BNurs Mental Health Nursing

Year of entry: 2024

Course unit details:
Leadership in Professional Practice

Course unit fact file
Unit code NURS63332
Credit rating 15
Unit level FHEQ level 7 – master's degree or fourth year of an integrated master's degree
Teaching period(s) Variable teaching patterns
Available as a free choice unit? No

Overview

Participants will be introduced to current theoretical frameworks which are used to underpin effective leadership within a variety of health and social care settings. They will critically appraise a range of leadership theories, styles and approaches, recognising that their own practice will often be informed by broader professional, political and organisational objectives. Exploring current principles and practices related to the leadership of individuals, teams and organisations, they will be encouraged to critically reflect upon their own values and principles, as well as the knowledge and skills needed to enable them to lead and manage others safely and effectively. 

Aims

  • Enable participants to critically evaluate contemporary clinical leadership theories, frameworks, skills and approaches that can be applied in order to lead the provision of high quality health and social care.  
  • Empower participants to analyse their own role as leaders; developing self-awareness, self-direction, originality and resilience and applying these to ethical decision making and problem solving approaches within health and social care settings. 
  • Develop effective team working and communication skills within the context of multi- and inter-professional teams to effectively manage risk and improve the quality of patient care. 

Teaching and learning methods

Unit content will be delivered using a blended learning approach, utilising flipped and active learning approaches (combining interactive computer-based resources with face-to-face workshops and individual/group tutorials). Working together within groups, students will further develop communication, collaboration, leadership and presentation skills. Self and peer-assessment, using skills inventories, 360-degree feedback and individual reflection will be used to formatively assess students’ leadership skills and identify areas for development. Within the interactive workshops, participants will be encouraged to apply their newly acquired knowledge and understanding to explore authentic work-based scenarios, discussing and reflecting upon their own experiences and sharing their thoughts and ideas with other members of the group. 

Knowledge and understanding

  • Demonstrate knowledge and a critical understanding of a variety of leadership concepts and theories.  
  • Critically explore and evaluate concepts, processes and skills related to effective inter-professional team working within the context of multi- and inter-disciplinary care provision.
  • Critically analyse and appraise concepts and principles of risk management, quality assurance and service improvement, considering their role as a clinical leader in relation to these.  
  • Critically appraise a variety of coaching and mentoring approaches that can be used to lead, empower and develop others.
 

Intellectual skills

  • Consider their own identity as clinical leaders as they embark upon the reflective process to improve their own leadership skills. 

Practical skills

  • Apply a variety of leadership approaches in order to ensure the delivery and development of safe and effective health care practice.
  • Lead and manage inter-professional teams, acknowledging the contribution of other members, managing conflict and poor performance effectively.  
 

Transferable skills and personal qualities

  • Develop the ability to articulate own values and principles, critically reflecting on personal emotions,  prejudices, strengths and limitations in order to improve leadership potential in self and others.
  • Demonstrate personal resilience and emotional intelligence when faced with difficult and complex leadership problems and practice issues.
  • Obtain regular feedback on own leadership style and impact, changing behaviour in response to feedback and personal reflection.
  • Communicate effectively and work collegiately with individuals and groups, acting as a positive role model.
  • Promote the development of peer-to-peer support and communities of  practice. 
 

Assessment methods

Method Weight
Oral assessment/presentation 100%

Feedback methods

Students will normally have the opportunity to receive feedback on formative work submitted prior to the summative assessment. Other feedback opportunities will also be available in class and online discussion boards. Online feedback is provided in Grademark. Provisional feedback based on internal marking will be made available prior to the Exam Board on the basis that these marks are yet to be ratified at the Exam Board and therefore may be subject to change. A standard feedback mechanism in Grademark is utilised across all postgraduate programmes within the School which provides detailed and constructive feedback on each component and aspect of assessment and identifies areas of strength and those aspects which could be enhanced.

Student feedback is obtained through open discussion forums on blackboard, in class discussions, via formal University unit evaluation forms and also qualitative, in house evaluations at the end of the unit. 

Study hours

Scheduled activity hours
Lectures 18
Tutorials 6
Independent study hours
Independent study 126

Teaching staff

Staff member Role
Dianne Burns Unit coordinator

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