Course Summary

This course prepares you to practise safely and effectively in a changing healthcare context, thus maintaining a high quality of service and ensuring the protection of your customers.

You will benefit from a range of personalised learning approaches, including simulated clinical environments, workshops and personal study in the Universitys specialist facilities. However, the majority of your practical skills will be developed through personal tutor supervision at your current place of work.

Why choose this course?

Key features

• Provides academic credit which enables progression onto professional health and social care degrees
• Practice assessments follow the Knowledge and Skills Framework, an occupational standard for the NHS
• The majority of your learning takes place in your current working environment, so you can enhance your skills and continue to practise at the same time

Areas of study include:

• Learning and practising in care environments
• Care skills for assistant practitioners
• Life sciences
• Performing in professional environments
• Customer care

FDASPHAF

Assessment

Assessments are timed to enable you to develop the skills required to successfully complete the given tasks.

The Units of learning for the course are assessed to demonstrate your development in both the theoretical and practical elements.

A mentor who has worked with you in the practice setting and helped you to identify (together with your manager and a member of the university lecturing team) and meet your learning needs will summatively assess your development and performance in practice using the Practice Assessment Document and the Skills Log.

The lecturing team will assess your theoretical work. This will be comprised of examinations (Multiple Choice (MCQ), short answer, scenario based), poster and oral presentation, essays, e-portfolio, leaflets production, case study.

Course Learning Outcomes

Upon successful completion of this course, you should be able to:

1. Select and use relevant literature and experiences in order to assess, plan, implement and evaluate the care required by service users, carers and families.

2. Use and adapt a range of practical and academic skills pertinent to your area of work.

3. Analyse the evidence on which care decisions are based in order to promote the development of effective care.

4. Reflect on experience in order to gain new insights and thereby promote enhanced practice.

5. Analyse the political contexts, health beliefs, governance, legal and ethical aspects of care in order to inform practice.

6. Discuss the value of practice informing theory and theory informing practice.

7. Establish and maintain constructive relationships and partnerships with service users, carers, families and other professionals / agencies.

8. Demonstrate sensitivity in relation to the individual cultural and religious values, beliefs, abilities and needs of others.

9. Demonstrate an awareness of what it means to be part of a professional team.

10. Apply an understanding of anatomy, physiology and psychology, relating this to practice to inform care delivery.

External Benchmarking

QAA Foundation Degree benchmark.

Skills for Health Foundation Degree Framework and Core Standards for Assistant Practitioners.

Nursing and Midwifery Council - Essential Skills Clusters (2007).

Educational Aims

The principal course intentions are to:

• Provide advanced broad based education and develop your general intellectual competence to the level of eligibility for an award of Foundation Degree conferred by the University of Bedfordshire


• Ensure that you are prepared to practice safely and effectively to such an extent that the protection of the public is assured


• Provide a curriculum that meets the changing context of care provision


• Provide a progression route onto professional degree courses in health or social care

Student support

You will have access to all support services from within the University. You will also have access to a BREO site that will give you further guidance and support.

In addition you will also receive support from the following:

• Course Lead


• Unit Lead


• Academic Director


• Heads of Health Departments


• Practice Mentor

Students may be required, at the discretion of the Course Leader, to undergo diagnostic testing for academic English language abilities and may further be required, at the Course Leaders discretion, to participate in academic English support workshops or classes laid on by the University.

Team working

Working collaboratively within and between teams and services, is essential in the provision of effective and timely care to service users and families. Working with others is a requirement for good practice. Therefore group work, presentations, simulations and seminars will allow you to develop and practice these skills throughout the course in a safe environment. In practice you will be expected to work with a diverse range of other health and social care professionals.

Career Management Skills

You will be actively encouraged to participate in the development of your career management and will take the lead on accessing the Centre for Personal and Careers Development. You will undertake a self assessment to identify your strengths, interests and development needs in relation to external criteria e.g. the requirements of an occupation and employer. You will be introduced to the concept of the Knowledge and Skills Framework in your practice assessments.

Career/Further study opportunities

On completion of this course you will be qualified to work as an assistant practitioner in any hospital department within the NHS or independent healthcare sector, supporting and

assisting colleagues who have professional registration.

