MSc Advanced Practice

You may study a single module or create a named stage award within the advanced practice course. To achieve a PG Cert you will need to study four modules, for the PG Dip you'll study eight modules and for the MSc in Advanced Practice you'll study 12 modules:

Advanced Nursing Practice modules:

• Clinical Decision Making - you'll gain you the skills and knowledge to undertake advanced assessment, clinical diagnosis through autonomous application and integration of clinical information, and prescription. You'll also develop effective interpersonal skills with colleagues to enable you to solve problems.
• Clinical Management Investigations and Referral for the Advanced Practitioner - you'll develop an understanding of advanced pharmaceutical knowledge in the treatment and management phase of disease or injury.
• Clinical Management of Long Term Conditions 1 - you'll gain the skills and knowledge to empower patients to manage their condition through self care. You'll consider social, political and economic factors that will affect the current and future management of long term conditions.
• Clinical Management of Long Term Conditions 2 - you'll already have gained skills to empower patients to manage their condition, so this module will further develop you as you consider care provision for patients with complex needs.
• Evaluating Evidence for Practice - this module is a foundation to developing the skills to critically evaluate research and to consider the impact this research will have on your advanced practice role. You'll consider the principles of sound research as well as ethics, critical writing and more.
• Organisation Wide Approaches to Quality - you'll apply the knowledge you gain to practice and making improvements across the organisation. Your assignment will be based on a case study of a quality issue which will give you the opportunity to pro-actively benefit your workplace, the patients and possibly the wider NHS.
• Radiographic Image Analysis - you will develop and enhance your skills in the analysis of radiographic images of either the chest or the skeleton.
• Research Methodologies (Application to Advanced Practice) - if you will be doing primary research as part of your independent scholarship, this module is perfect for you to develop your skills in quantitative and qualitative research methods.
• Vulnerability and Mental Health - you'll identify risk groups and learn how to assess, support and manage vulnerable people to avoid challenging or crisis situations. You'll also be taught how to evaluate ethical dilemmas which might arise when you support the care and protection of vulnerable people.
• Work Based Learning (Negotiated Module) - Because we believe that study should be relevant to the job you do. So in this module you'll evaluate the service needs of your workplace, considering both their current needs and those in the future. You'll share your findings with either a multi-professional team or to service users.

Leadership and Management modules:

• Advancing Communication Skills - you'll assess your own communication skills needs, and you'll consider theoretical principles in areas that are relevant to you. You'll then apply this to your own practice, so it's a module which is tailored to your needs and is very relevant to your own personal development.
• Advancing Practice - you'll critically reflect upon an area of interest to you and use your theoretical and professional clinical knowledge to solve complex problems.
• Developing Reflexivity - experiential learning is a key aspect of this module and you'll consider learning that has occurred as a result of your experiences. You'll then evaluate the impact of that learning on current policy and practice, and communicate your learning to a wider audience.
• Engaging with Service Improvement - You'll take forward a service improvement cycle within your workplace right from the planning stage, through the improvement activities and finally to look at the outcomes.
• Liberating Talents - if you're a senior health care professional this module is for you. It brings together principles of leadership, management and consultancy and is designed to assist you to become more influential in your role, and to help you to improve standards and professionalism.
• Management of Change - it's important that you are able to manage change effectively and positively or to initiate change if it's needed. You'll consider issues such as external and internal influences, attitudes and opinions, communication and leadership.
• Principles of Service Improvement in the Workplace - you'll develop the confidence and skills to improve services in your own area of practice. You'll gain an insight into the dilemmas and conflicts associated with introducing improvement plans, and you'll think strategically about the planning of service improvement activities.
• Work Based Project - you'll need to show originality and the ability to initiate, plan, implement and evaluate the project. You'll gain transferable skills as a result of this module, including problem solving, decision making and negotiation, so it's a great opportunity to develop personally as well as academically.

