BSc Nursing Studies ‘Top-up’ Degree

BSc Nursing Studies (Top-up)

Overview

At Edinburgh Napier University, we aim to be recognised as a University that is professional, ambitious, innovative and inclusive and the School of Health and Social Care aspires to provide you with an excellent, personalised student experience. In our dealings with you we will act with respect and integrity. We will create an environment to enable you to feel proud to be a student of the University, to feel confident and supported while being academically challenged to further and deepen your knowledge and skills. A wide consultation process was undertaken to ascertain feedback from all stakeholders (including current and former BSc Nursing Studies students, registered nurses, nurse managers, nurse educators, other healthcare personnel and patients) to enable the BSc Nursing Studies programme to be evaluated and revised to ensure it meets the needs of registered nurses working in contemporary healthcare practice.

This programme is designed specifically for registered nurses who wish to “top up” their academic qualifications to a BSc Nursing Studies award. The programme acknowledges the diversity of learning needs of professionals in the workplace, particularly those working in healthcare environments who are studying concurrently.

The BSc Nursing Studies curriculum aims to provide you with a programme of study that is relevant to contemporary nursing practice and will provide you with learning opportunities to enhance your knowledge and skills to allow you to progress in your chosen sphere of nursing practice.

The programme is designed to provide a learning opportunity for registered nurses who hold either a diploma or a certificate in nursing to deepen their knowledge of evidence-based practice and develop a critical approach to integrated healthcare when they can effectively apply theory to their own nursing practice.

Modules (ALL COMPULSORY)
Trimester 1 (15 Weeks)	Trimester 2 (15 Weeks)	Trimester 3 (15 Weeks)
Module 1 20 Credits	Module 2 20 Credits	Module 3 20 Credits	Module 4 20 Credits	Module 5 20 Credits	Module 6 20 Credits

Modules (ALL COMPULSORY)

Trimester 1

(15 Weeks)

Trimester 2

(15 Weeks)

Trimester 3

(15 Weeks)

Module 1

20 Credits

Module 2

20 Credits

Module 3

20 Credits

Module 4

20 Credits

Module 5

20 Credits

Module 6

20 Credits

MODULE OVERVIEW

MANAGEMENT OF CHRONIC DISEASE

This module will encourage you to explore medical and social models of care, health outcomes, information and support, psychological consequences of chronic disease, social issues, cultural and
spiritual issues. Self-management strategies including the “Expert Patient” Programme, enabling role, partnership working will form part of your studies and offer you opportunities to explore these in the context of your own practice. Ethical issues, patient choice, advocacy and values-based practice will underpin the units of study in this module and how it links to your practice.

PROMOTING EXCELLENCE IN OLDER PEOPLES’ HEALTH

This module will help you explore the theories of ageing from a physical, psychological, social and cultural aspect. Older people and health care will be contextualised from a local and worldwide perspective and include exploration of the value of nursing theories when assessing, planning, implementing and evaluating nursing care.

You will be encouraged to use health care related policies, legislation and strategies, both local and international, to examine the importance of individualised approaches to meeting the often complex healthcare needs of older people within communities and globally – as well as examine the impact of the ageing population on health related services.

The module will utilise a strengths-based approach to working with older people to maximise independence and promote self-care. You will have the opportunity to explore contemporary practice by using case examples and vignettes to embed and apply theories and concepts relating to older peoples care.

HEALTHY LIVES

The themes of this module will be explored through a ‘virtual family’ which is based on the experiences of real people. Factors influencing health: genetic inheritance; ageing process; sex; spirituality; psychological factors, eg personality; loss & bereavement; mental health and wellbeing will be explored. Coping strategies including psychological & behavioural aspects will be examined in line with health beliefs and values to increase knowledge and application of health promotion theory in your practice. Public health and the main issues and priorities related to health in your local area will be discussed as well as global issues for example obesity, type 2 diabetes, inactivity, sexual health, mental health, drug & alcohol will form the basis on which the module explores nursing assessment, intervention, and health promotion.

ADVANCING PRACTICE THROUGH RESEARCH

This module will provide you with the opportunity to learn about the different types of evidence that may be used to inform clinical practice. Specifically, you will explore different approaches to undertaking the research process, research methods and will have the opportunity to develop your skills to critique research and its relevance to practice. You will learn how to interpret statistical analyses and qualitative data analysis. You will reflect on the ethical and professional implications of research and you will also consider factors which promote or hinder the implementation of evidence to practice. This will enable you to focus on dissemination and communication of evidence in practice.

EFFECTIVE LEADERSHIP IN HEALTHCARE

This module will introduce you to the following topic areas, which you will explore in the context of your area of nursing: Clinical Leadership; Clinical Governance and Change Management. You will explore partnership and team working, and critique effective leadership in contemporary healthcare practice. There will be opportunities to consider the role of the nurse leader in relation to teaching and learning, inter-professional education, clinical support, and supervision. You will consider leadership styles and qualities that are effective in supporting change within the complexity of healthcare settings and explore theoretical aspects of leadership in the context of your practice. Reflective skills will be explored, and these skills will be used to explore the impact of leadership and change management within your clinical practice.

