Nursing Adult
Nursing Mental Health
Midwifery
School of Nursing & Midwifery
Nursing Children and Young People
UNDERGRADUATE COURSE GUIDE 2011 THE PROFESSIONAL UNIVERSITY
Contents 02 Why choose Nursing? 04 Which branch of nursing is for you? 06 Why become a Midwife? 08 Nursing and Midwifery at Robert Gordon University 10 How you will learn 12 Our courses 13 Study routes 14 What you will study 18 Entry requirements 20 The next step is to talk to us
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NURSING AND MIDWIFERY– MAKE THE RIGHT CHOICE “Welcome to the School of Nursing and Midwifery at Robert Gordon University. As the main provider of nursing and midwifery education in the north east of Scotland, we have a strong reputation for producing patient focused, capable and professional graduates. Our long established links with clinicians and managers in hospitals, community and industrial settings ensure that our education provision at Robert Gordon is contemporary, evidence based and meets the needs of providers of health care in a modern context. Our vision is to provide nurses and midwives who are knowledgeable, skilled and ready to work within a rapidly changing health care environment. “My academic team are all qualified practitioners, enabling you to benefit from their clinical and research knowledge and experience in a variety of settings. We aim to fully support you throughout your studies, so you develop to your full potential and are able to enter the workplace as a caring, confident, competent and skilled individual, whatever your chosen field.” Professor Brian Webster, Head of School
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WHY CHOOSE Nursing? Modern healthcare is constantly changing and with it the role of the nurse. Whether caring for adults and children with complex physical and mental health problems in hospital, working with the elderly in residential care or supporting people to lead independent lives at home; contemporary nursing requires exceptional skills, knowledge and abilities. The commitment, challenges and responsibilities are considerable, but with this comes the opportunity to make a real difference to people’s lives on a daily basis. If you are a compassionate individual with a real interest in caring for people, you will find a role in nursing will open the door to a career that is diverse, interesting, challenging and rewarding 24/7.
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Which branch of nursing is for you? Adult
Children and Young People
As an ADULT NURSE you will work with people over 16 who are experiencing acute or long term illnesses; or in the improvement of health, in a variety of settings including hospitals, health centres and residential care environments. You will manage numerous responsibilities, in sometimes challenging situations, to deliver person centred care. You will be at the centre of a multiprofessional team that includes doctors, physiotherapists, occupational therapists, pharmacists, radiographers, social workers and others. You will need to demonstrate compassion, have excellent interpersonal skills and be able to put people at ease in a variety of circumstances. You will also have to show initiative, use analytical skills and have good observation skills in order to constantly assess the needs of your patient. Adult nursing is an exciting and varied career and one which can lead to opportunities in many specialities all over the world.
“I had been working as a carer for ten years and decided that I wanted to progress my career, so I made the decision to return to study and become a nurse. Eventually, I’d like to work in palliative care. “I love the wide variety of placements available and the balance there is between the practical and theory. Placements mean going out and learning on the job, this is when all of the theory clicks into place and starts to make sense. “I’m dyslexic and have had excellent support throughout the course. I can’t recommend the course enough.” Trish Greer Adult Nursing student
“I never get bored around children – you get so much back from them. My favourite thing about working with them is when they laugh. You can’t help but smile and laugh with them.”
There are some unique challenges facing the CHILDREN AND YOUNG PEOPLE’S NURSE, the most obvious of which is that a small child cannot say what hurts or explain its fears and needs. As a children and young people’s nurse you will need to be very intuitive and extremely reassuring. Children and young people’s nurses deal with a wide range of situations, from babies born with heart complications to teenagers with broken limbs. Good non-verbal communication skills and the ability to engage sensitively with a child are vital. Equally, you will have to be confident at handling the distress of parents. It is possible that you’ll provide ongoing support to parents/carers to enable them to continue treatment at home. Children and young people’s nurses work in a variety of settings such as hospitals, day centres, clinics and in the home. They work as part of a team which includes doctors, hospital play staff, radiographers, newborn hearing screeners, psychologists and social workers.
