Our MSc in Nursing Practice (Child) is a pre-registration course that will equip you to work in hospitals, clinics, community settings such as schools, and for charities. You will gain a wide variety of experience helping children from birth to the age of 18.
We offer two fast-track routes for graduates that are both regulated by the Nursing and Midwifery Council and mean you will be eligible to register as a children’s nurse on completion. Our two-year programme is aimed at people who are brand new to nursing but may have some experience in health or care roles.
If you are already registered as an adult, mental health or learning disability nurse, you can gain a dual qualification and become a children’s nurse as well. We are the first university in the UK to offer this trailblazing option, which will take you just one year to complete.
It comes on the back of NHS plans to grow the nursing workforce nationally. The Masters qualification can lead to lots of career progression opportunities.
The course is available to graduates already holding a degree in any discipline. It means you will be eligible to register with a professional body within two years rather than the usual three years.
The curriculum is mapped against the Future Nurse Standards of Proficiency for Registered Nurses and covers the core skills, knowledge, and values fundamental to nursing practice. For the two-year programme, student nurses complete a minimum of 2,300 hours of theory and 2,300 hours of practice-based learning.
Placements:
You will have access to excellent clinical placement opportunities as we have primary and secondary healthcare partners across Staffordshire, Cheshire, Shropshire and further afield. These include hospital trusts, community health partnerships and children’s hospices.
It will give you an insight into the huge array of specialist roles, where you could be supporting healthy children, those who are acutely ill or have long-term conditions, and children with complex needs.
You can also choose from some exciting elective placements - locally, nationally, and internationally. Previous destinations have included Ghana, Australia, and Nepal, as well as Birmingham and Alder Hey children’s hospitals.
Our innovative simulation-based approach:
You will be well supported in both your clinical and academic settings. We will guide you through problems and scenarios and give you plenty of real-world learning experiences.
During your time on campus, you will be using our nationally leading simulation facilities for every module. You will get to practise your skills on simulated wards and inside our VR-powered immersive suite – placing you at the heart of the action.
There will also be the chance to work with students from other disciplines, including paramedic science, operating department practice, psychology, and social work.
The core modules cover family-centred care, physical and mental health assessments, the evidence base for practice, and leadership in nursing. And for your dissertation, you can delve into a topic of your choice.
Learn from highly qualified experts:
External speakers include police officers, who will give you insights into key issues such as grooming and domestic abuse. It is part of the course’s strong focus on safeguarding and child protection.
Our children’s nursing team bring a wealth of clinical, academic and research expertise. They are all paediatric-trained nurses and include an oncology specialist, practitioners in hospitals and community settings, and a safeguarding lead for the Midlands.
Students will also benefit from the breadth of research interests within the department. In the 2021 Research Excellence Framework (REF):
- 73% of our Allied Health research submissions were rated as “internationally excellent” or “world-leading”.
- 100% of the research impact in Allied Heath was classed as “very considerable” or “outstanding”.
Our postgraduate healthcare community:
Student nurses are encouraged to get involved in enrichment opportunities, such as our annual student conference and writing for publication. You will become a member of our wider healthcare community.
Whether you are a career changer or an existing nurse looking to work with children, the course is an ideal springboard to success.