QMU announces new Graduate Diploma in Integrated Community Nursing
From September 2020, Queen Margaret University (QMU), Edinburgh, will deliver a Graduate Diploma route in Integrated Community Nursing.
This new programme, providing practitioners with a combination of workplace and online learning (SCQF Level 10), will develop the core generalist knowledge, skills and competencies required for safe and effective practice across the range of community roles at practitioner level (Level 5 of the Career Framework for Health), to meet people’s physical, mental health, and social care needs.
The course has been developed by a team from across the Division of Nursing, led by QMU lecturer Julie Churchill in collaboration with a range of stakeholders, to adopt an integrated approach to curriculum development for the University’s post-registration nursing educational portfolio. This is in response to a decision that was made by NHS Education for Scotland to have a Once for Scotland approach to developing nursing in Adult Integrated Community Teams.
The course consists of three core modules in year one to obtain a Graduate Certificate, with a choice of modules available in the second year to graduate with the full diploma upon completion. There may also be the possibility for students to take elective options from various pathways within QMU’s School of Health Sciences. *
Professor Brendan McCormack, Head of the Division of Nursing; Occupational and Arts Therapies at QMU, said: “I am absolutely delighted that Queen Margaret University has been successful in securing the tender to provide this new and exciting programme to an ever-widening circle of nurses, health boards that include the Highlands & Islands, Tayside, Forth Valley, Fife, Edinburgh & the Lothians and Scottish Borders and independent employers in the health care sector.
“This new inclusive programme will provide a breadth of learning and development opportunities for nurses working in Band 5 posts from a variety of contexts and who are at different stages in their careers. The Graduate Diploma has been designed to contribute to the commitment by the Scottish Government’s national healthcare policy and is a key part of Scotland’s Chief Nursing Officer’s commitment to maximising the contribution of the nursing, midwifery and health professions workforce whilst pushing the traditional boundaries of professional roles. The Division of Nursing is very proud to be able to offer this new course as part of Queen Margaret University’s Person-centred Framework suite of programmes.”
*Dependent on module uptake
Notes to Editor
For further media enquiries, please contact Gavin McNee (Media Relations and Content Officer) at Queen Margaret University, Edinburgh, E: gmcnee@qmu.ac.uk, T: 0131 474 0000.
