Bachelor of Nursing (Hons) Mental Health
What is the Course About?
The Keyll Darree Education and Training Team housed within Manx Care delivers the pre-registration nursing programme validated by the University of Chester. On completion of the programme students are awarded a Degree in mental health nursing and professional registration with the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC).
The nursing programme aims to provide professional nurse education which takes account of all the relevant professional and academic benchmarks, producing future nurses who must act first and foremost to care for and safeguard the public.
The pre-registration nursing programme has been designed to take account of the essential physical and mental health of people across the age continuum. The student nurse will spend a minimum of 2,300 hours in practice supported by a range of healthcare professionals and a minimum of 2,300 hours in the academic setting supported by nurse lecturers and clinical skills facilitators.
The programme is delivered on a full time basis over three years. Successful applicants are awarded a tax-free bursary of £10,000 per year.
Students are placed at the centre of the learning experience and are expected to assume responsibility for their own educational development through reflection and management of their learning. Methods of learning and teaching emphasise student-centred techniques. This will facilitate the student to become an increasingly autonomous learner, able to identify their own learning needs and goals within the parameters of the programme.
Applications for the programme are open each year from October to March.
Shortlisted candidates will be invited for interview.
What subjects will I study?
In accordance with the NMC regulatory standards you will undertake 2,300 of study hours in relevant theoretical subjects (the taught content will cover essentials from - applied biological sciences; applied social sciences; managing emergency, acute and long term care needs across the life span; promoting health and wellbeing; leading care and people; evidence based practice; and understanding values and skills for professional practice and registration). Again as required by the NMC regulatory standards you will also undertake 2,300 of practice hours based in a varied mix of community and in-patient care settings on the Isle of Man; hence you are expected to travel across the whole island. Taught sessions, for the most part, will be based on the Noble’s Hospital site.
What are my progression and career options?
On successfully completing this course, you can elect to become registered with the NMC as a mental health nurse. This professional registration would enable you to seek gainful employment here on the Isle of Man or the UK as a duly qualified mental health nurse.
Your BN (Hons) exit qualification also enables you to progress to undertake postgraduate study locally or other universities in the UK and elsewhere worldwide.
The knowledge, care values and competencies acquired following you achieving this academic exit qualification associated with a professional status are transferable qualities that are highly sort after by most employers even those outside the health and social care provision sector; these will equally enhance your everyday life living and coping skills.
How will I be assessed?
You will be assessed using various methods including written and oral examinations, written assignments, numeracy and clinical skills assessments, practice competency assessments, and ongoing achievement records. These various methods will enable you to develop a diverse array of assessment capabilities and skills as your course progresses.
Entry requirements
All applicants must be Isle of Man residents and must have, GCSE English Language or Literature and Mathematics at Grade C/-Grade 4 or above or equivalent (such as Functional Skills), and, a minimum of 112 UCAS points. Please note applicants must have evidence of recent study within the last 5 years, and must be 18 years or more on the commencement date of the course. It is the responsibility of the applicant to submit evidence of their UK-based qualifications or validation of all their non-UK-based qualifications from recognised UK matriculation bodies like UK ENIC.
UCAS points must be obtained from GCE A Levels or equivalent. Typical offer BBC-BCC; BTEC Extended Diploma-DMM; BTEC Diploma- D*D*; OCR National Extended Diploma: Merit 2; OCR Cambridge Technical Extended Diploma - DMM; OCR Cambridge Technical Diploma - D*D*; Irish/Scottish Highers: B in four subjects; International Baccalaureate: 26 points; QAA recognised Access to HE Diploma,to include 45 credits at Level 3, 30 of which must be at Merit or Distinction; a Bachelor degree exit qualification. We accept a maximum of 8 points from GCE AS Levels and the Welsh Baccalaureate (core) and General Studies A Level will be recognised in our offer. We will also consider a combination of A levels and BTECs/OCRs. FETAC Level 5 (Major Award) with all 8 subjects at Merit. NVQ/QCF/GNVQ/RQF level 2 and 3 do not, meet the equivalent entry criteria.
The NMC states that for candidates originally from outside the European Economic Area (EEA), scores from the Internal English Language Testing System (IELTS) are accepted as evidence of literacy. The scores must be at least 7.0 in each section and the overall average score must be at least 7.0.
Nursing is both mentally and physically demanding and the good character and health of all successful applicants will be assessed to establish fitness to undertake our nurse education programme. A Disclosure & Barring Service certificate is required and will be carried out on all successful applicants. There is also a need for all successful candidates to provide two recent references from sources who are authentically reputable.