HA7027 - Public health practice across the life course

What will I learn on this module?

You will learn how to develop critical knowledge and appreciation of the changing patterns of populations, communities and people through adopting a life course approach to meet the public health agenda.
You will conduct, interpret and evaluate health assessment and screening programmes. You will undertake evidence-based analysis and synthesis from a variety of public health data and informatics, exploring intergenerational cycles of deprivation and health inequalities by determining a community profile from your area of specialist public health practice, assessing the public health needs of this community and their related determinants of health utilising a range of resources and based upon current legal, ethical and professional guidance to inform your decision.
You will develop skills to improve health and determine strategies for health preventative interventions and the promotion of health, social prescribing and health innovation to address the health status, health literacy, communicable diseases and emergency planning in relation to your specialist public health practice through entrepreneurship and innovation and understanding of how new and existing sciences and technology can influence health attainment within a diverse range of communities.
You will learn to recognise critically evaluate and monitor trends in strategies for prevention and promotion of health to inform public health practice, locally and nationally differentiating between availability of resources across devolved legislatures of the UK and globally. You will adopt a culturally appropriate life course approach to assess public health needs of individuals, families, communities and populations utilising community assets and resources in partnership with other agencies and services.
Through field specific Action Learning Sets you will critically analyse, evaluate and synthesise data related to:
Health Visiting- you will critically analyse, evaluate and synthesise data related to community health needs and assets which will enable you to develop sustainable and innovative strategies that contribute to complex place-based interventions and improve public health outcomes for children and families.
School nursing- you will critically analyse, evaluate and synthesise data related to home, school and the community which will enable you to design, lead and evaluate school nursing services, educational campaigns and interventions to promote the health and wellbeing of school aged children and young people.

How will I learn on this module?

The university supports the Universal Design for Learning (UDL) (La, Dyjur, & Bair, 2018). This means learning will be via a blend of web-based resources and face to face learning. A ‘flipped classroom’ approach (Bergman & Sams, 2012), promotes the front loading of theoretical content as preparatory independent study provided via interactive e-learning packages, prior to face-to-face learning facilitated by a teacher experienced in Specialist Community Public Health Nurse (SCPHN). The face-to-face sessions will build on the theoretical underpinnings of the web-based resources and focus on application to practice enabling your learning to be more personalised to you. This approach to module delivery promotes active learning as it works to accommodate your learning needs and abilities by offering flexibility and direction gained from the preparatory web-based materials which are then explored and applied during the face-to-face sessions creating new knowledge. Offering multiple ways of learning helps you to engage along with giving you the opportunity to express your learning through action and/or expression. This encourages a positive learning environment where you are likely to feel more engaged and motivated in your learning. Authentic assessment means you that any assessments throughout the module will mirror real life activities that you will be faced with as a SCPHN. Authentic assessment will be an on-going key feature of the module, via action learning sets, seminars, web-based materials, simulation and simulated practice learning. These will not only support your learning across some of the complex aspects of specialist practice such as emergency/pandemic planning but will also support assessment literacy through developing your skills and knowledge of the assessment process. Action learning sets are designed to provide field specific learning and are facilitated by academic staff and practice staff with knowledge and experience in the context of Health Visiting or School Nursing. Your field specific action learning sets will apply context within your specialist area.
Authentic formative assessments embedded within the delivery prepare you for the summative assessment requirements.
All assessments within the programme will be operated in accordance with standard operating procedures and marked and moderated in accordance with the Assessment Regulations for Taught Awards (ARTA) ensuring the academic standards required for student awards are met. The programme utilises a core lecture and applied seminar approach across the Health Visiting and School Nurse specialisms. You will be required to attend seminars that are identified as being a core component of your recognised curriculum or standard.

How will I be supported academically on this module?

