Field Specific Handbook

(Adult)

ContentsPage Number

Introduction3

Field team philosophy3

Structure and organisation of the field4

Aim of the field5 - 8

-Level 4 modules

-Level 5 modules

-Level 6 modules

-European opportunities

Roles and responsibilities9 - 11

Student

Personal academic teacher (PAT)

Field lead

Module co-coordinator

Senior lecture-practice (SL-P)

Mentor in clinical practice

Student support12 - 15

Field team

About your studies

Services and facilities for students

Student support services

Centre for academic practice (CfAP)

Student union

Policies, guidelines & forms

NILE

Personal development planning – NUPAD

Library and IT

Teaching and Learning 16 - 21

Interprofessional learning

Cross field enhancement activities

Service user involvement

Clinical skills and simulation

European training requirements

Global health issues

Assessment22 - 24

Extensions

Mitigating circumstances

Plagiarism & academic misconduct

Confidentiality

Submission of course work

Results

Conclusion25

References26

Introduction

The course team would like to take this opportunity to congratulate you on gaining a place on the course at the University of Northampton (UoN) and extend our welcome to the field of nursing that focuses on the needs of adults. The field specific team hope you will enjoy your learning experience and personally find the course enriching and rewarding.

The BSc (Hons) Nursing award aims to produce a graduate who has key skills in leadership, management and team working, which will enable them to lead and work in partnership with patients and other members of health and social care teams to ensure the delivery of safe, evidence based care. Within this context the field team believe that each patient is a unique individual who participates actively within their own health care experience.

Nurses are fundamental to the management and delivery of high quality healthcare since they are significantly involved in most interventions, treatments or healthcare programmes (DH, 2010). The delivery of high quality care requires nurses to be appropriately educated and autonomous at the point of registration and beyond if the health needs of society are to be continually met.

Adult nursing is a discipline within its own right and the nurse will engage with the public within primary, community and secondary health settings, which may involve the patient’s own home, nursing homes and the acute/critical hospital environment.

Within these areas the nurse may also engage in the care of patients from the other nursing fields and midwifery. The theoretical and practice components of the course have therefore been designed to ensure the field specific nurse, at the point of registration, is able to confidently assess the needs of these client groups, plan a programme of care and make appropriate referral (NMC, 2010).

Field Team Philosophy

The philosophy underpinning the field specific pathway reflects the NMC Standards (2010) and the four identified domains.

We believe the delivery of nursing care should ensure that a patient-centred approach is used. The curriculum will achieve this by enabling the acquisition of competence through a developmental journey. The team define competence as a combination of skills, knowledge and attitudes that underpin care delivery by a nurse who is compassionate and empathetic. You will move from a participant in care, to one who is able to initiate and finally manage care. During this journey you will develop increasing autonomy and be able to justify care decisions to other health and social care professionals and patients. This will lead to a non-judgemental and empathic individual whose level of self-awareness results in an inclusive approach to the delivery and management of patient care.

The field team also believe that learning is a life-long process and that you will begin this journey within a preregistration programme where the field specific content aims to develop students who have excellent communication and interpersonal skills. These skills will enable you to form effective partnerships with practice partners, patients and their carers.

Structure and Organisation of the Field

The curriculum structure is underpinned by the belief that holistic, effective adult focused care requires knowledge from many inter-related disciplines (such as biosciences, psychology, sociology, professional bodies and ethics).

Contributions to development of the curriculum were made by students, service users, and academics, including senior lecturers with a practice focus, nursing staff, mentors and advanced practitioners.

Module teams were developed according to areas of expertise to ensure current and informed delivery.

During the development of the field specific curriculum, the team were conscious that the future field specific nurse would need to act autonomously within diverse and changing areas of practice with the ability to respond to planned and unexpected situations. With this in mind you will undertake a journey of development through the following levels:

Level 4 : PARTICIPATION

Participate in the delivery of identified plans of care

Level 5 : INITIATION

Recognise and initiate appropriate and timely interventions through discussions with a first level nurse

Level 6 : MANAGE AND LEAD

Manage care using appropriate leadership, time management and decision making skills which incorporate a sound evidence base and rationale

To facilitate your progress throughout these levels the field has utilised a modular framework. Within each level you will initially undertake a Preparation for practice modulefollowed bytheoretical and practice modules.

At level 4 two of the theoretical modules are shared across nursing fields and the third module along with the two practice learning opportunities (PLO’s) are field specific.

At levels 5 and 6 all modules (with the exception of the dissertation module) are field specific

Examples of health care environments that you may experience throughout your journey include:

  • Community – this includes non-bedded hospital environments, district nurse placements, nursing homes, prisons, urgent care centres, hospices
  • Hospital – this includes inpatient acute wards and critical care facilities.

