MSc Advanced Neonatal Nurse Practitioner

• Seize opportunities to study in an inter-professional setting with inter-professional core modules delivered by an academic team with extensive experience, as well as programme specific modules delivered by specialist neonatal practitioners.
  
• Gain a deeper understanding of the advanced clinical practice role and learn how this level of practice is used to enhance the patient journey.
  
• Develop a critical understanding of the contemporary issues that impact on neonatal practice and how the advancing level of practice influences the provision of high quality, patient centred care.
  
• Critically review trends in theory, practice and management relating to neonatal practice.
  
• Develop a contemporary approach to health and social care through advancing and utilising knowledge and skills in professional practice, underpinned by a focus on excellence and sustainability by developing a critical, analytical and creative approach.
  
• Promote an understanding of the philosophy and procedures involved in research and use of evidence, with the opportunity to design and undertake research that will enhance and develop patient care and/or service provision within the neonatal arena.
  
• Be equipped to take on lead roles in management, clinical practice and/or education.
  
• Part time programme offering flexible delivery and exit points to support a learner centred approach.
  

• Year 1

• Award postgraduate certificate – to achieve a postgraduate certificate, you will need to earn 60 credits. This must include the core modules: ‘Research Methodology and Application’ (20 credits), ‘Holistic Neonatal Assessment and Clinical Management’ (20 credits), and ‘Advancing Practice in Context’ (20 credits). Please refer to the below programme specification for further information on modules to be studied.

  Please note: the named exit award at postgraduate certificate level is Postgraduate Certificate (PgCert) Neonatal Nurse Practitioner.
  

  Induction takes place 4 September 2019.
  

  Core modules

  • ANNP701 Holistic Neonatal Assessment and Clinical Management

    This module will enable neonatal nurses to develop existing professional skills. Performing comprehensive health assessments through history taking, clinical examination, diagnosis and documentation, to develop initial treatment and management strategies. The practitioner develops competence through experience in clinical practice, utilising pathophysiological knowledge to facilitate the clinical decision making process.

  Optional modules

  • APP701 Advancing Practice in Context

    This module will enable the student to develop their professional understanding within Advancing Practice, allowing them to consider the legal and ethical boundaries, the working environment and the complexities of their practice.

  • APP745 Research Methodology and Application

    This module develops an understanding of research designs and methods, enables the critically appraisal of evidence and research and introduces the principles of data collection and analysis. This module is delivered via a distance learning approach.

• Year 2

• Award postgraduate diploma – to achieve a postgraduate diploma, you will have first completed the PgCert and need to earn an additional 60 credits (to give 120 credits in total). Please refer to the below programme specification for further information on modules to be studied.

  Core modules

  • ANNP702 Advanced Neonatal Nursing Practice

    The module will enhance the professional role, knowledge and skills of nurses to an advanced level. Advanced practitioner competence will be achieved through critical analysis of complex pathophysiology within clinical practice. This module develops upon existing diagnostic and reasoning skills to enable practitioners to contribute to the delivery of multidisciplinary treatment and management strategies for neonates.

  • NMP702 Non-Medical Prescribing: Independent and Supplementary Prescribing for Nurses and Midwives

    This short course consists of 39 days over a six month period. It is delivered via a blended learning pathway consisting of 10 face-to-face taught days, one day of examination and 16 self-directed days using a distance learning package. There are an additional 90 hours in practice supported by an Independent Prescriber (doctor). Successful completion will lead to the NMC recordable qualification of Nurse independent and supplementary prescriber.

• Final year

• Award master of science – for a full master degree, you will have first completed the PgDip and need to earn an additional 60 credits (to give 180 credits in total). Please refer to the below programme specification for further information on modules to be studied.

  Core modules:

  SPP701 – Substantive professional project
  

Every postgraduate taught course has a detailed programme specification document describing the programme aims, the programme structure, the teaching and learning methods, the learning outcomes and the rules of assessment.

The following programme specification represents the latest programme structure and may be subject to change:

MSc Advanced Neonatal Nurse Practitioner programme specification 6136

You’ll normally have a first degree (BSc (Hons) at 2:2 or above or European first cycle equivalent plus a professional qualification in health or social care.

You will also need to be working in an environment where you can meet the module learning outcomes. Specific criteria includes:

• attainment of a recognised QIS qualification
  
• neonatal clinical experience of at least two years post QIS qualification (excluding maternity leave)
  
• management experience within neonatal clinical practice
  
• supernumerary practice of at least 7.5 hours per week (exclusive of taught contact time)
  
• current NMC registration
  
• access to an appropriate clinical mentor.
  

If you do not have a degree but have appropriate practice-related experience relevant to the programme you may be eligible to apply.

Applicants whose first language is not English must also provide evidence of competence in written and spoken English in accordance with the University’s Admissions Code of Practice - IELTS of 6.5 overall with a minimum of 5.5 in each part.

You will be assessed individually for your ability to study at this level and therefore an interview may be necessary. If you do not have a first degree at 2.2 or above (or European first equivalent) you must have completed an evidence based practice module at degree level and will normally be required to submit a short piece of writing as part of the admissions process.

AP(E)L:

Claims for credit for prior learning, whether certificated or experiential are accepted and will be assessed following University regulations and Faculty procedures.

European Credit Transfer and Accumulation System (ECTS):

This programme is equivalent to 90 ECTS credits (second cycle) with 30 ECTS credits at postgraduate certificate, 60 credits at postgraduate diploma and 90 credits at masters degree. Each 20 credit module has the equivalent of 10 ECTS credits and assumes a notional student effort of between 200-300 hours.

When to apply

Please note that the next intake of first-year students would be in academic year 2019/2020.

Applications for this programme can usually be made throughout the year. Please check the closing date and apply as early as possible as our programmes are popular.

Applying for this programme

Please visit our PDU admissions homepage for full details on the application process and to download the relevant forms.

Please return your completed forms to:

Email: pduadmissions@plymouth.ac.uk

Professional Development Unit
4th floor, Rolle Building
University of Plymouth
Drake Circus
Plymouth, PL4 8AA

Tel: +44 (0)1752 586951

What happens after I apply?

After your application is received by the PDU Admissions team, it will be processed and sent to the Programme Lead for a decision to be made on your suitability to study. You may be asked to provide additional information or to take part in an interview (for overseas students this may be by telephone or video conference). Once this decision has been made, you will be sent an email either confirming your place on the programme, or rejecting your application and giving the reasons for this decision (you may request further feedback in order to improve your chances of selection at a later date).

Please note that you will be enrolled on the full MSc programme. You may choose to exit with the qualification of PgCert upon completion of an appropriate 60 credits, or a PgDip upon completion of an appropriate 120 credits. More information is contained within the programme specification.

For applicants with disabilities

If you have a disability and would like further information about the support provided by the University of Plymouth, please visit our Disability Services webpage.