Career:

On completion of this course you are likely to progress into the following areas:

As an Assistant Practitioner in virtually any hospital department within the NHS or Independent healthcare sector, supporting and assisting colleagues who have professional registration.

Assistant practitioners will be expected to maintain their knowledge and skills through continuous professional development (CPD).

Further study:

This course will be the first step in a process of lifelong learning and professional development. On completion of the course opportunities will be available for you to access degree courses and / or a professionally registered course.

Entry

Standard:

• 4 GCSEs at grade C or above or


• NVQ level 2 in a health related subject or


• Have a portfolio of evidence demonstrating skills in mathematics, writing and experience of caring, communications and team working and


• Be employed as an health care assistant (Band 2, 3 or 4)


• Have the full support of their line manager


• Be successful at interview

UK students Undergraduate entry requirements

Standard entry requirements for Foundation degrees (FD/FdSc)

A foundation degree will be of particular interest if you have completed a Modern Apprenticeship, vocational A levels, BTEC National or equivalent.

Foundation degrees are also particularly suitable if you want to qualify while working.

• As a guideline, a typical offer would require you to obtain a UCAS tariff score of between 80-120 points, based on your level 3 studies.
• Students who require a Tier 4 Student Visa cannot apply for our foundation courses. For these courses the University of Bedfordshire is not able to sponsor Tier 4 Student Visa applications.

Many students studying for foundation degrees come to us through work-based routes so you can apply for a foundation degree even if you don’t have traditional academic qualifications.

We welcome applicants with relevant work experience.

Standard entry requirements for Undergraduate degrees (BA/BSc)

We will consider you as an individual and take into account all elements of your application, not just your qualifications. We are looking for both breadth and depth in your current studies as well as enthusiasm for the subject you wish to study.

The general requirement is one of the following:

• UCAS Tariff Score greater than 200, which should include either two A level passes or an AVCE Double Award
• An Access qualification
• Equivalent qualifications such as Irish Leaving Certificate, Scottish Highers, International Baccalaureate or BTEC National Diploma

Postgraduate taught courses

Postgraduate applications (MA/MSc) should be made direct to the University using the  standard University application form. There are some exceptions, please see individual course descriptions for details.

• UK/EU students application form
• International (non-EU) students application form
  

Students from the European Union

Entry requirements

As a general guide, to apply for a place on an undergraduate course (BA/BSc) at the University you need to have completed your high school education and have the required English qualification.

We have students from all the European Union member countries so we are quick to make decisions on most qualifications.

How to apply

International students

• Undergraduate applications (BA/BSc) can be made direct to the University or via our representatives in your home country. If you intend to apply to more than one university in the UK you should apply via UCAS. If you want to apply to the University of Bedfordshire only you should apply directly using our international application form (link below) or via our representatives in your home country
• Postgraduate applications should be made directly to the University using our international application form (link below) or via our representatives in your home country
• Healthcare, nursing and midwifery students Many of these courses are not available to overseas students due to UK immigration law in regard to bursary funding. Please contact international admissions to find out if you are eligible to apply
• BA Nursing Studies Level 3 (with or without Overseas Nursing Programme) is available to overseas students - please contact International Admissions by email at international-admissions@beds.ac.uk for further information

(Please note that applicants on a full student visa are not eligible for part-time study)

Course application form for international students

We recommend that you apply directly to the University where possible, as this allows us to offer the quickest turnaround time for your application.

• Course application form for direct applications [PDF]

How to complete your course application

Please read the Direct application instructions before completing the course application form.

Application forms for accommodation in the student halls at Bedford campus and Luton campus are available in the Student life section

Accreditation of prior certificated learning (APL)

APL is available for international students applying for undergraduate (Bachelor degree) study. Please do not use this APL form to apply for postgraduate courses.

Use the APL form to tell us about any non-standard qualifications and/or work experience you have that you think should be taken into consideration with your application. `

The APL form should be submitted at the same time as the course application form.

We regret we are unable to process APL forms from students who have not submitted a formal course application form.

• APL application form for International students [100Kb] updated 041007

What next?