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Mental Health
As a MENTAL HEALTH NURSE you will work with people who are experiencing a wide range of mental health issues such as anxiety based disorders, depression and psychosis. You will work in a hospital or a community based setting with people of all ages; from children to geriatrics and as part of a team that may include GPs, psychologists, social workers, psychiatrists, occupational therapists and healthcare assistants. It is vital that you demonstrate excellent communication skills at all times in order to build up trust and form a therapeutic relationship with your patient and their family. Choosing a career in this branch of nursing and supporting a person back to mental health is highly rewarding and satisfying. “It’s a really good feeling knowing you’re helping someone through a difficult time in their life.”
Career opportunities for nurses
“I chose to do the Honours degree in Nursing because it wasn’t an ‘airy fairy’ degree; you come out of it qualified to do a job that is rewarding, challenging and vital. It doesn’t mean that you will always be a nurse either, it gives you options which you can explore anywhere in the world! “It is about getting the qualification at the end of the day, but it’s also about having fun along the way; making new friends, being a part of a team and taking part in the social aspect of university life. My placements have provided me with the opportunity to do all of these things.” Jill Delday Adult (Hons) Nursing student
Nurses work within a wide variety of settings including; hospitals, GP surgeries, clinics, nursing and residential homes, occupational health services, hospices, the pharmaceutical industry, the prison service, schools, on cruise ships and for the armed forces. Increasingly, there is a move towards people being cared for in the community. Community nursing roles include; practice nursing, mental health nursing, learning disability nursing, district nursing, health visiting and public health nursing. After qualifying, and as your knowledge and expertise increases, you may move into more senior practitioner roles, becoming a team or unit manager. This will enable you to combine responsibility for managing other staff with ongoing hands-on involvement with patients. For further information about the career opportunities available for nurses, please visit www.nhscareers.nhs.uk
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Why Become a Midwife? The midwife’s role goes much further than supporting women during the birth of their baby – in fact for many midwives, this is only one small aspect of their work. The midwife is involved in antenatal and postnatal care, in counselling, in offering support and education, and in helping mothers and their partners prepare for parenthood. After the birth, the midwife supports the mother in a wide variety of ways; promoting breastfeeding, establishing feeding routines, bonding with their babies, checking the woman’s body is returning to its prepregnancy state and discussing contraceptive choices. To be an effective midwife you will need excellent interpersonal skills as you will be supporting a diverse range of people, some from vulnerable families, during some emotionally intense situations. You will be the most frequent point of contact for parents to be and will be expected to share advice, answer their questions and give confident reassurance. You will need to be capable of working on your own as well as part of a team; liaising with medical colleagues, health visitors and social workers and, importantly, have a genuine passion for the job.
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Career Opportunities for Midwives An increasing number of midwives now work in the community, providing services in homes, local clinics, children’s centres and GP surgeries. There is, of course, the option to be hospital based, where there are plenty of opportunities for midwives to work on antenatal, labour and postnatal wards. After qualifying, and as your knowledge and expertise increases, you could move into more senior practitioner roles, becoming a team or unit manager. This will enable you to combine responsibility for managing other staff with ongoing hands-on involvement with clients. Some midwives also choose to work as independent practitioners outside the NHS. You may choose to specialise in a particular area of perinatal care and study for further qualifications. If you stay in practice, you could consider the role of consultant midwife, providing clinical leadership for midwives and others across maternity services. Other career opportunities include research, teaching, practice development and management at board level within an NHS Trust, where you could influence the shape of healthcare across a whole community. You may also choose to move into neonatal nursing or health visiting. “It’s a real privilege to be involved in people’s lives at such an important time.”
