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Practice Nursing PG Cert

Developed in collaboration with Health Education East Midlands and local general practice, the Practice Nursing programme will teach you the fundamentals of primary care nursing. The programme will equip you with all of the core skills required for the General Practice Nurse role. 

Overview

Watch: Practice Manager Kate Hunter discusses the benefits of undertaking the Practice Nursing programme at DMU.

The Practice Nursing programme is a 60 credit at level 7 (postgraduate) programme which means that on successful completion of the programme you will be awarded with a Post Graduate Certificate (PG Cert) in Practice Nursing. The teaching provided on the programme is shared with level 6 (postgraduate) students.  

The aim of the programme is to prepare registered nurses who have not worked in general practice before to have a baseline competence in the General Practice Nursing (GPN) role. The programme incorporates academic learning and work-based learning.

Within the programme the key clinical skills required for the role of GPN are included. The programme delivers venepuncture, ear care, wound management, cervical cytology and immunisation and vaccination training, as well as providing the foundations for chronic condition management. The programme is designed to develop both clinical and academic skills to prepare for a career in General Practice Nursing.

Throughout the programme competencies will be demonstrated within the work place and documented in a portfolio of evidence. This will be supported with supervised practice with a GPN mentor.

Key features

  • Flexible study options allow you to study at a level to suit your professional needs; with progression opportunities from undergraduate level to PG Cert.
  • The programme is subsidised by Health Education East Midlands with a contribution from General Practice of £600 for each eligible student.
  • The course will prepare you with the competency in a number of key clinical skills in a short space of time, including venepuncture, ear care, wound management, immunisations and vaccinations and cervical cytology.
  • Module content is also aligned to the Royal College of General Practitioners’ (RCGP) competencies.
  • Our team of experienced academics are all specialist practice and community nurses, ensuring your learning is relevant to current practice and a wide range of issues and contemporary debates in the field.
  • Benefit from direct input and visiting lecturers from experienced practitioners in the field, broadening your perspective of practice nursing regionally and nationally.
  • Inter-professional learning develops your ability to work as part of a multi-professional team.

Please note that the closing date for September applications is 29 July 2022. 

For additional information, please visit Health Education’s General Practice Nursing Programme webpage.

 

For further information contact

Course Leader: Nicola Else

T: 0116 257 7126
E: nicola.else@dmu.ac.uk

Or contact the Learning Beyond Registration admissions team:

T: +44 (0)0116 257 7700 
E: lbradmissions@dmu.ac.uk 

Scholarships:

We are committed to helping our graduates enhance their careers and personal development through further study, and there are a number of postgraduate scholarships on offer to help you achieve this.

International student scholarships

Find out about available international scholarships or visit our fees and funding page for more information.

 

  • UK
  • EU/International

 

Course code: B70099

Module code: PNUR5100

Start date: September 2022, February 2023 and April 2023

Duration: 40 weeks part-time over two semesters

Attendance: The programme delivery is online with the exception of the clinical skills sessions. The usual day of study is Thursday. View list of study days.

Location of study: De Montfort University Leicester UK

Fees and funding:

This programme is currently supported by the Local Education Training Board and Health Education East Midlands.

For the 2022/23 academic year employers are required to pay a £600 contribution towards the cost of the programme.

For students outside of the East Midlands please contact:

Nicola Else
E: nicola.else@dmu.ac.uk
T: 0116 257 7126

Dr Tania Hart PhD, MSc, BSc (Hons), RMN, RNT, SFHEA, Associate Professor Commercial and Enterprise, Head of Division Paramedicine and Emergency Care

E: tania.hart@dmu.ac.uk
T:  0116 257 7481

If you wish to apply for a place on this programme please discuss your application first with your local contact:

Derbyshire contact: Emma Brailsford emma.brailsford@healtheducationderbyshire

Nottinghamshire: Nicola Gemma Bird gemma.bird5@nhs.net

Northamptonshire: Clare Rogers clare.rogers@nhft.nhs.uk

Leicestershire: Ruth Waddington ruth.waddington1@nhs.net

Lincolnshire: Hannah Daniel hannah.daniel2@nhs.net

Apply now

Application guidance document

Submit a study-related enquiry

This course is not available for International students

Entry criteria

  • A UK honours degree (2:2 or above in a relevant subject, or equivalent)
  • A minimum of 60 credits (inclusive of research) at level 6
  • Evidence of recent study (within the last 5 years)
  • Effective registration on the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) professional register
  • Be employed as a general practice nurse by the start of the programme
  • You must complete a declaration form and enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check before starting the course, which need to be cleared in accordance with DMU’s admission policy

 

English language requirements

If English is not your first language an IELTS score of 6.5 overall is essential.