Return your completed application to:

University of Bedfordshire
International Admissions
Park Square
Luton
Bedfordshire
LU1 3JU
United Kingdom

Contact International Admissions

T: +44 (0)1582 489326 (non-EU Students)
F: +44 (0)1582 743469
E: international-admissions@beds.ac.uk

Awarding institution

University of Bedfordshire

Teaching Strategy

The aim of this course is to facilitate development of the necessary knowledge, skills and attitudes to enable you to become a knowledgeable doer in healthcare practice. Your development will be facilitated mainly through working in your area of practice. Learning in the classroom, the simulated environment and personal study will also play and integral part in your achievement.

The course team believe that it is important to promote good practice in teaching and learning and want to optimise your learning opportunities. You will be supported in your learning in practice predominantly by your practice mentor / assessor. You will also have the opportunity to experience direct tuition via the form of lectures, seminars, workshops and tutorials. Practical skills will be developed in practice supported by opportunities to practice in a simulated, safe environment.

We believe that your learning should be inclusive and occur within the culture of higher education using practice as an integral part of the educational process. Our aim is that on completion of the course you will have made a significant move towards the state of being an independent, self directed life long learner.

Your learning will be supported by Bedfordshire Educational Resources Online (BREO) website.

Professional, Statutory and Regulatory Body Accreditation

N/A

Students with disabilities

Students will have access to Student Services and will be encouraged to actively seek any assistance they require in order to have needs met in relation to a disability they may have.

Skills Development

Communication

To help with the development of this you will:

• Communicate with a range of health and social care professionals, service users and carers


• Use effective communication methods to negotiate and develop your skills and knowledge


• Effectively disseminate verbal and written information

Information Literacy

To help with the development of this you will:

• Access literature from a range of sources


• Use a range of resources to develop your knowledge in practice


• Construct and undertake an effective literature search strategy in order to underpin knowledge development

Research and Evaluation

To help with the development of this you will:

• Analyse the information found


• Evaluate the evidence underpinning care


• Undertake self evaluation

Creativity and Critical Thinking

To help with the development of this you will:

• Demonstrate an ability to think both logically and laterally in the development and application of theory to practice and problem solving


• Use appropriate analytical skills in evaluating the information obtained from service users to identify their specific needs and problems

Improving learning and performance

The ethos underpinning this course is one of personalised learning. Personalised learner development is a key feature of the Universitys distinctive curriculum, the purpose of which is to develop the identity of the learner, their self awareness and their preparedness for future opportunities.

In order to meet the ethos of personalised learning the course teams strategy for engaging you in your own learning and development and for making you more aware of how you learn, is as follows:

• Students will be given formative and summative feedback on their continuing development and will be encouraged to reflect on their progress. This will engage you in the process of using assessment feedback


• Students will be actively involved in the assessment process in relation to their academic and practice assessments


• Students will be given responsibility for their own development


• Study skills will be developed throughout the course

Progress files

You are required to develop and keep an e-portfolio during your first year, which you will develop further throughout the course and beyond as evidence of your ongoing personal development. In addition, you will undertake self assessment throughout.

Professional standards

Professional attitudes are important to enable engagement in the world beyond the University. It is expected therefore that you will adopt behaviours and attitudes that reflect a sense of professionalism in how you approach different learning opportunities and situations. In return the course team will respond positively towards this. You and the course team are therefore expected to do the following:

You:

• Be punctual for session and tutorials


• Respect the learning environment and others in the group


• Inform the course lead if you are unable to attend a class or tutorial meeting


• Take the lead in your learning and development


• Follow University policies and procedures especially in relation to the writing and submission of assessments

Course team:

• Inform the you in advance if you need to cancel a session or tutorial


• Respond to email within 5 working days unless on leave


• Ensure assessment results are published on the expected date


• Promote a learning environment that facilitates mutual respect

Strategy for developing and embedding the professional standards

Students will be introduced to the concept of professional standards in their induction programme and will have the above outlined to them. Adherence to these standards will be monitored by the course lead who will liaise with the unit leads. If there are any issues that need to be addressed this will be documented in their progress file and they will be contacted to discuss the issues further. Students will be offered support to address the issues. However, any persistent non-adherence to these professional standards may result in them being discontinued from the course.