Fact file
Qualification:MSc
Qualification name:Advanced Clinical Practice
Duration:2 years part-time
Entry requirements:"Applicants for the MSc/PGDip in Advanced Clinical Practice will usually hold a Bachelor’s degree, or qualifications and experience deemed to be equivalent."
Other requirements:All applicants must be qualified health care professionals, usually having a minimum of five year’s experience in professional practice. MSc and PGDip applicants will usually join the course with the written agreement of their employer. In negotiation with the course director, applicants must identify an appropriately qualified clinical supervisor before commencing the course.
Start date:September
Campus:Queen's Medical Centre
Course Overview
Recent years have seen major shifts in professional boundaries within the health service. Increasingly, nurses and other registered practitioners are taking on roles that have traditionally been the domain of doctors.
This MSc Advanced Clinical Practice has been specially created for those practitioners, giving you the in-depth knowledge, skills and confidence to manage complex cases within your specific area and boost your career prospects.
Focusing on high-quality teaching with plenty of opportunity to develop clinical skills in a practical setting, the course provides an educational structure that links to relevant competency frameworks and supports the NHS Career Framework.
One of the key benefits of the course is that you will work alongside students from a variety of backgrounds and specialist fields, giving you the chance to share experiences and best practice.
Applications for September entry are usually considered between February and June of the same year. Please contact the course director before you apply.
If, for whatever reason, you do not wish to take the final project module, you can complete the course with a Postgraduate Diploma Advanced Clinical Practice.
For more information download the Advanced Clinical Practice flyer (PDF).
Key facts
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We are one of the top 5 places to study nursing according to the Guardian’s University Guide 2013
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The last Research Assessment Exercise put Nottingham among the top 5 universities in the UK for nursing and midwifery research of international importance, according to the research power method for ranking research
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The School has a community of over 300 academic and support staff and 3,000 students
Course Details
The MSc Advanced Clinical Practice is taken part-time over two years. You will be awarded a diploma after completing all the modules except the final project. Part A of the course gives you in-depth skills, with an emphasis on the system(s) relating to your own area of practice. Part B addresses the professional, ethical and practical issues associated with advanced practice and develops and assesses your advanced clinical skills in the workplace. On successful completion of the course, you will be proficient in interpreting clinical investigations and the ongoing management of patients. You will also be able to competently undertake appropriate practical procedures.
For the final project, for those wanting the complete masters award, two options are available:
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Route 1 (60 credits): Allows successful students to prescribe independently
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Route 2 (60 credits): Features a project/dissertation focusing on the critical analysis of advanced practice
The modules for this course are:
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History Taking Clinical Examination and Decision Making 1 (30 credits), runs in year 1 from September to February for one day a week (Thursdays)
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History Taking Clinical Examination and Decision Making 2 (30 credits), runs in year 1 from February to July for one day a week (Thursdays)
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Developing Advanced Clinical Skills Through Work Based Learning (60 credits), runs in year 2 from September to July
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Clinical Based Project 2 – Advanced Practice Project (60 credits), runs in year 2 from September to July
Modules
Compulsory Modules:
B74 AS1 (30 credits) History Taking Clinical Examination and Decision Making 1
B74 AS2 (30 credits) History Taking Clinical Examination and Decision Making 2
Dissertation (60 credits)
Plus –
Either:
B74 PR123 (40 credits) Non-Medical Prescribing
B74 AP1 (20 credits) Developing competence through work based learning
OR:
B74 AP2 (30 credits) Developing competence through work based learning
And one of:
B74 LHS (30 credits) Leadership in Health and Social Care
B74 EFH (30 credits) Evidence for Health and Social Care
Funding
UK/EU Students
Fully funded places are available to health and social care professionals working in the East Midlands and having the support of their manager. These places are funded through the East Midlands Healthcare Workforce Deanery (SHA) contract with The University of Nottingham. Once you have approval from your manager to apply for the course, either complete the online application form or call 0115 823 1213.
Alternatively, if you are from outside of the region's contract or wish to self-fund, either complete the online application form or call
0115 823 1213.
We are happy to advise prospective applicants on their eligibility for these funds and other opportunities. We also offer administrative support and advice to assist students with applications to external funding opportunities for postgraduate professional research education in the School.
Further information about available funding will be published on the School website.
The Graduate School website at The University of Nottingham provides more information on internal and external sources of postgraduate funding.
International Students
This course is not applicable to international students.
Careers
Although you may already be in an advanced clinical role, this course is a real investment in your career, demonstrating your ambition and in-depth skills. It will widen your career opportunities and give you the tools to advance your practice in a variety of settings.
Mark Foss, Course Director
If you are paying for a course yourself, you want to know that it will actually equip you for the role you are doing – and the advanced roles you want. By focusing on the skills required for advanced practice, the MSc/PG Diploma in Advanced Clinical Practice and the PG Certificate in Advanced Clinical Skills do just that.
Advanced Clinical Practice students undertake roles that have previously been the preserve of medicine and tell us that this course gives them real confidence. This is because we focus on high-quality teaching with plenty of opportunity to practise clinical skills.
Mark Grenville, Student
If you are a clinically focused clinician, as I am, other courses just don’t provide the weight of clinical practice and development seen on this one.
Nick Fox, Student
An essential element of the course is the diversity of students you meet, with nurses working as specialists in treatment centres and in more specific fields such as cardiology, gastrointestinal surgery and diabetes.
Career Prospects and Employability
The acquisition of a masters degree demonstrates a high level of knowledge in a specific field. Whether you are using it to enhance your employability, as preparation for further academic research or as a means of vocational training, you may benefit from careers advice as to how you can use your new found skills to their full potential. Our Careers and Employability Service will help you do this, working with you to explore your options and inviting you to attend recruitment events where you can meet potential employers, as well as suggesting further development opportunities, such as relevant work experience placements and skills workshops.