Nursing - Professional Nursing - Children & Young People

Overview
The MSc Professional Nursing programme will enable you to graduate with a Masters and you will be eligible to register with the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) as a Children's Nurse.

This course will equip student nurses with the knowledge, skills and attributes to ensure care is child, young person and family centred whilst working with other professionals and agencies across contexts.

Taught by experts in their field, students will quickly gain skills and competencies to allow them to become confident, competent and safe practitioners, capable of advanced careers in their chosen profession.

You will learn in our state-of-the-art clinical skills and simulation suite and complete practice placements in a range of settings including hospital wards and community settings.

Our focus on interdisciplinary learning throughout the two year course will enrich your experience and help prepare you for the reality of professional practice.

Following the issue of guidance at the Department of Health, the tuition fee for this course may be fully funded by the Department of Health for students who have been habitually resident in Northern Ireland for three years prior to the commencement of the course, and students from the Republic of Ireland (excluding England, Scotland, Wales and the EU). Students on this programme are ineligible to apply for funding from the Student Loans Company. The programme is not available as a part time programme.

If you have previously commenced or completed a DoH paid place/bursary for a pre-registration nursing, midwifery or AHP course in Northern Ireland you may not be eligible for a funded place on this programme.

In 2023 we are unable to offer this programme to students who are not eligible for a funded place, which will include GB and overseas students.

Learning and Teaching
At Queen's, we aim to deliver a high quality learning environment that embeds intellectual curiosity, innovation and best practice in learning, teaching and student support to enable student to achieve their full academic potential.

On the MSc Professional Nursing we do this by providing a range of learning experiences which enable our students to engage with subject experts, develop attributes and perspectives that will equip them for life and work in a global society and make use of innovative technologies and a world class library that enhances their development as independent, lifelong learners. Examples of the opportunities provided for learning on this course are:

E-Learning technologies
Information associated with lectures and assignments is often communicated via a Virtual Learning Environment (VLE) called Canvas. A range of e-learning experiences are also embedded in the degree through, for example: interactive group workshops in a flexible learning space, podcasts and interactive web-based learning activities.

Lectures
Introduce information about new topics as a starting point for further self-directed private study/reading. Lectures also provide opportunities to ask questions, gain some feedback and advice on assessments (normally delivered in large groups to all year group peers)

Personal Tutor
Students are allocated a Personal Tutor who meets with them on several occasions during each year to support their academic development.

Practical and Simulation Based Education
Where you will have opportunities to develop technical skills and apply theoretical principles to real-life or practical contexts in our ground-breaking simulation centre. All nursing students have opportunities to engage in interprofessional education (IPE) activities. You will be expected to attend 100% of classes within your nursing modules.

Self-directed study
This is an essential part of life as a Queen's student when important private reading, engagement with e-learning resources, reflection on feedback to date and research work for assignments is carried out.

Seminars/tutorials/workshops
Significant amounts of teaching are carried out in small groups (typically 10-20 students). These provide an opportunity for students to engage with academic staff who have specialist knowledge of the topic, to ask questions of them and to assess your own progress and understanding with the support of peers. You should also expect to make presentations and other contributions to these groups

Work Practice placements
Students will undertake clinical placements regularly throughout the programme. This enhances the link from theory to practice in nursing and provides students with a wide variety of opportunities and experiences in all fields of nursing. It is an essential component of the programme, ensuring that the student has sufficient opportunities to develop skill and competence in care provision and decision making, meeting the requirements for professional registration with the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC 2020).

Placements in Children's Nursing can be anywhere in Northern Ireland; students should expect to travel to placements. When on placements every student is assigned a practice supervisor and assessor, who are trained in teaching within the clinical setting. Students should expect to work night shifts and/or long days on a regular basis while on placement

Course Structure
The two year programme will comprise of 50% academic modules and 50% in practice learning. All modules are listed below

Academic Modules
Students will be required to complete all compulsory modules, plus a Placement Portfolio to successfully complete this programme.

Applied Life Science
Students will develop confidence in bioscience knowledge, competence in integrating biosciences in evidence informed clinical decision making and care, and communication with multiprofessional teams and patients.

Complex and High Dependency Care of Infants, Children and Young People Promoting Mental Well Being
Students will be equipped with advanced knowledge and skills required to meet the challenges in delivering person centred care across acute and community contexts for people with specialist and complex needs.

Developing Leadership and Professionalism
Students will demonstrate positive knowledge, skills, attitudes and values in leading and managing care in a diverse health and social care system. This will be achieved through the following themes: leadership and management; principles of supervision and assessment in practice and professional values.

Essential Pharmacology
Students will recognise the journey of a prescription from the assessment process with the patient, to prescribing partnership, supply, storage, dispensing and administration of that medication. They will gain an understanding of the families of drugs applied across the lifespan, consider the therapeutic and adverse effects of those medications and identify factors that could modify patients' responses to medication.

Foundations of Children's and Young People's (CYP) Nursing Students will critically analyse the fundamental underpinnings of CYP nursing, including the principles of child and family centred care and of health assessment appropriate to the chronological age and development stage of the infant, child or young person.

Practice Learning 1 and 2 Children and Young People's Nursing Students will demonstrate practical knowledge and skills to care for infants, children and young people with an acute/chronic illness and/ or complex and high dependency care. This will include child and family centred assessment and care appropriate to the chronological age and development stage of the infant, child or young person including safeguarding; recognition of deterioration and escalation of care, multidisciplinary teamwork and communication.

Professionalism, Caring and Communication in Nursing
This module will cover the essential knowledge, skills, attitudes and behaviours required to demonstrate accountability by nurses in all care settings. This includes: introduction to the four fields of nursing; person-centred care; values based nursing care; understanding wellness; compassion, empathy; ensuring equality and diversity is respected across vulnerable populations.

