Nursing (Mental Health)

You will be supported to develop your level of educational attainment while exploring integrated care systems in the 21st Century. The structure of the course will move you towards increasing independence in your studies to successfully engage with Higher Education study, in line with the Framework for Higher Education Qualifications (FHEQ) and University policies for assessment and curriculum design. All modules offer you structured tutor support, and each module is designed to lead you to increasing independence in your confidence.

The learning and teaching strategies of this creative and exciting BSc Nursing with Foundation Year promote active student engagement. The Inclusion Toolkit has been used to develop accessible, flexible and inclusive approaches that empower you to engage with self-directed learning. You will be taught through a combination of interactive workshops, lectures, seminars, clinical skills and simulated learning opportunities, directed study, group projects and self-study packages. Interactive workshops take a variety of formats and are intended to enable the application of learning through discussion and small group activities. Seminars enable the discussion and development of understanding of topics covered in lectures, and practical sessions are focused on identifying subject and/or profession-specific skills and applied knowledge through individual and group project work.

Once you progress on to the BSc Nursing (Mental Health), the core of the nursing programme is learning in a diverse range of clinical placements. Learning in the real world facilitates work-readiness, personal and professional development. Mandatory practice learning equates to 50% of the programme credit for each part, with the programme weeks equally shared between theory and practice learning. Your practice learning is mapped across the programme, gradually increasing as you gain in confidence, with students progressing from 43% of the programme hours in practice learning environments in part one, to 55% in part three, supporting your transition from student to Registered Nurse. Student placements run in blocks across each part, with experiences normally in a minimum of two practice placements per part, in a setting appropriate to their field of practice. The use of ‘spokes’ (visits to alternative placement settings) to maximise learning opportunities offered by diverse and non-traditional settings, offer exposure to opportunities to care for people from across the life-span, with mental and physical health needs and learning disabilities. Enhanced practice learning days rooted in clinical practice, provide opportunities to consolidate learning, and for reflection and inter-professional learning, including added value learning experiences and seeking additional support as necessary to promote inclusive learning in the practice setting.

Students on placement are supernumerary and are supported by a practice supervisor and assessed by a practice assessor, both having undergone appropriate preparation for their roles. Students will have access to the internet and library resources whilst on placement.

You will be provided with opportunity to complete simulated practice learning activities. All simulated activities involve a range of people including students, peers, service users/carers, practitioners, technicians, academics and includes role play, ‘hands on’ practical skills sessions using a range of simulation manikins, video recording and playback. Formative feedback on performance is provided to facilitate safe and effective support for essential skills development, in simulation suites, replicating hospital and community practice learning environments. This learning is particularly important in part one, with 20 days allocated to prepare students for their practice learning experiences. This is reduced in part two and three to 10 days per part.

You will have the opportunity to complete a UK or international elective placement, during part three, semester one. This can be either a formative four-week experience or a summative experience, between 6 and 12 weeks, helping with the globalization of the programme and employability.

The University places emphasis on enabling you to develop independent learning capabilities that will equip you for lifelong learning and future employment, as well as academic achievement. A mixture of independent study, teaching and academic support from Student Services and Library Services, as well as the Personal Academic Tutoring system will enable you to reflect on progress and build up a profile of skills, achievements and experiences that will help you to flourish and be successful.