Welsh Baccalaureate Advanced Diploma (core) is acceptable combined with additional A level or equivalent Level 3 qualification(s).	112 UCAS Tariff points from the equivalent of 3 A Level qualifications. Use the UCAS Tariff Calculator to work out how many UCAS points your qualifications are worth.

Vocational qualifications: NVQ or equivalent qualifications are not accepted.
The School will also consider applicants who hold a relevant Higher National Diploma, Foundation Degree or other health related higher education qualifications. Please contact enquiries@keele.ac.uk for advice.

If your qualifications are not listed here please contact enquiries@keele.ac.uk for advice.

We recognise that applicants have different backgrounds and experiences and that some applicants may not have had the same opportunities to demonstrate their suitability for HE. Therefore, we will consider the additional data and information provided on your application (the contextual data) as part of the selection process to help identify applicants whose academic performance to date may not be a true reflection of their potential to succeed at University. Our offer will reflect our recognition of individual circumstances.

We recognise the skills and knowledge acquired whilst studying an EPQ qualification and therefore will take this into consideration when assessing your application. If your EPQ is in a relevant subject to the course you have applied for, it will be included in your offer. If you are also eligible for another offer scheme, for example our Contextual Data Offer Scheme, your offer will reflect this and your EPQ qualification will not form part of your offer.

FURTHER ENTRY REQUIREMENTS

Offers are subject to Occupational Health clearances and an Enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) clearance.
The University follows the DBS Code of Practice in these issues and can provide a copy of the Code on request.

A reference for the applicant will be completed on the UCAS form by the referee. This is normally from an academic tutor. For applicants invited for interview, a second reference may be required. Friends, relatives or neighbours are not eligible to act as referees. All offers are subject to satisfactory references.

All candidates for pre-registration Nursing and Midwifery programmes are required to meet or exceed NMC requirements, including literacy, numeracy and digital literacy skills.

Application Process: Application is via UCAS. The UCAS application is scored. Shortlisted candidates will be invited to interview. This can be either in person or remotely as appropriate.

INTERNATIONAL ENTRY REQUIREMENTS

The following information is for applicants with Overseas qualifications and / or classed as Overseas for fees.

If you are unsure of your fee status, please check the guidance on the fee assessment pages.

ACADEMIC REQUIREMENTS

Please view equivalent entry criteria for your country.

If the qualifications you have are not listed, or you are unsure whether you meet our criteria, please contact the admissions office for advice:enquiries@keele.ac.uk

ENGLISH LANGUAGE REQUIREMENTS

All students must provide evidence of a recognised qualification in English Language, such as:

GCSE (first language) English Language – Grade C (Grade 4 for applicants taking the reformed GCSE qualifications in England)
International English Language Testing Service (IELTS, academic) - 7.0 overall, with at least 6.5 in the writing section and at least 7.0 in the reading, listening and speaking sections
Pearson (PTE) Academic - 65 (components 55)
Cambridge English First (foundations) and Advanced - 185 (subtests 176)

If you have taken a school qualification in English we may be able to accept this: please email enquiries@keele.ac.uk for advice.

If you don't think you'll meet the entry requirements specified, you may be able to gain entry to this course via a Foundation Year.

Preparation programmes for international students

International students who do not meet the direct entry requirements for this course have the opportunity to study an International Foundation Year programme.

These courses are designed to prepare international students to enter into Keele University undergraduate degrees.

Next Steps

Entry requirements

The following section details our typical entry requirements for this course for a range of UK and international qualifications. If you don’t see your qualifications listed, please contact us to find out if we can accept your qualifications. If you don't think you'll meet the entry requirements specified, you may be able to gain entry to this course via a Foundation Year.

Additional information

UK / EU ENTRY REQUIREMENTS

Plus one of the following level 3 qualifications:

