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Advanced Practice (Neonates)

MSc/PgDip/PgCert

School - School of Health and Society

Subject area - Midwifery

Related Courses

Examination of the Newborn
Perinatal and Mental Health
Non-medical Prescribing

Start Dates(s): September

Duration:

MSc (one year full-time)

Fees:

UK - £7,560

View all fees...

In Brief:

  • You will be supported in clinical practice by experienced neonatal nurse practitioners, consultant neonatologists, or specialist pediatric registrars
  • You will be taught by experts in the field including tertiary neonatologists, advanced neonatal nurse practitioners, midwifery lecturers, pharmacists and radiographers
  • You will develop advanced clinical skills in our brand new simulation suites with our award-winning human simulators
  • Clinical placement opportunity

Course Summary

This practical course uses a work-based learning approach to develop the higher-level skills that will lead to advanced practitioner status.

This is a challenging and intense programme and allows experienced neonatal intensive care nurses to become qualified advanced neonatal nurse practitioners.

This 12 month course requires a high level of commitment to succeed and you will move from a nursing to a medical rota immediately upon qualification.  

You will achieve a number of clinical competencies such as advanced resuscitation skills, insertion of percutaneous long lines, insertion of umbilical and venous catheters, airway management and intubation and chest drains.

Course Details

The programme may be commissioned by Health Education North West to meet the needs of a modernizing NHS. Upon completion you will be eligible for a non-medical advanced practitioner in Neonates to work within a junior medical rota.

Year 1        

Neonatal Practice A
This module will include an advanced understanding of respiratory and cardiovascular system pathophysiology and management. You will review the examination of the newborn and clinical reasoning.                    
Neonatal Practice B
You will study pathophysiology, gaining a deeper understanding of the physiology of abnormalities and how to manage these. You will also get an insight into different clinical conundrums.                    
Research Methods
This module will look at contemporary issues and debates in research and well as the design of research projects and developing research proposals.                    
Legal, Ethical and Professional
You will develop skills in critical thinking and debate regarding ethical dilemmas, medico-legal and professional issues related to neonatal practice.                    
Dissertation
You will also undertake a dissertation as the final component of the programme.

Entry Requirements

You will need to have a 2.1 degree in a relevant health related area and work within a tertiary neonatal intensive care unit with a minimum of 4 years clinical experience. Anyone who doesn't have the required level of degree is advised to discuss their application with the Programme Leader. 

You will also need to possess the ENB 405 / Quality in Specialty qualification and be live on the NMC register.

Written agreement and clinical support from a nominated consultant neonatologist and nurse line manager will be required in order for you to be accepted onto this programme.  

You will apply by using the university’s general online application form. You will have a joint interview with your line manager, consultant neonatologist and university lecturer. Funding arrangements will be agreed between your Local Trust and the University.

Accreditation of Prior Learning (APL)

We welcome applications from students who may not have formal/traditional entry criteria but who have relevant experience or the ability to pursue the course successfully.

The Accreditation of Prior Learning (APL) process could help you to make your work and life experience count. The APL process can be used for entry onto courses or to give you exemptions from parts of your course.

Two forms of APL may be used for entry: the Accreditation of Prior Certificated Learning (APCL) or the Accreditation of Prior Experiential Learning (APEL).

English Language Requirements

International applicants will be required to show a proficiency in English. An IELTS score of 7 is proof of this.

Suitable For

This course is suitable for those working in a tertiary neonatal care unit with a minimum of five years clinical experience.

Fees 2018-19

Type of StudyFee
Full-time£7,560

Scholarships and Bursaries

For more information please see our funding section.

Teaching

You are expected to be flexible during the programme to facilitate your learning and clinical practice/experience:

  • During the first three months you will be introduced to new concepts, theories and medical management  including physiology, pathophysiology for neonates with in the maternity department and Neonatal Intensive Care Unit
  • For the rest of the programme you will attend university and work in clinical practice
  • You will self-roster your off duty, clinical practice/experience within your tertiary intensive neonatal care unit (learning on the job)
  • You will be given a named supervisor (consultant neonatologist)
  • You must accrue a minimum of 720 clinical hours during your twelve months training

Simulation teaching will be undertaken in the university’s simulation suite and in the clinical area.

Assessment

You will be expected to undertake a series of assessments including a clinical portfolio, written assignments, OSCE, and supervised clinical practice by specialist registrars, advanced neonatal nurse practitioners and consultant neonatologists.

Postgraduate Staff Profile

Alli Mitchell – Programme Leader

Alli joined the University of Salford in 2008 as a Lecturer of Midwifery. She spent 25 years in clinical practice (neonatal intensive care), education, management and research. Alli qualified as a nurse in 1984 in Salford and after working as a Staff nurse A/E on an orthopaedic ward, she trained as a midwife. Alli’s midwifery experience covers all aspects of the role, however her main areas of interest are neonatal intensive care. Alli qualified as an Advanced Neonatal Nurse Practitioner in 2002. Her career has led her to fulfil many roles, such as Lecturer Practitioner and Directorate Manager.

Employability

Career Prospects

Upon completion of this course, students will become advanced neonatal nurse practitioners and will work on a medical rota. Some students may also wish to progress onto a PhD or work as a nurse consultant or in a leadership role in clinical practice.

Facilities

Our Clinical Practice Wards are located in the Mary Seacole Building on the second floor. There are four rooms designed to give the look and feel of a hospital environment. The rooms are furnished with patient's beds, lockers, chairs, sinks and curtains as well as audio-visual equipment, internet and a teaching area.

We also have a number of clinical skills rooms that enhance student learning from taking blood pressure, to giving CPR and more complicated procedures. Along with nursing skills rooms where you can practice in a ward situation, there are basic skills rooms for sessions such as moving and handling.

Neonates

Patient Simulators

The patient simulation laboratory provides you with the opportunity to tackle real-life scenarios in a safe and supported environment. Set up like a hospital ward, the lab contains hi-tech patient simulators that can mimic everything from the common cold to a major heart condition.

The equipment includes:

  • Emergency Care Patient Simulators: Anatomically correct, feature-rich mannequins, which can be used for the physical demonstration of various clinical signs including bleeding, breathing, blinking eyes and convulsions.
  • iStan Patient Simulators: A step up from the ECS, the iStan adds an essential human element to patient simulation. It moves, breathes, can cry out or moan with pain, providing a realistic patient for you to practice on
  • Pedia Patient Simulator: A complete reproduction of a six-year-old child enabling you to practice paediatric scenarios
  • Baby simulator: This mannequin makes it possible to interact with our most vulnerable patients - in a safe, realistic learning environment

Neonates

All the simulation equipment can be linked up to some very hi-tech computer and audio-visual aids. Groups of students get to role-play a wide range of different scenarios, with a lab co-ordinator observing, running and intervening in the scenario remotely.

Sophisticated computer equipment can also provide detailed physiological information for each of the simulators under observation. The lab will help you develop the clinical skills you need but also the high level communication skills that will make a real difference to your patients.

Neonates

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