LEEDS BECKETT UNIVERSITY. Course Specification. BSc (Hons) Adult Nursing (BSANR and BSANH)

Transcription

1 LEEDS BECKETT UNIVERSIT Course Specification BSc (Hons) Adult Nursing (BSANR and BSANH)

2 Record of Enhancement No. Detail of modification (Provide a brief description of the modification and where the Course Specification has been updated) Date Effective (Indicate the academic year of entry and course level(s) to which the modification will apply) 2 Update to exam grading on the Skills modules , all levels Version Control Version Control Version number and date effective For completion by Quality Assurance Services only: Next Re-validation date

3 School of Health and Community Studies Award and programme title: BSc (Hons) ADULT NURSING Level of qualification: 6 Contained awards available Award Title Level BSC Adult Nursing 6 BSC Health Related Studies 6 without eligibility for registration with NMC DIPHE Health Related Studies 5 without eligibility for registration with NMC CRTHE Health Related Studies 4 without eligibility for registration with NMC Length and status of programme and mode of study: 3 years full-time at City Campus Course Specification Overview and Aims The philosophy underpinning the course reflects a vision of nursing and nurse education which has been developed through widespread discussion and engagement with a broad range of stakeholders. It has been developed within a framework of existing professional body principles and standards (NMC 2010, 2015) as well as future aspirations for the education and training of registered nurses (HEE 2015). The resulting philosophy places emphasis on the development of autonomous graduate practitioners who can demonstrate the required skills, knowledge and attitudes, values and technical abilities that underpin safe, effective and competent care. Values and beliefs underpinning nursing practice Nursing is a caring and compassionate activity where reciprocal relationships formed between nurses and people, foster and nurture hope to support whole-person care. Based upon principles of mutuality and empowerment, integrity, candour and trust, nursing focuses upon the co-production of health and well-being in a context sensitive manner. Nursing is collaborative and flexible in approach, recognising and supporting individuals and teams, to address the diversity of physical and mental health need across the lifespan, including end of life care. Nursing care is respectful, dignified, antidiscriminatory, effective and safe, and makes the needs of service users the first priority. Purpose of nursing practice Nurses are educated, knowledgeable practitioners who act with leadership and confidence to support people and their families through self-care or through the delivery and coordination of integrated care across the patient pathway. Nurses are good communicators who critically select and use their knowledge to effectively lead, manage and deliver packages of care which address an individual s health needs, choices and decision making. Nurses deliver excellent standards of evidence based care and wisely use

4 their professional judgement to make informed decisions in delegating and supervising fundamental aspects of care to others who are sufficiently trained. Nurses are expert clinicians who act as change agents and champion research and innovation into care. Learning culture to promote nursing practice Teaching and learning strategies engage students collaboratively in the production of knowledge to underpin nursing practice. High quality teaching from experienced staff and practitioners, is delivered in a manner which enables students to personalise their education and interests and takes account of the diversity of the student group. Emphasis is placed on nurturing active learning to develop students who are motivated and responsible for their progression through the course and career. Learning incorporates feed-forward and feedback approaches to foster student development as resilient, reflective and independent learners and practitioners. Student support is ethical, sustainable and developmental. Situated learning and mentoring across the course supports integration of theory and practice to enable the development of critical thinkers and practitioners capable of delivering therapeutic and professional practice (Lave & Wenger 1990). NMC Competencies and Domains The NMC Standards for Pre-registration Nurse Education (2010) identify four domains with associated generic and field specific standards for competence for adult nurses which are embedded throughout the course: 1. Professional Values: Adult nurses must be able at all times to promote the rights, choices and wishes of all adults and, where appropriate, children and young people, paying particular attention to equality, diversity and the needs of an ageing population. They must be able to work in partnership to address people s needs in all healthcare settings. 2. Communication and Interpersonal Skills: Adult nurses must demonstrate the ability to listen with empathy. They must be able to respond warmly and positively to people of all ages who may be anxious, distressed or facing problems with their health and wellbeing. 3. Nursing Practice and Decision-making: Adult nurses must be able to carry out accurate assessments of people of all ages using appropriate diagnostic and decision-making skills. They must be able to provide effective care for service users and others in all settings. They must have in-depth understanding of and competence in medical and surgical nursing to respond to adults full range of health and dependency needs. They must be able to deliver care to meet the essential and complex physical and mental health needs. 4. Leadership, Management and Team working: Adult nurses must be able to provide leadership in managing adult nursing care, understand and co-ordinate interprofessional care when needed and liaise with specialist teams. They must be adaptable and flexible and able to take a lead in responding to the needs of all people in a variety of situations, including when