Qualification	Required Grade Profile	Further Information
A levels (Full A2)	BBC	GCSE Maths and English at grade 4 or above is required.
Access to Higher Education Diploma	112 UCAS points. At least 30 Level 3 credits at Distinction	Health / Science related Maths and English Language at Grade C/ Grade 4 or above or equivalent, or 12 credits at Level 2 or 3 in English and 12 credits at Level 2 or 3 in Maths. Maths and English qualifications can be pending if studied alongside a pending Access to Higher Education Diploma
T Level	Merit overall in Health T Level
Pearson BTEC National Extended Diploma / Pearson BTEC Extended Diploma (QCF)	DMM	Any subjects accepted.
BTEC Level 3 National Diploma (QCF) and National Extended Certificate (previously known as the Subsidiary Diploma) (QCF) are acceptable combined with additional A level or equivalent Level 3 qualification(s).	112 UCAS Tariff points from the equivalent of 3 A level qualifications. Use the UCAS Tariff Calculator to work out how many UCAS points your qualifications are worth.
NCFE CACHE Level 3 Extended Diploma/Technical Extended Diploma in Health and Social Care	Grade B
NCFE CACHE Level 3 Diploma/ Technical Level 3 Diploma in Child Care and Education	Grade B
NCFE CACHE Level 3 Extended Diploma for the Children & Young People's Workforce	Grade B
Open University K101/K102 - An Introduction to Health and Social Care	Pass - 60 points at Level 1
Previous degree	Pass Applicants with a previous degree at 2:2 or above and healthcare experience may be interested in MSc Nursing	Any subject accepted.
International Baccalaureate	H5, H5, H4 or 29 IB points	One science subject is required (Higher or Standard level – Biology preferred)
Irish Leaving Certificate	112 UCAS tariff points from 5 Highers. Use the UCAS Tariff Calculator to work out how many UCAS points your qualifications are worth.	Ordinary level English Language and Maths grades O1-O4 (or A-C / A1-C3 up to ands including 2016) are required in lieu of GCSEs.
Welsh Baccalaureate Advanced Diploma (core) is acceptable combined with additional A level or equivalent Level 3 qualification(s).	112 UCAS Tariff points from the equivalent of 3 A Level qualifications. Use the UCAS Tariff Calculator to work out how many UCAS points your qualifications are worth.

FURTHER ENTRY REQUIREMENTS

INTERNATIONAL ENTRY REQUIREMENTS

The following information is for applicants with Overseas qualifications and / or classed as Overseas for fees.

If you are unsure of your fee status, please check the guidance on the fee assessment pages.

ACADEMIC REQUIREMENTS

Please view equivalent entry criteria for your country.

If the qualifications you have are not listed, or you are unsure whether you meet our criteria, please contact the admissions office for advice:enquiries@keele.ac.uk

ENGLISH LANGUAGE REQUIREMENTS

All students must provide evidence of a recognised qualification in English Language, such as:

GCSE (first language) English Language – Grade C (Grade 4 for applicants taking the reformed GCSE qualifications in England)
International English Language Testing Service (IELTS, academic) - 7.0 overall, with at least 6.5 in the writing section and at least 7.0 in the reading, listening and speaking sections
Pearson (PTE) Academic - 65 (components 55)
Cambridge English First (foundations) and Advanced - 185 (subtests 176)

If you have taken a school qualification in English we may be able to accept this: please email enquiries@keele.ac.uk for advice.

English Language Requirements

All of our courses require an English language qualification or test. For most students, this requirement can be met with a 4 or C in GCSE English. Please see our English Language guidance pages for further details, including English language test information for international students. For those students who require an English language test, this course requires a test from .

Alternative and contextual offers

We're committed to ensuring equality of opportunity to all our applicants with the potential and motivation to succeed, regardless of background. That's why we operate a range of alternative offer schemes with clear eligibility criteria, including contextual offers, offers for those studying within the Keele region, and recognising a range of additional qualifications in your offer.

General information

The entry grades outlined in this section indicate the typical offer which would be made to candidates, along with any subject specific requirements. This is for general information only. Keele University reserves the right to vary offer conditions depending upon a candidate's application.

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"I wanted to go into Learning Disability Nursing so that I could provide care for others, offer another perspective to the field, and help inspire the next generation of future nurses – helping others is a very humbling experience. I think what really stands out about the course here at Keele University is the quality of the teaching and the passion that the lecturers bring into the classroom. So, they love what they do, and they want to see you grow and develop your career."

Lincoln, Nursing (Learning Disability)

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Clinical Simulation in the School of Nursing and Midwifery

Clinical simulation helps our students to develop their experience, confidence and skills. We have two simulation spaces on campus for students to practice their skills, in addition to the facilities at the Clinical Education Centre, and two simulation families of eight mannequins.

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"Keele is a wonderful place and the support you get from staff, i'ts a feeling of family and belonging."

Tina, Learning Disability Nursing

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"I enjoyed Learning Disability Nursing at Keele because of the varied placements that I was lucky enough to experience. Each placement was different and introduced me to new skills that have since proven to be valuable since qualifying."

Samantha, Learning Disability Nursing

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Foundation year

Our Foundation Year provides an excellent alternative route to Keele, providing a unique opportunity to better prepare for your chosen degree, and with guaranteed entry onto your undergraduate course once you successfully complete your Foundation Year.

This extra year of study can improve your academic skills, expand your subject knowledge, give you a better understanding of higher education and, perhaps most importantly of all, build your confidence.

Keele University is consistently ranked among the top universities for student satisfaction, and we have over 70 years' experience of teaching a foundation year to students. On the Keele Foundation Year, you'll study on campus, joining our undergraduate community from the outset, with access to all the facilities and support that you'd get as an undergraduate student at Keele.

