About Applied Nursing (Learning Disability) and Generic Social Work, BA (Hons) - at Sheffield Hallam University
This course is for people who want careers working with those with learning disabilities. It allows you to specialise in a way that is not available in conventional social work courses and enhances the traditional learning disability nursing qualification.
People with learning disabilities often have greater health needs but are less likely to have those needs met. The course provides the skills and expertise to support them from a joint health and social care perspective. When you complete the course, you will have a dual qualification in nursing and social work. You work with both children and adults with varying levels of learning disability, for example autism or Down's syndrome.
The combination of learning disability professional skills fits strongly with the government’s modernising agenda to integrate health and social care and make sure professionals and agencies work together.
The course is a mix of health and social care modules based around the central learning disabilities theme. Topics include preparing for learning disabilities practice, understanding social problems, and the complex needs in learning disability.
You study some interprofessional education modules alongside students from other health disciplines, such as radiographers and paramedics. This shared learning experience allows you to develop teamworking and understand the contribution different professionals make.
Placements in hospitals and communities are crucial to your development and account for half of the course in each year.
We normally base the course in our £13 million purpose-built Robert Winston Building on our Collegiate Crescent Campushttp://www.shu.ac.uk/visit/plancollegiate.html. Clinical suites in the building replicate the hospital and community settings in which you learn and work during your placements and after you graduate.
We help you build the personal skills you need to be a successful professional. These include
communication skills
the ability to challenge the status quo
knowing how to understand and support a vulnerable group of individuals and their carers
Teaching methods include seminars and workshops where you can take part in group work. Independent study is also a significant part of the course.
You build up practice learning portfolios containing evidence of your personal and professional development. After you graduate you can also use these as evidence for your development of specialist ability, if you choose to go on to post-qualifying study.
Healthcare professions routinely expect staff to continue professional development throughout their career.
For more information about our nursing courses please visit our nursing website at http://www.shu.ac.uk/nursing
Course brochureDownload our nursing studies course brochurehttp://www.shu.ac.uk/_assets/pdf/Nursingfinal.pdf or contact ushttp://www.shu.ac.uk/nursing/contact.html to order a printed copy.
Open daysWe run regular open days for prospective students and parents. Come and talk to staff and students and help yourself make an informed choice. Find out more by calling us on 0114 225 5555 or see our open dayhttp://www.shu.ac.uk/study/open/ website.