5 immediate or urgent care is needed. They must recognise their leadership role in disaster management, major incidents and public health emergencies and respond appropriately to their levels of competence. The course learning outcomes, level learning outcomes and modules are aligned to these four NMC (2010) domains and standards for competencies as well as reflecting the NMC Progression points and a specific focus on Health and Wellbeing. Learning, teaching and assessment from these areas are arranged into six module streams of learning across the three years of the course. Course Learning Outcomes 1 Articulate and demonstrate safe, effective practice recognising the parity of mental health and physical health and will have achieved the standards for competence for entry to the Nursing and Midwifery Council register as an Adult nurse. 2 Understand the complexity of influences that impact on a person s health and wellbeing and be able to identify and work with people to select evidence based solutions to care, reflecting on the impact on health and wellbeing and adapting future practice accordingly. 3 Critically analyse the impact of health policy, on individuals, locally, internationally and globally. 4 Use skills of leadership, management, collaborative decision making, critical reflection and critically appraise evidence to plan, deliver and evaluate packages of care. 5 Use a variety of communication and coaching skills to engage, work collaboratively with and disengage therapeutically from service users and carers and demonstrate critical self-awareness, autonomy and enterprise while working both independently and within teams, contributing to the development of other nurses and healthcare professionals. 6 Work as autonomous, accountable practitioners, nursing within an ethical, professional and legal framework, recognising and responding to the diverse needs of individuals and populations.

6 Course Structure Course Structure Full-time, September start date All modules are 20 credits except for the extended study module which is 40 credits. Level 4 Semester 1 Following the course induction, two modules are delivered, Academic Learning for Nursing Practice and Developing Professional Awareness, alongside the first half of the Skills for Practice module. These modules provide the nursing student with the fundamental knowledge required to participate in effective practice learning commensurate with level 4 study and expectations of first stage nursing students. Following a period of preparation for practice integrated in the Skills Module, the students start their first placement experience mid-semester, continuing module teaching and learning while on placement, supporting the development of reflective practice and study skills. Assessments at the end of this placement enable the application of theory to practice. Semester 2 Students complete the Skills for Practice module and undertake modules in Communication, Applied Biological Sciences 1 and Nursing for Health. It is anticipated that following practice learning in semester 1 students have the appropriate experiences to be able to relate the content of these modules to the broader context of the determinants of healthcare delivery. All these modules are shared delivery, where both adult and mental health nursing students learn together; module leaders have ensured that the content is equally weighted with examples for each field of practice and assessment load balanced across the year. Semester 1 Core () Semester 2 Core () Skills For Practice Adult Nursing Academic Learning for Nursing Communication for Practice Developing Professional Awareness: Law and Ethics in the Professional Context Nursing Practice Applied Biological Sciences in Nursing Practice 1 Nursing for Health Level 5 Semester 1 Two modules are delivered, Academic Learning for Nursing Practice and Applied Biological Sciences 2. Students also study the first part of the Skills for Practice module which is field specific for adult nursing, supporting professional preparation for practice and addressing field specific competencies pertinent to the adult field of practice. Applied Biological Sciences 2 is shared delivery, ensuring that adult nurses and mental health nurses have the knowledge to meet the essential mental and physical health needs of people of all ages and conditions as well as their own field of practice (NMC 2010 p7). Semester 2 Three modules Applied Biological Science 3, Nursing for Health and Communication are delivered. These modules again build upon the depth of knowledge already gained and

