Advanced Clinical Practice (Advanced Nurse Practitioner) (MSc) drafted

Program Overview

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Build on your existing professional skills and knowledge to become an advanced nurse practitioner on this University of Southampton master’s degree. This Level 7 training course will qualify you to independently assess, diagnose, treat and manage the care of people with complex clinical problems.

This pathway is accredited by Health Education England's

Centre for Advancing Practice

. Completion of HEE accredited programmes/pathways is set to become one of the benchmark routes to recognition for Advanced Clinical Practitioners, and accreditation is also designed to  ensure a consistent level of programme quality across England

You’ll study within the

School of Health Sciences

: ranked 5th in the world and 2nd in the UK for nursing and midwifery (

QS World Rankings by Subject 2022

).

This MSc Advanced Clinical Practice: Advanced Nurse Practitioner course is for experienced nurses currently working as registered practitioners within a UK healthcare setting.

You’ll develop the expertise to become a confident decision-maker able to work independently in your clinical setting.

Led by our expert academics you’ll:

examine role development in relation to advanced nursing practice

learn how to apply evidence to your field of practice and clinical specialism

use advanced communication and clinical decision-making skills in your work

develop new or enhanced clinical skills around client health assessment, diagnostic reasoning and pharmacology

show your clinical competence through simulated and practice-based clinical assessment

You’ll also have the chance to obtain the V300 non-medical prescribing qualification, if you have at least 3 years’ relevant post-registration clinical experience.

The course is built around the 4 pillars of advanced practice:

advanced clinical practice

leadership

education

research

Flexible study

If you prefer, you can apply to study this course as:

a Postgraduate Diploma (PGDip) - you'll usually study for about 2 years and will not need to write a dissertation

You can also take a single module as part of continuing professional development (CPD). Explore

modules that are available as CPD

.

Your modules and fees may vary if you choose a different study option.

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Course lead

Your course leader is Dr Francine O'Malley. Visit

Dr Francine O'Malley’s staff profile

to learn more about her work.

Email:

f.omalley@soton.ac.uk

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Related pathways

We also offer the following pathways on our MSc Advanced Clinical Practice course:

Advanced Critical Care Practitioner

Advanced Neonatal Nurse Practitioner

Advanced Allied Health Practitioner

Program Outline

This Masters course runs from 2 to 5 years part time, allowing you the flexibility to continue working alongside your degree.

You'll study six taught modules and then the dissertation. Most students study either two or three modules per year, then the dissertation the following year. There is no fee for enrolment on the programme; rather the modules are paid for as you study them.

Your pathway leader will guide you regarding your module choices and sequencing. A good starting point is either History Taking and Physical Assessment or Research Methods. Following on from History Taking and Physical Assessment is the Diagnostic Assessment and Decision Making module; both of which must be passed before commencing Pharmacology and Prescribing (or Applied Pharmacology for those in professions without prescribing authority). You then also have a choice of one option module – see

here

. Then the Transition to Advanced Practice module is normally studied in your last taught year before the dissertation – this is where the learning from other modules is brought together, and where you achieve sign off against the capabilities required of an Advanced Clinical Practitioner.

Want more detail?

See all the modules in the course.