BSc (Hons) Professional Development in Nursing

• Year 1

• This programme offers the awards of BSc /BSc (Hons), Graduate Certificate and Graduate Diploma. 

  BSc– to achieve a BSc you will need to earn 80 credits by undertaking four 20 credit modules – three core and one optional.

  BSc (Hons) – to achieve a BSc (Hons) you will need to earn 120 credits by undertaking five modules – four 20 credit modules (one of which is optional) and one core 40 credit module.

  Students who have previously obtained a health related degree at 2:2 or above are eligible to access the programme via the Graduate Certificate or Graduate Diploma route – please see panel below for further details.

  The module 'HEAD361 - Independent study' is only a core module for students who wish to achieve the BSc (Hons) Professional Development in Nursing award.

  For further information on the modules that make up this programme please visit the BSc (Hons)/BSc Professional Development modules.

  Examples of optional modules (not exhaustive)
  HEAD355 – Leadership and innovation
  HEAD365 – Contemporary issues in health and social care
  HEAD367 – Integrated advancing practice
  HEAD373 – Integrated community and primary care in context

  Optional modules

  • Independent Study (HEAD361)

    This module extends knowledge of primary and secondary research and develops critical appraisal skills. Students construct an integrative literature review of a practice focused research topic.

  • Clinical Decision Making in Healthcare Practice (HEAD362)

    This module draws on knowledge, skills and experiences gained through work as a registered healthcare professional and further develops clinical reasoning ability.

  • Ethical and Legal Issues in Healthcare Practice (HEAD363)

    This module builds on existing knowledge of legal and ethical frameworks. Students explore and debate ethical and legal concepts, issues and theories relating to health and social care.

  • Understanding Evidence to Inform Clinical Decision Making (HEAD360)

    The module is designed to extend students' knowledge around evidence-informed decision making. This will be achieved through students identifying and evaluating a body of research-based evidence relevant to clinical practice.

  • Advancing the Management of Long Term Conditions (ADV605)

    This module focuses on developing knowledge and understanding to support service development for people with long term conditions' that is person centred; promoting self-management and collaborative working. The module is based upon best practice as discussed within national and international policy and guidelines. It will explore in depth the impact of long term conditions on the individual, their family and carers.

  • Advancing Practice in Long Term Conditions Management (HEAB358C)

    The module equips students to lead and implement informed change in the practice of Long Term Conditions Management

  • Management of Infection Prevention (HEAC334P)

    This module aims to empower the student with comprehensive infection control knowledge, utilising critical thinking to implement evidence-based practice and manage complex and unpredictable situations relating to infection control in the healthcare environment. This will be done using a variety of teaching methods both in and out of the work place. Assessment will be through completion of a written assignment and demonstration of change management.

  • Enhanced Acute Medical Care for Older Adults (HEAC350P)

    This module will enable the student to critically examine contemporary clinical practice. The student will be able to develop an evidence based underpinning knowledge, and perform skills pertinent to the needs of the older adult in acute care settings. The module will provide strategies in order to improve service delivery and deliver effective high quality care.

  • Specialist Practice in Stroke Care (HEAC371C)

    In this module students will critically examine and explore ways to enhance their roles to provide an evidence based, inter-disciplinary approach to stroke services supported by skills blending. Students will be equipped to facilitate/lead on improving services for stroke patients, their carers and families and the interdisciplinary team

  • Minor Skin Surgery Practice (HEAC381E)

    This module will enable students to assess, plan and implement care of a patient with a dermatological condition requiring minor skin surgery.

  • Tissue Viability: Core Knowledge for Practice (HEAD339E)

    This module will support the development of the core knowledge required for effective tissue viability practice. Using their own clinical practice as a way of contextualising their developing knowledge, learners will engage with published literature and consider the role of evidence based practice in relation to tissue viability.

  • Advancing the Care and Support of the Person with Dementia and their Carer (HEAD347C)

    This module is designed to meet the educational needs of practitioners who care for the person with dementia and their carer in a general setting. This module will link evidence based theory to current clinical practice and provide strategies in order to improve service delivery and give effective high quality care.

  • Advancing the Care and Support of the Person with Dementia and their Carer (HEAD347P)

    This module is designed to meet the educational needs of practitioners who care for the person with dementia and their carer in a general setting. This module will link evidence based theory to current clinical practice and provide strategies in order to improve service delivery and give effective high quality care.