7 also prepare those nursing students who may want to undertake an experience abroad at the end of level 5. Students also complete the Skills for Practice module. Assessment load is balanced across the year and assessments are field specific in some shared modules ensuring students demonstrate Progression point 2 requirements (NMC 2010). Semester 1 Core () Semester 2 Core () Skills for Practice Adult Nursing Academic Learning for Nursing Communication for Nursing Practice Practice Adult Nursing Applied Biological Sciences in Applied Biological Sciences in Nursing Practice 2 Nursing Practice 3 Nursing for Health Level 6 At level 6 the delivery of all modules has to be completed before students commence the final placement of at least 12 continuous weeks (NMC 2010 R5.3.4). As a result of this statutory body requirement, modules do not fit into the standard semesters. Level 6 modules are therefore delivered with three modules starting at the start of semester one: Skills for Practice, Introduction to Non-Medical Prescribing and Nursing for Health, and the remaining two modules Leadership, Change Management and Enterprise and Developing Professional Awareness having a staggered start in semester one. The module Developing Professional Awareness includes professional development and preparation for employment, ensuring nursing students feel confident to undertake their final placement and to apply for their first posts. During the final continuous practice learning experience students are allocated one day per week to work on their extended study (Leadership, Change Management and Enterprise) and during this time each student have the opportunity to meet with their extended study module action learning sets and the facilitator for continuous academic support. The final placement is assessed by an experienced sign-off mentor. Semester 1 Core () Semester 2 Core () Skills for Practice Adult Nursing Introduction to Non-Medical Prescribing Developing Professional Awareness: Reflecting on Professional, Ethical and Inter- Professional Practice in Preparation for Registration Nursing for Health Leadership, Change Management and Enterprise

8 Learning and Teaching Details relating to contact hours and other key information sets (KIS) are available on the course page of our Online Prospectus on our website. Learning and Teaching Approaches The learning and teaching throughout the course has a student-centred emphasis, with the programme offering students a wide variety of methods of delivery. These reflect the pedagogical philosophies underpinning the concept of applied learning and range from the traditional lecture and seminar based approach to more creative student-centred and problem solving approaches, building on existing strengths and practices. These modes of delivery include: situated learning (Lave and Wenger 1991), experiential learning, e- learning, problem-based learning (Andrew and Jones, 1996), laboratory based learning and learning using simulation. Situated learning is particularly useful in preparing students for professional practice as it provides the forum for deconstructing the skills into those that are necessarily needed in the given context, allowing for development of specific skills and cognitive abilities essential for the education of professional practitioners. Similarly, problem-based learning helps to develop practitioners who can use decision-making skills to inform professional practice and maintains the applied learning focus. Students are central to the learning process in problem-solving approaches and the approach helps to develop a questioning and reflective approach to situations and understanding. The programme retains a strong focus on practice support teaching providing integration of theory and practice and fostering a reflective approach to learning. This is supported through the use of an e- portfolio to enable students to reflect on and critique their practice experiences in a safe environment. E-learning provides students with an opportunity to develop skills within the important medium of IT, essential for preparation for practice within the technological environment of the current and developing health and social care arena. E-learning has been successfully developed within the existing provision and the new programme builds on these developments to equip students with the skills and confidence to work effectively in an ever-changing environment. The e-learning allows students to access materials when they need them and in a variety of ways which supports their development. There are integrated activities that link learning in the University with learning on placement and at home, e.g., the medication calculations learning package. Inter-professional learning (IPL) is essential to prepare practitioners for working in partnership with members of the multi-disciplinary team within and across sectors of health and social care. Thus students are provided with opportunities for shared learning and reflection with other health and social care students across the School throughout the programme of study. In addition, in keeping with the patient and public involvement agenda, there is a strong focus on working with users and carers and valuing their narratives and experiences.

