Nursing (Adult) BSc (Hons)

About the course

Adult Nursing is a highly skilled, knowledgeable and caring profession. As a nurse you are required to provide high quality care to adults, and their families.

• Adult Nursing activities encompass:
• Promoting health
• Providing evidence based holistic care
• Supporting and educating individuals and families

both in hospitals and in the community.

You will gain a BSc Honours Degree in Adult Nursing and be eligible to apply to register as an Adult Nurse with the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC).

The programme runs over three extended academic years.

You will develop critical, analytical and reflective skills that will enable you to make sound judgements and provide good evidence-based care.

50% of your time will be spent in classroom based learning and 50% will be spent on placements in clinical settings such as hospitals and community. Your placements and classroom studies will alternate in blocks of several weeks,

You will develop a complex range of competencies required to become a skilled adult nurse.

Funding

Tuition fees for this course are paid by the NHS. You may also be eligible to apply for a means tested grant. Further information about available funding and eligibility is available online at NHS Bursaries

Why choose this course?

Adult nursing is an exciting and rewarding career that can lead to work in a variety of settings. You will complete placements in a range of adult settings, both within hospital and the community during your course, learning practical skills that underpin your theoretical knowledge.

You will develop a sound knowledge of ‘normal’ adult development and behaviours and develop skills in recognising and managing deviations from the norm. 

Study routes

• Full Time,
• Full Time, 3 Years

Locations

• University of Hertfordshire, Hatfield

Careers

Following successful completion of the programme you will be entitled to apply for registration as a nurse with the Nursing and Midwifery Council in the Branch of Nursing in which you have specialised. You can now take advantage of the varied opportunities available to you, to put into practice all you have learned and make a positive contribution to the lives of individuals, and their families. Areas in which you could work include acute services within the NHS; a range of community settings including general or specialised community nursing and acute care or Hospice Care; the range is wide and varied.

You will meet many interesting people and each day will be different. You will always be learning, developing new and innovative skills through experience and education that will enable you to diversify or specialise in a particular area of Adult Nursing, giving opportunity for promotion and job satisfaction.

For further information on careers in Nursing.

Teaching methods

your time will be split equally (50/50) between classroom based learning and practical placements. You will have the oppotunity to link practical experience to theoretical learning and vice versa.

During your placements you will undertake:

• Supervised practice - working with qualified nurses to develop clinical skills
• Training and education activities within the placement setting
• Skills development activities to ensure patients' needs are met

Your time at the University will be spent in:

• standard lectures
• seminars
• tutorials
• laboratories
• case studies
• individual and group projects

In your final year you will normally have the opportunity to hone your independent study and interpersonal skills by undertaking a major project or dissertation.

Work Placement

Practice placements are organised within neighbouring NHS Trusts in Hertfordshire, and North London and in other settings including the private and voluntary sectors. There is the opportunity to learn with and from people in the community and in hospitals where nursing is experienced. The placement experiences are wide and varied, emphasising the chosen field of practice -Adult Nursing. During the first year experiences may also include caring for children, service users with learning disabilities or those with mental health problems.

A number of NHS Trusts support student nurses in their practice by providing placements in local health service trusts, social services, local educational institutions, private health care facilities, and the voluntary sector. North London and Hertfordshire provide this support in a varying capacity dependent on the programme undertaken and the chosen Field of Nursing.

An elective/alternative placement is offered at the end of the second year which gives you the opportunity to gain clinical experience elsewhere in the UK, abroad, or in specialised regional and national centres of excellence.

Professional Accreditations

Entitlement to apply to enter the professional register of the Nursing and Midwifery Council in the Adult Nursing branch

Structure

Year 1

Core Modules

• An Introduction to Inter-professional Education

  The module is designed to give students the opportunity to work in multi-professional groups in order to improve understanding of a range of professional roles and encourage co-operative learning and working. The rationale for and benefits of inter-professional working within health and social care are explored. Learning will be through multi-professional group seminars and tutorials that require students to access and gather appropriate data from a range of sources and apply this to a series of practice-based, simulated scenarios and exercises.

• Biological Basis for Health and Wellbeing

  This 30 credit level 4 module provides the foundations for fundamental nursing practice. It has three overarching aims. In the first instance the module will introduce the student to the nursing skills and assessments that they will be expected to execute in clinical practice. The second aim of the module is to introduce the student to the physiological theory that underpins clinical practice. The bioscience focus will be taught with continuous reference to clinical nursing with emphasis on how biological knowledge informs nursing decisions. The third aim is to explore the relationship between the psyche and soma when assessing patients/service users/clients, e.g. individuals experiencing anxiety, stress or depression. The taught content includes clinical assessment and observational skills, underpinning anatomy and physiology and fundamental nursing principles, all delivered within the context of the life continuum focussing on all stages of life from birth to death.