EXPLORING THE THEORY AND APPLICATION OF LAW AND ETHICAL REASONING IN NURSING PRACTICE

This module aims to support you to deliver competent, safe and professionally accountable, autonomous nursing practice by exploring everyday clinical situations that involve challenging ethical and legal issues. It will support you in upholding global codes of ethics for Nurses by enhancing your knowledge and skills and extending your understanding of ethical theory and relevant legislation. You will consider the relevance of the law, specific healthcare legislation and ethical reasoning principles, values and behaviours to supporting professional nursing practice. You will explore potential challenges and opportunities of continuing to develop professional integrity, self-awareness and reflective practice in your nursing care. You will explore the influence of healthcare legislation and application of ethical practice in relation to cultures, sub-cultures and the wider society.

You will consider their impact on health and well-being, and explore mechanisms for supporting cultural sensitivity and diversity in all aspects of patient care in a way that reflects respect, compassion and dignity. This will be achieved by exploring specific examples of legislation, and examine the implications and impact that these may have on ethical healthcare practice.

Earn a world class BSc Nursing for under $5,000.

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BSc Nursing Studies (Top-up)

Strategic Management

Management Theory: Motivation; Behavioural aspects of the individual and interaction of groups.

Leadership Theory and styles: Communication, Conflict, Delegation, Innovation and Entrepreneurship.

Organisational Theory: Objectives, Operational Principles, Structure Characteristics, Inception and Growth. Systems approach to organisation.

Corporate Planning-Formulation of Company Policy: Models for Strategic Planning, Evaluation and Implementation of Strategy, Managing Change.
Project Management

Project management principles: Definitions and overview, types of projects, portfolios, programmes and projects. The project life cycle: time, cost and quality. Creation and use of work breakdown structures (WBS), cost breakdown structures (CBS), and organisation breakdown structures (OBS). Time and resource scheduling, estimating. Project selection and making the business case, stakeholder identification and analysis of needs. Success criteria, success factors and performance indicators. The project plan.

Business organisational structures for project management: Functional and matrix organisations. Team building and team characteristics. Industrial team operations. Leadership and motivation. Communication methods, effective meetings. Reporting requirements and techniques. Negotiating; conflict management. The role of the programme/project office. Procurement, contractors and suppliers.

Risk Management: Definition of key terms. Evaluation of and planning for risk, risk ownership and reporting, risk register. Contingency planning. Costs and benefits. Health and safety and environmental considerations.

Project Control: Requirements management, issue log. Change: types of change; impact, change control procedures, information management. Configuration management. Monitoring and corrective action.

Tools for project management: Network methods. Creation and analysis of simple project plans using a computer-based tool.
Project Appraisal and Finance

Project life cycle. Feasibility Studies. Techniques of Economic Project Appraisal. Required Rates of Return on Project Investments. The Capital Asset Pricing Model. Identifying and Valuing Options. Cost Benefit Analysis of Public Sector Projects. Multi-criteria Analysis. International Capital Budgeting. Projects and Environmental Effects.

Project Finance. Domestic and International Financial Institutions. Multilateral Agencies. Financial Instruments. Syndicated Lending. Bonds. Financial Engineering. Derivative Products. Financial Options, futures and swaps. Costs of Raising Project Finance. Financing Infrastructure in Emerging Markets. Financing PFI/PPP Projects. Case Studies.
Production Management

Production Management – analysis of construction strategies, physical production systems, on and off site production.

Production planning and programming: phase planning, progressive planning; programming techniques. Analysis of work study techniques and their use in productivity studies.

Resource Management: manpower planning, plant management; sub-contractor selection, control and co-ordination; materials purchasing and control system; supply chain management and lean construction.
Procurement Strategy

The module addresses three areas of procurement, strategic issues, selection and decision making, operational and practical considerations, and performance measurement. The content covers aspects of the decision to build and procurement method selection on objective basis, use of professional advisors, procurement management, relative procurement efficiency, procedural stages and their discrete objectives, priorities and risks, project maintenance profiling. EU procurement directives and procurement abroad -commonality and divergence. Client value for money philosophy and techniques. Decision making process. Key performance indicators applied to procurement methods.
Project Risk Management

Philosophy of risk. Risk Management Methodology. Risk Identification. Risk Analysis. Management Response to Risk. Major Sources of Risk and Uncertainty.

Expected Monetary Value, Decision Tree Analysis. Sensitivity Analysis. Value of Perfect Information. Elicitation of Probabilistic Information. Utility Theory. Multi-attribute Utility Theory. Risk In Bidding Decisions. Reverse auctions. Risk and Property Auction Design. Risk Analysis Software. Monte Carlo Simulation. Human Aspects in Risk Analysis. Risk Allocation in Contracts. Insurance and Bonds. Risk in PFI/PPP Projects. Risk in International Project Investments. Portfolio Theory and Practice. Firm-wide Risk Management. Role of a risk Manager. Case Studies.
Dissertation

The student will learn about important elements of project management, such as planning, control, cost, problem solving skills, report writing and defend the outcome during a viva session. The project is normally completed during 13 weeks of full time research or part time equivalent, 26 weeks.

Assessment

Assessments are completed and submitted through the secure learning environment. The schedule for assessments is published in advance. There are no formal exams – assessment is by end of unit quizzes and end of module assignments.

Duration

The programme consists of six modules i.e. 5 x 20 credits plus 1 x 40 credits. You can complete in a minimum of 15 months or a maximum of 3 years.

Admissions Criteria

You must be a practicing registered nurse and have an Associate Degree or equivalent. Those with higher qualifications may be exempt from 1 x 20 credit module.

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BSc Nursing Studies ‘Top-up’ Degree