  • Facilitating Patient Centred Care and Choice through Advanced Communication Skills (HEAD354P)

    This module offers practical communication skills enabling a range of practitioners to engage patients in difficult conversations, to facilitate advance care planning for those at end of life or with complex long term conditions who need to discuss future care options. It enables practitioners to ensure their practice continues to be evidenced based, promoting ongoing conversations with the patient and family/carers.

  • Enhanced Care of the Patient Requiring Systemic Anti-Cancer Therapy (SACT) (HEAD358P)

    This module will allow the student to develop enhanced skills in the delivery of SACT and acquire new competencies that will enable them to assume significant clinical and leadership responsibilities within the organisation.

  • Specialist Cancer Care (HEAD359P)

    This module is designed to enable suitably qualified healthcare workers to become competent at assessing, delivering and evaluating the specialised treatment and care of people with cancer and their carer in a general and specialist setting. This module will link evidence based theory to current clinical practice and provide strategies in order to improve service delivery and give effective high quality care.

  • Integrated Advancing Practice in Context (HEAD366)

    This module will enable the student to develop their professional understanding of Advancing Practice within their working environment and explore the complexities of their practice. They will examine the legal & ethical boundaries and accountability of practice personally, professionally and strategically.

  • The Fundamentals of Health Assessment (HEAD367)

    This module is designed to enable healthcare professionals to critically examine and develop in an area of professional clinical practice, in a range of settings. Taught workshops will guide the student, building on their pre-existing body of knowledge to further develop their skills in health assessment, clinical examination and clinical reasoning.

  • Holistic Neonatal Assessment and Clinical Management (HEAD375P)

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

  • Haematology (HEAD378E)

    This module will enable learners to take a lead role in the provision of care and treatment of patients and their carers with Haematology conditions. Students will develop an underpinning knowledge and critical awareness in Haematology health care practice.

  • Enhancing Practice in Paediatric Palliative Care (HEAD379P)

    This inter-professional module aims to enhance the practice of all professionals delivering palliative care to children, young people and their families. The module will build upon existing knowledge and experience while enabling students to develop a critical and reflective approach to the care of a child or young person on a palliative care pathway.

  • Enhancing Practice in Paediatric Palliative Care (HEAD379Z)

  • Minor illness and Injuries - the principles and practice of management for unscheduled care (HEAD382)

    This module will enable the student to develop the underpinning knowledge and professional understanding of the practical and theoretical management of patients presenting with common minor illness and injuries across healthcare settings. They will consider the clinical, legal and ethical boundaries and recognise the limitations within their scope of practice and working environment.

  • Minor illness and Injuries - the principles and practice of management for unscheduled care (HEAD382E)

    This module will enable the student to develop the underpinning knowledge and professional understanding of the practical and theoretical management of patients presenting with common minor illness and injuries across healthcare settings. They will consider the clinical, legal and ethical boundaries and recognise the limitations within their scope of practice and working environment.

  • Specialist Cardiothoracic Critical Care (HEAD384P)

    This module is designed as a specialist bolt on module to enhance cardiothoracic knowledge and skills within a critical care environment. The content will be specific to cardiothoracic care and advances in monitoring and surgical techniques. This module will allow recognition of the specialist skills required to manage a complex post-operative cardiac patient.

  • Asthma and Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease - Management in Primary Care (HEAD385E)

    Rooted firmly in practice this short module has been specifically designed to focus on the key principles and issues involved in supporting and treating patients with long term respiratory conditions within the primary care setting.

  • Surgical First Assistant (HEAD387)

    Develop clinical skills and knowledge for the role of Surgical First Assistant as described by the Perioperative Care Collaborative (2018)

  • Critical Care of Children and Young People, Advancing Knowledge and Skills (HEAD390)

    This module will develop the knowledge and skills of health care professionals in the care of the deteriorating child and young person requiring critical care. The module will build upon the existing knowledge of participants, and develop critical analysis applied to the care of the child/young person requiring critical care across a range of clinical settings.

  • Diabetes Mellitus (HEAD392)

    A module for the practitioner to explore core knowledge issues relating to diabetes mellitus, based upon diabetes competencies.

  • Bowel Cancer Screening Specialist Practice (HEAD393P)

    This module will enable Health Care Professionals to develop existing professional skills. Performing comprehensive health care on the complexities associated with specialist bowel screening care. The practitioner will develop competence through experience in clinical practice, utilising pathophysiological knowledge within the clinical decision/governance making process.