9 Third year students attend multi-disciplinary workshops sharing learning with health, medical and social work students as extra-curricular activities. These interactive workshops are designed to develop student's communication and team-working skills by using focused case studies. Workshops include: asking difficult questions, autism and child health, breaking bad news, living with diabetes, living with stroke and post-natal depression. Students are able to discuss strategies for dealing with the situation successfully and have the opportunity to practice working with simulated patients. The course and students benefit from the valuable input from practitioners from our local Trusts by ensuring content reflects any specific local policy drivers, building relationships with students and staff, and sharing University initiatives and changes with practice. The Biosciences modules are an example of this collaborative teaching approach. The course has increased and strengthened the involvement of service users and carers (SUCs) across all areas. Starting with the design of the curriculum and including recruitment, teaching learning and assessment processes. Course initiatives include Talking Books sessions, service users facilitating Dementia friends sessions and being involved in group assessments, presentations and debates. SUCs are now an integral part of every IPL day across all levels of the course. Ongoing training is provided for our SUCs in order to ensure a quality student experience and evaluations received from students have confirmed these changes have been very well received. Learning and Teaching Activities Learning and teaching activities include lectures, seminars, practice support, simulated learning, online quizzes and e-learning modules and activities. There is a course level overview of learning and teaching which ensures that there is balance across the year and progression throughout the course. There is a focus on encouraging increasing independence and advancing skills, taking account of different preferences, learning styles and disabilities. The use of formative assessment is embedded across modules to maximise learning and formative assessment is also structured across the course to support students development of specific academic skill sets such as academic integrity, reflection, case study writing and reports. Graduate Attributes The University is committed to ensuring undergraduate students develop skills which are valued and sought after in the workplace. The three areas of Digital Literacy, Enterprise and Global Outlook provide key transferrable skills and are embedded in this course. Digital literacy Throughout the three years of the course students will build on their digital literacy skills. Pre-entry students use a Google social networking site to engage with other students and access resources to support their transition. At the start of the course, all students

10 undertake a QuickScan test to identify their individual learning styles and any learning support requirements. Formative and summative assessments have been designed to progressively develop student digital literacy skills throughout the course. Students engage with digital tools to search for information, and evaluate and present information for PowerPoint, video and poster presentations. Students are supported at level 6, to develop skills in critically appraising literature from a variety of sources. The use of the VLE is integrated throughout the course with structured learning activities to support face-to-face teaching and learning. Students work online to practise clinical calculations, and complete clinical skills assessments on an e-learning platform. Health Education orkshire and the Humber have shared e-learning modules which have been embedded across all three years of the course to enhance self-directed learning. In the final year of the course, students complete an online clinical calculations exam (Skills for Practice) demonstrating complex drug administration and are assessed in their use of IT systems in practice. Nursing students are required to access and maintain patient data using a range of software and devices. The course uses online packages such as Elsevier.com and Safemedicate which replicate authentic drug calculations and practical skills activities in a virtual setting. In accordance with the University s policy, Turnitin is used within all level 4 modules as a developmental tool for students to appraise their work prior to final assessment and reduce the risk of plagiarism. The course team use Turnitin also in relevant level 5 and 6 modules and students have a briefing session on its use from the Learning Systems Team. An emphasis is placed on information governance throughout the course by the Department of Health and placement providers. Students must complete an annual online assessment before they can safely access patient data systems whilst on placement. Nursing students are provided with clear NMC guidance on the use of social networking. Professional development planning and skills development is integrated throughout the course by use of an assessed PebblePad e-portfolio, which along with the VLE, provides a focus for formative development throughout the course. Being Enterprising The nature of nursing courses requiring students meet certain standards ensures that these attributes are embedded. In particular the curriculum ensures that a reflective approach is used in assessment and learning. Specifically the Academic Learning for Nursing Practice modules give students the opportunity to practise giving and receiving feedback and develop self-awareness and team working skills. In the level 6 Leadership, Change Management and Enterprise module, students identify an area of practice that they would change having evaluated evidence that would support such a change in practice.

