Course summary

Community children’s nurses provide a vital role assessing, and reacting to, the health needs of children in the community – including those with very complex needs. Approved by the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC), this postgraduate diploma gives you the in-depth grounding to take your career forward in this dynamic area of nursing. This course is for qualified nurses with a degree. You will be sponsored by a health organisation or trust and achieve a postgraduate diploma, while gaining advanced skills and knowledge in an area of community nursing you want to specialise in. Why study this subject? Community children’s nursing is rewarding and challenging work that requires different skills and knowledge to those needed in a hospital. Studying at specialist practitioner level will hone your critical thinking and leadership capabilities, so that you become highly skilled at caring for children in their own homes, and leading large teams of nurses in this area of practice. Why study at Buckinghamshire New University? You will benefit from an excellent standard of teaching provided by staff from the University and practice, in partnership with our NHS Trust partners. As well as this you will be taught by lecturers who have a wide expertise in the field. Our lecturers also maintain close links with practice, ensuring that the programme is up-to-date with modern practice. We offer continuous support throughout the programme, and you will receive personal tutoring and benefit from a high level of research within the teaching team. Your personal tutor will help guide you through your studies, support you with your academic development and give advice when needed. Highly regarded by students and practice partners for our teaching in this area, BNU has a strong reputation for its health visitor and school nurse training. You will work with highly skilled academics, who have worked in the community – and spend 50% of your time in practice yourself, consolidating and deepening your understanding and skills. What will I study? Learning about the main aspects of contemporary community children’s nursing practice, you will study topics such as mental health across the lifespan, safeguarding and effective caseload management. Developing strong leadership, critical thinking and research skills, you will also learn to take a more strategic view of the way children’s healthcare is delivered in the community, drawing on the latest research, ideas and policy. How will I be taught and assessed? Specialist community nursing is an area of nursing practice which has a focus on assessing, and reacting, to the health needs of children, young people or adults with particular health needs in the community setting. Working in the community requires specialist knowledge, skills and behaviours that are distinct from working in the hospital setting. This course covers all the areas needed to meet the NMC professional requirements for community children’s nurses. By the end of the course, you will be able to:

• understand the complexities of working in a community setting

• better appreciate strategic influences on policy

• take a critical approach to nursing care in the community, with a strong emphasis on providing holistic, evidence-based care to children in their homes

• analyse how decisions about care are made, drawing on relevant research

• work at the forefront of caring for children with a range of healthcare needs.