In addition to these formal hubs you will be expected to negotiate informal spokes with your mentors (the concept of hubs and spokes will be explained to you). These areas will be related to your hub and enable to you gain additional knowledge and skills to enhance your delivery and management of holistic patient-focused care.

A ‘Hub’ is where a student is placed for the duration of their practice learning opportunity.

A ‘Spoke’ is an alternative location where you may be placed within that PLO for a short period of time to facilitate the attainment of specific learning outcomes.

Aim of the Field

To prepare adult nurses who are able to work flexibly within changing environments. Through effective leadership the adult nurse will be able to manage, organise and deliver care which has a sound evidence base

(NMC, 2010).

To achieve this you will be able to:

  • Work in partnership to ensure the rights and choices and wishes of all patients within your care are met
  • Demonstrate active listening skills in a caring and empathic manner
  • Understand the roles and responsibilities of other health and social care professionals, and work collaboratively to ensure the holistic needs of all patients are met
  • Accurately assess patients of all ages using appropriate diagnostic and decision-making skills. This will require an in-depth knowledge and understanding of the sciences and artistry of the field of nursing in order to ensure dependency and complex needs of patients are met
  • Co-ordinate patient care through the use of effective communication, teamwork and leadership skills

Brief module overviews:

Year 1 – Level 4

NPR1016 – Practice Development 1 – Pam Roke

The module will enable you to:

  • Participate in care delivery and consolidate safe participation in the delivery of essential skills

Assessment

Theoretical portfolio of evidence

NPR1015 -Development of Personal and Professional Self – Peter Stuart

The module will enable you to:

  • Acquire and develop the skills and attitudes needed to engage in undergraduate study
  • Explore the professional knowledge base required for undertaking your future nursing role

Assessment

Theoretical portfolio of evidence

NPR1020 - Patient-Centred Care in Adult Nursing - Dr Clency Meurier

The module will enable you to:

  • Develop the knowledge and understanding of bio-psychosocial processes which inform the delivery of adult nursing practice
  • Introduce and develop the related evidence and framework which underpin effective practice within adult nursing

Assessment

Essay & Exam

Year 2 - Level 5

NPR2057 – Practice Development 2 – Rosemarie Boyle

The module will enable you to:

  • Make the transition from a participant to an initiator of care

through the consolidation of essential skills

Assessment

Theoretical portfolio of evidence

NPR2056 – Applied Research in Public Health – Jacquie Ridge

This generic module will enable you to:

  • Explore the concept of the research process as a vehicle for developing knowledge, skills and professional curiosity to inform public health practice within your preferred nursig field

Assessment

Literature review (5000 words +/- 10%)

NPR2061 – Provision of Holistic Care–Fiona Barchard

The module will enable the you to:

  • Broaden your knowledge and understanding of disease and its associated trajectories
  • Explore the impact of disease on the provision of individualized, holistic and sensitive care for adults, their families and the wider health community

Assessment

Pathophysiology examination (2 hours) & Case history care plan (equivalent to 3,000 words)

NPR2062 – Organisation of Care – Marylyn Richardson

The module will enable you to:

  • Develop reflective and pro-active approaches to initiating nursing and social needs of individuals, communities and populations within a variety of care settings
  • To acquire a deeper understanding of the organisation of care across the primary/ secondary care interface and to apply this knowledge within the practice of adult nursing

Assessment

Debate

Year 3 – Level 6

NPR3027 – Practice Development 3 – Win Hughes

The module will enable you to:

  • Consolidate your skills in preparation for leading the delivery of

care in practice

  • Manage the transition to registered nurse

Assessment

Theoretical portfolio of evidence

NPR3032 – Complex Care in Adult Nursing Practice - David Bird

The module will enable you to:

  • Provide a broad and comprehensive skill and knowledge base to allow you to work effectively within a clinical team once registered
  • Develop your existing knowledge and skill base during the transition phase from student nurse to registered nurse

Assessment

3,000 word written assignment & Group presentation

NPR4003 – Practice Improvement Plan – Cindy O’Dell

The module will enable you to:

  • Utilize a previously approved project plan within practice to evaluate/ audit an existing service or standard of care
  • Develop a collaborative research partnership with colleagues in practice

Assessment

10,000 word plan of practice improvement

Practice Modules

Year 1 - Level 4 - NPR1017P – Nursing Practice 1 –Pam Roke

The module will enable you to:

  • Demonstrate that they have achieved the skills and professional behaviours identified at the first progression point by the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC 2010)
  • Demonstrate the ability to participate in holistically delivered patient-centred compassionate care in a wide range of settings.

Year 2 - Level 5 - NPR2058P – Nursing Practice 2 -Samantha Gray

The module will enable you to:

  • Demonstrate that they have achieved the skills and professional behaviours identified at the second progression point by the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC 2010).
  • Demonstrate the ability to initiate holistic patient-centred compassionate care in a wide range of settings.