English Language tuition, delivered by our British Council-accredited Centre for English Language Learning, is available both before and throughout the course if you need it.

Structure and assessment

 

Course modules

Teaching and assessment

Academic expertise

 

Course modules

PGCE Practice Nursing:

Introduction to Practice Nursing (60 credits, level seven).

The Introduction to Practice Nursing is a 60 credit module that runs over two semesters. The aim of this module is to prepare registered nurses who have been recently appointed in general practice to have a baseline competence in the General Practice Nursing (GPN) role through both theoretical preparation and work based learning.  This will allow employers in the future to expect a safe, competent practice nurse and a certain level of consistency in terms of knowledge, skills and competence from the GPN.

Note: All modules are indicative and based on the current academic session. Course information is correct at the time of publication and is subject to review. Exact modules may, therefore, vary for your intake in order to keep content current. If there are changes to your course we will, where reasonable, take steps to inform you as appropriate.

Teaching

The course adopts a range of teaching and learning strategies designed to facilitate the learning of a professional group; aiming to be efficient and motivating in the transfer of theoretical and practical knowledge, and to engage positively in actively negotiating, constructing and evaluating learning.

Strategies include:

  • Teacher-led sessions
  • Discussions and tutorials
  • Independent study
  • Focused reflection
  • A range of experiential teaching methods

View list of study days.

Assessment:

You will be assessed in a variety of ways including written assignments, and a reflective portfolio.

Contact hours:

The programme includes 17 taught days delivered online with the exception of practical sessions. Taught days are 6 hours in length. There is also time available of three hours throughout the programme for students to access support for academic work from the programme team. This includes group tutorials and one-to-one sessions. Each student will be supported by a personal tutor from the teaching team throughout the programme.

Large group teaching: you will typically have 6 hours of lectures each week. 

Academic expertise

A key strength of our team is that they are experienced and specialist practice and community nurses; familiar with a wide range of accompanying issues and contemporary debates.

Visiting lecturers will also contribute to the modules to broaden your perspective of practice nursing regionally and nationally.

Facilities and features

 
Placements
Placements
Placements
Placements
 

Health and Life Sciences facilities

Substantial investment has developed our teaching and learning facilities to help you expand your practical experience and theoretical knowledge beyond the classroom.

The 19th century Hawthorn Building has facilities designed to replicate current practice in health and life sciences, including contemporary analytical chemistry and formulation laboratories, audiology booths and nursing and midwifery clinical skills suites.

Purpose-built clinical skills areas allow you to practice in a safe environment. You will receive guidance and support from staff to ensure that you develop a precise and accurate practical ability in the clinical skills suites.

Library services

On campus, the main Kimberlin Library offers a space where you can work, study and access a vast range of print materials, with computer stations, laptops, plasma screens and assistive technology also available. 

As well as providing a physical space in which to work, we offer online tools to support your studies, and our extensive online collection of resources accessible from our Library website, e-books, specialised databases and electronic journals and films which can be remotely accessed from anywhere you choose. 

We will support you to confidently use a huge range of learning technologies, including Blackboard, Collaborate Ultra, DMU Replay, MS Teams, Turnitin and more. Alongside this, you can access LinkedIn Learning and learn how to use Microsoft 365, and study support software such as mind mapping and note-taking through our new Digital Student Skills Hub. 

The library staff offer additional support to students, including help with academic writing, research strategies, literature searching, reference management and assistive technology. There is also a ‘Just Ask’ service for help and advice, live LibChat, online workshops, tutorials and drop-ins available from our Learning Services, and weekly library live chat sessions that give you the chance to ask the library teams for help.

Learning zones

Our Learning Zones and The Greenhouse also provide space for group or individual work and study.

There are 1,600 study places across all library locations, more than 700 computer stations, laptops to borrow, free wi-fi and desktop power outlets.

You can also book rooms with plasma screens, laptops and DVD facilities for group work and presentations, secure an individual study room with adjustable lighting or make use of our assistive technology.

Opportunities and careers

Find the people who will open doors for you

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Scholarships

As part of the university's commitment to enhancing the personal and career development of our graduates. We offer a Postgraduate Alumni Scholarship offering up to 20% off selected Postgraduate course fees. Find out more on the Health and Life Sciences Postgraduate Alumni Scholarship webpage. 

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Graduate careers

Due to an increasing clinical service load in primary care, with the trend to devolve clinical responsibility from secondary care, practice nurses are often first point of contact in terms of public health promotion and intervention, signposting and identifying onset of conditions.

The role of a practice nurse is now much more diverse in their management of health, including Quality Outcome Framework (QOF), with many having acquired specialist skills and knowledge. This course provides you with a relevant and recognised qualification in general practice nursing, enabling you to fulfil your role as practice nurse, and enhancing your current and future career opportunities.

 

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