THE UNIVERSITY OF EDINBURGH. PROGRAMME SPECIFICATION FOR Masters of Nursing in Clinical Research

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1 THE UNIVERSITY OF EDINBURGH PROGRAMME SPECIFICATION FOR Masters of Nursing in Clinical Research 1) Awarding Institution: University of Edinburgh 2) Teaching Institution: University of Edinburgh 3) Programme accredited by: Not applicable 4) Final Award: Masters of Nursing in Clinical Research 5) Programme Title: Masters of Nursing in Clinical Research 6) UCAS Code: Not applicable Relevant QAA Subject Benchmarking Group(s): Not applicable 7) Postholder with overall responsibility for QA: Suzanne O Rourke 8) Date of production/revision: July ) External Summary ( words) As a School and subject area, we view research-literacy as an essential ingredient in any professional career in health care and, for this reason, the one year full time MN in Clinical Research uniquely offers opportunities for students to join and participate in the work of clinically and health care based research teams. Our new and innovative Masters degree provides students not only with core theoretical courses in research, but also a placement based experience of research in practice within both a multi-professional research environment and in a specific nursing research setting. The research focus is supported by a liberal choice of courses that support the student s professional personal and career development. This is therefore a blended programme of face to face, online and practice based learning. Funding support is from the Scottish Government Chief Nursing Officer Directorate. Educational aims of programme: The principle aim of the Programme is to meet the demand for high quality nursing research through the development of the skills, behaviour, knowledge and understanding required to undertake and develop a career in clinical and health care research. 1

2 10) The educational aims are to: enable students to develop in depth knowledge and critical understanding of the nature, purpose, methods and operationalisation of research in clinical and health care practice. equip students with the analytical and problem solving skills to critically appraise, design and undertake high quality research in a range of settings including principles of good clinical practice (GCP). develop IT and e-learning literacy that will enable students to discuss, present and analyse information. enhance the quality and evidence base for clinical and health care research through the provision of stimulating and challenging theoretical and experiential learning environments. equip students with a wide range of transferable skills including: o skills of critical thinking, theoretical reasoning and scholarship o analytical skills o self-evaluation skills o time-management skills o oral and written communication skills promote a culture of reflective lifelong learning equip and enable students to pursue early clinical research careers, engage in further research degrees or provide research minded patient centred care. 11) Programme outcomes: 11a) Knowledge and understanding The programme equips students with the knowledge, skills and understanding of: epistemological approaches to clinical, health care and nursing research debates about research and research evidence in nursing and health care methodologies relevant to research in clinical, health care and nursing research skills in quantitative and qualitative methods the experience of designing a research project research directly related to the practice of nursing, nurse led and from a wide range of settings. communication, leadership, teamwork and decision making competencies required by Clinical Research Nurses: the professional and ethical competencies and responsibilities as a nurse researcher in terms of research subject care, for policy and service and the day to day working of a nursing research team 11b) Graduate attributes: Skills and abilities in Research and Enquiry Through the course and research practice attachments the students gain essential skills for an early career as research nurses. These include: critical understanding of the role of research in nursing and healthcare 2

3 critical understanding of research design in nursing and healthcare critical understanding and application of research methods in nursing and healthcare the ability to deal with complex issues, epistemological, methodological, practical and ethical, which are attached to research methods and their applications in healthcare settings 11c) Graduate Attributes: Skills and abilities in Personal and Intellectual Autonomy Critical and analytical thought are essential elements. Students will also have evidenced their ability to work independently and sustainably whilst also collaboratively engaging with peers, the research community and service staff. Graduate attributes in this area are: the ability to identify and analyse problems and issues and to formulate, evaluate and apply evidence based solutions and arguments the ability to apply a systematic and critical assessment of complex problems and issues in the field of health care an understanding of the need for a high level of ethical, social, cultural and wider professional conduct honest self awareness and ability to take personal responsibility and grasp opportunities for self development an awareness of the provisional nature of knowledge, how knowledge is created, advanced, renewed and ever changing the capacity for innovation and impact and entrepreneurialism a commitment to personal and continuing professional development 11d) Graduate Attributes: Skills and abilities in Communication Communication is the heart of nursing and vital to research. Graduate attributes in this area are: the ability to recognise and value communication as the tool for negotiating and creating new understanding, collaborating with others, and furthering their own knowledge and understanding the ability to access and share information from diverse sources the ability to draw on the quality and breadth of their University experience to engage effectively with the research environments in which they both learn and work the effective use of different means of communication within and about research in nursing and health care the ability to communicate research both formally and informally, both written and orally as scientific academic publication and presentations or to lay audiences the ability to communicate and effect change and be responsive to the situations and environments in which they learn and work seeking and valuing open feedback to inform genuine self-awareness understanding the social and ethical skills of communication 3