Year 3 – Level 6 – NPR3028P – Nursing Practice 3 –Claire Clinker

The module will enable you to:

  • Demonstrate that they have achieved the competencies needed to meet the criteria for registration with the Nursing and Midwifery Council (2010).
  • Demonstrate management and leadership in the provision of care in a wide range of settings.

Assessment

Practice Portfolio/Ongoing Achievement Record

European Opportunities:

During your nurse training there may beopportunity for you to undertake a placement or partof a placement in a clinical setting abroad. One such opportunity is the European Nursing Module (ENM). This opportunity is designed to provide a structured framework for a European student exchange. Exchanges take place betweens students from the institutions that are members of the European Nursing Module Network for a two week period in March, May or October. This opportunity is most likely to be a possibility in your second year of nurse training. The details will be explained to you by the module co-ordinator in your first year and further information can be found on the NILE site: ‘INTEX: International placements’. The costs for this experience are kept to a minimum and in exceptional circumstances there are a limited number of grants available through the module, but you must be prepared to self fund.

The broad aims of the module are to develop:

- Your understanding, awareness and acceptance of the concept of culture, cultural differences and an awareness of your own cultural identity

-Your understanding of European and professional cultural issues, which will promote and enhance health care and to recognise the international dimension of professional nursing knowledge and health care including the influence of historical, philosophical, ethical, economic, political and professional factors on your own and others professional cultures

Roles and Responsibilities:

All aspects of student support require clearly defined roles and responsibilities, which have been outlined below:

Student:

As a student you have primary responsibility for your own learning and to make the appropriate people aware if you are experiencing difficulties. You also have responsibility to:

-Meet the theoretical and practical requirements of your programme along with assignment deadlines

-Behave in a professional manner at all times toward your profession and others – Student code (NMC,).

-Report and produce the required documentation for periods of sickness and absence.

-Complete module evaluations and contribute to the National student survey (NSS).

  • Engage and participate in the delivery of care across a 24 hour period as this is a professional requirement of the course. You will be expected to work a minimum of 100 hours of night duty, but no more than 200 hours, over the three year course. It is expected that 35-45 hours of this will take place in your third year.

The hours of night duty will be determined by the care required by patients within a given placement area.

Completion of these hours will be monitored by the Personal Academic Teacher.

The National Student Survey collects data on an annual basis and mainly focuses on final year undergraduates in the UK. It is your opportunity to give your opinions on what you liked about your time at the University, as well as things that you felt could have been improved.

The questions allow you to provide feedback on a range of items, including what you thought about the academic support you received during your studies and how you felt about the organisation and management of your course. There's also space at the end for any positive and/or negative comments you have about the whole experience. Were you satisfied with the way cancelled lectures were handled? What were your thoughts on the advice and support available through your course? Write it down and let the University know! The National Union of Students (NUS) fully supports the NSS and sees it as an opportunity for students to shape the future of higher education. During January, eligible students will be sent an invitation email to complete the survey by Ipsos MORI. Later non-respondents will be contacted by post or ultimately by telephone. You can also go to to complete the survey. You may opt out of the survey at any point during the fieldwork.

To find out more visit or contact the National Student Survey team at Ipsos MORI directly at .

Whilst undertaking your studies with the UoN you may wish to undertake the role and responsibilities of student representative for your cohort. The university offers training for this role and discussion will take place during course induction. You may also consult the Student union or Student services for further information and guidance

Overall the Student Representative has responsibility for:

-Identifying issues and needs of students within their cohort and informing relevant members of staff when appropriate (e.g. module co-ordinator, field leader)

-Attending relevant meetings (e.g. Board of Study) to act as the

‘student voice’ and give effective feedback of information to their

cohort

-Act as a central point for information and guidance

-Liaise with other student representatives and the Student union. (NILE site is available within the SoH to facilitate communication and contact)

Personal academic teacher(PAT):

You will be allocated a tutor, normally from your field of intended practice, whose role will be to support and guide you throughout your course. They will be responsible for overseeing both your academic and personal progress and they will act as an important source of advice, support and guidance. You will meet early in the first term and at specified intervals and mutually agreed times, throughout your course.

Your PAT will also liaise with your mentors and the practice placement facilitator(s) to action plan informal short visits and alternative field of nursing exposure visits. If areas of concern are raised your PAT will be responsible for addressing these with you and providing appropriate support, guidance and referral if required. They will also produce your end of course reference.

Your PAT will also be responsible for assessing and providing you with appropriate and timely feedback for the following modules:

- Year1, Level 4 - Role development

- Year 3, Level 6 - Dissertation

- Years 1-3, Levels 4,5,6 - Preparation for practice

Field lead: