Improving Neonatal Care: Nursery Nurse Module

Develop specialist knowledge and advanced skills to work effectively with newborn babies and their families in the early neonatal period through this short course designed for nursery nurses within maternity units.

Why study the Improving Neonatal Care: Nursery Nurse Module at Middlesex University?

Devised to enable you to explore your role as a nursery nurse within the hospital environment, this course will equip you with the necessary skills and theories to work more effectively with families and other health practitioners in the care of neonates.

Taught by experienced practitioner and lecturer Stephanie Michaelides, this course includes basic training in anatomy and physiology with particular focus on how to recognise the six conscious states of the infant including apex beat, respirations, colour and tone. Divided over five taught study days at our state-of-the-art London campus with opportunities to apply your knowledge within your workplace (under supervision), this course will enhance your ability to care for a wide range of neonates including hypothermic or jaundiced babies, infants born to women who have diabetes, those who suffered a birth trauma and babies born with a congenital abnormality.

As part of this course you will also explore the key factors which affect neonatal care, such as ethics, accountability, interprofessional working, referrals and risk management, with fascinating insights into how care plans are formulated and how to educate parents in a variety of situations.

Armed with these valuable skills you will enhance your nursing practice and career prospects in neonatal care while also obtaining 30 credits at Level 5 to put towards further study if you wish.

What will you study on Improving Neonatal Care: Nursery Nurse Module?

This course comprises of five taught study days at our London campus with opportunities to apply your knowledge within the maternity unit you currently work in.

As part of this course you will be allocated a named midwife/nurse mentor and assessor who will be able to offer you clinical support throughout the programme. This is to ensure that you develop your practice using evidence based methods and knowledge that will contribute to quality of your care.

Day one

• Introduction to the programme with an explanation of learning outcomes and how to complete the workbook
• Anatomy and physiology relating to the cardiovascular system and respiratory system

Day two

• Six conscious states of the infant and monitoring the wellbeing of the baby including apex beat, respirations, colour and tone
• Early recognition of the ill baby and knowledge of how to obtain immediate and appropriate support

Day three

• Care of the normal infant and feeding, including artificial feeding for women who are unable to breastfeed their baby
• Care of babies who are pre-term, post-term, small for dates, hypothermic, jaundiced, born to diabetic mothers, and those who had prolonged rupture of membranes or meconium stained liquor
• Care of babies who suffered a birth trauma or receive oral or intravenous antibiotics
• Care of babies who are born to mothers with legal or illegal substance misuse
• Care of babies born with a congenital abnormality, such as Downs Syndrome

Day four

• Principles of ethics, accountability and interprofessional working
• Safeguarding
• Appropriate referral
• Care planning
• Risk management and accurate documentation

Day five

• Principles of adult learning and teaching
• Preparation for assessment

Assessment

You will be assessed through:

• Constructive feedback on others' presentations
• Your completed Clinical Skills Workbook
• A 2,500 word written reflective account of the care of a baby from practice

Please visit our CPD health practitioner webpage to download an application form and for more information on the application process.

There are several funding options available:

• receiving course fees via CPPD contracts between NHS trusts and Middlesex University
• paying your own fees
• sponsorship by your employer (but not under a CPPD contract).

For more information for any of these options, including fee rates for self-funding/employer-sponsored students, please visit our dedicated funding page.