BSc Professional Nursing (Adult)
Queen's University Belfast
Key Information
Campus location
Belfast, United Kingdom
Languages
English
Study format
On-Campus
Duration
3 years
Pace
Full time
Tuition fees
GBP 18,800 / per year *
Application deadline
Request info
Earliest start date
Request info
* international fee
Introduction
This three-year undergraduate degree program integrates theory and practice, preparing our students to be world-class practitioners. Students in this program will begin in September 2023.
Our personal tutor system for student support is very well regarded, and we were awarded the Best Student Experience award in the 2021 Student Nursing Times Awards.
This BSc Professional Nursing program will enable you to register with the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) as an Adult Nurse. Nursing is a rewarding, dynamic, and highly skilled profession.
Students will spend 50 percent of their time in University learning the latest nursing theory and clinical skills, and 50 percent of their time with one of our internationally-recognized training partners in a wide variety of clinical and community settings throughout Northern Ireland. This course equips students with the knowledge, skills, and attributes to deliver person-centered, team-based, safe, and effective care in today’s fast-paced, dynamic health service.
You will learn in our state-of-the-art clinical skills and simulation suite and complete practice placements in a range of settings. The course is taught by experts in acute and chronic care, palliative care, community nursing, and mental health who will support you in becoming a caring, compassionate professional, working in partnership with people, families, and communities. Our focus on interdisciplinary learning throughout the three-year course will enrich your experience and help prepare you for the reality of professional practice.
This program is fully funded by the Department of Health for Home students, including full fees and a bursary. Students in this program are ineligible to apply for funding from the Student Loans Company. It is not available as a part-time program.
If you have previously commenced or completed a DoH paid place/bursary for pre-registration nursing, midwifery or AHP course in Northern Ireland you will not be eligible for a funded place on this programme.
Professional Nursing (Adult) Degree Highlights
Students may be eligible to have their fees paid by the Department of Health, (DoH), and may receive a bursary.
Professional Accreditations
- Professional Registration with the NMC (2020) as an Adult Nurse
Career Development
- Nurses and Midwives learn to be an integral part of a healthcare team. Within this School, multidisciplinary teams of medical students and nursing students work together using interprofessional learning scenarios.
World-Class Facilities
- Learn and test your clinical skills through the use of state-of-the-art simulation equipment. Our revolutionary facilities, opening in 2020, allow our educators to role-play scenarios in response to the student's actions. This activity often takes place behind a one-way mirror and provides the teaching team with the opportunity to observe and monitor the students' responses to specific scenarios.
- Students work in multidisciplinary teams in our state-of-the-art simulation center, using the latest technology for learning.
Career Opportunities
Studying for a BSc (Hons) Professional Nursing degree at Queen’s will assist you in developing the core skills and employment-related experiences that are valued by employers, professional organisations and academic institutions. Graduates from this degree at Queen’s are well regarded by employers both nationally and internationally.
Employment after the Course
Around 99% of graduates from this programme go on to pursue a career in nursing which is an interesting, rewarding and challenging career where work can be in a variety of health care settings from accident and emergency to working in patients' homes, with people of all ages and backgrounds. Nursing can also offer a diverse range of post-registration opportunities to specialise in areas such as counselling; public health and health promotion; acute care, as well as education and research
Additional Awards Gained
All students entering this programme are required to undergo an enhanced disclosure check with Access NI which costs £33.
In Year 1, students must buy a uniform from a QUB approved uniform supplier (approximate cost £180) and a name badge (£10) from the University.
All students in this program will undertake clinical placements throughout Northern Ireland. Students are responsible for funding travel, accommodation and subsistence costs. These costs vary depending on the location and duration of the placements. Some reimbursement may be available.
International and non-commissioned students are required to pay a placement charge of £3,000. Commissioned (fully funded) students are not eligible to apply for Student Loans from Student Finance NI.
Students may wish to buy a Fob Watch; approximate cost £15.
If you have previously been in receipt of a DoH paid place/bursary for a pre-registration nursing, midwifery or AHP course in Northern Ireland you may not be eligible for a funded place on this programme.
Degree plus award for extra-curricular skills
In addition to your degree programme, at Queen's, you can have the opportunity to gain wider life, academic and employability skills. For example, placements, voluntary work, clubs, societies, sports and lots more. So not only do you graduate with a degree recognised from a world-leading university, you'll have practical national and international experience plus a wider exposure to life overall. We call this Degree Plus. It's what makes studying at Queen's University Belfast special.
Curriculum
Course Structure
Stage 1
You will be introduced to professionals working alongside foundational knowledge and skills in Adult Nursing to support you in implementing safe and effective person-centered care. You will learn about the systems of the body, pharmacology, and caring communication, as well as Public Health.
