Course overview

This course is designed to meet the development needs of qualified practitioners already working in a Neonatal Care environment. The course aims to develop neonatal knowledge and skills, to enhance ability when delivering care to neonates and their families. This is a challenging field, one that is continually evolving in response to nursing, medical and technological advances and the course reflects this.

The variety of teaching strategies recognises the value of students learning preferences. The course places a strong emphasis on making the link between theory and practice. Assessments are based on your expanding knowledge base and enhanced neonatal practical skills.

On completion of the course you will be able to plan, implement and evaluate care given to the baby and its family and crucially, you will be able to provide and maintain a safe environment for the newborn and facilitate active involvement of parents in caring for their baby.

Additional course information

This course consists of two modules which together address the essential knowledge and skills required by practitioners in this area. They also provide the opportunity to explore the broader range of issues that have an impact on contemporary and future delivery of neonatal care. This is a practice-focused, work-based course that has been designed to promote excellence when delivering neonatal nursing.

Core modules

Module one
Special and Transitional Care of the Newborn (Level 2 or 3; 30 credits)

This module can be accessed as part of BSc (Hons) Children and Young People, Graduate certificate or as a stand-alone module.

This module includes theoretical and practical components to enable the learner to explore the concept of special and transitional care and the needs of the infant and their family in a holistic manner. The student will be encouraged to review the provision of special and transitional care in the light of supporting evidence, and to reflect critically upon their own practice.

Using a critical approach to contemporary evidence, the student will also consider and analyse nursing and medical interventions that may be used in the special or transitional care setting to ascertain appropriateness, effectiveness and best practice.

The student should be able to access an appropriate clinical environment in order to achieve module learning outcomes and for the continuing assessment of required neonatal nursing skills. This clinical component of this module will require discussion between the module leader and clinical manager prior to commencement of the module to ensure appropriate mentorship and learning support is in place.

Module two
High dependency and Intensive Care of the Newborn (Level 2 or Level 3; 45 credits)

This module can be accessed as part of the BSc (Hons) Children and Young People, Graduate certificate or as a stand-alone module.

This module includes theoretical and practical components to enable the learner to explore the concept of high dependency and intensive neonatal care and to respond to the holistic needs of the infant and his family. The student will be encouraged to review the provision of high dependency and intensive neonatal care and reflect analytically upon their own practice in the light of supporting evidence and national health policy directives.

Using an analytical approach to contemporary evidence, the student will consider nursing and medical interventions that may be used in the high dependency or intensive care setting to ascertain appropriateness and effectiveness and best practice.

The portfolio assessment will require the student to provide evidence of skills that support continuing professional development beyond the conclusion of the module.

The student must be able to access an appropriate clinical environment in order to achieve module learning outcomes. This will require discussion with the module leader and clinical manager prior to commencement of the module to ensure that appropriate mentorship and learning support is in place.

Assessment

Special and transitional care of the newborn module - 3000 word essay based on an aspect of the environment of care Essay and successful completion of Practice competencies -
High dependency and intensive care of the newborn module - 6000 word Portfolio assessment and successful completion of practice competencies.

The assessments are designed to provide a strong link between the theory and practice of neonatal nursing and to ultimately become documents from which sound, evidence based improvements in care can be initiated.

Facilities

It is no surprise that the largest provider of health and social care education in the East of England offers its students state-of- the- art simulated clinical skills laboratories; students therefore have the opportunity to gain the hands-on experience they need. The building in Chelmsford was built in collaboration with the Essex Workforce Development Confederation. All of our students are able to use these facilities including nurses, midwives, operating department practitioners, counsellors and social workers.

Our other facilities based in Fulbourn, Cambridge and Peterborough have wall mounted audio visual capture equipment to improve learning and teaching, with the clinical skills laboratories for undergraduate, postgraduate and continuing professional development courses.

Moreover the clinical skills facilities are fitted with a range of health care equipment that mirrors real life clinical situations. The opportunity to observe and then to practice techniques within the clinical skills lab is fundamental to the overall learning experience of students before they transfer to direct patient care. Moving and Handling hoists and standing aids, E.C.G monitors, interpretive and cardiac arrest systems, pain relief delivery systems and a range of diagnostic and patient monitoring systems are just some of the equipment available. Our innovative style of health education delivery means that our students are working ready from day one in their new job.

Special features

Students undertaking this pathway will have a range of experiences within their own area of practice. Students will be expected to bring these to modules.

Shared learning, based on these experiences will ensure that students not only learn from each other but that knowledge and understanding gained during an individual module and the pathway as a whole will be contextualised within practice. This is a fundamental requirement for a programme that considers the importance of inter-professional working in enabling the effective care of the newborn.

Learning and teaching strategies will be varied to provide stimulation to the student reflect the differing modes of delivery on differing sites. In the taught mode of delivery they will include, tutorials, reflection, self-directed study, lectures by academic and visiting specialist speakers and the use of Virtual Learning Environment (VLE).

VLE will be used to provide students with knowledge base, work books, exercises, discussion/seminar topics and other learning, resources.

Links with industry and professional recognition

Registered nurses working in neonatal units who undertake this pathway will benefit their seconding organisation by the development of their practice skills and knowledge allowing them to be considered as qualified in speciality in regard to neonatal nursing.

Work placements

Negotiations may be undertaken to try and provide a short practice placement in a neonatal unit other than the students home neonatal unit. This should be coordinated between the students' place of work and the desired placement unit.

Associated careers

Students successfully completing both modules at Level 3 will gain a Graduate Certificate in Special and Intensive Care of the Newborn which provides evidence of being qualified in speciality within the field of neonatal nursing.

To be a registered Nurse/Midwife/Public Health Nurse currently working in a Neonatal Care environment and to have previously completed studies at Level 2