Specialist Community Public Health Nursing (Health Visiting)

Entry requirements

To apply you will need to be:

• First level nurse / midwife registered with NMC
• Successful completion of Honours degree in UK
• Enhanced current DBS disclosure
• Appropriate Health Board host organisation and the availability of a suitable practice placement that has a current educational audit and the support of a Practice Assessor & Supervisor that meets the NMC requirements.
• Negotiated secondment

Secured funding (HEIW funded places only apply to nurses or midwives working for the NHS in Wales). Nurses / midwives working outside the NHS or outside Wales must provide evidence of funding on application.

Throughout the programme you are expected to maintain your registration and practice in accordance with The Code: Standards of conduct, performance and ethics for nurses and midwives (2015).

Months of entry

September

Course content

Our Postgraduate Diploma aims to develop Specialist Community Public Health Nursing Health Visiting (SCPHN HV) practitioners who are skilled at working autonomously in a range of public health community settings. Specialist Community Public Health Nurses play a crucial role in ensuring that children have the best start in life. They work in partnership with individuals and families, as well as working collaboratively with a range of different health professionals including nursery nurses, social workers, GPs and education. This programme will prepare you for work in complex and varied settings including homes, schools and the wider community. You will become a knowledgeable practitioner with excellent managerial and interpersonal capabilities.

This course is available full or part time, and all candidates must already be qualified nurses and / or midwives with various levels of experience. The programme has been designed to meet Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) requirements and prepares candidates to support community health developments and promote health and well-being throughout the population. We provide a balance of theory and practice and provide candidates with a range of learning and teaching strategies. This approach allows students to be taught the theoretical principles within the university environment and later apply them within a professional environment, providing a critical link between academia and practice.

If studying a PGDip, it may be possible to upgrade to an MSc exit qualification during your studies however please note this will not be accredited by the NMC.

Why study at Swansea University?

This course is delivered through our School of Health and Social Care, giving you the benefit of our extensive cross-disciplinary teaching and research expertise.

According to the most recent Research Excellence Framework results, 75% of research carried out at the School of Health and Social Care is 3* and therefore considerable in terms of reach and significance. Our focus on research outputs has resulted in a 21% increase in world-leading research (REF2021). This research expertise and excellence feed directly into our learning and teaching practice and your course content.

Your Specialist Community Public Health Nursing experience

Throughout the course your learning will be supported through 50% theory which is taught at university and 50% practical work placements. Your theory will be taught at our Singleton Park Campus, set in beautiful parkland overlooking Swansea Bay. You will cover a wide range of subject areas including public health, health promotion, using evidence and research, safeguarding and leadership and management.

Our Singleton Park Campus is home to our accredited cutting-edge Simulation and Immersive Learning Centre (SUSiM). Students on our SCPHN HV course will participate in Simulation Based Education (SBE), which will include group work and debriefing to capture the learning gained and recognised from different perspectives. Effective simulation facilitates safety by enhancing knowledge, behaviours, and skills within the curriculum. Simulation provides opportunities in which to develop non-technical skills, such as communication, decision-making, teamwork, clinical judgement, and leadership, which are safe and controlled so students are able to make mistakes, correct those mistakes in real time and learn from them, without fear of compromising patient safety.