Fully accredited by the Nursing and Midwifery Council1 (NMC) providing eligibility for registration as a nurse on successful completion of the course (additional costs may apply).

• You’ll spend up to 50% of your time on clinical practice placements5 in a range of healthcare environments such as within the NHS in hospitals and community placements, at private hospitals and independent care providers.
• Study and develop specialist skills in communication, comprehensive health assessment, equality and issues related to professional practice.
• All eligible students on this course can apply for a minimum payment from the Government of £5,000 per year, with additional payments for students incurring childcare costs6.

 

Why you should study this course

Learning disability (LD) nurses play a critical role in improving their patients’ physical and mental health, reducing barriers to them living an independent life and supporting them to lead a fulfilling and healthy life where they can relate to others on equal terms. A hugely rewarding profession, it is a great career choice if you are compassionate and keen to support individuals of all ages through the many physical, mental and social challenges facing people with learning disabilities.

 

This course aims to prepare you for the dynamic and fast-changing health and social care system, developing you into an adaptable, flexible, reflective, competent and compassionate practitioner. Actively engaging with people with learning disabilities, their families and carers, you’ll have the opportunity to gain hands-on experience under supervision from qualified mentors on placement.

 

While the course has a clear focus on people with learning disabilities, a key benefit of our curriculum is the notion of collaboration across all areas of health and social care. Your studies will be complemented with signi?cant insights into a range of potential challenges to health and wellbeing throughout the lifespan, such as mental health, complex care and life limiting conditions. Some modules are also studied in conjunction with other health and social care professionals; looking at specific issues and challenges they face to broaden your knowledge and expertise.

 

You will have the opportunity to learn the value of people with learning disabilities as equal citizens and people who have a real contribution to make to your development as a caring professional nurse in this unique ?eld of practice. You will have the opportunity to study and develop specialist skills in communication, comprehensive health assessment, equality and issues related to professional practice. This includes complex health needs, profound and multiple needs, care packages and therapeutic approaches to service users with learning disabilities, their families and carers.

 

The collaborative curriculum, which you’ll study alongside students from other health-related courses, has been developed in response to the need to produce professionals who are effective communicators, caring and compassionate, with good relationship-building skills. It recognises the importance of interprofessional working within the health and social care workforce.

 

Placing equal value on practice and theory, undertaking 800 hours of both per year, you will have the opportunity to study a wide range of subjects, including anatomy and physiology, pharmacology, psychology, sociology and research methods. This course will give you the opportunity to become immersed in learning about the needs of populations, individuals, related health and nursing services with an emphasis on using research to enhance and improve services.

 

Your degree culminates with a literature review related to one aspect of nursing practice, equivalent to the standard dissertation, for which you will write a 4,000-word report. Past students have covered topics as diverse as effects of antipsychotic medication, uptake of annual health checks, treatment of people with LD in acute hospital settings, experiences of parents with LD and experiences of offenders with LD, for example.