Careers with this subject
Key features
- Gain a deeper understanding of the role of the community nursing specialist nurse and critically examine the theory, practice and principles of community nursing specialist practice using an evidence-based approach to enable them to adapt and provide a wide range of nursing care in home and community-based settings.
- Further expand professional autonomy continuing to work within legal, and ethical and professional accountability.
- Develop enhanced critical thinking, critical reflection skills, and attain the authority to make clinical decisions and prescribe within the NMC (2022) (Nursing and Midwifery Council) standards of the community nursing (Specialist Practitioner Qualification (SPQ)) role.
- Develop a critical understanding of the current issues that impact on health delivery in the community setting.
- Utilising a person-centred approach, assess people’s abilities and needs and plan and co-produce a plan to manage care, developing specialised advanced skills and case-management of people with undifferentiated and complex conditions.
- Demonstrate leadership in supporting and managing community nursing teams, coordinating care, and managing complex and dynamic community and/or practice caseloads.
- Lead improvements in safety and quality of care by implementing quality processes, service evaluation and improvement methodology as well as working collaboratively as part of a wider heath care team.
- Develop expertise in evaluating research theory and methodology, to enable the application of research to improve care and services for people and communities.
Course details
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Year 1
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This postgraduate diploma programme will be delivered over two years. Students will undertake timetabled, blended learning approximately or equivalent to 1 day a week and the remaining time will be undertaken in the work-based learning setting. Working in partnership with its stakeholders the university will support the student to meet the programme learning outcomes, to enable increasing independence and autonomy as a Community Nursing Specialist Practitioner.
Core modules
CNS701
The Principles of Advanced Community Nursing Specialist PracticeThis module will enable students to critically examine the core principles of underpinning advanced level specialist nursing in the community. This module offers a foundation to community nursing, exploring the concept of holistic assessment, therapeutic relationships and enhanced communication skills, exploration of the wider determinants of health and health promotion theory and its application.
CNS704
General Practice Nursing Developing Specialist PracticeThis module will enable nurses working in general practice to develop skills and knowledge aligned to the NMC (Nursing and Midwifery Council) community nursing specialist practice standards (General Practice Nursing). Students will critically analyse the provision of person-centred healthcare across the lifespan and management of patients with complex co-morbidities.
Optional modules
APP770
Advanced Assessment for Clinical PracticeThis module will enable experienced inter-disciplinary practitioners to undertake a systematic and structured history taking assessments and physical examinations on the main systems of the body at an advanced level. The aim is to be able to differentiate between normal and abnormal findings supported by an in-depth understanding of underlying anatomy and physiology of each system whilst recognising the significance of those findings. Emphasis will be on developing an understanding of systems and patho-physiology when seeing and managing patients with undiagnosed and undifferentiated presentations across all healthcare settings. The focus is on interdisciplinary learning to develop the skills needed to make safe, sound clinical decisions within a range of clinical settings, when consulting with patients and clients with diverse health needs across all healthcare settings. At the end of the module, the learner will be able to complete a systematic and structured history taking assessment alongside a physical examination which will allow relatability of findings across all healthcare settings.
APP774
The Fundamentals of Health Assessment and Common IllnessesThis module will enable the student to develop the underpinning knowledge and professional understanding of the practical and theoretical management of patient presenting with common minor illness across healthcare settings. They will consider the clinical, legal and ethical boundaries and recognise the limitations within their scope of practice and working environment.
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Final year
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Core modules
CNS702
Community Nursing Specialist Practice, Leadership, Management and InnovationThis module will enable students to critically evaluate concepts and theories of leadership in contemporary and future community and primary care settings. Students will develop advanced skills and knowledge to support others and implement effective leadership.
Optional modules
NMP703
Independent and Supplementary Non-Medical PrescribingThis module will enable health care professionals to apply theoretical, analytical and clinical principles of prescribing within their field of practice.
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:
Entry requirements
- Applicants must be registered nurse (Level 1) and have a minimum of one year's post registration experience.
- Applicants must be in salaried employment, normally working a minimum of 30 hours in a community nursing role demanding advanced specialist practice skills and knowledge and have the full agreement from their employer.
- Applicants will normally have a relevant first degree, BSc (Hons) at 2:1 or above.
- Applicants will be assessed individually for their ability to study at master's level and an interview will be necessary.
- Applicants without a first degree, BSc (Hons) at 2:2 or above may be eligible to apply, if combined with appropriate practice related experience relevant to the programme and following submission of a written critical evaluation of specialist study or practice marked against the Level 6 criteria.
- Applicants where English is not their first language must also provide evidence of competence in written and spoken English in accordance with the NMC criteria of an overall score of 7.0, with at least 6.5 in the writing section and at least 7 in the reading, listening, and speaking sections.
- Applicants must hold at least a Level 2 qualification in English and Maths. Candidates that do not hold these qualifications will be required to complete them prior to starting the programme.
- Due to the blended learning delivery model of the programme, it is an expectation that students will have access to wi-fi and relevant electronic devices that allow them to engage fully with all aspects of programme delivery, teaching, learning and assessment.
- Applicants are required to identify a Practice Assessor and Practice Supervisor who meet the criteria (NMC, 2022 and 2023) and have undertaken preparation for the role. In addition, a Designated Prescribing Practitioner or Practice Assessor who holds the V300 qualification and meets the criteria.
- Self-funding or self-employed applicants are required to identify a host placement (when applicable) for the duration of the programme (refer to Appendix 3 for self-funding applicants).
- Short-listed applicants will attend an interview with representatives from practice partners and the programme academic team.
Fees, costs and funding
Student | 2024-2025 | 2025-2026 |
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Home | £6,600 | £6,800 |
International | N/A | N/A |
Part time (Home) | N/A | N/A |
Additional costs
How to apply
Please visit our PDU
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 1752 586951
For applicants with disabilities
Please visit our PDU
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
Help & enquiries
- Admission enquiries
- pduadmissions@plymouth.ac.uk
- +44 1752 586951
- PlymUniApply
On successful completion you will have:
Lecturers
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Mrs Linda Duggan
Lecturer in Adult Nursing (Education)
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Mrs Sharon Evans
Lecturer in Adult Nursing
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Mrs Fiona Cook
Lecturer in General Practice Nursing (Education)