PGDip Nursing (Learning Disabilities)

You must have current registration with the Nursing and Midwifery Council as a nurse and provide evidence of having worked as a registrant in your intended second field. It is a Nursing and Midwifery Council requirement that any prior experiential learning used to gain entry to the programme is capable of being mapped to the standards of proficiency for registered nurses.

You should have a degree equivalent to UK first-class or second-class honours (2:2 or above). Health-related subjects are preferred but not essential. Other subjects will be considered on an individual basis.

Applicants without a degree may be considered based on practice experience, subject to demonstrating a comprehensive knowledge of the discipline, including an in-depth awareness of current issues. Skills in critical analysis and evaluation, as well as the ability to learn in a flexible, independent manner, are essential.

An interview forms part of the selection process.

If you accept an offer from Edge Hill you will need to satisfy the requirements of the Nursing & Midwifery Council in respect of physical and mental fitness and will be required to apply for a Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) Enhanced Disclosure indicating that you meet the mandatory criteria of ‘Clearance to Work with Children and/or Vulnerable Adults’. Further information will be sent to you after you have firmly accepted an offer.

Training as a learning disability nurse will make you highly employable in one of the most rewarding careers. Following registration as a learning disability nurse with the Nursing and Midwifery Council, you can pursue a career in settings such as:

residential homes
supported living accommodation
assessment and treatment units
specialist learning disabilities teams in the community
Increasingly, qualified learning disabilities nurses are getting posts as health facilitators and specialist advisors to support people with learning disabilities.

You might choose to go into leadership, management and consultancy, or education and research. There are plenty of opportunities for further professional development and specialism.

You’ll learn the skills, knowledge and attributes which help you to become proficient, as required by the Nursing and Midwifery Council.

In your first year, you’ll focus on what it means to be a professional who is resilient, emotionally intelligent, and a confident communicator. You’ll also explore the importance of evidence-based care and research methodologies. To see the principles of person-centred care in action, you’ll complete supervised practice placements.