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Nursing and Midwifery at Robert Gordon University The School of Nursing and Midwifery is based in the multi-million pound purpose built Faculty of Health and Social Care building at our riverside Garthdee campus. Here our first-class facilities include a state-of-the-art Clinical Skills Centre, where you will develop your skills before going out on clinical placement. It has two ward areas with six beds in each, a high dependency unit, a children’s room and a home setting, providing a realistic and safe learning environment with all the equipment you will find in a ward or community setting. You will also be able to work with members of the public from our Faculty Volunteer Programme who come in and act as patients for your learning experiences.
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In the Clinical Skills Centre you will practice a range of skills including moving and handling, administering medicines, taking and recording blood pressure and pulse rate. If you are a midwifery student, you will practice delivering a model baby and checking a placenta. You will also develop strong communication and team working skills. An important focus of all our courses is the opportunity to learn alongside students from other health professions including physiotherapy, radiography and occupational therapy students. This interprofessional learning reflects the kind of team working you will experience in a hospital workplace setting. We are committed to producing well rounded competent graduates who are ready to enter the workplace, having gained the clinical skills required and a deeper awareness and understanding of themselves and their abilities.
“I’ve enjoyed meeting students from other healthcare professions and learning about their different roles. It helps understand how good communication and respect is so important to patient outcome.� Student nurse
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How You Will Learn
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Placements Whatever your choice of course, you will spend around 50% of your time out on placement during your time as a student. Clinical placements give you the opportunity to put into practice, under careful supervision, what you have studied in class and further develop your practical skills. You will be given a mentor – usually a staff nurse or staff midwife in the area to which you’ve been assigned - who is there to support you during your placement and carry out your clinical assessment. Our placement opportunities are diverse and allow you to experience a wide variety of care settings, including urban and rural, hospital and community based, NHS and private sector across the north east of Scotland and the Orkney and Shetland islands. As part of the placement experience you will need to fit in with the 24/7 day a week nature of care which will include weekend and night duties. For more information about placements, please visit www.rgu.ac.uk/nursing
Study Abroad If you are a student nurse, in your third year you will have the opportunity to apply for a three month European Exchange with one of our partner institutions in Belgium, Finland, Norway or Spain. This will enable you to experience first hand how
different healthcare systems operate as well as providing a fantastic cultural experience. In addition, you can apply to take part in the Grampian Houston Exchange and spend two weeks experiencing how healthcare is delivered in Texas.
A Supportive Environment During your time with us you will be taught in a variety of settings including lectures, smaller tutor groups and clinical skills groups. Throughout your studies you’ll be supported by a personal tutor and an academic tutor within each module. Your lecturers will all be qualified practitioners who are able to provide support and advice drawn from their own nursing and midwifery experience. You’ll be assessed through a mix of essays, computer aided exams and other assignments. Clinical competency is assessed during each placement. “Robert Gordon University is a great place to undertake your nurse training; the facilities are brilliant and the nursing tutors are supportive and encourage you every step of the way. Being a student nurse at RGU is very rewarding. We are like a small family, all encouraging each other to achieve our end goal of being qualified, professional nurses. The facilities and support services at the Nursing & Midwifery School are top class, and I am really enjoying my learning journey”
Janine Blease, Adult Nursing Student
Programme Hours As a student nurse or midwife, your typical timetable will normally cover 40 hours a week from Monday to Friday, 9am – 5pm, although from time to time there may be some additional evening sessions. You are expected to attend all timetabled classes and to engage in some additional personal study as well. Financial Support Nursing and Midwifery students are entitled to a non incomeassessed bursary which is administered through the Student Award Agency for Scotland (SAAS). For more information about funding, please visit www.saas.gov.uk
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Our Courses
Bachelor of Nursing, specialising in Adult, Children and Young People or Mental Health
All of these courses have been developed to enable you to become a confident and capable nurse, equipped to practice effectively within hospital and community based environments. Successful completion of your chosen course will lead to registration with the Nursing & Midwifery Council (NMC) as either an adult, children and young people or mental health nurse. The minimum award to register with the NMC professional register is currently the Diploma of Higher Education in Nursing, awarded after three years of study. If you fulfill the criteria required to progress at the end of stage 2, you will have the opportunity to obtain a Bachelor of Nursing degree in three years. From 2012, everyone seeking to register with the NMC must have a degree level qualification. The opportunities for future career progression are accelerated by obtaining the three year nursing degree and enhanced even further by gaining an Honours degree.
