Infection, Prevention and Control (Professional Practice)
The Infection Prevention and Control pathway has been designed to broaden your knowledge and understanding within this specialised area of healthcare. You will work with a range of healthcare specialists to improve your practice....
Studying with us in 2021/22
It is possible that the 2021/22 academic year may be affected by the ongoing disruption caused by the Covid-19 pandemic. Information about the arrangements the University has put in place for the 2021/22 academic year in response to Covid-19 and the emerging variants can be found here.
Should the impact of Covid-19 continue in subsequent years of your course, any additional and/or alternative arrangements put in place by the University in response will be in accordance with the latest government public health advice, pandemic-related/health and safety legislation, and the terms and conditions of the student contract.
- Level Top-Up Pathways
- Study mode Part Time
- Location City South
- Award N/A
- Start date September 2021
- Fees View course fees
- School School of Nursing and Midwifery
- Faculty Faculty of Health, Education and Life Sciences
Overview
The Infection Prevention and Control pathway has been designed to broaden your knowledge and understanding within this specialised area of healthcare. You will work with a range of healthcare specialists to improve your practice. This will enable you to function more proficiently in your specialist role by developing a higher level of knowledge and understanding within this specialised healthcare area. You'll learn face-to-face and be able to network with a range of healthcare professionals.
What's covered in this course?
Throughout the programme you are provided with a blended integrated approach learning, where clinical based knowledge is underpinned with theoretical and conceptual principles and delivered by experts within the area.
The wider issues associated with specialist practice such interdisciplinary and multidisciplinary working, leadership and networking have been integrated into the programme to enable you to manage working across the expansive health and social care sector.
A core element of the Infection Prevention and Control practice consists of clinical knowledge of applied Microbiology which underpins much of the day to day activity required to keep patients safe from acquiring healthcare associated infection and minimise outbreaks of infection. The detailed Microbiology that is taught on the course will be delivered by an experienced physiologist and expert in the field and further supported by the inclusion of healthcare epidemiology and surveillance principles. This depth of expertise will enable you to fully understand the complex nature of commonly recognised micro-organisms that are responsible for predominance of healthcare associated infection. This will give you the confidence to deal with each situation confidently and with a high level of competence.
The learning and assessment strategy will enable you to develop skills that will benefit you throughout your career; such as being able to deliver a presentation confidently, design educational posters for use at conferences, and produce high quality written work and health policies and develop crucial leadership and managerial skills.
Accredited By
Post Registration Education Provider of the Year Winner
Why Choose Us?
- Dynamic and contemporary curriculum
- Face to face delivery [taught sessions]
- Opportunities to network
- Interdisciplinary approach to learning - practitioners from different health and social care backgrounds
- Expert clinical and academic input
Fees & How to Apply
- UK students
- International students
Award:
Starting: Sep 2021
- Mode
- Duration
- Fees
- Part Time
- TBC
- £720 per 20 credit module
Award:
Starting: Sep 2021
- Mode
- Duration
- Fees
- Part Time
- TBC
- £720 per 20 credit module
If you're unable to use the online form for any reason, you can complete our PDF application form and equal opportunities PDF form instead. The University reserves the right to increase fees in line with inflation based on the Retail Prices Index or to reflect changes in Government funding policies or changes agreed by Parliament up to a maximum of five per cent.
Entry requirements
Level 6 study
A BSc degree is awarded on completion of 300 credits of which at least 60 must be at Level 6 or above. At least 100 of these credits must be studied at BCU for the student to be eligible for a BCU award. Students who have a Dip.HE. or equivalent from BCU will need to complete 60 credits at Level 6 to gain their BSc.
Students who have a Dip HE or equivalent but do not have any previous BCU credits will need to complete at least 100 credits to gain a BSc award. These 100 credits can be achieved by completing five 20 credit modules at Level 6 or by completing three modules at Level 6 plus a 40 credit Level 5 portfolio module. The portfolio module is offered free of charge
Level 7 study
For entry into the Post Graduate Certificate students must have a relevant Bachelor’s degree or equivalent or a 60 credit Level 6 award in an appropriate subject area. Applicants with evidence of successfully completed Level 6 study within the preceding 2 years and a minimum of 5 years’ experience in the pathway speciality will also be considered.
