District Nursing Apprenticeship
The PgD District Nursing Apprenticeship with NMC Community Specialist Practitioner Qualification course sets apprentices up for success in an exciting new chapter of their career. Developed with employers, this 12-month programme (plus end-point assessment) has been designed to meet the contemporary health and wellbeing needs of individuals, communities and populations.
District Nurse Apprentices will strengthen their leadership attributes; become skilful community specialist practitioners; and learn how to lead and bring about change in their practice environments. This programme is designed to provide apprentices with the required knowledge, skills and behaviours to work as a Specialist Community Practitioner District Nurse.
This programme requires the development of a sound underpinning of research-informed theoretical knowledge to inform professional practice which, in turn, is informed by that practice. The programme approach is based on contextual learning. Contextual learning relates not just to theoretical knowledge, but also to the underpinning values, beliefs, ethics and skills, as applied to people of all ages and abilities, recognising differences and diversity within the population and is therefore relevant for qualified professional practitioners.
Learning takes place both via the University academic modules and in the workplace and uses real work-based activities to inform and evidence that learning has taken place. Apprentices must have a named educational supervisor to support their learning in the clinical environment who is responsible for assessing their achievement of competency in practice.
Modules
Each of the modules within the programme has its own ‘module descriptor form’ (MDF) and this sets out the indicative allocated learning hours. For example, the 200 learning hours for a 20-credit module in year one comprises: Scheduled learning and teaching = 36 hours Work Based learning = 136 hours Guided independent study = 28 hours
- Complete 50% theory and 50% practice within District Nursing under the supervision of a qualified Practice Assessor and Practice Supervisor.
- Utilises an integrated theory and practice approach that will develop skills, knowledge and attitudes necessary for safe and effective specialist practice.
- Manage a caseload of patients in a variety of community settings using a person-centred approach including implementation of risk stratification and case management strategies to determine those at most risk of poor health outcomes.
- A Registered Nurse - Adult with the Nursing and Midwifery Council on part 1 of the register- his is checked on receipt of the application form.
- Hold a degree in a health-related subject or equivalent.
- The application must be supported by two references one of which must refer to the applicant’s professional competence. One referee must be the applicant’s current employer.
- An expectation that the applicant will have in place a satisfactory enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check.
- Applicants must have GCSE Maths and English at C/4 or above. Functional Skills Level 2 in English and Maths are also accepted.
- Government funding rules require that an apprentice must have the right to live and work in the UK, must be in employment, paid at least the legal minimum wage.
- Apprentices must be under a contract of employment which lasts for the full duration of the apprenticeship, working a minimum of 30 hours per week.
