Faculty of Health & Social Sciences School of Nursing, Midwifery and Health Education Begin@Beds
CHILDREN AND YOUNG PEOPLE’S NURSING
STUDYING
AT THE UNIVERSITY OF BEDFORDSHIRE
2 CONTENTS Welcome to Children and Young People’s Nursing 3 What to expect in induction week 4 What you will be studying in your first year 5 Professional Courses and Placement Experience 6 Assessment 7 Preparation for your first week 8 Indicative Teaching timetable 9 Frequently asked questions 10 Final Thoughts 11
WELCOME
It gives me great pleasure to welcome you to the School of Nursing, Midwifery and Health Education at the University of Bedfordshire.
Studying to become a nurse is a real privilege but at the same time can be a challenge. Very few careers give you the opportunity to make a real difference to the lives of the individuals you will give care to and to their extended family. As you develop your professional knowledge and skills, you will discover that the nursing care that you provide will give you a real sense of fulfilment and a continuous desire to improve in your chosen sphere of practice. Once qualified there are numerous pathways that you can follow in clinical practice, research and/or education. I urge you to open your mind to the potential of the two or three years ahead of you as you gain the skills required to become a Registered Nurse and remember to enjoy the journey ahead of you.
With best wishes,
Dr Barbara Burden Head of School of Nursing, Midwifery and Health Education
Welcome to the University of Bedfordshire and the start of your pre-registration Children and Young People’s Nursing course.
The course is challenging and does require hard work and commitment, both on a personal and professional level. We hope that you will have fun throughout the course and make lifelong friends too. You will be well supported during the course, both in the University and during your time in practice. Our aim is that you will find the course enriching and that you develop throughout the three years.
This booklet has been designed to help you at the beginning of the course and contains information to support you as you get started.
Wishing you all the best
Mel Webb Children and Young People’s Nursing Course Lead
CHILDREN AND YOUNG PEOPLE’S NURSING AT THE UNIVERSITY OF BEDFORDSHIRE TO ESSENTIAL CONTACTS
During Induction, you will be allocated a Personal Academic Tutor (PAT) for the duration of your studies; in Nursing we operate a tutorial group system which allows you to make strong connections with your peers early in the course.
Your personal academic tutor is Email
Please read the PAT policy so you can see how we will be able to support you.
The Course Lead is supported by Senior Lecturers who will be able to help you with any course related concerns:
Children and Young People’s Nursing Team
Mel Webb – Children and Young People’s Nursing Course Lead
Melanie.Webb@beds.ac.uk
Bernadette Henderson – Senior Lecturer
Bernadette.Henderson@beds.ac.uk
Kate Swailes – Senior Lecturer
Catherine.Swailes@beds.ac.uk
Michelle Dady – Lecturer
Michelle.Dady@beds.ac.uk
STUDENT SUPPORT SERVICES
The University offers a wealth of support including advice about money, academic support, mental health services and much more. www.beds.ac.uk/student-support/ mentalhealth@beds.ac.uk
These services and much more can be accessed through the Student Information Desk (SID) beds.ac.uk/sid sid@beds.ac.uk
Treehouse Community & Faith Centre
The Student Union also offers support and advice as well as many social opportunities. bedssu.co.uk help@bedssu.co.uk
3
WHAT TO EXPECT IN INDUCTION WEEK
TIMETABLE FOR WELCOME WEEK
The following is a typical Welcome Week schedule:
Day 1
• Professional Statutory and Regulatory Bodies (PSRBs) checks such as Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) checks
• registration
Day 2
• welcome from key staff
• introduction to student services
• overview of your course from staff and current students
Day 3
• introduction to BREO – a collection of online tools to help and support you with your studies, course and practice handbooks
• introduction to Personal Academic Tutors (PATs)
• uniform policy (and ordering)
• professional expectations
• campus tour
• practice placements – meet the staff
ESSENTIAL LINKS
For more information on joining your course, visit Begin BSc Child and Young People’s Nursing @Beds where you will find updated info, tips and dates of your course induction week etc.
4
WHAT YOU WILL BE STUDYING IN YOUR FIRST YEAR
YEAR 1 STUDENTS WILL BE STUDYING
ESSENTIAL LINKS
Year long unit
Growth, Development and Rights
Based Practice in Children and Young People’s Nursing
Semester 1 Academic skills
Semester 1&2
Semester 2
Semester 3
Understanding health
Introduction to nursing interventions
Exploring health
How to find your Timetable
Information about your learning with BREO
Study Hub is the Library academic support service, a one-stop-shop for any academic, resourcing or general IT assistance to create the best assignments you can.
