Advanced Clinical Practice

Location:: Centre of Excellence Stafford
Study option:: Part-time
Duration:: 40 Months
Start date:: 19 September 2019

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The Advanced Clinical Practice MSc is for nurses, midwives, paramedics, emergency care practitioners, pharmacists, community matrons and other allied healthcare workers who are advanced practitioners or will be expected to fulfil an advanced practice role.

The course will enable you to develop skills in health assessment, diagnosis, clinical decision making, non-medical prescribing (if appropriate) and the application of evidence-based practice.

By using a blended learning approach, we create a practice-focused, student-centred, flexible programme that develops your ability to:

Challenge advanced clinical practice
Engage in independent evidence-based decision making
Determine creative and innovative solutions to practice issues
Develop analytical and intellectual skills at Masters level

You’ll be linked with a clinical preceptor who is an expert in your clinical speciality. You’ll also receive support for personal and professional development from a senior clinical lead of the same profession who acts as your mentor throughout the award.

As the course follows a standardised curriculum which has been developed with involvement from HEIs, Community Care, Primary Care, Mental Health and acute NHS Trusts, it will carry clinical currency across the West Midlands region and potentially beyond.

On successful completion of study, we will issue the following award: MSc Advanced Clinical Practice

Course content

The course progresses over three years (minimum).

Modules

The tables provide an indicative list of the modules that make up the course for the current academic year. Each module is worth a specified number of credits. Our teaching is informed by research, and modules change periodically to reflect developments in the discipline. We aim to ensure that all modules run as scheduled. If for any reason a module cannot be run we will advise you as soon as possible and will provide guidance on selecting an appropriate alternative module.

Standard route

Year 1 compulsory modules
Advanced Health Assessment	45 credits
Clinical Reasoning And Decision Making	15 credits

Year 2 compulsory modules
Leadership Role In Quality, Innovation And Change	15 credits
Leadership Role In Quality, Innovation And Change	15 credits

Show 2 optional modules

Year 2 optional modules
Independent / Supplementary Prescribing	30 credits
Independent / Supplementary Prescribing For Allied Health Professionals	30 credits

Show 2 compulsory modules

Year 3 compulsory modules
There are no compulsory modules for this year.

Show 4 optional modules

Year 3 optional modules
Masters Dissertation	60 credits
Masters Dissertation (60 Credits)	60 credits
Project Based Change	60 credits
Project Based Change	60 credits

Entry requirements

UK qualifications

International qualifications

You’ll normally need:

Current nursing registration with the Nursing & Midwifery Council (NMC) or Health Care Professions Council (HCPC) or The General Pharmaceutical Council (GPhC)

At least three years’ post-registration experience

To be employed in a relevant clinical environment, with access to appropriate clinical support and supervision for the development of knowledge and skills to an advanced level

A minimum 2:2 honours degree from a UK University, or equivalent.

If you don’t have an honours degree you may still be admitted if you have significant appropriate experience and can provide evidence of your ability to undertake the course successfully and benefit from it. You’ll also need recent evidence of study at Level 6 (within the last two years). A professional portfolio indicating achievements is an essential tool for this purpose.

You must also be able to demonstrate employer support for the following (even where you’re self-funding).

Employers

All organisations supporting staff to undertake an Advanced Clinical Practice course will need to ensure that as part of their workforce plans the role of Advanced Clinical Practitioner is embedded within their organisation structures. Once the trainee is a qualified Advanced Clinical Practitioner, there will need to be ongoing support from the Trust.

For equivalent entry requirements in your home country, please see the information on our country pages.

Choose your country

Check our entry and English language requirements for your country

Facilities

Clinical Training Facilities

Our labs provide the environment for you to learn fundamental skills associated with emergency pre-hospital care. This includes: advanced patient assessment techniques, airway management, obtaining intramuscular, intravenous and intraosseous access, advanced life-support skills.

Careers

After completing the course, you’ll be equipped to work as an Advanced Clinical Practitioner in a variety of settings.

