PGCert Urology Practice

Gain a comprehensive insight into all aspects of urological nursing on a programme for registered adult nurses and qualified physician associates, enabling you to become part of a growing community of urological practitioners.

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      • Overview

      Course Length: 1 Year Part-Time
      Start Dates: September 2022, September 2023
      Subjects: Health and Social Care
      Location: Education, Training & Conference Centre, Whiston Hospital

      This Postgraduate Certificate, which is delivered as part of a partnership between St Helens and Knowsley Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust and Edge Hill University, provides a comprehensive overview of caring for patients with urological conditions in a range of different working environments. The programme is ideal for both registered adult nurses and qualified physician associates who are caring for urology patients in any area of practice in primary or secondary care. You will gain expertise in all major areas of urological care including prostate assessment, haematuria, uro-oncology, functional urology, andrology, urological emergencies and renal stone disease. Developing the ability to plan and implement basic interventions for a range of urological conditions, you will also gain first-hand experience of interpreting a variety of clinical data, pathology results and diagnostic investigations. You will graduate with enhanced employability in your current role and be well placed to apply for specialist urological positions with the skills, knowledge and understanding to improve patient care and become an autonomous urological practitioner.

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      In Depth

      What will I study?

      This one-year programme combines the study of both clinical elements of urology with broader areas around urology service and professional practice.

      You will focus on the seven major sub-specialities of contemporary urology care, including prostate assessment, haematuria, uro-oncology, andrology, urological emergencies, continence and renal stone disease. The programme will feature practical demonstrations and the exploration of common urological investigations. You will examine palliative care, service development, ethics, resilience and autonomous practice, developing specialist skills and gaining service users’ perspectives. Assessment, diagnosis, treatment planning and evaluation will be embedded throughout your learning.

      A choice of optional modules provides you with the opportunity to develop specialist skills and techniques in flexible cystoscopy or local anaesthetic transperineal prostate biopsy or tailor the final strand of the programme to your individual needs. A bespoke option enables you to focus, for example, on developing a practical skill, conducting a literature review of contemporary urology guidelines, or developing a business case for a new service. The programme team will offer guidance and support and help you to identify the most appropriate project for your personal or service development.

      How will I study?

      The course is taught primarily through lectures for the first trimester but as you progress through the programme there will be an increasing emphasis on student-led learning, as well as practical demonstrations, debates, seminars and student presentations. The final third of the programme is bespoke to each student depending on the area of study you choose to focus on.

      You will have the opportunity to participate in specialist activities that will enrich your learning in your individual area of interest. These might include attending specialist clinics, working alongside a specialist practitioner, or attending an audit meeting.

      The programme adopts a blended approach which typically requires you to commit to one study day per week. The first trimester incorporates the majority of face-to-face teaching, with a more student-led approach to the second trimester. Individual learning, supported by a designated academic supervisor, is the focus of the final phase of the course.

      The majority of study days will be held at the Education, Training & Conference Centre in Nightingale House at Whiston Hospital. There may be occasions when study days are held at other locations, including the Edge Hill University campus.

      How will I be assessed?

      The first two trimesters of the programme are assessed through an essay and case study presentation which also includes a question and answer session.

      The assessment of the negotiated learning module in the third trimester will vary by area of study but may include a reflective essay, case study, portfolio of evidence, presentation or objective structured clinical examination (OSCE).

      Who will be teaching me?

      The programme team is led by two consultant urologists, a senior lecturer and a senior urology nurse. You will be taught by subject experts in urology and other related specialities, with lectures delivered by doctors, nurses and other allied health professionals from across the North West of England. Many of these professionals are not only involved in clinical practice but also actively participate in research.

      Facilities

      The Education, Training & Conference Centre in Nightingale House at Whiston Hospital is the location for the majority of study days on the course. Whiston Hospital is part of St Helens and Knowsley Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust which provides services to those within the local community and further afield. The Trust was awarded Outstanding status by the Care Quality Commission in 2019 and Trust of the Year 2019 by the Health Service Journal.

      The Education, Training & Conference Centre in Nightingale House comprises a lecture theatre, seminar rooms and classrooms, skills rooms, and an NHS library with IT facilities.

      Some study days may take place at Edge Hill University where the Faculty of Health, Social Care and Medicine offers some of the best facilities for the education and training of health and social care professionals in the country.

      The outstanding teaching and learning resources include leading edge clinical skills facilities, an 860-seat lecture theatre, and a variety of teaching rooms and social learning spaces.

      Timetables

      You can expect to receive your timetable at enrolment. Please note that while we make every effort to ensure that timetables are as student-friendly as possible, scheduled teaching can take place on any day or evening of the week.



      Disclaimer

      Every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of our published course information, however our programmes are subject to ongoing review and development. Changing circumstances may necessitate alteration to, or the cancellation of, courses.

      Changes may be necessary to comply with the requirements of accrediting bodies, revisions to subject benchmarks statements, to keep courses updated and contemporary, or as a result of student feedback. We reserve the right to make variations if we consider such action to be necessary or in the best interests of students.



      Modules

      Expand All

      Compulsory modules:

      HEA4246Foundations for Urology Care (40 credits)

      Foundations for Urology Care provides a comprehensive overview of the seven major sub-specialties of contemporary urology practice. These are encountered in acute, elective and primary care settings on a daily basis and include prostate assessment, haematuria, uro-oncology, andrology, urological emergencies, continence and renal stone disease. Your knowledge of these areas will be enhanced by practical demonstrations and discussions of common urological investigations, for example flexible cystoscopy and clean intermittent self-catheterisation. You will learn how to assess, plan and implement care for a range of clinical conditions, including patients who present as a planned case or a medical/surgical emergency. You will discover how to interpret clinical data, diagnostic investigations, pathology results and information related to patient safety, decision making and improved patient experience. Ethics, autonomy and other aspects of professional practice will also be considered, such as developing a business case and writing a standard of practice.


      Assessment: Coursework: 50%, Practical(s): 50%.

      You will select one of the following optional modules:

      HEA4260Clinical Urology Skills: Flexible Cystoscopy (20 credits)

      Clinical Urology Skills: Flexible Cystoscopy is delivered in partnership with St Helens and Knowsley Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust. Equipping you with the necessary skills and techniques to undertake diagnostic and surveillance flexible cystoscopies in adults, the module uses the current British Association of Urological Nurses (BAUN) requirements for training and assessment, contextualised with a sound theoretical and practical knowledge base. You will develop a sound knowledge base, underpinned by contemporary, evidence-based urology clinical practice. To acquire the skills to perform diagnostic and surveillance flexible cystoscopies, you will need to identify a designated clinical supervisor to work alongside.


      Assessment: Coursework: 50%, Practical(s): 50%.

      HEA4261Clinical Urology Skills: Local Anaesthetic Transperineal Prostate Biopsy (20 credits)

      Clinical Urology Skills: Local Anaesthetic Transperineal Prostate Biopsy is delivered in partnership with St Helens and Knowsley Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust. Developing the necessary skills and techniques to undertake local anaesthetic transperineal biopsies (LATP), you will acquire a sound knowledge base, underpinned by contemporary, evidence-based urology clinical practice. You will gain proficiency in undertaking LATP, learn how to critically appraise the assessment, care and management of patients undergoing LATP, and critically reflect upon your role in working towards an increasingly autonomous level of practice. To hone the skills required to perform LATPs, you will need to identify a designated clinical supervisor to work alongside.


      Assessment: Coursework: 50%, Practical(s): 50%.

      HEA4034Negotiated Learning Shell (20 credits)

      Negotiated Learning Shell provides an opportunity for you to study a topic or work-related issue at Masters level. It involves you identifying the chosen area for study before developing and negotiating a learning contract, which will outline the what, how, when, where and why of the study period as well as the means of assessment to showcase the acquired learning.


      Assessment: Coursework: 100%.

      HEA4263Work Based Learning (20 credits)

      Work Based Learning provides an opportunity to study a specific area of clinical practice to an appropriate depth using the principles of a tripartite agreement between yourself, your employer and the University. A flexible approach to both content and assessment are the underpinning principles of this module providing you with a range of choice commensurate with the level of study. You will critically appraise an aspect of clinical practice with reference to the related literature to determine what is already known, critically evaluate the potential implications and impacts for clinical practice of themes that emerge from the literature, and formulate a series of clear concise evidence-based recommendations or a realistic action plan. The aim is that, on completion of the module, you will have a tangible output in the form of a report, elements of which have the potential to be applied directly to your area of practice.


