Core modules

• Research (30 credits)

  This module provides a critical overview of research philosophy and the major methodological and design approaches to research in order to equip you to appreciate the strengths and weaknesses of published research, whether in your specialist area or in the health, welfare and social care field.

• Major Project (60 credits)

  The major project is of central importance to your Masters award. You will be expected to bring together aspects of learning from previous modules as well as using the learning as the basis for planning, conducting and writing a research or work-based project.

Optional modules

• Advanced Communication (30 credits)

  This interprofessional module is based upon experiential learning to explore the student's own learning needs in relation to communication issues. You will reflect upon the importance of good communication and explore the theory of communication in complex situations. You will have the opportunity to practice and critically review your micro skills in a safe environment. This will enable the development of reflexivity and increased self awareness in relation to your own performance. The module will require students to identify stressors prevalent in this work in order to broaden their repertoire of coping strategies.

• Advanced Non medical prescribing (30 credits)

  The module aims to prepare nurses, midwives, specialist community public health nurses and pharmacists to prescribe safely, appropriately and cost effectively as independent and supplementary prescribers. It also aims to prepare allied health professionals to prescribe safely, appropriately and cost effectively as supplementary prescribers and provide an opportunity for interprofessional students to debate, analyse and synthesise key issues within safe prescribing practice and its contribution to health care.

• Advanced Skills in Clinical Assessment (30 credits)

  During this module you will develop and integrate your existing knowledge and skills with the concept and ideas of health care in the 21st century. This module will enable you to develop your professional knowledge and clinical skills to support, develop and deliver innovative nursing services for patients in a variety of health care settings.

• Collaborative Practice for Integrated Care (30 credits)

  The role of individuals is a central part of the government's agenda for modernisation, as evidenced by the creation of consultant practitioners posts (e.g. consultant nurse and consultant therapist). These posts function across professional and organisational boundaries and provide strategic direction to their particular area of expertise. Equally, in social work closer links are being forged in terms of policy, practice and organisations. Implementing this policy is often fraught with difficulties. Interprofessional working/partnerships require the development of skills and knowledge to build capacity for shared understanding and maintaining relationships or focus. This module seeks to address some of the most salient issues.

• Facing Death: Patients, Families and Professionals (30 credits)

  This module explores some of the psychosocial and spiritual dimensions of patients encounters with death, contemplating the potential for multiple losses and grief and also the possibility of growth and transcendence at this time. The demand is for truly holistic practice from a multidisciplinary team. The module will consider the needs for support and care for all the parties involved; patients who face their own death, family/friends who face the death of loved ones, and care staff who expend energies and emotions caring for patient and families. The module deals with theory related to death, loss and bereavement, counselling skills and the importance of the caring relationship to patients. It also considers the patient's network of relationships and their dynamics.

• Global Leadership

  This module is aimed at those in leadership roles in public service settings. It will enable you to critically reflect upon yourself as a leader in your practice areas by developing a greater understanding of how you construct leadership practice. Complementary constructs from the field of organisational theory such as motivation, change processes, capacity building, emotional intelligence and team effectiveness will also be explored to provide you with a broader knowledge base to further develop your leadership role, professional skills and employability.

• Law and Ethics in Health and Social Care

  This module will enable you to acquire a detailed and critical understanding of the generic ethical and legal theories and principles that underpin health and social care (e.g. consent, confidentiality, duty to care, human rights). You will also have the opportunity to focus on particular aspects of law and ethics that have relevance to your practice or personal interest. This module is particularly relevant to health and social care professionals wishing to develop crucial insights into legal and ethical issues in practice.

• Pain and Symptom Management in Palliative Care

  This module will provide you with the opportunity to develop a comprehensive understanding of effective pain and symptom relief strategies, and will include both pharmacological and non-pharmacological methodologies. The broad bases of the treatment regimes recognise the breadth of the 'pain' of death, which demands a holistic approach. Thus the concept of total pain is considered, as is the associated notion of suffering. Under these circumstances the need for exquisite care practice highlights the value of the multidisciplinary team.