PgD District Nursing Apprenticeship

Program Overview

PgD - District Nursing Apprenticeship

Course Overview

The PgD District Nursing Apprenticeship with NMC Community Specialist Practitioner Qualification course sets you up for success in an exciting new chapter of your career. Developed with employers, this 12-month programme (plus end-point assessment) has been designed to meet the contemporary health and wellbeing needs of individuals, communities and populations.

District Nurse Apprentices will strengthen their leadership attributes; become skilful community specialist practitioners; and learn how to lead and bring about change in their practice environments. This programme is designed to provide apprentices with the required knowledge, skills and behaviours to work as a Specialist Community Practitioner District Nurse.

On this course you will...

• Successful students will have a specialist practitioner qualification recorded with the NMC.
• The programme is 50% theory and 50% practice within District Nursing under the supervision of a qualified Practice Assessor and Practice Supervisor.
• The programme utilises an integrated theory and practice approach that will develop skills, knowledge and attitudes necessary for safe and effective specialist practice.
• Manage a caseload of patients in a variety of community settings using a person-centred approach including implementation of risk stratification and case management strategies to determine those at most risk of poor health outcomes.

Key Details

• Recruiting to: UK / RoI / Settled in UK
• Course Location: Lancaster
• Institute: Institute of Health
• Delivery Style: In Person, Work based, Blended learning
• Course Duration: Full-time: 1 Year
• Course Start Point: September
• Award: PgD

Minimum entry requirements

• 1st or 2nd class honours degree in health-related subject
• Honours degree
• Hold qualifications in an approved level 2 in both Maths and English. If this has not been achieved then completion of these qualifications need to occur within the timeframe of the programme and prior to taking the End Point Assessment (EPA)
• The application must be supported by two references one of which must refer to the applicant’s professional competence. One referee must be the applicant’s current employer
• An expectation that you will have in place a satisfactory enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check.

Course Structure

What you will learn

This programme requires the development of a sound underpinning of research-informed theoretical knowledge to inform professional practice which, in turn, is informed by that practice. The programme approach is based on contextual learning. Contextual learning relates not just to theoretical knowledge, but also to the underpinning values, beliefs, ethics and skills, as applied to people of all ages and abilities, recognising differences and diversity within the population and is therefore relevant for qualified professional practitioners.

Teaching & Assessment

How you will learn

Learning takes place both via the University academic modules and in the workplace and uses real work-based activities to inform and evidence that learning has taken place. You must have a named educational supervisor to support your learning in the clinical environment who is responsible for assessing your achievement of competency in practice.

How you will be assessed

Assessments will include work-based projects and experience or other assignments, drawing on your knowledge of and experience in the workplace. Throughout the programme, your employer has an important role to play in supporting assessment, in particular suggesting topics and providing feedback on formative assessment. It is a requirement for the Apprenticeship programme that apprentices must maintain a portfolio of your completed assessed academic work and workplace activities to provide evidence of your achievements and capabilities and that this portfolio is discussed and reviewed with your employer on a regular basis. The progress with the development of your portfolio will be discussed during tripartite learner review meetings to ensure that you are making suitable progress. The building of this portfolio is therefore integral to the degree programme and the end point assessment.

Career Outcomes

Following successful completion of the 12 months where the District Nurse Apprenticeship is aligned to the Community Specialist Practice PGDip programme, you will be eligible to record your qualification on the NMC register and have the Postgraduate Diploma of 120 level 7 credits. In addition, you will submit your practice assessment document evidencing achievement of all the knowledge, skills and behaviours (KSBs) where on successful submission, and passing the end point assessment you will qualify for an Apprenticeship in District Nursing. These are portable qualifications in high demand to take on senior leadership roles within health care professions. Reflecting on previous students has shown that many secure positions as District Nursing Sister/Charge Nurse; District Nurse Team Leader; Clinical Nurse Leaders; Community Matron; Public Health roles and Health and Safety Leads. These roles are all crucial within the aims of The Long-Term Plan (NHS, 2019) and are all advocates working for patients and improving outcomes. The programme team will liaise with your employer and the careers team within the University to support your application for promotion to senior roles within healthcare.

Fees & Funding

Tuition Fees

• N/A - UK

The figures above don't include accommodation and living costs.

Tuition fees are set annually and are subject to review each year. The University may therefore raise tuition fees in the second or subsequent years of a course, in line with inflation and/or the maximum permitted by law or Government policy. Students will be notified of any changes as soon as possible.

Funding

Degree apprenticeships are only offered to students undertaking the course as part of their employment. The apprenticeship training is therefore funded by the employer using their apprenticeship levy, with or without a contribution depending on the size and status of the organisation. Apprentices will not be required to pay any fees and will not be eligible for Student Finance England maintenance support as they are in receipt of a salary. See further information on our Information for Aspiring Apprentices page. The University will typically charge the maximum fee for the standard, before applying reductions based on accepted prior learning which is determined at application on an individual basis. To discuss sponsoring a learner on programme please contact.

Additional Costs

• N/A