Eager for more knowledge? Upon completion, you’ll be ideally placed for further academic study at PhD level.

Teaching and assessment

Overview

Study time

Teaching

We know that everyone learns differently. So not only do we use traditional ways of teaching like lectures, we also use problem-based learning to help you apply your skills.

For this course, you'll:

Work with others on group work
Delve deeper into subject areas in workshops
Be expected to study independently

Our teaching is supported through our Virtual Learning Environment called Blackboard. This means you can access a range of materials to support your lectures wherever you are.

We’ll also assign you a supervisor to support you throughout your research project.

Assessment

There are two types of assessments: practice (also called formative) or formal (also called summative).

Practice assessments do not count towards your final mark. These are your chance to test your understanding – and learn how to improve for the real thing.

You’ll have formal assessments at the end of each module. These could include essays, exams, or portfolios.

Learning support

Your course tutors will provide lots of support. But you can also take advantage of our Academic Skills team, who can help you with:

Study skills (including reading, note-taking, presentation skills)
Written English (including punctuation, grammar)
Academic writing (including how to reference)
Research skills
Critical thinking
Revision, assessment and exam skills (including time management)

Additional support

If you have additional needs like dyslexia or a sensory impairment, then our AccessAbility Services are here to help make sure nothing stands in your way.

Feedback

We know that it’s important for you to be able to gauge your progress. So, your tutor will give you feedback on any practice assessments you do.

We usually give you feedback on formal assessments within 20 working days, but the format will vary for each module.

Your study time will include scheduled classes, independent learning and assessments. It will vary depending on your module choices.

Independent learning

As well as timetabled sessions, we know it’s important for you to discover things on your own terms. This could involve:

Reading journals, articles and books
Working on projects, alone or in a group
Researching in the library
Preparing coursework
Getting ready for exams

We’ve invested in state-of-the-art facilities to help you make the most of your private study time. Whether you need a library, a computer, or a lab, you’ll find it at Staffordshire University.

Fees

Overview

Additional costs

Financial support

For the course starting on 19 September 2019 the tuition fees are:

Study option
Part time

UK / EU / Channel Islands
To be confirmed

The expected study pattern on this programme enables you to complete modules totaling 60 credits in your first year of study and the other 120 credits, split equally over your second and third year of study. If you follow this pattern of study you will pay the same fee for each year of study. You will be invoiced for the modules that you register for each year, so if your study pattern is different from the expected pattern, you will pay more or less each year accordingly.

If you would like to know more about the fees listed and what this means to you then please get in touch with our Enquiries Team.

Alumni discount

If you have previously completed an undergraduate degree with us, you may be entitled to a discount off your course fee for any subsequent postgraduate taught course. For further information please contact Graduate Relations.

Accommodation and living costs
Accommodation and living costs are not included in our fees. For more information on accommodation and living costs, please see: Accommodation

Accommodation and living costs

Accommodation and living costs are not included in our fees.

For more information on accommodation and living costs, please see: Accommodation

Sources of financial support

Providing you are studying towards a full Masters qualification you may be able to apply for a postgraduate loan of up to £10,609 to help with tuition fees, maintenance and other associated costs. Student loans are available for many of our postgraduate degrees and are provided by the Student Loans Company (SLC). The loan can cover a wide range of postgraduate study options - part-time, full-time and distance learning.

For more information and how to apply visit postgraduate loans.

Bursaries and scholarships

As a postgraduate student at Staffordshire, you may be eligible for additional financial support through one of our scholarships and bursaries. You can visit our funding page to find out more and check your eligibility.

Apply

Location:

Award:

Study option:

Start date:

Apply link

Location:

Centre of Excellence Stafford

Award:

MSc

Study option:

Part-time

Start date:

19 September 2019

Apply now

Rules and regulations

If you are offered a place at Staffordshire University, your offer will be subject to our rules, regulations and enrolment conditions, which may vary from time to time.

Students of Staffordshire University enter into a contract with us and are bound by these rules and regulations, which are subject to change. For more information, please see: University Policies and Regulations.

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