BSc (Hons) Nursing (Mental Health)

UCAS code: B780 Mental Health Nursing

Start date: September

Course length: full time: three years

Campus: Kedleston Road, Derby  

This is a three year full time course, and you will qualify with a BSc (Hons) Nursing - Mental Health Nursing

The course acts as preparation for registration as a nurse with the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC).

This course prepares you for registration as an adult or mental health nurse, enabling you to work with a range of client groups with diverse, acute and long-term conditions. Using the skills you develop, you will improve the quality of people’s lives. You will experience various learning environments on your placements including hospitals, community settings and voluntary organisations. You will also experience 24-hour nursing.

Is mental health nursing for you?

As a mental health nurse, you will focus on people's strengths and resources as they recover and maximise their life potential. You may help them to overcome or cope with problems such as anxiety, depression, troubling voices or unhelpful thoughts and ideas.

You'll study the following core themes throughout the course:

• Biological sciences
• Evidence based practice and research
• Leadership and management
• Professional, legal and ethical studies
• Pharmacology studies
• Sociological aspects of health care
• Integrated practice, incorporating essential skills clusters.

Stage one

You'll study these modules:

• Integrated Mental Health Nursing Practice 1
• Foundations for Nursing
• Applied Health Sciences 1
• Evidence Base for Practice

Stage two

You'll study these modules:

• Integrated Mental Health Nursing Practice 2
• Public Health
• Applied Health Sciences 2
• Research Methods for Practice

Stage three

You'll study these modules:

• Integrated Mental Health Nursing Practice 3
• Improving Health and Social Care Services
• Psychosocial Interventions to Meet Complex Mental Health Needs
• Team Working, Leadership and Management

You'll need a minimum overall of 240 UCAS tariff points at least 200 of which can come from:

• two or three A2 levels
• BTEC National Certificate
• BTEC National Diploma
• Advanced Diploma (14-19)

and a maximum of 40 from AS levels.

You must also have five GCSE passes at grade C or above including maths, English language and single science. We don't accept any other level two qualifications except as part of an Access course.

We'll also accept the following:

• Access to Higher Education Diploma (60 credits) with a minimum 24 level three credits at Merit plus level two maths and English (either GCSE or when taken as part of the Access course). Please note: If your Access course doesn't have substantial level three science content you'll also need a level two qualification in science (either at GCSE or when taken as part of the Access course).
• NVQ3 in a health related subject plus five GCSE passes at grade C or above including maths, English language and single science. We don't accept any other level two qualifications except as part of an Access course.

When you apply for this course you should make sure that you consider the following areas in your application:

• Give evidence that you meet the academic entry criteria above or are expected to
• Show you meet the criteria to apply for NHS financial support
• Provide examples of using your communication skills with the public
• Give examples of working as part of a team
• Demonstrate you can write clearly and concisely, showing a good level of spelling and punctuation
• Show that you're motivated to become a nurse
• Provide a reference
• Show that you've studied formally at some point over the last five years
• Demonstrate how you've gained insight into caring for others

We'll then use this information to shortlist candidates for our selection day. If you're shortlisted for a selection day, the day will include:

• A presentation by our nursing team
• An opportunity for you to talk to current nursing students
• A chance to take part in interactive workshops
• An individual interview

You'll need to make sure that you're prepared for the selection day as we'll make decisions on who we offer places to based on meeting you on the day.

All BSc (Hons) Nursing degree offers are subject to:

• A successful selection process
• Satisfactory Criminal Records Bureau and Occupational Health checks
• Meeting the criteria for NHS financial support
• A satisfactory reference

A Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) is required at the point of accepting a place at the University. The Disclosure and Barring Service was established when the Criminal Records Bureau (CRB) and Independent Safeguarding Authority (ISA) merged in 2012 and will now provide the criminal records checking service for this programme.

All students on university courses in nursing (leading to registration with the Nursing and Midwifery Council) will be eligible for some financial help from the NHS while studying.

Eligible students who are accepted onto this course will usually have their tuition fees paid in full and may receive financial support in the form of a bursary.

All eligible students will receive a £1,000 grant each year. They will also be eligible to apply for an additional means-tested bursary of up to £4,395 per year.

NHS Student Bursaries provides financial support to eligible students taking approved (NHS funded) courses in nursing. Please visit the NHS Student Bursaries' website at www.nhsbsa.nhs.uk/students for more information including:

• eligibility requirements
• the financial support available
• an online bursary calculator
• how the process of applying for financial support works
• frequently asked questions
• the latest rates
• details of the adoption award
• details of the maternity support award

In Derby, parts of our teaching take place in our purpose built Clinical Skills Suite which has been built to replicate hospital settings. Facilities include a hospital ward, counselling rooms and an x-ray suite. It also includes clinical equipment from high technology simulation mannequins to hoist equipment. This will help to put your skills into practice and will prepare you for working in a clinical environment.

You'll go on placements for half the duration of this course which are fundamental to developing you as a registered nurse. These will take place in various clinical learning environments including hospitals, accident and emergency departments and within community and voluntary organisations. You'll be exposed to a variety of shift patterns to enable you to experience 24 hour nursing over your three year's of training. We'll help you to reach your full potential and you'll not only be supported in practice by our dedicated team of professionals, but also by practice mentors who work closely with us to ensure you get the most out of your clinical experience.

How you're assessed

So that you are ready for your career in nursing we want to ensure that your skills and knowledge match current working practices in health and social care. Assessment approaches include problembased learning, assignments, online activities and exams. In practice, a qualified mentor will assess your knowledge and skills.

Nursing is a highly valued profession and when you become a registered nurse you'll be able to find opportunities in a wide range of specialities immediately after qualifying. We work closely with employers in the health and social care sector to make sure this course is relevant to their workforce, so you can be sure that you'll develop the skills you'll need to keep moving forward in your career.

When you complete this course, you can apply for employment as a qualified adult or mental health nurse. Our students have a good record of employability locally, nationally and internationally. In 2012 100% of our students were working within six months of graduating. You could also continue studying at postgraduate level in a range of health and social care courses.

Some students have obtained hospital based posts on a variety of wards, intensive care units, coronary care units, theatres and in A&E. Others have also gained posts within community teams, private hospitals, nursing homes, health and social care settings and independent voluntary sectors.

Ruth Harrison, Graduate

The University of Derby is not only friendly, but the staff are all very supportive. I would recommend anyone wanting to undertake nursing to consider coming here.