Mental Health Nursing Degree Apprenticeship

Enabling you to be a registered mental health nurse, to help clients take the first steps to changing their lives
BSc (Hons) Nursing (Adult)

Programme overview

Mental health nurses have a unique and profound impact on the lives of the people they care for, building and maintaining therapeutic relationships across all aspects of people’s lives. Undertaking the BSc (Hons) Nursing degree apprentices in Mental Health with the University of Plymouth will enable you to achieve a bachelors honours degree and register as a nurse with the Nursing and Midwifery Council in mental health, enabling you to progress on to a rewarding career and work in a range of healthcare settings nationally or internationally.
During the programme you will develop the clinical and communication skills required to support the individual within their own recovery process. You'll develop the knowledge and experience to work within community, primary and acute care settings, and gain the confidence to help clients take the first steps to changing their lives. Alongside preparing you to be an expert mental health nurse, our course recognises that all nurses need to be able to work with people suffering from physical health conditions and learning disabilities across the lifespan. We will give you a broad range of knowledge and skills pertinent to all the fields of nursing. This will include detailed knowledge of physical health care and essential physical nursing procedures as well as the skills to work with people who have learning disabilities.
The full-time Registered Nurse Degree Apprenticeship comprises of three parts. Each part is delivered over approximately 12 months. Apprentices studying the full-time programme are supernumerary for the duration of the programme engaging in academic learning (theory/supernumerary practice). There may be some variations to this for experienced healthcare practitioners (Assistant Practitioners/Nursing Associates) with relevant healthcare experience and level 5 qualifications that may be eligible for the Recognised Prior Learning (RPL) part time route.
 

Programme details

Year 1

Your first year introduces you to being an accountable professional, whilst developing the knowledge and skills required to become a confident, academic and independent learner. You will gain an understanding of human development, key body systems and their relationship to nursing care. A range of effective therapeutic interpersonal skills to promote engagement and helpful collaborative person-centred conversations will be nurtured within the theory and the two practice components during the year. You will be introduced to the importance of assessing, planning, providing and evaluating health and wellbeing in a broad range of contexts. You will learn and develop the values, knowledge and skills required for the successful achievement of the standards of proficiency required for the first NMC progression point. Modules will have field specific application.
Core modules
  • NRS410: Being an Accountable Professional
  • NRS411: Communication and Therapeutic Relationships
  • NRS412: Assessing Healthcare Needs
  • NRS413: Planning Nursing Care
  • NRS414: Applied Human Biology Across the Lifespan
  • NRS415: Providing and Evaluating Care
 

Year 2

In your second year you will be introduced to research methodology and methods in order to develop your knowledge of the application of research-based evidence to professional practice. You will study the pathophysiological processes involved in commonly encountered health conditions to support nursing interventions. Your knowledge and understanding of co-ordinating care for complex health needs will be developed, as well as in relation to public health, policies and legislation. You will become a knowledgeable practitioner with an understanding of pharmacology and safe practice in the management of medicines. The theory and two practice components of the year will develop your values, knowledge and skills required for the successful achievement of the standards of proficiency required for the second NMC progression point. Modules will have field specific application.
Core modules
  • NRS501: Applied Pathophysiology
  • NRS502: Introduction to Evidence-Informed Decision Making
  • NRS503: Promoting Health and Preventing Ill Health
  • NRS504: Pharmacology and Medicines Optimisation
  • NRS505: Co-ordinating Care for Complex Health Needs
  • NRS506: Developing Nursing Practice
 

Final year

Year three allows you to critically explore the concepts of management, leadership and working in teams. You will extend your knowledge around critical appraisal and the importance of research evidence to professional practice. Within four field specific modules you will develops knowledge and skills in a range of key therapeutic approaches for working with people with serious mental health problems or complex needs, and appropriate service approaches. You will develop your knowledge and understanding of the ‘lived experience’ of those engaging with mental health and social care services and develop your competence in nursing clients with complex needs in a range of care settings. You will build on and develop the values, knowledge and skills required for the successful achievement of the final NMC progression point. Your final module will provide you with the opportunity to demonstrate your ability to perform as a capable and autonomous practitioner, fit for registration in your field of nursing practice.
The modules shown for this course are those currently being studied by our students, or are proposed new modules. Please note that programme structures and individual modules are subject to amendment from time to time as part of the University’s curriculum enrichment programme and in line with changes in the University’s policies and requirements.

Rebecca Richards
BSc (Hons) Nursing – Mental Health

"Do it, but know why you want to: you’ll need that when you're up all night, or stressed out. It's not an easy course; it challenges and changes you in a lot of different ways, so you have to want to be there."
Rebecca Richards
Inside of Roland Levinsky Building