MSc Nursing Studies (Learning Disabilities) Pre-registration

Course overview:

As a learning disabilities nurse you are an important member of a multi-professional team working in partnership with people with a learning disability and/or autism, family, relatives and carers with a range of complex needs. You are in a unique and privileged position and play a key role in assessing, planning, implementing and evaluating the wide-ranging care needs of people with a learning disability and their families. This requires hard work, commitment and excellent interpersonal skills.

During the course you develop the essential knowledge and nursing skills required to care for people and their families in a variety of diverse settings, including hospital and community care. During these placements you participate in shift work, including weekends and is innovative course prepares you to become a confident and competent skilled practitioner, capable of leading and managing the care of people and their families. It also helps you to become a resilient and future-ready nurse who holds strong professional values, is able to exercise clinical judgement, challenge inequality, champion diversity and uphold the integrity of the profession whilst delivering high quality, person-centred compassionate e course content reflects the changing and challenging nature of providing healthcare in the 21st century and the evolving and diverse role of the registered nurse.

How you are assessed:

A variety of assessment methods consider different learning styles including written assignments, presentations and timed exams. The assessments help you develop the transferable skills sought by managers within the NHS such as delivering presentations, developing a business case, designing and defending posters, and action plans, being able to engage in personal reflection and write for publication.

You demonstrate achievement of your practice learning outcomes through completion of a Practice Assessment Document. This document is mapped against the NMC Standards for Pre-registration Nursing (2018) and recognises the importance of skill development and knowledge in practice.

Essential proficiencies must be met for this course, they include:

• numerical calculations in relation to drug administration
• physical and manual dexterity to undertake clinical skills
• observational and auditory ability are needed to carry out holistic practical examinations and emergency care accurate interpretation of assessment data and written records, such as drug prescription charts and treatment plans, to inform clinical decision making
• keeping accurate and legible records.

Career opportunities:

A diverse range of career opportunities are available within the NHS and private sectors in the UK and overseas. This course provides a stepping stone from which you can develop your expertise. You have the opportunity to explore future career and academic development opportunities, including becoming an NMC professional registrant, plus possible progression to becoming a non-medical prescriber, an advanced practitioner, alumni member or graduate researcher. Progression to doctoral studies may also be considered on completion of the course.

The current employability rate is excellent for nursing graduates. To gain a higher grade and leadership posts within the nursing profession, registrants are required to be qualified to master’s level. This course therefore enables you to be future ready and highly employable. Completion of the course positions you and may inspire you to pursue an accelerated career pathway towards becoming a future leader, clinical expert or researcher within the nursing profession.