11 The course team are mindful that whilst the majority of students will seek employment within the healthcare sector, some may wish to transfer their skills and knowledge into different employment opportunities. Throughout the course, we specifically address employability skills and how students can optimise their employability through CV development and mock interviews. These sessions are supported by practitioners and the University Careers Team. The Developing Professional Awareness module at level 6 embeds development of enterprising skills within an interprofessional learning environment. Global outlook The nursing course has embedded cross-cultural capability and global perspectives throughout the three years. The NMC (2010) requires that nursing students must be accepting of different cultural traditions and beliefs, demonstrate respect for diversity and individual preference, and value difference regardless of personal view. A number of modules address the global outlook attribute including all three years of Skills for Practice and the Communication modules at level 4 and 5. In recognition of the impact of globalisation on healthcare and its delivery, students receive specific input on WHO health priorities and debate the impact of international health policy on human rights, unexpected health risks and culture in the level 6 extended study module. Furthermore. students have an opportunity to volunteer overseas during the course. Use of the Virtual Learning Environment Students are introduced to the virtual learning environment, MyBeckett, at induction and it is integrated throughout the course to support all structured and guided academic activity. Independent study and learning is also facilitated through the VLE with a range of interactive resources and links to professional and academic materials and sites. Examples include: Virtual discussion areas in the Leadership and Change Management module for students to share questions with the group and receive feedback from the module team. Online submissions for all level 4 modules via Turnitin or PebblePad. Use of Blended-Learning Blended learning is prominent throughout the course. A particular example is the Skills for Practice Modules, where lectures and practicals are supported by the use of online clinical skills resources from Elsevier. These include videos and formative tests with feedback. Students are encouraged to submit draft work for modules electronically via Turnitin. All level 4 modules use online submission of summative work with students receiving feedback via the same method.

12 Student Support Network If you have a question or a problem relating to your course, your Course Administrator is there to help you. Course Administrators works closely with academic staff and can make referrals to teaching staff or to specialist professional services as appropriate. They can give you a confirmation of attendance letter, and a transcript. ou may also like to contact your Course Rep or the Students Union Advice team for additional support with course-related questions. If you have any questions about life at our University in general, call into or contact the Student Hub on either campus to speak to our Student Experience Team. This team, consisting of recent graduates and permanent staff, are available to support you throughout your time here. They will make sure you have access to and are aware of the support, specialist services, and opportunities our University provides. There is a Student Hub on the ground floor of the Rose Bowl at City Campus and one in Campus Central at Headingley. ou can also find the team in the Gateway in the Leslie Silver Building at City Campus. The telephone number is , and the address is StudentHub@leedsbeckett.ac.uk. Within MyBeckett you will see two tabs (Support and Opportunities) where you can find online information and resources for yourselves. The Support tab gives you access to details of services available to give you academic and personal support. These include Library Services, the Students Union, Money advice, Disability advice and support, Wellbeing, International Student Services and Accommodation. There is also an A-Z of Support Services, and access to online appointments/registration. The Opportunities tab is the place to explore the options you have for jobs, work placements, volunteering, and a wide range of other opportunities. For example, you can find out here how to get help with your CV, prepare for an interview, get a part-time job or voluntary role, take part in an international project, or join societies closer to home.

13 Assessment Strategy The principle of applied learning is central to the philosophy of the University, where learning is grounded within experience and practice. Nursing is ideally placed to facilitate education using this approach, aiming to develop practitioners who can apply theoretical principles and concepts within a range of clinical environments and who can effectively contribute to the workforce requirements of the health and social care arena. The assessment strategies have been developed in line with the University s Education Strategy,the University s Taxonomy of Assessment Domains and the Standards for pre-registration nursing education (NMC, 2010), as well as building on existing strengths and good practice. The Course learning outcomes have also been developed using the University s Taxonomy of Assessment Domains and the course learning outcomes are met in a progressive degree at each level of the course. The assessment strategies of the course embrace a student-centred caring philosophy and are designed around the principles of progressive and lifelong learning and transferability of skills. The use of an e-portfolio across the course is used to gather evidence of this progressive personal and professional learning throughout the course and a range of assessments have been used to provide a balance throughout. The course has been designed on streams of modules starting in level 4 and building to level 6 where themes and concepts are revisited and examined in more depth in keeping with the philosophy of a spiral curriculum (Harden and Stamper 1999). At level 4 concepts, theories and knowledge, learning and practice skills are developed within discrete modules. This lays the foundations for progression to deeper level knowledge in level 5 which moves to greater understanding of the inter-relatedness of concepts and theories and skills in the development of cognitive and problem solving skills. At level 6 the focus is on the development of higher level critical and analytical skills, synthesising and applying knowledge in more complex situations. Throughout the course, the emphasis is on the student as an independent learner, equipping them with the skills for reflective practice and academia in order to be proactive contributors to a complex and dynamic health and social care environment. Where appropriate nursing students are engaged in shared assessments with other students on health related courses and with service users and carers. Each module dedicates a session to assessment preparation and support. Feedback on Assessed Coursework In the first weeks of level 4, as part of the Academic Learning for Nursing Practice module, students are coached in understanding feedback, the different types of feedback, what they can expect from feedback, how to receive and give feedback and what to do with their feedback.