Visit the Library
Begin@Beds Start your student journey
Thrive@Beds My Beds Life
Succeed@Beds Careers and Employability Service
5
PROFESSIONAL COURSES AND PLACEMENT EXPERIENCE
The course takes place over three years with 50% theory and 50% practice. Over the three years you will have a number of practice experiences. These are recorded in practice documents (these are called MYEPAD and OAR documents).
The Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) require you to complete 2300 hours of practice over the three years to enable you to qualify for registration.
Attendance for theory sessions are also monitored and if sessions are missed these could affect your place on the course.
As you enrol on your professional course you will need to complete an enhanced DBS along with ID checks and an occupational health assessment. It is recommended that you apply for the ‘update service’ when you initially complete your enhanced DBS.
During induction you will be reviewing the Partnership Learning Environment Agreement (PLEA) and uniform policy. Together with the Nursing and Midwifery Code of Conduct www.nmc.org.uk/standards/code/ these will support you in maintaining a professional outlook throughout your course.
Placements used for the Children and Young People’s Nursing students can include:
• Bedford Hospital
• Luton and Dunstable Hospital
• Health visiting
• Neonatal Unit
• Emergency Department
• Specialist Nurses
• Schools
• Keech Hospice
• GP surgeries
• Child Community Services (Rapid Assessment Team; Complex Needs)
Typically in the first year students are placed at both Bedford and Luton and Dunstable Hospitals, Health visiting and Schools. Students need to be prepared to travel between both Hospitals.
A typical journey from Bedford to the Luton and Dunstable Hospital is about 23 miles and can take around 32 minutes, if driving. Please note that travel times can take longer in peak traffic times. You will also need to add in time for parking and walking into placement. Please do bear travel costs in mind too.
6
ASSESSMENT
The course assessment strategy is closely aligned to the teaching and learning strategy which is designed to:
• have an immediate relevance to practice;
• draw on expertise-by-experience;
• foster active learning and be learner-centred in approach.
A distinct feature of the course is the range of assessment tasks that can have an immediate impact in practice. This helps put into practice what you are learning in university and increases your self-confidence.
There are support services available for anyone with a specific learning need.
RANGE OF ASSESSMENTS
There are a number of different types of assessments which are used throughout the course:
Essay assignments
Digital narrative
Presentations
Simulated assessment
Exam
In class test
7
PREPARATION FOR YOUR FIRST WEEK
Please don’t go out and buy lots of text books; each unit will have a reading list and the vast majority of material is digital. The libraries are well stocked and if you do find a favourite text book then look at Ebay or Amazon for second hand copies.
If you really do want to buy some textbooks then there are some Child and Young People’s Nursing Textbooks that we find helpful:
• Glasper, A., Richardson, J. and Randall, D. (2021) A Textbook of Children and Young People’s Nursing. 3rd edn. Scotland: Elsevier.
• Peate, I. and Gormley-Fleming, E. (2021) Fundamentals of Children and Young People’s Anatomy and physiology. 2nd edn. Oxford: Wiley Blackwell.
• Gormley-Fleming, E. and Peate, I. (2019) Fundamentals of Children’s Applied Pathophysiology. Oxford: Wiley Blackwell.
• Bruce, E.A, Williss, J. and Gibson, F. (eds) (2023) The Great Ormond Street Hospital Manual of Children and Young People’s Nursing Practices. 2nd edn. West Sussex: Wiley Blackwell.
• RCN (2021) Children and Young People’s Nursing: A Philosophy of Care. www.rcn.org.uk/ProfessionalDevelopment/publications/rcn-cypphilosophy-of-care-uk-pub-009433
SOMETHING TO WATCH
• Nursing – UCAS Careers
SOMETHING TO READ
• Your first placement
SOMETHING TO EAT
• Eating and drinking on-campus – University of Bedfordshire
ABOUT THE CAMPUS
• Bedford campus
MEET ONE OF OUR STUDENTS
• Here is a message from Sam, one of our recent students
8
INDICATIVE TEACHING TIMETABLE
EXPECTATIONS FOR TEACHING AND PLACEMENT
The course is 42 weeks per year with 21 theory weeks and 21 practice weeks. The course plan is broken down into 3 semesters and you will have blocks of theory and blocks of placement each semester. Theory and practice weeks are both 37.5 hours long. You are likely to be in theory for 3 days each week during theory blocks with an additional 2 days as guided/independent study. However, on occasion, you may need to be in theory for 4 days, as you will need to undertake Moving and Handling and Basic Life Support theory and Practice prior to attending placement.