Students undertaking modules as standalone rather than as part of an award may do so regardless of number of previous credits as long as they are working in an appropriate area to achieve that module’s learning outcomes and have evidence of successfully completed Level 6 study.
Where appropriate students may be asked to provide a written pre-course assessment set by the subject pathway award leader for assessment in order to allow assessment of the students’ academic ability prior to commencing study.
In order to prevent duplication of study, a student that has previously completed a Level 6 pathway cannot access the equivalent pathway at Level 7.
A student who has completed the Level 6 version of a professional practice module (or similar module from a former programme or from another academic institution) within a preceding 5 year period cannot study the Level 7 version of that module.
EU/International students
IELTs of 6 with no element below 5.5.
Course structure
You can study this programme as a complete pathway award (full or part-time), dependent on your individual need and the needs of your organisation. All programmes offer a convenient part-time format to fit around home and work commitments.
Pathway awards in Infection, Prevention and Control can lead to:
- Module only Professional Practice Level 6
- Module only Professional Practice Level 7
- BSc Professional Practice
- BSc (Hons) Professional Practice
- Grad Cert Professional Practice
- PG Cert Professional Practice
- PG Dip Professional Practice
- MSc Professional Practice
How to apply
Complete the online application form via the link above, including the name of the pathway you are enrolling onto.
Course in Depth
Degree (Level 6)
In order to complete this route a student must successfully complete all the following CORE modules (totalling 100 credits):
Year 1 Pathway Award – Exit Award: Grad Cert / BSc Professional Practice (Infection, Prevention and Control)
20 credits
The module is designed for infection prevention and control personnel who will as part of their roles have responsibility for overseeing the development, implementation and application of local decontamination policy. The module will enable you to explore and examine the principles of decontamination, legislative and national decontamination guidance frameworks, and consider how new understanding gained will influence local policy development. In addition and closely related is the importance of healthcare facilities: planning, design and maintenance. You will be able to review infection prevention and control service contribution to building design and the functional practicalities within clinical environments that facilitate safe decontamination practice and promote general health and well-being.
20 credits
The module aims to provide you with a critical awareness of leadership, change management and innovation concepts and theories which can be applied in practice and contribute to personal and professional development of health and social care personnel. You will also learn the importance of collaborative working to achieve high standards of patient care, through the application of leadership and structured change processes. This will enable you to specifically enhance your ability to provide effective leadership which is considered particularly important for practitioners at all levels within health and social care.
This module is can also be taken as a standalone credit bearing course. View standalone module
20 credits
The module aims to provide you with the essential knowledge and skills which will contribute to your development of Infection Prevention and Control practice. The indicative content of the module will consist of basic physiology of common micro-organisms types, the immune system and physiological effects of infection in the human host. For those in designated Infection Prevention and Control roles; you will analyse the importance of healthcare epidemiology and surveillance strategies and how these key information systems contribute to the management of communicable disease, healthcare associated infection and wider related issues of commissioning services and antibiotic resistance.
This module is aimed at Healthcare Practitioners specifically working as specialist practitioners within the field of Infection prevention and control.
Year 2 Pathway Award (BSc Only) – Exit Award: BSc (Hons) Professional Practice (Infection, Prevention and Control)
20 credits
This module is for all healthcare practitioners if you want to enhance your understanding of evidence based practice to help improve your patient/client/service-user care. The aims of the module are to develop both your understanding of the importance of best evidence in practice, and your ability to locate, evaluate, and use best evidence in developing aspects of practice.
Good reasons to study Evidence-Based Practice: Clinical practice does not remain static but changes frequently. As a healthcare practitioner you must be able to justify and rationalise your practice to ensure quality care is provide and maintained. To ensure best practice is sustained you, as a practitioner, need to understand the concepts of evidence based practice and how to apply these concepts to your area of practice.
This module is can also be taken as a standalone credit bearing course. View standalone module
20 credits
This module is aimed at healthcare practitioners who wish to negotiate learning of a bespoke topic. Under the guidance of facilitators, you will be able to direct your learning and identify relevant learning opportunities that you feel enable you to learn more about a specific field of study.
The subject area within this module is student led with guidance and facilitation from designated academic and practice support. You will identify an area of study that you would like to critically review and evaluate and which promotes your clinical development. A significant proportion of the module is based around negotiation with academic and clinical facilitators to identify extended areas of study and opportunities that are possible to enhance your progression towards completion of the study.