14 Using a variety of methods including playing games students are encouraged to view feedback as on-going to enhance their professional as well as academic progress. First year students receive early feedback from their mentors in practice on their performance during semester one. This forms part of their summative assessment for the Skills for Practice module. Students can expect to receive feedback four weeks after submission of a summative assessment. The form of feedback will be varied, this may be written comments, written comments plus a grade, verbal, feedback as part of online discussions. The module handbooks give specific details relating to when and what type of feedback students can expect for a given module. Module Assessment Methods Assessment Method Mapping/ weightings Core () Practical Skills Assessment Module Titles Level 4 Academic Learning for Nursing Practice L4 Applied Biological Sciences in Nursing Practice 1 L4 Communication for Nursing Practice L4 Developing Professional Awareness: Law and Ethics in the Professional Context L4 Nursing for Health L4 Skills for Practice Adult Nursing L4 Level 5 Academic Learning for Nursing Practice L5 Applied Biological Sciences in Nursing Practice 2 L5 Applied Biological Sciences in Nursing Practice 3 L5 Communication for Nursing Practice Adult Nursing L5 Nursing for Health L5 Skills for Practice Adult Nursing L5 Level 6 Developing Professional Awareness: Reflecting on Professional, Ethical and Inter- Professional Practice in Preparation for Registration L6 Portfolio Examination Essay Case study Poster Introduction to Non-Medical Prescribing L6 Nursing for Health L6 Skills for Practice Adult Nursing L6 Leadership, Change Management and Enterprise L6 ( Presentation Final project

15 Employability and Professional Context We have an excellent employability record (with 100% of our students showing as in work or study in recent Destination of Leavers from Higher Education (DLHE) statistics). This compares favourably to other HEIs. Students exiting this course have successfully gained employment within the NHS in acute hospital settings and community settings; the private and voluntary sector; the armed forces; and both within and outside of the EU. The EU Directives (Article 31 of 2005/36/EC) state that Training of nurses responsible for general care shall be given on a full-time basis and therefore only students completing the full-time course will meet these requirements for work within the EU. Students may wish to continue onto a Master s course at Leeds Beckett or other HEIs, in specialist nursing courses such as Health Visiting, School Nursing, Occupational Health Nursing, Practice Nursing or District Nursing. For the occasional student who does not achieve the standards required for professional registration, the employability strand running through the programme and individual personal guidance provided by the Careers Advisers ensure students are able to identify transferrable skills and apply these to other career routes. Within the School, the course team, the Practice Learning and Employability Unit (PLEU) and careers service work in conjunction with each other to ensure that students are prepared for placement and work related learning (WRL) experiences and that they are matched to experiences that are a good fit with their skills and/or chosen vocation. A dedicated team of PLEU placement officers work with the course teams to source potential placements and WRL well in advance of the start date and allocate these opportunities appropriately to individual students taking into account any NMC requirements. All students are encouraged to go through a process of personal development and skills analysis before embarking on a placement and reflect critically on their return on how their experiences have enhanced their development. Additionally, students are signposted to a variety of volunteering opportunities available through the Students Union and the placement unit which enable them to gain further work related learning and employability skills. Students also have access to the careers service and online employability resources which help to prepare them for job applications and interviews and critically evaluate their employment prospects and identify potential opportunities. Work-Related Activities All nursing students gain experience in a variety of environments where healthcare is delivered. This may include acute hospital placements, community placements, and placements in GP surgeries, voluntary and private organisations.

