Specialist Community Practitioner (District Nursing)

Course modules

Discover the building blocks of your programme

Your programme is made up of a number of core modules which are part of the course framework. Some programmes also have optional modules that can be selected to enhance your learning in certain areas and many feature a dissertation, extended report or research project to demonstrate your advanced learning.

You will study a mix of Core and Option modules on your course to a total of 120 credits. 100 credits come from mandatory Core modules and then you have a choice to select one 20 credit Option module from those available.

Core modules:
- Leadership for Specialist Practice
- Research for Specialist Practice
- Contemporary Issues in District Nursing: Part 1
- Contemporary Issues in District Nursing: Part 2 - with or without V100 Community Practitioner Nurse Prescribing (depending on your existing qualifications)
- Clinical Examination and Diagnostics for District Nursing

Option modules:
- Independent and Supplementary Prescribing (V300)
- Negotiated Work-based Learning for Specialist Practice

This module aims to enhance your skills and knowledge, enabling you to take a central role in the development of practice within your working environment. 

It will also provide an opportunity for you to engage in debate and discussion, so you can identify your strengths and weaknesses as a leader within your organisation. 

You will further consider how you can influence and inspire others at both a local, regional, national and international level.

The aim of this module is to develop a critical awareness of the knowledge fundamental to the contemporary role of the district nurse.

The aim of this module is to enable you to critically review knowledge relating to the development of specialist district nursing practice. 

The knowledge and skills gained will help you to become an effective leader who can manage the care of individuals and groups within the community setting. 

Students who already hold a V150/300 qualification will register on the Contemporary Issues in District Nursing: Part 2 module (7144PCCOMM), which does not include V100 as part of the syllabus.

The aim of this module is to enable you to critically review knowledge relating to the development of specialist district nursing practice. 

The knowledge and skills gained will help you to become an effective leader who can manage the care of individuals and groups within the community setting. 

Students who do not already hold a V150/300 qualification will register on the Contemporary Issues in District Nursing: Part 2 with V100 module.

During this module, you will gain the skills and knowledge required to perform clinical assessments of patients in the community setting. It will also help you develop skills in interpreting relevant diagnostic tests which may inform treatment plans, treatment modification or a suitable referral.

This module provides an overview and understanding of a broad range of qualitative and quantitative research methodologies and their application in the clinical and social care environment. It enables you to read, understand and critically analyse clinical and social care research literature. You will:

• examine a variety of research methods, used within the sphere of health and social care practice and development
• develop skills in critical evaluation of literature available within the field of health and social care development and clinical management

Aimed at healthcare professionals, this module allows you to prescribe, safely, appropriately and cost-effectively as independent and/or supplementary prescribers, in accordance with both legal and the professional requirements of relevant professional bodies (NMC, HPC, RPSGB). It:

• gives you knowledge to address the specialist educational needs of nurses, pharmacists and allied health professionals working within specialist areas and with specific client groups
• prepares you to exercise advanced clinical reasoning, critical thinking and creative problem solving with regard to the unique challenges associated with medicines management among infants, children and young people, the elderly and other specific client groups

*Please Note: Students who wish to undertake V300 Independent and Supplementary Non-Medical Prescribing (NMP), as part of the PgDip Specialist Community Practitioner Children's Nursing programme, must have at least one years’ post registration experience. Students wishing to undertake this module must also be deemed competent by, and obtain permission and support from their employer. All students who wish to undertake V300 Non-Medical Prescribing will have to complete an additional 'North West Non-Medical Prescribing Application form' which will be approved by the prescribing programme team prior to commencement on the NMP programme.

This module will help you to maximise learning opportunities and experiences relevant to your own area of work in order to facilitate practice, career and professional development. 

Along with your practice teacher/mentor and the module leader, you will identify the area of study as part of personal development planning to meet the standards for community specialist practice (NMC 2001) and the voluntary standards for District Nursing (QNI 2016), where appropriate. There will be a focus on practice development for service delivery.