You will experience a wide variety of teaching methods throughout the programme including:

• Interactive and ‘key-note’ lectures at University
• Seminars and workshops incorporating for example ,case/ care plan presentations, role play, scenario based learning and discussion groups covering a wide variety of topics
• Laboratory based practical work/ experiments
• Learning technologies for example video, podcasts, digital storyboards and other e-packages designed to enhance learning and teaching. These packages are supported by an extremely well stocked learning resource centre and via a virtual learning environment called StudyNet which enables you to access resources on line 24 hours and day, 7 days a week.
• Individual and group based tutorials will also feature in your learning experience.
• Supervised practice - working with qualified nurses to develop clinical skills
• Training and education activities within the placement setting
• Skills development activities to ensure patients' needs are met

Once you have completed the programme and registered with the NMC, most people get some experience as a staff nurse, usually within community or in-patient organisations operating within the NHS, voluntary and independent sectors of health. The opportunities are endless but some ‘typical’ career options are presented below.

• Some people are keen to remain working directly with service users in clinical areas and seek promotion to senior staff nurse or ward sister / manager roles where their expertise is used to lead care given by a team of nurses. Some adult nurses develop particular clinical skills and knowledge that will allow them to become specialist nurses in a given area of care (e.g. district nurse, clinical nurse specialist or nurse consultant).
• These clinical grades co-exist within a wider career framework incorporating management roles such as Modern Matron all the way through to very senior board level roles such as Director of Nursing in an NHS Primary Care or Acute Trust. These roles involve managing multi-million pound budgets and directly leading/ managing a large number of staff as well as strategically influencing how the NHS responds to new developments.
• Some nurses develop interest in research and education and opt to pursue educationally focussed careers within the NHS or in further and higher education institutions such as the University of Hertfordshire. They still retain their professional registration and unique identity as an Adult Nurse but are involved in advancing nursing knowledge and influence through research and education.

Wherever your career takes you, as an Adult Nurse you will never stop learning and will undertake a variety of training and education throughout your career. This might be formal education such as specialist clinical courses or PhD studies or essential skills training associated with professional practice.

Work placement

You will experience a wide variety of clinical settings including for example:

• • Acute Care settings such as general and specialist surgical wards, medical wards, accident and emergency departments etc
  • Community based settings such as working with district nurses in service users own homes or in facilities such as GP practices, nursing homes or community hospitals.
  • You may be placed in settings such as hospices and other private or voluntary organisations which care for a variety of medical conditions and illnesses and health care needs. 

Practice placements are organised within neighbouring NHS Trusts in Hertfordshire, and London and in other settings including the private and voluntary sectors. Whilst on placement, you will be supported by a mentor (a qualified nurse who has undertaken post qualifying learning in practice based education); a link lecturer (an academic from within the school who supports mentors in placement areas) and wealth of supportive services available on campus through the student union and student services.

Professional Accreditations

Upon successful completion of the programme, students will be eligible to enter the Nursing and Midwifery Council Professional Register as an Adult Nurse and will be legally entitled to practice