  • Emergency Nursing Care (HEAD397)

    This module is designed to enable nursing staff to develop existing professional skills in Emergency Care. They will critically examine and develop specialist knowledge in order to effectively assess, prioritise, plan and deliver effective evidence-based care to the patient presenting to the Emergency Department.

  • Anaesthesia Principles and Management (HEAE301C)

    This module will enable Health Care Professionals to develop a higher level of knowledge and skills in anaesthesia to become an autonomous anaesthetic practitioner. The practitioner will develop competence using a critical and reflective approach in anaesthetic clinical practice and the exploration and appraisal of the contemporary evidence base.

  • Coaching and Leadership (HEAE302)

    Coaching and Leadership is a module focused on developing your confidence and competence to lead and develop yourself and others. Students will be able to understand and explore coaching theory and practice using a variety of tools in order to underpin coaching and leadership practice.

  • Enhanced Principles and Practice of Renal Nursing (NURC317P)

    Renal Nursing is a constantly changing and challenging care environment. This module has been designed to develop a higher level of knowledge and skills in qualified practitioners to equip them to provide high quality and evidence based care using a critical and reflective approach in a renal or renal related clinical environment.

  • Enhanced Principles and Practice of Renal Nursing (Specialist Skills) (NURC318P)

    Renal Nursing is a constantly changing and challenging care environment. This module has been designed to develop a higher level of knowledge and skills in qualified practitioners to enable them to provide high quality and evidence based care using a critical and reflective approach in a renal or renal related clinical environment.

  • Gastro-Intestinal Endoscopy and Related Procedures for Nurses (Specialist Skills) (NURC319)

    This module will facilitate the development of specialist clinical and management skills appropriate to the care provision of the person undergoing endoscopic procedures. The practitioner will develop competence through experience in clinical practice, utilising pathophysiological knowledge within the clinical decision/governance making process.

  • Enhancing End of Life Care & Palliative Care Practice (HEAD344DL)

  • Principles and Practice of Cardiothoracic Surgical Care (HEAD348P)

    This module will encourage the practitioner to further develop an enquiring, critical and reflective approach to care for patients who require cardiac and thoracic surgical intervention. The design of the module is to focus on the patient's journey through the cardiothoracic centre.

  • Substance Misuse and Dual Diagnosis (HEAD383)

    This module focuses on the services and interventions for people who misuse a range of substances or have 'dual diagnosis' implying co-existing mental health problems. Participants will develop their skills for working with this group, consider the influence of various models and approaches as well as the issues for them as individuals and for society.

  • Pain Assessment and Management (HEAE303DL)

    Practitioners will be able to understand and explore evidence in order to underpin practice and complex decision-making skills; focusing on the comprehensive health assessment and clinical reasoning and decision-making skills associated with Pain assessment and management.

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

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

BSc (Hons) Professional Development in Nursing pathway specification_6173

The modules shown for this course are those currently being studied by our students, or are proposed new modules. Please note that programme structures and individual modules are subject to amendment from time to time as part of the University’s curriculum enrichment programme and in line with changes in the University’s policies and requirements.

To be eligible for the BSc or BSc (Hons) programme you will need to be either a registered health and social care professional or a health and social care worker in possession of previous study at level 5 (foundation degree /diploma of higher education).

If you wish to undertake the graduate certificate and graduate diploma award pathways you must already hold an honours degree at 2:2 or above in a health or health related subject.

If you wish to undertake any clinical skills modules as part of your programme you will need to be working in an environment where you can meet the learning outcomes. 

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 – minimum overall International English Language Testing System (IELTS) of 6.5 average with a minimum 5.5 in each category.

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.

When to apply
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.

Apply for this programme
To apply for this programme please complete the application form and return via email to:

Email: pduadmissions@plymouth.ac.uk

Tel: +44 1752 586951

What happens after I apply?
You will normally receive a decision on your application within four weeks of us receiving your application. You may be asked to provide additional information, to take part in an interview (which in the case if you are an overseas student may be by telephone or video conference) or you will be sent a decision by letter or email.

If you have a disability and would like further information about the support provided by University of Plymouth, please visit our Additional support for students with an impairment, health condition or disability website.

Support is also available from our International Office if you are an overseas student applying to the University.