• Learning for Professional Development 1

  This is the first of three modules that will facilitate the students ability to independently engage in learning for Continuing Personal and Professional Development (CPPD). It will facilitate the acquisition of values, knowledge and skills that are essential for learning and effective independent study. Within the notion of learning to learn , this module will feature reflective processes so as to enable students to appraise their own personal learning needs and strengths and to then develop strategies to identify personal goals and areas for development. Notions of research, evidence and scholarly enquiry will be introduced in this module, as will the skills and conventions of academic writing.

• Patient Centred Care 1

  During this module students spend 40% of their time in clinical practice. The module aims facilitate the application of the theory taught during 4NMH1007 - Biological Basis for Health and Well-Being, 4NMH1008 - Professional Aspects of Care I and 4NMH1006 - The Healthy Adult to their clinical practice. With reference to a fictitious family/group of patients, students will discuss the relevance of bioscience, ethics, sociology, psychology and professionalism. Using the principles of problem based learning students will research the impact of the aforementioned core principles. Students will feedback their findings using a range of blended learning approaches. To facilitate this process, students will be encouraged to develop further learning skills introduced in 4NMH1005 - Learning for Professional Development. Using self directed study, students will develop skills in the assimilation, application and synthesis of newly acquired knowledge.

• Professional Aspects of Care

  This 15 credit module focuses on the student's professional development so that s/he is able to work therapeutically with patients/service users, families and carers. A range of teaching and learning strategies will be utilised to facilitate the student's development of therapeutic communication skills; reflection on personal and professional development will be encouraged. In addition, the concept of care will be explored with emphasis being placed upon meeting the unique and individual needs of patients/service-users. An introduction to legal and ethical frameworks and health policy will be provided to enable the student to understand the professional responsibilities and boundaries that may impact upon nursing practice. The module will be delivered using a mixture of teaching methods. Blended learning strategies will be employed throughout and approximately 15 hours of this will be through technologically assisted distance learning methods. These hours have been incorporated into the "Independent Study" hours shown in Section 12 of this DMD.

• The Healthy Adult

  This 15 credit, level 4 module will introduce the student to the different concepts and dimensions of health. It will encourage the student to examine their own view of health as well as that of the patient/service user. Health concepts will be address with reference to the five stages of adult life; young adults, parenting, middle age, retirement, older years. A variety of approaches will be utilised to support student learning. Current media issues will be employed to stimulate discussion. Students will be encouraged to share their practice experiences.

Optional

Year 2

Core Modules

• Health Promotion

  This 15 credit level 5 module covers the theory and practice of health promotion, building on knowledge and skills gained in year one. Students will be encouraged to identify and to seek out opportunities for promoting health for patients/service users with varying health needs in a variety of settings. Students will therefore be expected to assess the need for health promotion for individuals and groups and then plan and evaluate these activities. The module will refer to all five stages of adult life; young adults, parenting, middle age, retirement, older years. A variety of approaches will be utilised to support student learning. Current media issues will be employed to stimulate discussion. Students will be encouraged to reflect on their practice experiences and develop their skills in health promotion practice.

• Holistic Nursing Care of the Acutely Ill Adult

  This 30 credit level 5 module will develop the students' ability to use both pathophysiological and psychosocial theory to underpin a comprehensive and holistic assessment of acutely ill adults throughout the life continuum (young adult to older person). There will be emphasis on pathophysiology of acute illness however to facilitate an holistic approach students will also explore a wide range of psychosocial issues A variety of approaches will be utilised to support student learning. Lectures and seminars will be used to deliver underpinning physiological theory. Simulation and laboratory teaching will be used to reinforce physiological theory. Discussion and interactive approaches will be used to explore psychosocial aspects of care. Current media issues will be employed to stimulate discussion. Students will be encouraged to reflect on their practice experiences and to use these experiences to illustrate application of new knowledge.

• Learning for Professional Development II

  This is the second of three modules designed to facilitate the students ability to independently engage in learning for Continuing Personal and Professional Development (CPPD). It advances the students acquisition of values, knowledge and skills that are essential for learning and effective independent study. The module will enable students to develop strategies designed to support learning, including participation in e-learning and the use of portfolios. The module also supports the students ability to engage constructively with available research and to utilise the evidence to support nursing practice.

• Nursing Adults with Long Term Conditions

  This 30 credit level 5 module will develop the students' ability to use both pathophysiological and psychosocial theory to underpin a comprehensive and holistic assessment of the health needs of adults with long term health problems. There will be emphasis on psychosocial aspects of care, however in order to facilitate a holistic approach students will also explore underpinning pathophysiology. A variety of approaches will be utilised to support student learning. Lectures and seminars will be used to deliver underpinning physiological theory. Simulation and laboratory teaching will be used to reinforce physiological theory. Discussion and interactive approaches will be used to explore psychosocial aspects of care. Current media issues will be employed to stimulate discussion. Students will be encouraged to reflect on their practice experiences and to use these experiences to illustrate application of new knowledge.