16 All students are required to complete 2300 hours of practice related experience during the course, divided approximately equally across the three years for the full time route. Students in each year of the programme have an option to arrange their own placements in addition to their University managed practice experiences. This exceeds the University s recommendation for a two week volunteering placement during the course and enables students to be employable in careers other than nursing. Evidence of this is documented in the student portfolio. Placement or Work-Related Activity Level Placement takes place across all levels, (4, 5 and 6) in accordance with the Nursing and Midwifery Council requirements. Placement or Work-Related Activity Length in Weeks This will be variable. Students will receive an annual planner detailing the weeks and days they may be in practice and University. Students on nursing courses must complete 2300 hours of practice experience. The programme also includes simulated learning in accordance with NMC guidelines. Type of Placement or Work-Related Activity Nursing students will receive a variety of experiences in keeping with the requirements for registration (NMC 2010). Reference Points used in course design and delivery All our courses leading to Leeds Beckett University awards have been designed and approved in accordance with UK and European quality standards. Our courses utilise the Frameworks for Higher Education Qualifications (FHEQ) and relevant subject benchmarks (where these are available) and professional, statutory and regulatory body requirements (for professionally accredited courses). We review our courses annually and periodically, responding to student feedback and a range of information to enhance our courses. Our University is also subject to external review by the Quality Assurance Agency. Our latest report can be found on the QAA website at We appoint External Examiners to verify that our University sets and maintains standards for awards which adhere to relevant national subject benchmark statements and the FHEQ (UK), ensure standards and student achievements are comparable with other Higher Education Institutions in the UK, with which they are familiar, and ensure that assessments measure achievement of course and module learning outcomes and reach the required standard. External Examiners may also provide feedback on areas of good practice or potential enhancement.

17 Regulatory Exemption details The course follows the Academic Principles and Regulations except where noted below. Fitness to Practise The course is authorised to use the Fitness to Practise Policy: ACADEMIC REGULATIONS EXEMPTIONS Limits on Recognition of Prior Learning All RPL procedures are in accordance with the Regulations and the NMC Standards (NMC 2010 R3.5.2 R3.5.6), which stipulate that programmes must have processes in place to allow applicants the opportunity for RPL. The exemption is for the limit of RPL. The NMC (R3.5.2) will permit recognition of prior learning up to 50% of the programme where the applicant is able to demonstrate relevant prior learning to the satisfaction of the University and in accordance with the NMC s requirements and guidance on RPL. In accordance with the NMC standards (2010) applicants will be able to claim RPL in theory and practice when starting the course, transferring from another university, moving from one nursing field to another or returning to a course after a substantial break. Threshold pass All components of assessments must be passed at 40% or a pass for pass/fail marking to pass a module. Pass/Fail marking is required for the following assessments where it is not possible to give a numeric mark due to the type of assessment. Some of the examinations have a pass mark higher than 40% as noted below. Module L4 Academic Learning for Nursing Practice L4 Skills for Practice Adult Nursing L5 Academic Learning for Nursing Practice L5 Skills for Practice Adult Nursing L6 Developing Professional Awareness L6 Skills for Practice Adult Nursing Pass/fail assessment details and pass marks Inter-Professional Learning group assessment (poster) Practice Experience Calculation Exam (pass mark 80%) grade mark Inter-Professional Learning group assessment (poster) Practice Experience Calculation Exam (pass mark 80%) grade mark Inter-Professional Learning group assessment (poster) Practice Experience Online Calculation Exam (pass mark 100%) grade mark All assessments must be passed to progress and achieve the target awards All components of assessments must be passed to pass a module and all modules must be passed to progress and to achieve the award, as detailed below: Progression requirements and profile of achievement All components of assessments and modules must be passed at 40% (numeric marking) or passed (pass/fail marking) at level 4 and level 5 to progress to the next level.