You will be supported by the module team which includes academic staff and staff from practice who will guide your learning and academic assessment throughout the module. The module lead was involved in developing the e-learning materials, assessment exercises, and will provide some of your face-to-face teaching, and feedback, supported by other staff. This module is supported by Blackboard Ultra and adheres to the university’s minimum standards. The site includes module information, assessment information, power-point presentations and e-learning packages, reading lists and relevant web links.
A discussion board is available to the cohort via Blackboard Ultra, through which learners can post comments and ask questions of their peers while you are not on campus. As identified above, peer support is encouraged and facilitated via the action learning sets embedded within this module and your programme of study. You will have a group tutorial will help you prepare for the summative assessment. Your Programme Lead and Personal Tutor are also available to offer guidance on academic support throughout the programme.
The University Libraries offer an extensive collection of material, both hard copy and electronic, access to international databases and training in information retrieval. A variety of study-skills-related help sheets, and online videos can be found on the library Skills Plus site. You can also access a range of student support and wellbeing services via Student Central or by accessing the student life and wellbeing pages and Ask4Help via your electronic student portal.
You will also have an allocated Personal Tutor who will provide advice and support in relation to academic, procedural, and (where desired and appropriate) personal matters during the programme of study you have enrolled on. You will have access to 24/7 generic IT support and specific support from the programme team with any specific IT issues related to the e-learning packages.

What will I be expected to read on this module?

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.

What will I be expected to achieve?

Knowledge & Understanding:
1. Using a life course approach, critically analyse the socio-economic and political drivers that inform and underpin the changing patterns of populations, communities and people, to meet the public health agenda.
2. Critically evaluate and synthesise epidemiological and demographic data to assess the public health needs of a given community.
3. Critically formulate a strategy of preventative interventions, promotion
of health and health literacy in relation to your area of specialist practice using a life course approach.

Intellectual / Professional skills & abilities:
4. Critically explore and evaluate how to utilise entrepreneurship and innovation strategies to positively affect public health outcomes.

Personal Values Attributes (Global / Cultural awareness, Ethics, Curiosity) (PVA):
5. Apply relevant legal, ethical, and professional principles and frameworks to engage in independent and collaborative work with a diverse range of people and settings, showing insight and originality in your Specialist Community Public Health Nurse role.

How will I be assessed?

Formative assessment
In your action learning set, you will present in your action learning sets, an overview of a community profile and the issues facing that population across their life course.
This will provide you with opportunity for peer and academic verbal feedback which will support the development of your summative work. (MLO 1, 2, 3, 4, 5)
Formative tests and quizzes will be embedded within the e-learning package providing immediate electronic feedback via the e-learning package indicating correct/incorrect responses. (MLO 1, 2, 3,
4, 5)

Summative Assessment
The summative assessment for this module will require a 2500-word written summary of a community profile which will address the module learning outcomes.
This will be done by critically analysing, evaluating and synthesising the data to present a summary of a community profile and the issues facing that population across their life course. Using a life course approach, you will need to recommend preventative interventions and health promotion strategies to address the health status and health literacy in relation to your area of specialist practice. (MLO 1, 2, 3, 4, 5)

Electronic submission via Turnitin will be utilised for submission of the 2500-word written assignment.

Summative feedback on final submission of the assessed work will be given via Turnitin in a structured format to inform future practice.

Pre-requisite(s)

N/A

Co-requisite(s)

N/A

Module abstract

Specialist Community Public Health Nurses play a key role in the Governments vision of prevention using a life course approach to enable populations, communities and people to improve health and wellbeing. To enable you to carry out this role effectively, you will need to have a thorough understanding of the community and its needs as well as an in-depth knowledge of the determinants of health and evidence - based public health principles. This module will enable you to demonstrate your knowledge and skill in capturing local community intelligence and using this to inform preventative interventions and the promotion of health through entrepreneurship and innovation. Key concepts such as inequalities, health need assessment, community health, life course approach, health literacy, communicable diseases and emergency planning will be explored as relevant to Health Visitor or School Nurse practice.

Course info

Credits 20

Level of Study Postgraduate

Mode of Study 1 year Full Time

Department Nursing, Midwifery & Health

Location Coach Lane Campus, Northumbria University

City Newcastle

Start September 2025

Fee Information

Module Information

All information is accurate at the time of sharing. 

Full time Courses are primarily delivered via on-campus face to face learning but could include elements of online learning. Most courses run as planned and as promoted on our website and via our marketing materials, but if there are any substantial changes (as determined by the Competition and Markets Authority) to a course or there is the potential that course may be withdrawn, we will notify all affected applicants as soon as possible with advice and guidance regarding their options. It is also important to be aware that optional modules listed on course pages may be subject to change depending on uptake numbers each year.  

Contact time is subject to increase or decrease in line with possible restrictions imposed by the government or the University in the interest of maintaining the health and safety and wellbeing of students, staff, and visitors if this is deemed necessary in future.

 

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