Sample timetable – Semester 1 Child and Young People’s Nursing
Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri
9am Guided study
Guided study Guided study Guided study
10am Understanding Health Growth, Development and Rights
Based practice in Children and Young People’s Nursing Academic Skills Essential skills needed before starting placement e.g. Basic Life Support 11am 12pm
1pm LUNCH LUNCH LUNCH LUNCH
Guided/ independent study
Understanding Health Growth, Development and Rights
Essential skills needed before starting placement e.g. Basic Life Support 2pm 3pm 4pm
Based practice in Children and Young People’s Nursing Academic Skills
5pm Guided/ independent study
Guided/ independent study
Guided/ independent study Guided/ independent study
9
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Are there any items I need to buy for the course?
Yes. You will need lots of black pens as these always go missing! A small notebook for making notes in practice. A small basic calculator for drug calculations. A fob watch. Black wipeable shoes – we will discuss the best types with you. These cannot be canvas type shoes.
Can I choose where I undertake my practice experience?
No, these are allocated either by the placement team or the Trust. You will undertake a variety of placements in both hospital and community settings.
When do I find out which placement area I have been allocated?
We aim to provide students with their placement locations as quickly as possible once these have been confirmed with the Trusts.
Can I choose to only do Bedford or Luton based placements?
No, as Bedford only has one children’s ward and Luton has three. So you need experience in both hospitals which have different demographics.
Do I have to work shifts?
Yes, you are expected to work a variety of shift patterns. These include: days, nights and weekends. We have a Practice Learning Handbook which has all the rules as to how many nights or weekends you can do.
Can I arrange shifts around my childcare needs?
Unfortunately not, you will need to be able to work a 7 day, 24 hour shift pattern for the duration of the course. You will also need to be able to travel to placements which may have start times of 7am and finish times of 8pm.
Will I be able to practise skills before I attend placement and work with actual patients?
Yes, you will have scheduled simulation based learning included in your teaching plan and this will provide excellent preparation for placement.
What if I have a problem in placement?
We have link lecturers who will come into placement each month. We also have Practice links who will contact the team if they are concerned about a student or if a
student has been caring for a sick child, and they feel the student needs more support. Please do not feel alone as there is always someone in practice who can help you and the University staff are just an email away!
How many others are on my course?
We usually have around 30 Children and Young People’s Nursing students per year. You are sometimes taught with the Adult Nursing students, which helps develop views of students in a different field of nursing. At Bedford there are around 30 Adult Nursing students per year.
What happens if I miss class due to being unwell or having difficulties with childcare or travel?
We understand that everyone will face some difficulties now and again and we aim to be flexible. You are encouraged to discuss ongoing issues with your Personal Academic Tutor or Unit Lead.
What support is there if I am struggling?
There is support in many forms, Student Information Desk (SID), your PAT, Unit leads, Course Lead and Student
support offer support and advice on anything from money to academic support to health and wellbeing.
What funding is available?
Student Finance may be able to help with funding or childcare costs. There is also the NHS Bursary that you may be eligible for.
I am awful at maths and worried about doing drug calculations. What can I do?
In your lectures you will be shown how to calculate medication doses. You may find a Drug Calculation textbook helpful. Keep practicing and we will help support you.
Is there someone who can help me with my assessments?
The lecturing team are always available to guide you with the theory-based content and you might want to book a 1:1 tutorial with your Unit Lead. If you need more time to complete an assignment, please contact Student Engagement and Mitigation (SEAM) who deal with extensions for assessments.
Their email is mitigation@beds.ac.uk
Are there clubs and activities I can get involved with?
Yes! The Student Union will provide lots of information about the sporting clubs, activities and events available for all students at UoB. For more information visit bedssu.co.uk
10
FINAL THOUGHTS
There is a lot to take in when you begin studying on a professional course like this one. The teaching team have been working as Children and Young People’s nurses for many years and here are some of our key reasons to ‘love this job’!
You will be with patients in their most vulnerable moments.
This is a true privilege.
You will experience things you never thought possible.
You will one day be the ‘teacher’ and the mentor responsible for helping a new student on their first day.
9 REASONS WE LOVE BEING CHILDREN AND YOUNG PEOPLE’S NURSES
Everyone is helpful and wants you to do well.
TOP TIPS
• Try to be organised – it does help to note down all essential dates for assessments and key training.
You are given the opportunity to be a part of a unique experience every day. The satisfaction you get from knowing you helped make a real difference to a patient is amazing. You can keep studying after you qualify and there is no limit to the knowledge you can gain.
No two days are the same.
You will always be employable as Children and Young People’s nurses are always in demand.
• Ask your PAT if you have a query about something and you are not sure who you should ask.
• Make use of the library and Study Hub – they are there to help you succeed in your studies.
• Seek help sooner rather than later. We are always willing to help you.
11