4 11e) Graduate Attributes: Skills and abilities in Personal Effectiveness Graduates of the MN in Clinical Research will look to effect change and be responsive to situations and environments. Graduate attributes in this area are: an ability to use their talents constructively to create and harness research opportunities a responsiveness to changing surroundings, being both flexible and proactive the confidence to make decisions based on their knowledge, skills and understanding of research an ability to flexibly transfer their knowledge, learning, skills and abilities from one context to another an understanding of social, cultural, and environmental responsibilities and issues an ability to work effectively with or lead others, utilising different experiences and skills an ability to contribute to the local and wider community the ability to recognise and manage risk while initiating and managing change 11f) Technical/practical skills Graduate attributes in this area are: the effective skills in and use of IT and library resources the practical research skills to design research, collect, store and retrieve data effective listening and interpersonal skills excellent team working skills the application of the interpersonal, ethical and team skills to access, recruit and support research subjects the technical skills appropriate to research enquiry e.g. intravenous cannulation /venepuncture effective time management skills 4

5 12 Programme structure and features This Programme is full time over one year. Students exit with MN in Clinical Research (see Appendix 7). Overview of the Programme (DPT) Core courses: Research Methods in Nursing and Health Care A Research Methods in Nursing and Health Care Credits SCQF level Summative assessment As specified in course As specified in course B Clinical Research Practice Attachment As specified in course Nursing Research Practice Attachment As specified in course Dissertation ,000 word dissertation Optional courses A total of 40 credits from: Clinical Decision Making & Professional Judgement (20 Credits)* and / or Leadership across different Healthcare contexts (20 Credits)* and One further optional course (20 Credits) Total 180 credits As specified in course SCQF 11 * Students must take either Clinical Decision Making & Professional Judgement or Leadership across different Health Care Contexts: achieving your potential or both. Examples of Optional courses: Current Issues in Health and Illness Research Ethical and Political Issues in Social Research Global Public Health: a critical approach Issues and Developments in the Management of Pain Ethics in Health Care Conducting interviews Critical Issues in Intellectual Disability and Dementia 5

6 Prerequisites apply to some of the optional courses above. Optional courses may not be available every year. Marking scheme All items of work will be marked according to the common marking scale. Candidates who achieve an average mark of approximately 70 across all the taught courses and a mark of at least 70 for the dissertation will be recommended for the award of MN in Clinical Research with distinction Entrance Requirements An undergraduate honours degree 2.1 in nursing or equivalent qualification in nursing. The honours degree in nursing must have been obtained in the immediate preceding academic year An identified strong undergraduate research profile supported by two written references. The submission of a detailed personal statement written against specific guidance Lower qualifications may be considered at the discretion of the Programme Director and team If the applicant s first language is not English, an IELTS of at least 7.0 with a score of at least 6.5 in all sections is required Access to a computer with internet connection Progression requirements Students must pass the assessment requirements of the taught stage at an appropriate level at the first attempt before progression to the dissertation. In order to progress to the masters dissertation students must: (a) pass at least 80 credits with a mark of at least 50% in each of the courses which make up these credits; and (b) attain an average of at least 50% for the 120 credits of study examined at the point of decision for progression. When all the marks for the taught components of the programme (120 credits) are available, if the student has achieved PASS marks in at least 80 credits and has an overall average of 40% or more over the full 120 credits, then they will be awarded credits on aggregate for the failed courses. Exit Award With the successful completion of the 180 credits at SCQF level 11, in this one year full time programme, the exit degree of Masters of Nursing in Clinical Research would be awarded. With the completion of the 120 credits at SCQF level 11 of the taught component of the programme but not the completion of the dissertation, a Diploma of Nursing in Clinical Research would be awarded. 13 Teaching and learning Methods and Strategies This programme uniquely offers opportunities for students to join and participate in the work of clinically and health care based research teams. It provides students not only with 6

7 core theoretical courses in research, but also a placement based experiential learning of research in practice within both a multi-professional research environment and in a specific nursing research setting. The research focus is supported by key core courses and a liberal choice of options that support the student s professional personal and career development. This is therefore a blended programme of face to face, online and practice based learning. 14 Assessment Methods and strategies All courses have both formative and summative assessments that tap into and elicit a range of academic and research practice skills. Formative assessments specifically draw on experiential research learning and serve to give tutorial based feedback a feed forward into the summative assessments. The latter range from formal analytically based course papers, the seminar presentation of debate and research challenges to the production of a comprehensive research proposal. 15 Career Opportunities This programme equips and enables students to pursue early clinical research careers, engage in further research degrees or provide research minded patient centred care. 16 Other Items A steering group with the collaborating Universities was established to oversee the development of the Programme. 7