Bachelor of Nursing (Hons) Adult
This four year full-time Honours degree programme will enable you to further develop the knowledge and skills required to practice confidently and effectively within a variety of settings, potentially within a management or research based role. The opportunity to study for an additional year allows you to develop advanced nursing skills, consolidate your clinical practice and demonstrate effective management and leadership during a 12 week placement. Successful completion of the course leads to registration with the Nursing & Midwifery Council.
Bachelor of Midwifery
This very popular three year programme aims to equip you to become a motivated, professional practitioner and leads to registration with the Nursing and Midwifery Council. The course aims to develop your awareness of the need for continuing professional development and further study throughout your career.
“I decided to do my degree in Nursing due to the wide range of opportunities available to me once qualified. Nursing opens up a vast amount of career pathways; something that for me can never be boring. I would recommend the course to anyone who has a passion for caring for those around them. “The placements are fantastic. The university looks after each individual whilst on placement, allowing you to feel supported. Being out on placement has been the best experience I have gained from the Nursing degree.”
Siobhan Brown
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Study Routes
Graduate Access to Pre-Registration Nursing
Our Graduate Entry Programme allows those with a relevant science or social science degree to enter at year 2 of a nursing degree programme and therefore complete the course and be eligible for registration with the NMC in two years. For further information, contact Susan Cumming on 01224 262982 or by email at s.cumming@rgu.ac.uk Applications should be made through UCAS using the appropriate course code Adult (Graduate Route) 3010; Children and Young People (Graduate Route) 3310;Mental Health (Graduate Route) 3110.
Family Friendly Route BN/DipHE
Students on the three year Bachelor of Nursing programme have the option to have four weeks annual leave coincide with the school summer holidays in Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire. For more information, please visit www.rgu.ac.uk/nursing
Part Time Route
The three year Bachelor of Nursing course can be undertaken on a part time basis over four and a half years. For further information, please visit www.rgu.ac.uk/nursing
Conversion Programme
Our conversion programme has been specifically developed to give registered nurses, normally with six months experience as a staff nurse, to retrain in an alternative specialism. These 18 month conversion courses begin in January and are applied for through UCAS using the appropriate course codes Adult (Conversion) 3020; Children and Young People (Conversion) 3320; Mental Health (Conversion) 3120.
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WHAT YOU WILL STUDY Bachelor of Nursing Adult (B741) Children and Young People (B730) or Mental Health (B760)
Year One The common foundation programme enables you to study human sciences, e.g. life sciences and health, and how they relate to nursing. You will learn how to carry out core and essential clinical nursing skills and to communicate effectively with others in the context of providing nursing care. Person centred, professional and ethical practice is emphasised and the changing role of the nurse in response to the demands of the health services and research evidence is also addressed. Two placement periods that amount to 25 weeks are devoted to learning in an adult nursing/ children and young people’s/ mental health setting under the supervision of named mentors. An opportunity to learn with students from medicine and allied health professions to promote understanding of the range of roles in health care is also provided.