• Patient Centred Care 2

  During this module students spend 50% of their time in clinical practice. The module aims to facilitate the application of the bioscientific and psychosocial theory taught during 5NMH1017 Holistic Nursing Care of the Acutely Ill Adult, 5NMH1018 Health Promotion and 5NMH1016 Nursing Adults with Long Term Conditions to their care. With reference to a fictitious family/group of patients, this module will encourage the student to explore the realities of patient assessment in a wide variety of clinical situations. Using the principles of problem based learning students will be encouraged to research the complexities of assessment and feedback their findings using a range of blended learning approaches. To facilitate this process, students will be encouraged to develop further learning skills introduced in 5NMH1005 Learning for Professional Development II. Using self directed study, students will develop skills in the assimilation, application and synthesis of newly acquired knowledge.

Optional

Year 3

Core Modules

• Advanced Nursing Care of the Adult Patient

  This 30-credit level 6 module attempts to further integrate theoretical knowledge into students' professional practice and to encourage increasing independence in clinical decision making. The module spans issues concerned with primary, acute and chronic care for patients from all stages of adult life. The module focuses upon some of the more complex and both personally and professionally challenging nursing situations that students will encounter. Methods of delivery include lectures, seminars, laboratory, HICESC and problem based learning.

• Enhancing Health & Social Care through Inter-professional Education

  The module is designed to give students further opportunities of working in multi-professional groups in order to improve understanding across professional boundaries and encourage collaborative learning and working that will bring benefit to patient/service-users. The justification for inclusion of inter-professional working within health care is addressed. The module requires students to bring specialist in-depth knowledge of their profession and professional codes of conduct to a group setting so that health and social care pathways are critically reviewed in the context of professional practice.

• Imagination & Innovation in Evidence-based Nursing Care

  This module builds upon the `Learning for Professional Development' sequence of modules and represents an exciting opportunity for students to engage in a negotiated practice-based project that will encourage them to focus upon a practice issue of professional interest. Students will be encouraged to explore this in an imaginative and innovative manner which may lead to new ways of improving practice for the benefit of service-users from an individual, group or whole service perspective. The project is conceived as being primarily an academic proposal with potential to be taken further by care/service teams should they wish to either during or post development of the project. The module will call upon students to employ both their skills of research awareness and appreciation and management in adopting a rigorous approach to the project design and organisation. Whilst the project will not concern itself with personal data gathering, it will nevertheless act as an academic opportunity and vehicle for students to begin to hone their skills in engaging with potential future research activity.

• Learning for Professional Development III

  This is the final module of three designed to facilitate the students ability to independently engage in learning for Continuing Personal and Professional Development (CPPD). The module will enable students to critically analyse their continuing personal and professional development needs with a view to beginning the initial development of a Continuing Personal and Professional Development plan. The module will also enable students to develop strategies designed to foster and support practice learning and the learning needs of others. This module will further support the students ability to apply the findings of research and evidence with care environments.

• Transitions to Professional Practice

  During this module students spend 60% of their time in practice learning environemnts. The students will be encouraged to reflect on their clinical experience and evaluate their advanced nursing skills and discuss the evidence that underpins their care management decisions. By examining mentorship in the context of work placed learning, the module will offer an opportunity to recognise the role of a stage 1 mentor and will draw upon the student's work experiences to blend professional expectation and responsibilities with theoretical perspectives associated with the role. The module will be predominantly student led with tutors facilitating the learning process, encouraging individual students to identify strengths and areas for improvement. Students will feedback their reflective practice to the rest of the cohort using a range of blended learning approaches.

Optional

Fees & funding

If you are a UK or EU full-time undergraduate student, the NHS will pay the tuition fee for this course. You will not have to pay for the course yourself.

UK Students may be entitled to an NHS bursary.

Please note that in the event that you have to retake failed module(s) from a previous year (unconnected with adverse circumstances) you may have to 'step-off' the course until you have passed the module(s). In the event this happens, any NHS bursary you have been receiving will cease until you are in a position to resume the full-time course. In addition, you will be required to pay student tuition fees for retaking the failed module(s).

Find out more information on financial support arrangements for pre-registration health programmes.

University of Hertfordshire bursaries are not available for this course.

Discounts are available for International students if payment is made in full at registration

View detailed information about tuition fees

Other financial support

Find out more about other financial support available to UK and EU students

Living costs / accommodation

The University of Hertfordshire offers a great choice of student accommodation, on campus or nearby in the local area, to suit every student budget.

View detailed information about our accommodation

How to apply