Nurse Practitioner BSc (Hons) top-up degree

Degree and/or experience

• Candidates for all pathways will:
  • Hold current and appropriate registration with the NMC (parts RN1or RNA, RN3 or RNMH, RN8 or RNC);
  • Have at least six months post-registration experience in accordance with NMC regulations; 
  • Spend a minimum of 15 hours a week in practice.
• Applicants to the course are expected to:
  • 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.
  • 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.
  • Demonstrate some knowledge of community health and practice.
  • Have a minimum of six months' post-registration experience.
  • A designated practice teacher to support the student's development and assessment in practice is an additional pre-requisite for entry to the course. It is the employing organisation's responsibility to supply appropriate practice teachers.

Other
The admissions process ensures equality of opportunity for all applicants and sponsoring trusts are bound by their own selection processes in ensuring equality for applicants. In the event of an applicant wishing to self-fund due to there being only 50 per cent or no funding available from a trust, the trust would be asked to support the practice elements of the course. Each short-listed candidate must supply two references, one from the previous or current employer and one from an academic referee.

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 may be brought into the course provided they meet the learning outcomes and have been undertaken in the previous five years. The total combination of credits brought into the course must not exceed 40 Level 6 credits and cannot include the dissertation module.

English Language Requirement:

• IELTS 6.5 overall, with 6.0 in writing and a minimum of 5.5 in the other elements.

Core modules

• Project Development Through Work-based Learning: Specialist Practice
• Pathway-specific assessment module: Either Physical Assessment of Adults (Adult pathway) or Mental Health Assessment (Mental Health pathway) or Child Physical Assessment (Children's Nursing pathway)

Options include 

• Developing Practice: the Challenges of Change
• Decision Making for Health and Social Care
• Health Promotion: the Challenges for Practice
• Independent and Supplementary Prescribing
• Delivering Innovative Care in Diabetes
• Respiratory Care (Adult)
• Case Management for Health and Social Care
• Mental Health Medication Management and Psychopharmacology
• Health Law and Ethics
• Mental Health: Promoting Recovery through Professional Practice
• People and Dementia
• Child Protection: Advancing Practice