Year Two You will continue to actively engage with clinical nursing practice during two placements within your chosen field. Modules covered in this year are: Understanding Research and Evidence-Based Practice Essentials for Adult/Children and Young People’s/Mental Health Nursing Applied Adult Nursing Self in Relation to Others in Professional Practice Intermediate Nursing Practice Graduate Access to Pre-registration Nursing (Graduate entry students only)
Year Three You will further develop your nursing knowledge and clinical nursing skills. Two placement periods are focused upon enabling you to demonstrate your progression towards, and achievement of, the Nursing & Midwifery Council’s requirements for registration. Modules covered in this year are: DipHE Route Progression to Professional Practice in Adult/Children and Young People’s/Mental Health Nursing Developing Proficiency in Practice Proficient Practice BN Route Progression to Professional Practice in Adult/Children and Young People’s/ Mental Health Nursing Applied Nursing Research Critical Perspectives in Adult/ Children and Young People’s/ Mental Health Nursing International Health Care OR Personal Experience Applied to Professional Practice Developing Proficiency in Practice Proficient Practice
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Adult BN Hons B740
Year One
Year Two
The common foundation programme enables you to study human sciences, e.g. life sciences and health, and how they relate to nursing. You will learn how to carry out core and essential clinical nursing skills and to communicate effectively with others in the context of providing nursing care.
You will continue to actively engage with clinical nursing practice during two placements within your chosen field.
Person centred, professional and ethical practice is emphasised and the changing role of the nurse in response to the demands of the health services and research evidence is also addressed.
Applied Adult Nursing
Modules covered in this year are: Essentials for Initial Nursing Practice Contemporary Dimensions of Nursing Self as a Developing Professional Initial Nursing Practice Two placement periods that amount to 19 weeks are devoted to learning in nursing settings under the supervision of mentors.
Modules covered in this year are: Understanding Research and Evidence-Based Practice
Critical Perspectives in Adult/ Children’s and Young People/ Mental Health Nursing International Health Care OR Personal Experience Applied to Professional Practice Developing Proficiency in Practice Proficient Practice
Essentials for Adult Nursing Self in Relation to Others in Professional Practice Intermediate Nursing Practice
Year Three You will further develop your nursing knowledge and clinical nursing skills. Two placement periods covering a total of 23 weeks are focused upon enabling you to demonstrate your progression towards, and achievement of, the Nursing & Midwifery Council’s requirements for registration. Modules covered in this year are: Progression to Professional Practice in Adult/Children’s and Young People/Mental Health Nursing Applied Nursing Research
Year Four You will have the opportunity to practise advanced nursing skills within a simulated environment and you will be supported to consolidate your clinical practice and demonstrate effective management and leadership within a 12 week placement. Modules covered in this final year are: Enhancing Skills for the Nursing Role Dissertation Interdisciplinary Practice OR Comparative Health and Social Work Management and Leadership in Practice
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Bachelor of Midwifery B720
Year One WHAT WILL YOU STUDY? You will be introduced to three key academic themes; effective midwifery care, midwifery for health and the midwife within society. You will also learn introductory clinical midwifery skills in a simulated environment prior to experience in a range of practice placements.
Year Two You will build upon your professional knowledge and experience from year one to develop your skills and confidence. The three dynamic academic themes of effective midwifery care, midwifery for health and the midwife within society will be explored in greater breadth and depth. This knowledge will be enhanced through your learning in clinical practice. You will grow in independence as an effective professional learner. You will gain further insight into the role of the midwife by working in partnership with women and families from our diverse society. This will be strengthened by your understanding of the importance of effective midwifery practice within maternity care teams.
Year Three In your final year you will consolidate your knowledge, skills and attitudes to engage in midwifery care with confidence. You will be proficient in midwifery skills for low risk pregnant women and their families, and you will be an effective member of maternity care teams. You will meet the professional outcomes set by the Nursing & Midwifery Council and the academic outcomes established for the BMidwifery course. This will enable you to embark on a career as a midwife. The course also aims to equip you with a keen awareness of the need for continuing education and development throughout your professional career.
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ENTRY REQUIREMENTS
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Bachelor of Nursing specialising in Adult, Children and Young People or Mental Health
Bachelor of Nursing (Hons) Adult
Bachelor of Midwifery
SQA Higher
SQA Higher BBCC including English. A science subject is recommended. Maths at Standard Grade 3 or above is essential.
SQA Higher BCC including English and a science. Human Biology Higher or Biology Higher is recommended. Maths at Standard Grade 3 or above is essential.