18 Achievement of an award of the University, Bachelor degrees with Honours All components of assessments and modules must be passed at 40% (numeric marking) or passed (pass/fail marking) at level 6 to achieve the bachelor degree with honours. Reassessment of practice experience in the Skills for Practice module A nursing student may fail one practice experience only across the whole course. A recovery opportunity will be provided in the same academic year if this fail takes place in semester one. If the fail takes place in semester two, then wherever possible students will have a recovery opportunity provided before the end of the academic year. In exceptional circumstances, this may be arranged to be completed within 12 weeks of the student commencing the next academic year. The 12-week period includes holidays and any absences. Reasonable adjustments may be applied for nursing students with a disability (NMC 2010 R3.10.2). If the fail occurs at final placement, a recovery opportunity of a minimum of 12 weeks placement will be provided to meet NMC (2010) requirements. A nursing student failing two assessed practice experiences across the whole course will be deemed to have failed the course and a recommendation will made to the Board of Examiners to withdraw the student from the course. This is to ensure the safety and wellbeing of service users, (NMC 2010, Standard 1) and is supported by our practice partners and stakeholders. The opportunity to recover a failed placement is therefore allowed only once during the course. Attendance The courses stipulates 100% attendance in order to meet the NMC defined practice and theory hours. Nursing students must follow the absence procedure in their Course Handbook where full details are provided for how absence is managed for both taught and practice hours. Extenuating circumstances and mitigation The courses do not permit mitigation against a fail or non-attendance in practice to ensure to ensure patient and public safety. Nursing students experiencing difficulties that may affect their performance in practice learning must withdraw themselves from placement and seek support from the course team. Contained awards BSc Adult Nursing and BSc Mental Health Nursing contained awards These contained awards (ordinary degrees) allow for eligibility for NMC registration and therefore students must demonstrate that they have met the same Standards for Competence as for the target award. All previous exemptions apply plus all modules and components of assessments at level 6 are to be passed at 40% or passed (for pass/fail marking) with the exception of the 40 credit extended study module, Leadership, Change Management and Enterprise, for which a mark of 30%-39% is allowed.

19 CertHE, DipHE and BSc Health Related Studies contained awards These contained awards are awarded in line with the Academic Regulations. These contained awards cannot not be linked to a named nursing course. Students who leave the course early or fail to demonstrate that they have met the standards for competence in Adult Nursing or Mental Health Nursing (NMC 2010) will be provided with a transcript of their achievements in both theory and practice (NMC 2010 R3.9.3) detailing the academic level and number of academic credit points obtained. Achievement of credit and notional study hours The placement hours have been included in the Skills for Practice modules, resulting in these 20 credit modules having more than 200 notional study hours details below. STUDENT CALENDAR EXEMPTIONS Exemption from the standard delivery calendar to accommodate placements and theory which must be delivered to underpin placements. For L6 of the course, all the modules are delivered in a non-standard pattern, all starting at two periods in semester 1. At level 6 the delivery of all modules has to be complete before students commence a final placement of at least 12 continuous weeks (NMC 2010 R5.3.4). As a result modules do not fit into the standard semesters. The courses are scheduled over 45 weeks with 7 weeks holiday. This is to accommodate professional course content and placements. Variable assessment periods, outside of the standard examination periods defined practice and theory hours: students are required to complete 2300 hours of practice related experience during the course and these hours have been divided approximately equally across the three years in the Skills for Practice modules, resulting in these 20 credit module exceeding 200 notional hours (hours are evidenced in the Practice Experiences assessment): Module Hours L4 Skills for Practice Adult Nursing Total notional hours for the module: 859 (includes 711 practice hours) L5 Skills for Practice Adult Nursing Total notional hours for the module: 951 (includes 803 practice hours) L6 Skills for Practice Adult Nursing Total notional hours for the module: 928 (includes 786 practice hours)