BSc (Hons) Mental Health Nursing

at University of Suffolk

Year 1
 

Nursing Practice 1 (including IPL: Working with Others) (Mandatory)
The focus of the first year will be the development of the essential knowledge skills and value based attitudes necessary for the student to contribute to the plan of care for individuals and their carers in a range of settings. These foundations of nursing practice will be learned through observation of and participation in care delivery supported by a suitable mentor and other appropriate members of the multi-professional care team.
 

Foundations of Nursing Practice (Mandatory)
The focus of this module is to introduce the student to the experience of higher education and the theoretical and practical knowledge that underpins mental health practice. Practice is determined by the quality of the relationship the nurse has with the service user and the primary aim of year one being that the student may learn to provide a significant contribution to the delivery of a plan of care.
 

Holistic Care (Mandatory)
Deeper knowledge of the sciences underpinning the rationale and the justification for care and the arts of mental health nursing are reinforced with the cognitive skills needed to make decisions as to care need, exercise judgment as to priorities in various contexts and justify outcomes. 
 

Year 2
 

Nursing Practice 2 (including IPL: The Service User) (Mandatory)
Within this module the student will develop the skills, knowledge and behaviour required to assess plan, implement and evaluate comprehensive, evidence based care for increasing numbers of individual patients/service users and their family, carer(s) in a variety of settings. The student will be working with increasing levels of independence and clearly demonstrating a potential to work autonomously on completion of this year. 
 

Recovery in Mental Health (Mandatory)
The purpose is for the student to extend the knowledge and skills that have allowed them to make a significant contribution to the plan of care. This module contributes by extending and deepening the students’ knowledge and further developing the cognitive skills required to assess, plan, implement and evaluate the care of small numbers of individuals in a variety of settings. 
 

Evidence Based Practice & Complex Mental Health Needs (Mandatory)
The focus of this module is continued development and consolidation of the primary knowledge and skills that are required to deliver planned, progressive and individualised care to small numbers of persons in a variety of contexts. The module will also consider the role of systematic investigation and the underpinning research that is used to improve the quality of service and how national policy, local organization and social issues influence the provision of mental health care.
 

Year 3
 

Nursing Practice 3 (including IPL: The Professional in the Team) (Mandatory)
This module will prepare the student to make the transition from student to registered nurse, capable of managing the care of small groups of patients/service users and leading, supporting appropriate members of the care team. The knowledge, skills and value based behaviours developed in years one and two will be extended and refined and applied with those required to achieve successful leadership and management. 
 

Preparing for Professional Practice (Mandatory)
This module will extend the student’s understanding of core concepts and the principles of effective leadership, knowledge of service improvement strategies and lifelong professional development skills. High quality and innovative, ethical and contextually sensitive care will remain the main focus of the module. 
 

Dissertation (Mandatory)
The dissertation module enables students to consolidate their learning throughout the curriculum, and apply the principles of research in an area related to practice enquiry. It further develops students’ understanding on how evidence is generated, retrieved, critically appraised and applied to practice. As a student progresses to registration they will be able to use clinical reasoning skills to guide and inform best practice decisions, and develop evidence-based practice for service users.

Academic Requirements

• Applicants are required to hold five GCSEs grade 4/C or above to include Mathematics and English (or equivalent).
• For applicants whose first language is not English, but who have been living in the UK for less than 2 years (or have not lived in the UK at all), we will accept IELTS or the University of Suffolk Password test as meeting the English requirement.
• Applicants whose first language is not English, but who have been living in the UK for 2 years or more will be expected to hold GCSE English at Grade C or above (grade 4-9 for the new GCSE), or the relevant Level 2 equivalent (if applicable).
   

Non-Academic Requirements

Any offer of a place will be subject to: 

• Successful interview
• Satisfactory Health check
• Satisfactory Enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check
• Two satisfactory references
   

As part of the selection process, you will be expected to demonstrate good knowledge and a clear understanding of the scope of work that a nurse is required to undertake as well as the significance of the NHS Constitution and its core values.
 

International Requirements

• IELTS 7.0 is required where English is not the students' first language.

• UK full-time tuition fee: £9,250 p.a 
• Full-time International tuition fee: £17,768 p.a (inclusive of placement fee) 

Mental Health Nursing students are very employable and gain a range of skills throughout their degree. Graduates can progress in to a variety of careers including those in community and hospital settings, education and research. There are numerous opportunities for continued professional development and progression to higher degree study.