      Assessment: Coursework: 100%.

      Entry Criteria

      Entry Requirements

      The normal minimum requirement is a degree equivalent to UK first-class or upper second-class honours (2:1 or above) in nursing or a health-related subject. Applicants with a lower degree classification, or those who don’t have an undergraduate degree, may still be considered for the programme, subject to having relevant experience within urology and being able to demonstrate readiness to study.

      You should have active registration with a UK regulatory body, such as the Nursing and Midwifery Council or General Medical Council, with a minimum of 12 months post-registration clinical experience, inclusive of a minimum of six months caring for patients with urological conditions, within the past five years.

      You must be currently employed as an adult nurse or physician associate and have direct experience of caring for patients with urological conditions. Written confirmation will need to be provided by your line manager or training lead confirming their support for your application.

      An interview forms part of the selection process.

      Career Prospects

      What are my career prospects?

      The extensive curriculum of this Postgraduate Certificate will enhance your skillset and employability in a variety of ways.

      The programme will support you in developing more advanced skills and increased specialisation in your current role or a general setting, ensuring you have the expertise to improve the care of patients with urological conditions.

      You will also be well placed to apply for specialist nursing positions in urological care, such as a urology-oncology clinical nurse specialist, nurse practitioner or advanced nurse practitioner in urology, urology nurse clinician, or stone specialist nurse.

      You may wish to join the British Association of Urological Nurses (BAUN) and gain access to a network of established national and international urological experts.

      Finance

      Tuition Fees

      Tuition fees for part-time study on this Postgraduate Certificate are £39 per credit for UK students enrolling on the programme in academic year 2022/23. This is equivalent to £780 per 20 credit module.

      60 credits are required to complete a Postgraduate Certificate.

      EU/EEA and Swiss students who have settled or pre-settled status under the EU Settlement Scheme, as well as Irish nationals, may be eligible for the UK tuition fee rate.

      Financial Support

      For comprehensive information about the financial support available to eligible UK students joining postgraduate courses at Edge Hill University in academic year 2022/23, together with details of how to apply for potential funding, please view our Money Matters 2022/23 guide at www.edgehill.ac.uk/postgradfinance2022.

      EU/EEA and Swiss students who have settled or pre-settled status under the EU Settlement Scheme may be eligible to apply for financial support. Irish nationals should ordinarily apply to Student Universal Support Ireland (SUSI). Please see www.edgehill.ac.uk/eufinance for further details.

      Apply

      How to Apply

      There is an online application process for this programme.

      Please choose the application form for your preferred intake date and mode of study.

      Visit www.edgehill.ac.uk/applydirect for more information about the application process.

      Visit www.edgehill.ac.uk/applydirect to access the relevant online application form and to find out more about the application process.

      Should you accept an offer of a place to study with us and formally enrol as a student, you will be subject to the provisions of the regulations, rules, codes, conditions and policies which apply to our students. These are available at www.edgehill.ac.uk/studentterms.

      Get in Touch

      If you have any questions about this programme, please contact:

      If you would like to talk to the programme team about the course in more detail, please contact:

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      Course Changes

      Expand All This tab outlines any material changes to course content, programme structure, assessment methods, entry criteria, and modes of study or delivery, implemented in the past two years. Future material changes will be added here as amends are made to course information.

      5th July 2021 - New Module Added

      HEA4263 Work Based Learning (20 credits) added as an optional module.

      30th June 2021 - New Modules Added

      HEA4260 Clinical Urology Skills: Flexible Cystoscopy (20 credits) and HEA4261 Clinical Urology Skills: Local Anaesthetic Transperineal Prostate Biopsy (20 credits) added as optional modules. HEA4034 Negotiated Learning Shell (20 credits) changes from compulsory to optional.

      Covid-19 - Urology Practice Essential Information

      Teaching and Learning at Edge Hill University in 2020

      In this video Pro Vice-Chancellor, Lynda Brady, answers your questions and explains how teaching will work when you join us at Edge Hill University in September.

      Campus Facilities at Edge Hill University in 2020

      In this video Pro Vice-Chancellor, Lynda Brady, explains how we’re preparing the campus for your arrival in September and the facilities that will be available.
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