This module is can also be taken as a standalone credit bearing course. View standalone module
In order to complete this route a student must successfully complete at least 20 credits from the List of Additional Optional Modules * for Year 2.
*Any appropriate module (relevant to Pathway / Speciality) from University / Faculty portfolio as agreed with the Pathway Leader.
20 credits
Postgraduate (Level 7)
In order to complete this route a student must successfully complete all the following CORE modules (totalling 100 credits):
Year 1 Pathway Award – Exit Award: PG Cert Professional Practice (Infection, Prevention and Control)
20 credits
The module is designed for predominately graduate personnel who deal with infection prevention and control as part of their role and implement as well as apply local decontamination policy. The module will guide you through issues pertaining to decontamination, policy development, legislation and national guidance frameworks to facilitate strategic decision-making. In addition and closely related is the importance of healthcare facilities planning, design and maintenance. You will be expected to use case studies to review strategic interventions of infection prevention and control service.
20 credits
The module aims to provide you with an in-depth understanding of leadership, change management and innovation concepts and theories that can be applied within dynamic and complex health and social care contexts. Leadership is viewed as a vital aspect of personal and professional development. You will learn the importance of applying theory to practice through systematic evaluation, synthesis of key conceptual frameworks, and research. This will enable you to specifically enhance your ability to provide effective leadership which is considered particularly important for practitioners at all levels within health and social care. This module is predominately aimed at graduates.
This module is can also be taken as a standalone credit bearing course. View standalone module
20 credits
The module aims to provide you with a detailed knowledge base that will enable you to apply relevant theory to everyday practice in the field of Infection Prevention and Control. The indicative content of the module consists of microbiological and immunological theory related to the commonest types of healthcare associated infection and emerging resistant strains. You will attain high level skills to assess and manage outbreaks of infection, develop policy and utilise resources with clinical efficiency. The study of healthcare epidemiology and surveillance will enable you to detect, risk assess and manage episodes of communicable disease and healthcare associated infection, as well as providing direction to deal with operational aspects of clinical commissioning and antibiotic stewardship.
Year 2 Pathway Award - Exit Award: PG Dip Professional Practice (Infection, Prevention and Control)
20 credits
This module specifically addresses the broader programme aims related to “pursuing excellence” and “practice-led, knowledge applied” through a flexible provision that encourages students to develop their research ideas, enabling those on various Health MSc programmes to satisfy their individual learning needs, whilst contributing to their area of study.
This module is can also be taken as a standalone credit bearing course. View standalone module
20 credits
This module explicitly addresses students’ personal and/or professional development with a view to enhancing competence for service improvement in a rapidly changing health and healthcare environment. Through a flexible provision, students are inspired to reflect critically upon their individual learning needs as well as their organisations’ practices, to appraise and apply concepts from the literature on leadership, to issues of relevance for their role, organisation and overall programme of study.
This module is can also be taken as a standalone credit bearing course. View standalone module
In order to complete this route a student must successfully complete at least 20 credits from the List of Additional Optional Modules* for Year 2.
*Any appropriate module (relevant to Pathway / Speciality) from University / Faculty portfolio as agreed with the Pathway Leader.
20 credits
MSc
Year 3 Pathway Award – Exit Award: MSc Professional Practice (Infection, Prevention and Control)
Option 1
In order to complete this route a student must successfully complete the following CORE module (totalling 60 credits):
60 credits
This triple module forms the final bridge between the award of a Postgraduate Diploma and a Health MSc related to a named award. It provides the student with the opportunity to complete a piece of work around a chosen topic in order to demonstrate competence in the planning, execution, analysis and evaluation of a Research Project, a Systematic Review or Project Management. It involves 600 hours of study. The focus is on facilitating the student's independent, critical study in their academic discipline or area of professional practice. It will also serve those who wish to embark on Doctoral studies in the future.
Option 2
In order to complete this route a student must successfully complete the following CORE module (totalling 40 credits):
40 credits
This double module provides the student with the opportunity to complete a piece of work around a chosen topic in order to demonstrate competence in the planning, execution, analysis and evaluation of a Research Project, a Systematic Review or Project Management. It involves 400 hours of study. The focus is on facilitating the student's independent, critical study in their academic discipline or area of professional practice. It will also serve those who wish to embark on Doctoral studies in the future.
