Specialist Community Nursing - District Nursing Pathway PgDip, MSc

Keele University

This programme is available for Home students who are employed in a community nursing role and are seconded by their employer or funded to undertake the apprenticeship route. It is also available to self employed and self funded students with placements agreed with an approved Health Care Organisation. Care and support of people is increasingly being delivered in the community, in peoples homes, and settings close to their homes and therefore the role of the District Nurse is changing and expanding (NMC, 2022). District Nurses are advanced autonomous practitioners who manage a wide range of complex conditions, which requires not only advanced clinical skills, but also the management of risk skills, case load management and care coordination to ensure that people are cared for in their place of choice, reducing hospital admissions and improving quality of life, whilst also providing education to staff, patients, families and carers (QICN, 2023). The aim of this programme is to support the development and enhancement of essential knowledge and skills in the registered practitioner to equip them for a career in specialist community nursing. This will be actualised through building upon the theoretical and clinical basis of your specialised area of practice, through the delivery of a coherent programme of study. The award options will have a contemporary focus and initially serve to meet the NMC Standards for proficiency for community nursing specialist practice qualifications (NMC, 2022) for those aspiring to work within the field of District Nursing. The programme provides opportunities for you to develop and demonstrate advanced knowledge and understanding, skills, qualities and other attributes. The purpose of the programme is to enable nurses, who hold a first level nursing registration with the NMC and can demonstrate success at degree level study, to prepare for a role of District Nurse. It will enable you to gain 120 credits, and a Postgraduate Diploma in Specialist Community Nursing (District Nursing) and a recordable NMC qualification. You can, at a later stage, complete your full Masters' award by undertaking a 60-credit advanced project module or dissertation module. Professional Accreditation The programme is an approved NMC programme for Standards for Proficiency for Community Nursing Specialist Practice Qualifications (NMC, 2022). On successful completion students will recorded on the NMC registered as Specialist Practitioner: District Nursing and Nurse Independent / Supplementary Prescriber.