Public Health and Supporting People with Chronic Health Care Needs Students will explore how health is conceptualised locally and globally. They will demonstrate understanding of the role of public health in maintaining the health of individuals and communities including vulnerable populations with specific health needs.

Quality Improvement in an Interprofessional Context (parts A and B) Students will demonstrate the skills to lead, facilitate and disseminate a Quality Improvement project to promote the embedding of outcomes as part of an interprofessional team. Students will work with practice to identify a QI project, plan, implement all aspects of the project, analyse the data and report/ disseminate the findings. This will form a 15,000 word dissertation

Safe Medicate 2 and 3
These are online modules that equip students with numeracy and problem solving skills that underpin medication dosage calculations moving on to more complex field specific scenarios preparing students for safe clinical practice as they prepare for entry to the register. These modules need to be passed at 100%.

Graduate
All applicants must normally have a minimum of 5 GCSEs at grade C/4 to include English Language or an equivalent qualification acceptable to the University, Mathematics and a Science subject (i.e. Biology/Human Biology, Chemistry, Physics, Double Award Science or Single Award Science). GCSE Applied Science is not acceptable in lieu of GCSE Science. (Qualified nurses and midwives may be considered to have met the GCSE entry requirements).

In addition to the GCSE requirements, or equivalent, all applicants must have an Honours degree in any subject with an award of 2.1 or above. Candidates with an Honours degree in any subject with an award of 2.2 will be considered on a case by case basis.

Students who have a first degree in nursing and who are registered with the NMC will be eligible to apply for a field of practice in which they are currently not registered.

Applicants must submit a portfolio of evidence as part of their application, which should include evidence of 650 hrs of verified direct care, and personal statements that reflect the skills, knowledge and attributes for nurses based on the NMC Code. The portfolio is considered alongside the academic entrance requirements. Applicants who satisfy the academic and portfolio requirements or will be able to do so by 31st August 2023, will be shortlisted for interview. (Qualified nurses and midwives will be considered to have met the portfolio condition and will not be required to submit a portfolio to be considered for interview).

Interviews will normally take place in early summer and will evaluate the candidate's experience of healthcare, or other relevant direct care employment, paid or voluntary, as well as the skills, knowledge and attitudes expected of graduates.

Closing date for applications: 12 noon on Monday 24th April 2023

In 2023 we are unable to offer this programme to students who are not eligible for a funded place, which will include GB and overseas students. In addition, students who have already received Department of Health funding for pre-registration Nursing, Midwifery or AHP courses in Northern Ireland will not be eligible to join this programme.

The University's Recognition of Prior Learning Policy provides guidance on the assessment of experiential learning (RPEL). Please visit http://go.qub.ac.uk/RPLpolicy for more information.

International Students
For information on international qualification equivalents, please check the specific information for your country.

English Language Requirements
Evidence of an IELTS* score of 7.0, with not less than 7.0 in reading, listening and speaking, and no less than 6.5 in writing, or an equivalent qualification acceptable to the University is required. *Taken within the last 2 years.

International students wishing to apply to Queen's University Belfast (and for whom English is not their first language), must be able to demonstrate their proficiency in English in order to benefit fully from their course of study or research. Non-EEA nationals must also satisfy UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI) immigration requirements for English language for visa purposes.

For more information on English Language requirements for EEA and non-EEA nationals see: www.qub.ac.uk/EnglishLanguageReqs.

If you need to improve your English language skills before you enter this degree programme, INTO Queen's University Belfast offers a range of English language courses. These intensive and flexible courses are designed to improve your English ability for admission to this degree.
• Academic English: an intensive English language and study skills course for successful university study at degree level

• Pre-sessional English: a short intensive academic English course for students starting a degree programme at Queen's University Belfast and who need to improve their English.

Applicants are advised to apply as early as possible and ideally no later than 31st July 2023 for courses which commence in late September. In the event that any programme receives a high number of applications, the University reserves the right to close the application portal. Notifications to this effect will appear on the Direct Application Portal against the programme application page.

How to Apply
Applications should be submitted online via the Postgraduate Applications Portal for admission to the vast majority of postgraduate programmes.

New applicants will need to register via the Portal to create an application account. If you are already a Queen's student with an active Qsis account, you can log in using your student number and Qsis password. Guidance on how to complete an application is provided within the Portal and it is possible to save application data and return to complete it at a later date, if you wish. After core details about yourself and your academic background have been provided, you can submit an application, or multiple applications, if required.

If you applied in a previous cycle through the Portal and are re-applying, you should use your previous log in details. Please review and update your personal and contact details, academic and professional qualifications before submitting a new application.

Important – please ensure that the email address you provide is correct and active, as this will be used by us to communicate the progress of your application to you.

2 years (Full Time).

Contact Teaching Hours
Small Group Teaching/Personal Tutorial 15 (hours maximum)

Career Prospects
Employment after the Course
Graduates of this programme will have the opportunity to quickly gain access to higher level and management roles, building an exceptional career from the very beginning.

Professional Opportunities
Further study is also an option open to Nursing graduates, and some may choose to follow a research pathway. There is a range of PhD Nursing opportunities available within the School; click here for more information.
https://www.qub.ac.uk/courses/postgraduate-research/nursing-midwifery-phd.html

Graduate Plus/Future Ready Award for extra-curricular skills
In addition to your degree programme, at Queen's you can have the opportunity to gain wider life, academic and employability skills. For example, placements, voluntary work, clubs, societies, sports and lots more. So not only do you graduate with a degree recognised from a world leading university, you'll have practical national and international experience plus a wider exposure to life overall. We call this Graduate Plus/Future Ready Award. It's what makes studying at Queen's University Belfast special.