In order to complete this route a student must also successfully complete at least 20 credits from ‘this list of additional optional modules* for Year 1 and Year 2.
*Any appropriate module (relevant to Pathway / Speciality) from University / Faculty portfolio as agreed with the Pathway Leader.
20 credits
Degree (Level 6)
Pathway Level
Modules completed
Exit Awards
Postgraduate (Level 7)
Pathway Level
Modules completed
Exit Awards
Student Nursing Times Award Winner
Post Registration Education Provider of the Year
International Students
Birmingham City University is a vibrant and multicultural university in the heart of a modern and diverse city. We welcome many international students every year – there are currently students from more than 80 countries among our student community.
The University is conveniently placed, with Birmingham International Airport nearby and first-rate transport connections to London and the rest of the UK.
Our international pages contain a wealth of information for international students who are considering applying to study here, including:
- Explore some of the good reasons why you should study here.
- Find out how to improve your language skills before starting your studies.
- Find all the information relevant to applicants from your country.
- Learn where to find financial support for your studies.
Facilities and Staff
Our Facilities
Our School of Nursing and Midwifery is based at our City South campus in leafy Edgbaston.
We’ve spent £41million expanding our facilities at City South. These facilities offer hands-on practical experience, replicating the spaces you will come across in professional practice.
In a sector where new techniques are constantly being discovered, we work hard to ensure that you learn using the most up-to-date equipment available. Alongside physical spaces such as a mock operating theatre and wards, we also make use of online and virtual technology, such as our virtual ward and virtual case creator.
See more of our skills facilities at City South
Centre for Skills and Simulation
The Centre for Skills and Simulation offers a range of different spaces which replicate situations that you will encounter in practice. These include hospital wards, an operating theatre and a home environment room.
Our mock wards enable you to get a feel of what a ward is really like before you head out for your first placement. The hospital wards can be adapted from low care to high dependency care environment with the necessary monitoring equipment.
The home environment room is the perfect space for teaching communications skills and allows us to simulate a community setting for our students. It is particularly useful for mental health nurses, learning disability nurses and midwives.
Simulation Manikins
We have several Simulation men (SIM men) and simulation babies (SIM babies) which are anatomically correct manikins used for teaching specific techniques such as advanced adult and paediatric life support skills, acute and high dependency clinical skills, first aid and communication skills. The manikins contain software which replicates real symptoms, and can manipulate indicators such as blood pressure, pulse and heart rate for extra realism. SIM man can even ‘talk’ to the students as they are treating him, to add another dimension to learning.
Computer Facilities
The Seacole building has two open-access IT Suites which offer PCs, printers, photocopiers and scanners. There is also an IT Helpdesk for quick and easy help with your computing or internet issues.
Our PCs utilise the latest Intel i5 core technology, all with:
- Fast (unrestricted) internet connectivity
- Ability to save files to USB, DVD & CD
- Microsoft Office software
- Research and statistical software
- Storage space which can be accessed from any PC across the University and from home
Our PCs are also designed to support students who may have difficulties with reading and writing, featuring specialised software with zooming/magnification and screen reading capabilities, which may also be customised for individual student needs.
In addition to desktop PCs, we also offer a laptop loan facility, allowing students to borrow a laptop for up to six hours while on campus.
Our staff
Shirley Kirnon
Senior Lecturer, Infection Prevention and Control
Shirley's professional background is in nursing and she specialises in teaching Infection Prevention and Control, which is a specialism within the health protection strand of Public Health. She is involved in teaching on undergraduate and postgraduate programmes, across the various healthcare disciplines.
More about ShirleyEnquiries
Course Enquiries
For any enquiries about this course please contact the course leader Shirley Kirnon, on:
- Tel: +44 (0)121 331 6140
- Email: Shirley Kirnon@bcu.ac.uk
International Enquiries
If you are an international student please contact the international office for more information on entry requirements:
- Tel: +44 (0)121 331 5389
- Email: international.enquiries@bcu.ac.uk
Professional Navigator
The Professional Practice Programme consists of a selection of modules that can be studied on their own or as part of an award. For help in deciding which modules to study or your outcome award please contact our Professional Navigators on navigator@bcu.ac.uk