The information in this Foundation Year section is for UK/Home applicants. Where an international Foundation Year is available, please see the 'Information for international students' tab.

Course content

Our Foundation Year allows you to develop your critical thinking, academic reading, writing, and communication study skills along with subject-specific knowledge and skills. Upon meeting the progression criteria and successfully completing our Foundation Year, you will automatically progress into your Keele undergraduate degree with the confidence that you have the skills, and knowledge needed to successfully complete your course.

This Foundation Year is a two semester programme which provides a tailored pre-degree programme of study to better prepare you for the BSc (Hons) Learning Disability Nursing course. For example, in the Academic and Professional Development for Health module you will begin to develop an awareness of professional standards that you will be working to in your degree and professional career. Course content has been developed in collaboration with degree teaching teams, so that by the time you begin Year 1, you will be ready to excel at your studies, as the majority of our Foundation Year students do.

You will gain a greater appreciation of historical and contemporary approaches to health and social care within the UK, considering key health issues and challenges facing health and science services. At the same time, we will advance your knowledge of human biology and chemistry, giving you a solid grasp of body systems, science and lab work. You'll develop safe, professional laboratory skills and get to know the mathematical techniques and quantitative methods used across health science-related and social care programmes.

Throughout the programme, you will develop subject-specific and broad based skills that will be invaluable in your academic career and beyond. You can find out more about our Foundation Year, including information on learning, teaching and assessment methods and further opportunities available to you by visiting our homepage.

Course structure

The module details given below are indicative, they are intended to provide you with an idea of the range of subjects that are taught to our current students. The modules that will be available for you to study in future years are prone to change as we regularly review our teaching to ensure that it is up-to-date and informed by the latest research and teaching methods. The information presented is therefore not intended to be construed and/or relied upon as a definitive list of the modules available in any given year.

Semester one modules

FYO-00237	Foundations of Human Biology for Health	15 credits
FYO-00241	Foundations of Chemistry - Health	15 credits
FYO-00213	Foundations of Numerical and Quantitative Methods for Health Students	15 credits

Semester two modules

FYO-00239	Advancing Human Biology for Health	30 credits
FYO-00245	Foundations in Health and Society	15 credits

Year long modules (semesters one and two)

FYO-00181

Academic and Professional Development

30 credits

Entry requirements

Shortlisted candidates will be invited to interview.

Candidates who progress from the Foundation Year onto year 1 of the degree course will be required to undertake a Disclosure and Barring Service check (Enhanced plus Barring Lists) and health check.

For admission enquiries please contact enquiries@keele.ac.uk

English language requirements for international/EU applicants

In addition to meeting the Level 3 requirements, candidates whose first language is not English will need IELTS with an overall score of 7.0, including at least 6.5 in the writing section and at least 7.0 in the reading, listening and speaking sections, or GCSE English Language at 4 (C) or above.

A-levels	Alternative Qualifications	Additional GCSE requirements
CDD	Further Information	GCSE in English and Maths at grade C/4 or above or equivalent qualifications (e.g. Functional Skills Level 2 / Key Skills Level 2). Must have been achieved prior to application (unless studied alongside a pending Access to Higher Education Diploma). Please see the Alternative Qualifications section for further details.

How to apply

UCAS applications

Visit UCAS for applications. You should apply for BSc (Hons) Learning Disability Nursing course with Foundation Year

UCAS code: B762

Direct entry students

If you already have your qualifications, are not expecting any further results and only wish to apply to Keele, please contact the Admissions Office directly.

The information in this Foundation Year section is for UK/Home applicants. Where an international Foundation Year is available, please see the 'Information for international students' tab.

We also offer a January start for some of our Foundation Year courses. Adopting a blended learning approach, the January start is particularly useful for students wishing to return to education following time out of studying, or who are seeking a flexible approach to their Foundation Year studies. Our January start is available across most of our Science, Humanities, Social Science and Business courses.

Whilst still being a full-time course, our blended delivery model combines live teaching sessions - both online and on-campus - with self-directed study, enabling you to predominantly study at a time that suits your lifestyle. You will benefit from weekly online taught sessions which encourage you to engage with your teachers and peers.

In addition to online study there will be a series of full study days that you will be required to attend throughout each semester. These sessions may include lab-based activities, group work, review of course and assessment materials studied online. They will emphasise opportunities for you to deepen your knowledge and understanding of your chosen route.

Please refer to the September start tab for more information about the entry requirements and what you will study. The modules that you will take on a January start Foundation Year will be similar to those for the September start, but in a slightly different order and pattern.

For more information, including fees, the UCAS code for this course, how to apply, and how you will be taught, please visit our January Start Foundation Year webpage.

Our International Foundation Year is delivered on campus through Keele University International College (KUIC). Find out more about the International Foundation Year options on the KUIC website.

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Study Learning Disability Nursing at Keele

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