Two female students facing the front of a classroom sat on chairs

BSc (Hons) Specialist Community Public Health Nursing

  • Study Mode: Full Time
  • Location: High Wycombe
  • Duration: One Year
  • Start Date: January and September 2024
If you care about children, and supporting their development, public health nursing gives you the chance to help give young people the best start at life. This Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC)-approved course covers everything you need to qualify in either health visiting or school nursing, so that you can take your career forward, and lead large teams of nurses working in these areas.
This course is for qualified nurses to diploma level. You will be sponsored by a health organisation or trust and achieve a degree, while gaining advanced skills and knowledge in a rewarding and dynamic area of public health nursing.

Why study this subject?

With this course you will be able to explore key areas of nursing that help children and young people during their most vulnerable moments. As a public health nurse you could go down the route of a school nurse. Your role would provide a vital link between home, school and the community with the ultimate goal of improving wellbeing.

On the other hand, you may decide you want to become a health visitor. Here you would be working with children from birth to five years old and their families. You would be responsible for providing support to families, assessing their health needs and monitoring growth and development.

Why study at Buckinghamshire New University?

You will benefit from an excellent standard of teaching provided by staff from the University and practice, in partnership with our NHS Trust partners. As well as this you will be taught by lecturers who have a wide expertise in the field. Our lecturers also maintain close links with practice, ensuring that the programme is up-to-date with modern practice.

We offer continuous support throughout the programme, and you will receive personal tutoring and benefit from a high level of research within the teaching team. Your personal tutor will help guide you through your studies, support you with your academic development and give advice when needed.

Highly regarded by students and practice partners for our teaching in this area, BNU has a strong reputation for its health visitor and school nurse training. You will work with highly skilled academics, who have worked in Health and Social Care.

What facilities can I use?

We have a range of state-of-the-art facilities for you to access, including our Nursing Simulation Labs, multistorey library and IT suites. Students will be able to access our full range of support services, including the Learning Development Unit for skills and study support, the Careers and Employability Team, Student Finance Team, Accommodation and Counselling Services.

What will I study?

This specialist course takes you through key aspects of current community practice, from protecting children and the vulnerable, and supporting developmental needs through their lifespan, to effective caseload management.

Developing the leadership and management skills needed for effective healthcare, you will also learn to take a more strategic view of community healthcare provision, drawing on the latest research, ideas and policy in relation to health visiting or school nursing practice.

How will I be taught and assessed?

This course covers all the areas needed to meet the NMC professional requirements for specialist community public health nurses, with a focus on either health visiting or school nursing.

By the end of the course, you will be able to:

  • understand the complexities of working in a community setting
  • better appreciate strategic influences on policy
  • take a critical approach to identifying the health needs of individuals, groups and populations in the community
  • consider aspects of safeguarding children, young people and their families. As you may be working with at risk or deprived groups, it is important you recognise when a child is at risk of harm and what action to take
  • develop leadership, innovation and management skills to be able to contribute to successful health outcomes for children
  • show you have the necessary skills for working in the community, so you can qualify for the third part of the NMC register.

The course makes use of a range of flexible learning and assessment approaches, to ensure you learn in the way that suits you best. We will be looking, in particular, at how well you apply the theory to your own nursing and leadership practice.

You will benefit from strong support throughout, with personal and link tutors at the university, and a practice teacher supporting you to learn in your trust.

As well as spending half your time in practice, learning opportunities at the university such as case study-type simulations will enable you to develop your skills in a safe environment. You will also work closely with students from other community nursing courses at Bucks, building your experience of working in a multi-professional way.

By the end of the course, you will have developed the higher level of skills and knowledge you need to become a leader in this specialist field of nursing. Your e-portfolio will provide evidence of this, to validate your learning with the NMC.

Useful Documents

BSc (Hons) Specialist Community Public Health Nursing Programme Specification

What are the course entry requirements?

You need to be registered as a level 1 nurse on the appropriate part of the NMC register.

You also need to be working in UK clinical practice, so this course is just available to UK students.

What are the tuition fees

Home

Home, Academic Year 2023 - 2024

£9,250 per year

Home, Academic Year 2024 - 2025

£9,250 per year

International

Overseas/International, Academic Year 2023 - 2024

£15,000 per year

Overseas/International, Academic Year 2024 - 2025

£15,150 per year

Additional course costs and financial support

Most courses will involve some additional costs that are not covered by your fees.
You could benefit from financial support through a bursary or scholarship during your time as a student. For more details visit our financial support, bursaries and scholarships section.

Questions about fees?

If you have any questions about the fees above, contact our Enquiries team by calling 0330 123 2023 or emailing advice@bnu.ac.uk.

What are my career prospects?

Throughout your time with us we’ll support you on the route to your chosen career. We’ll help you to develop crucial skills, encouraging you to become enterprising, employable and good leaders. We also help you find employment after graduation. Have a look at our Careers and Employability pages to find out more.

As a graduate of this course, you will be well equipped to move forward as a team leader in either health visiting or school nursing. Your career trajectory may also include management, practice teaching or teaching in higher education.

Course leader

Carole Trespaderne
Carole Trespaderne
  • Senior Lecturer
Read full profile
A head and shoulders shot of a smiling Susan Perryman wearing a land yard with a black jumper
Susan Perryman
  • Senior Lecturer
Read full profile
A head shot of a smiling Sarah Thirtle stood face on looking directly into the camera
Sarah Thirtle
  • Senior Lecturer
Read full profile
Head shot of a smiling Annette Palmer stood face on looking directly into the camera stood in front of a white wall
Annette Palmer
  • Senior Lecturer
Read full profile
Melanie Hayward staff profile photo
Melanie Hayward
  • Associate Professor – Education: Quality Assurance and Enhancement
Read full profile