AC7129 - Advancing Community Specialist Practice Through Leadership

Northumbria University embeds Universal Design for Learning Principles (UDL’s) into their programmes to present content and information in different ways. This will help you to engage in learning. On this module, a number of different learning and teaching strategies are available based on the UDL principles. For example, Blackboard Ultra is the e-learning platform providing you with access to a range of module materials including e-lectures and learning resources. Blackboard Ultra as an e-learning platform enables flexible learning and opportunity to undertake directed and independent learning in your own time. It includes digital learning materials and resources for you such as electronic reading lists and electronic management of assessment through Turnitin. When used, Turnitin, (a web-based plagiarism software system) can help you to improve your academic writing and can be used both formatively and summatively as part of module assessment. This presents blended learning opportunities. You will be able to access online supported learning as e-lectures and learning resources as structured independent study, in advance of attending classroom sessions. In seminars and action learning sessions, you will have opportunity, and be encouraged to debate, and discuss contemporary specialist community public health practice specific to your discipline. In the classroom, you are able to focus on the most relevant, key learning areas in greater depth either by discussion, debate or peer review in seminars and action learning sessions. There is also authentic module assessment enabling you to integrate the theories of leadership, service improvement and business acumen, learned in the classroom, into the clinical area when you lead and develop your audit, as part of your assessment.



You will learn alongside other students giving opportunity for interprofessional learning. Peer support is encouraged and facilitated via action learning activities where together, an interactive and engaging learning environment is facilitated by academic staff. This learning can be personalised against your individual progress and is discipline specific in either District Nursing, Community Children’s Nursing, General Practice Nursing or Adult Social Care Nursing.

The module tutor will introduce the module, including the module learning outcomes and authentic assessment strategy early in week one of the module, so you are aware of module structure, content, and assessment. Authentic assessment is one of the high impact areas in Northumbria Universities UDL principles. During action learning activities you will be able to undertake self-assessment in relation to your own learning and development using a personalised learning plan associated with authentic assessment planning. Specific seminars and action learning sets will support you to apply practice context to your learning, applying knowledge to the advancement and leadership as a Community Specialist Practitioner (District Nursing, Community Children’s Nursing, General Practice Nursing or Adult Social Care Nursing). Action learning sets are led by academics, to help you with the application of practice related learning within the discipline.



There are also a range of central Student Support and Wellbeing Services “Student Central” https://www.northumbria.ac.uk/about-us/better-northumbria/estates-development/student-central/ operating from Northumbria university libraries. This is available to support you around university academic processes for example, registering a change of circumstances, counselling and mental health support or disability and dyslexia support. The student support and wellbeing service at Northumbria (Ask4Help) https://www.northumbria.ac.uk/about-us/university-services/student-library-and-academic-services/student-engagement/ask4help/ is an excellent point of contact, which is located at Coach Lane and City Campus Libraries. Your programme lead or module tutor can discuss options with you. There are also a range of skills Plus activities and resources that are available with a research focus within the libraries. The link can be found here: https://library.northumbria.ac.uk/skillsplus. Libraries are open outside of formal scheduled teaching hours and there are student hub areas with access to technology available on both University campuses. Your clinical practice areas may also have active library facilities that you can access.

All modules at Northumbria include a range of reading materials that students are expected to engage with. Online reading lists (provided after enrolment) give you access to your reading material for your modules. The Library works in partnership with your module tutors to ensure you have access to the material that you need.

Students will be able to:

Knowledge & Understanding:

Synthesise and apply the theory of leadership to advance practice for service improvement and innovation.

Undertake an audit, contextualised within local and national policy to evaluate and inform practice, understand implications and develop recommendations.



Intellectual / Professional skills & abilities:

Critically appraise new information and knowledge related to the audit and disseminate this using effective communication strategies.

Critically evaluate and demonstrate professional knowledge and skills of leadership for the advancement of local service improvement.



Personal Values Attributes (Global / Cultural awareness, Ethics, Curiosity) (PVA):

Demonstrate links between theory and practice of leadership, working in partnership with others to benefit local populations

Both formative and summative assessment are included in this module.


Formative assessment includes:

During action learning, students can undertake self-assessment of their development and engage in peer support. You will present an assignment plan and receive feedback from the programme team and your peer group.


You can also use Turnitin (a web-based plagiarism software system) accessed via Blackboard Ultra to gain formative feedback on the written component of the poster. (MLO’s 1,4,5).


Summative assessment includes:

Part 1: Following an audit of clinical practice in Community Specialist Practice (with pathways) you will develop an academic poster. The poster will be focused on a suitable service improvement. The service improvement should reflect your audit, address areas for improvement and be contextualised in policy (1000 words). (MLO’s 1-5)


The poster will submitted electronically via Blackboard and the e-learning platform Turnitin. Oral feedback on the poster will be provided via Blackboard Ultra e-learning platform as a voice note.


Part 2: In a 20-minute oral presentation of your poster to peers and academic tutors you will articulate a rationale for your service improvement, outline key module concepts to demonstrate advancement of Community Specialist Practice (with pathways). A 5-minute question and answer session is included. (MLO’s1-5).


Feedback on the presentation will be provided via Blackboard Ultra e-learning platform as a voice note.

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This full-time and part-time module, Advancing Community Specialist Practice Through Leadership, offers 30-credits at level 7. It is suitable for post-registration nurses and is part of a Postgraduate Diploma (with pathways) (District Nursing, Community Children’s Nursing, General Practice Nursing or Adult Social Care Nursing). It offers a supported learning environment with clear focus on developing evidence-based knowledge and skills, of audit, service improvement and leadership as professional attributes required to meet the NMC Standards of Proficiency for Community Nursing Specialist Practice Qualifications (NMC 2022). Completing this module, will provide you with the opportunity to explore leadership knowledge and skills from both theoretical and clinical practice perspectives, and apply these to your area of specialist practice (District Nursing, Community Children’s Nursing, General Practice Nursing or Adult Social Care Nursing). Therefore, the module, uses and applies authentic assessment processes, presenting opportunities for you as a learner to lead change in an area of specialist practice.