SQA Higher 1 Higher at grade C, preferably English, Maths or a science subject plus five Standard Grade passes at 3 or above to include English, Maths and a science subject. GCE A Level One A Level at grade C, preferably English, Maths or a science subject plus five GCSE passes to include English, Maths and a science subject. Irish Leaving Certificate Higher One Higher Level pass at grade C1 or above, preferably English, Maths or a science subject plus five Ordinary Level passes to include English, Maths and a science subject. Alternative Qualifications Entry to stage 1 may be possible if you have completed the Access to Nursing or the Health and Social Care Higher Course at partner FE colleges. Advanced Entry Entry to stage 2 may be possible with a NES approved HNC in Health Care completed at a partner FE college.
GCE A Level CCC/BC including English and three GCSEs. Maths must be at GCSE if not at A Level. Irish Leaving Certificate Higher BBC1C1 including English and Ordinary Level Maths at A or B if not held at Higher. Alternative Qualifications visit www.rgu.ac.uk Additional Information If your qualifications are not in the required subject areas, ask about the Selection Plus Strategy.
GCE A Level CC including English and a science. Human Biology GCE A Level or Biology GCE A Level is recommended. Maths GCSE at C or above is essential. Irish Leaving Certificate Higher B2C1C1 including English and a science. Human Biology or Biology is recommended. Maths Ordinary Level at B2 or above is essential. Alternative Qualifications visit www.rgu.ac.uk
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The next step is to talk to us We can answer any questions you may have. Simply call us on 01224 262728 or email admissions@rgu.ac.uk. We also offer a range of opportunities to visit us, giving you and your family the opportunity to see for yourselves what the University is like and, more importantly, whether it meets your expectations and needs.
Open Days: For full information and to register, please go to www.rgu. ac.uk/open day
Visit afternoons: If you are unable to attend an Open Day, come along to one of our monthly Visit Afternoons. To register go to: www.rgu.ac.uk/ visitafternoons
Summer School – if you are a secondary school pupil and would like to gain a better understanding of what a career in nursing or midwifery is about, then why not register for our week long summer school event? You will have the opportunity to participate in a taster programme for each of the branches of nursing we offer to see which branch interests you the most. For details of the summer school and how to apply, go to www.rgu. ac.uk/nursing
Have you seen our current Prospectus? This gives valuable additional information about student life in Aberdeen and the wider University. Request a Prospectus or download it at: www.rgu.ac.uk/ ugprospectus
Disclaimer Whilst every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of the information given in this brochure, Robert Gordon University can accept no responsibility for any errors or omissions. The University reserves the right to amend or discontinue courses or amend entry requirements as part of continued improvement.
Once you’ve applied To be a nurse or midwife, it is vital that you not only meet the academic requirements for your chosen course, but that you have the right personal qualities too – such as a caring nature and a genuine interest in people. Without these personal attributes you will find the course very challenging. As part of our selection process, you will be invited to attend a morning or afternoon selection visit. This typically involves an opportunity to tour the facilities, meet with staff and have a short interview. We want you to see this as a two way process – giving you the opportunity to ask us any questions you might still have about the course. It also enables us to assess whether you are ideally suited to nursing or midwifery as a career. For more information on selection visits, please go to www.rgu.a.c.uk/nursing Once you have been offered a place with us, you will be invited to one of our Relationship Building events in August or September. The event will enable you to familiarise yourself more fully with the School and our staff, prior to commencing your studies with us. It is only after you are offered and firmly accept a place on one of our courses that the Health screening and Disclosure checks, required by the Nursing & Midwifery Council, are carried out. For further information on Health Screening and Disclosure, contact Susan Cumming on 01224 262982 or email s.cumming@rgu.ac.uk
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School of Nursing and Midwifery Robert Gordon University Garthdee Road Aberdeen AB10 7QG Talk to us. We can answer any questions or queries you may have. Simply call us on 01224 262728, email admissions@rgu.ac.uk or visit us at rgu.ac.uk