PGDip Community Nursing Specialist Practice Qualification (District Nursing)

This module is designed to enhance your knowledge and skills in the application of evidence-based consultation models to identify and perform an appropriate physical assessment, considering the patients biological, psychological, and social needs. You will develop skills to be able to synthesise information utilising critical debate, to consider differential diagnoses and provide a sound care management plan aligned to the patient’s healthcare needs.

This module is designed to enable you to develop a deeper appreciation and understanding of the research process which builds on existing skill and knowledge. Becoming a confident researcher is fundamental to your specialist practice role as this knowledge will inform professional decision making and increase the scope of professional practice. Integral to this is an ability to synthesise existing literature specific to your area of expertise, develop a research question and using a critical lens position your methodological approach to procure a research proposal specific to practice. This distinct skill will evidence knowledge of literature searching, literature critique and incorporate paradigm belief. Using theories of being, knowing, methodology / methods, and ethics requires a deep engagement with the philosophy of research inquiry and an understanding of epistemology and ontology and how they intersect in the research act. Deepening knowledge of a range of research approaches will add to the specialist practitioners’ repertoire to advance practice and improve health care delivery.

At level 7 this module aims to critically analyse theories and concepts of integrated working by consolidating and developing your knowledge, skills and decision making when caring for people with long-term conditions. Current evidence-based policy and guidance will be analysed to enable you to consider and implement the management of long-term conditions within your District Nursing clinical role. The skills of literature searching, using and evaluating sources, critical thinking, critical analysis, critical reading of texts and the influence of local, national and professional policy relevant to supporting people with long term conditions will provide a constant backdrop to all the content. This course aligns with the University of Wolverhampton Inclusivity Framework specifically on Inclusive Assessment, making reasonable adjustments and providing for alternative assessment arrangements. Inclusive teaching, learning and assessment methods will be applied and reasonable adjustments made for individual students where necessary.

Effective leadership is a central tenant for the delivery of high quality individual care to the population within the community. This requires leaders who have the knowledge and skills to identify population health needs and work collaboratively to develop services to meet those needs. This module will support the student to lead, manage and recognise the inequalities and the wider determinants of health to drive the community public health agenda within specialist practice. This module will facilitate student to critically examine leadership, collaborative working, managing change and its application to practice within their specialist community public health field of practice. Students will recognise the importance of using data and statistics and evidence based practice to provide person centred care and influence the development of high quality service provision.

This 40-credit module combines study of pharmacology and prescribing practice meeting the requirements for non-medical prescribing detailed in the Royal Pharmaceutical Society’s Competency Framework for All Prescribers (2021). The module also complies with the standards for prescribing detailed by the Nursing and Midwifery Council and Health and Care Professions Council.