You will support people to manage their health and wellbeing across the lifespan and develop critical thinking skills to apply to decision-making in clinical practice.
Stage 2
You will support people managing chronic health issues as well as experiencing acute episodes of illness. You will consider all aspects of health including the promotion of mental wellbeing when working in partnership with individuals, families, and communities. You will deepen your knowledge of bioscience and pharmacology, and develop the skills required to analyze and critically appraise evidence with a focus on quality improvement.
Stage 3
Leadership will be a key focus in this final year whilst managing specialist and complex care and supporting people to manage their health across a range of services including community care. You will have the opportunity to consolidate your learning in practice preparing you to enter the register as an Adult nurse.
Learning and Teaching
At Queen’s, we aim to deliver a high-quality learning environment that embeds intellectual curiosity, innovation, and best practices in learning, teaching, and student support to enable students to achieve their full academic potential.
On the BSc (Hons) in Professional Nursing we do this by providing a range of learning experiences that enable our students to engage with subject experts, develop attributes and perspectives that will equip them for life and work in a global society and make use of innovative technologies and a world-class library that enhances their development as independent, lifelong learners. Examples of the opportunities provided for learning in this course are:
- E-Learning technologies
A range of e-learning experiences is embedded in the degree using the Learning Management system, Canvas. Other examples include interactive group workshops in a flexible learning space, podcasts, and interactive web-based learning activities. - Lectures
Introduce basic information about new topics as a starting point for further self-directed private study/reading. Lectures also provide opportunities to ask questions, and gain some feedback and advice on assessments (normally delivered in large groups to all year-group peers). - Personal Tutor
Undergraduates are allocated a Personal Tutor who meets with them on several occasions during each year to support their academic development. - Practical and Simulation-Based Education
Where you will have opportunities to develop technical skills and apply theoretical principles to real-life or practical contexts. All nursing students have opportunities to engage in interprofessional education (IPE) activities. You will be expected to attend 100% of the classes within your nursing modules. - Self-directed study
This is an essential part of life as a Queen’s student when important private reading, engagement with e-learning resources, reflection on feedback to date, and research work for assignments is carried out. - Seminars/tutorials
Significant amounts of teaching are carried out in small groups (typically 15-20 students). These provide an opportunity for students to engage with academic staff who have specialist knowledge of the topic, to ask questions of them, and to assess their own progress and understanding with the support of peers. You should also expect to make presentations and other contributions to these groups. - Work Practice placements
Students will undertake clinical placements regularly throughout the program. This enhances the link from theory to practice in nursing and provides students with a wide variety of opportunities and experiences across a range of health and social care contexts. It is an essential component of the program ensuring that the student has sufficient opportunities to develop skills and competence in care provision and decision-making, meeting the requirements for professional registration with the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC 2020).
Placements in Adult Nursing can be anywhere in Northern Ireland; students should expect to travel to placements. When on placements every student is assigned a supervisor, who is trained in teaching within the clinical setting and will work alongside them regardless of that person’s shift pattern. Students should expect to work night shifts and/or long days on a regular basis while on placement.
Assessment
Details of assessments associated with this course are outlined below:
The way in which you are assessed will vary according to the learning objectives of each module. Modules are assessed through a variety of assessments that may include assignments, project work, presentations or examinations. Details of how each module is assessed are shown in the Module Handbook which is provided to all students at the start of each module.
Feedback
As students progress through their course at Queen’s they will receive general and specific feedback about their work from a variety of sources including lecturers, module coordinators, placement supervisors, personal tutors, advisers of study, and peers. University students are expected to engage in reflective practice and to use this approach to improve the quality of their work. Feedback may be provided in a variety of forms including:
- Feedback is provided via formal written comments and marks relating to work that you, as an individual or as part of a group, have submitted.
- Face-to-face comment. This may include occasions when you make use of the lecturers’ advertised “office hours” to help you to address a specific query.
- Placement employer comments or references.
- Online or emailed comment.
- General comments or question-and-answer opportunities at the end of a lecture, seminar, or tutorial.
- Pre-submission advice regarding the standards you should aim for and common pitfalls to avoid. In some instances, this may be provided in the form of model answers or exemplars which you can review in your own time.
- Feedback and outcomes from practical classes.
- Comment and guidance provided by staff from specialist support services such as Careers, Employability, and Skills or the Learning Development Service.
- Once you have reviewed your feedback, you will be encouraged to identify and implement further improvements to the quality of your work.
Admissions
Program Tuition Fee
Scholarships and Funding
How do I fund my study?
There are different tuition fees and student financial support arrangements for students from Northern Ireland, those from England, Scotland and Wales (Great Britain), and those from the rest of the European Union.
Scholarships
Each year, we offer a range of scholarships and prizes for new students.
International Scholarships
Student Testimonials
English Language Requirements
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