Osteoporosis and Falls Management modules:

• Assessment, Prevention and Management of Falls (Theory) - as you'll know, falling and fall related injuries and their consequences, are a major health problem. You'll consider the socio-economic, political and personal consequences of falls and fall-related injuries. You'll also analyse the prevention and management interventions available to health care practitioners and reflect on current practice. 
• Clinical Considerations in the Diagnosis and Management of Osteoporosis - you'll critically review the diagnostic and management aspects of osteoporosis to enhance your clinical practice for the benefit of the client, practitioner and clinical unit. So you'll develop safe standards of practice in a clinical setting.
• Clinical Considerations of the Prevention and Management of Falls - you'll critically review the assessment, prevention and management aspects of falls to enhance your clinical practice for the benefit of a client, practitioner and clinical unit.
• DXA Reporting for Clinicians - you'll be able to recognise normal and osteoporotic DXA images and understand clinical risk factors which affect bone densitometry readings such as positioning or the presence of osteophytes. And you'll be able to accurately report on BMD results and make treatment recommendations.
• Evaluating Evidence for Practice - you'll develop the skills to critically evaluate research and to consider the impact this research will have on your advanced practice role. You'll consider the principles of sound research as well as ethics, critical writing and more.
• Health Promotion: Improving Bone Health - you'll be introduced to basic concepts of health promotion and will look at how activities related to the health of bones can be effectively worked into your practice. With a critical eye you'll review these concepts and identify opportunities to promote healthy bones within your own role.
• Nutrition in Relation to Bone Health and Falls - you'll look at the role that nutrition plays on bone health and consider how patients are assessed for their nutritional status.
• Science and Instrumentation of Bone Densitometry - you'll explore the scientific principles and characteristics of bones using ultrasound and ionising radiation. And you'll learn how bone densitometry systems work and will review their provision in osteoporosis units in primary and secondary care environments.
• Theoretical Considerations in the Diagnosis and Management of Osteoporosis - you'll look at the treatment options available in the care of patients with osteoporosis and evaluate the care provided to patients with osteoporosis in your clinical practice.

Leadership for Healthcare Improvement modules:

• Engaging with Service Improvement - You'll take forward a service improvement cycle within your workplace right from the planning stage, through the improvement activities and finally to look at the outcomes.
• Evaluating Evidence for Practice - you'll develop the skills to critically evaluate research and to consider the impact this research will have on your advanced practice role. You'll consider the principles of sound research as well as ethics, critical writing and more.
• Principles of Service Improvement in the Workplace - you'll develop the confidence and skills to improve services in your own area of practice. You'll gain an insight into the dilemmas and conflicts associated with introducing improvement plans, and you'll think strategically about the planning of service improvement activities.

Medical Ultrasound modules:

• Advancing Communication Skills (15 credits) - you'll assess your own communication skills needs, and you'll consider theoretical principles in areas that are relevant to you. You'll then apply this to your own practice, so it's a module which is tailored to your needs and is very relevant to your own personal development.
• Advancing Practice (15 credits) - you'll critically reflect upon an area of interest to you and use your theoretical and professional clinical knowledge to solve complex problems.
• Advanced Technology (15 credits) - this is a work based module that will enable you to gain knowledge of emerging technologies that directly or indeirectly influence practice, and make sure that you are getting the most out of modern technology.
• Echocardiography (30 credits) - studying this double module will ensure you become a competent, reflective and autonomous practitioner, capable of safe and effective use of transthoracic ultrasound in the assessment of adult acquired cardiac disease.
• Evaluating Evidence for Practice - you'll develop the skills to critically evaluate research and to consider the impact this research will have on your advanced practice role. You'll consider the principles of sound research as well as ethics, critical writing and more.
• Focused Specialist Ultrasound (15 credits)- building on your existing focused ultrasound experience, this module will enable you to extend your skills to provide an enhanced ultrasound service in your own clinical area.
• General Medical Ultrasound (30 credits) - you'll become a competent, reflective and autonomous practitioner capable of safe and effective use of ultrasound in the assessment of a range of general medical referrals.
• Gynaecology Ultrasound (15 credits) - You'll consider the safe and effective use of ultrasound in the assessment of gynaecology patients.
• Obstetric Ultrasound (30 credits) - You'll focus on routine obstetric referrals in this double module.
• Principles of Medical Ultrasound (15 credits) - You'll develop an understanding of the underlying principles of ultrasound and the ability to apply this knowledge in the safe use of ultrasound equipment, image optimisation and evaluation.
• Research Methodologies - Application to Advanced Practice (15 credits) - during this module you'll develop your skills in quantitative and qualitative research methods.
• Ultrasound in Early Pregnancy Assessment (15 credits) - This module will ensure that you're capable of safe and effective use of ultrasound in the assessment of early pregnancy.
• Vascular Ultrasound (30 credits) - You'll develop your skills and competencies in the effective use of ultrasound in the assessment of a range of vascular referrals.

Start dates

If you're from the UK or EU you can apply to study this course in:

• September 2012
• January 2013

If you're from a country outside the EU you can apply to study this course full time in:

• September 2012
• January 2013