Overview

Learning disabilities nursing is built on the belief that every person, whatever their support needs, deserves equal access to healthcare, respect and the chance to live a fulfilling life. The BSc (Hons) Learning Disabilities Nursing course at Birmingham City University prepares students to make a real difference to people with learning disabilities and to their families through holistic, person-centred care. It is designed to meet the Nursing and Midwifery Council Standards of Proficiency for Registered Nurses, and successful completion makes graduates eligible to apply for NMC registration. Campus-based learning and practice learning are evenly balanced, with professional practice modules running alongside the theory modules in every year of study. Teaching combines lectures, seminars, group work, practical skills sessions and simulation, and students regularly engage with practice partners and people who use services. Placements across community, hospital, social care and home settings, working with multidisciplinary teams, give students direct experience of addressing health inequalities and complex needs in one of the UK's most diverse cities. The curriculum is developed with students, people with lived experience and clinical partners, which keeps it grounded in real priorities. The course suits compassionate, determined students who want to advocate for others, and it prepares them for roles in specialist residential support, forensic settings or hospital liaison work.

What You'll Learn

• Nursing identity, academic skills and professional growth

• Applied anatomy and physiology for nursing assessment

• Principles of learning disabilities nursing

• Health promotion and reducing health inequalities

• Acute and crisis care in learning disabilities nursing

• Assessment and care for people with long-term conditions

• Nursing leadership and advocacy

• Research and quality improvement in nursing

• Interprofessional collaboration in complex cases

• Professional practice learning in community, hospital and social care settings

• Optional module in the final stage of study

Learning Outcomes

By the end of the course, students will understand the health and support needs of people with learning disabilities at several levels, from the body's physical systems to the wider social factors that shape access to healthcare, inclusion and independence across the lifespan. They will be able to assess, plan and deliver holistic care that supports daily living, physical and mental health and access to services, and to respond confidently to acute and crisis situations. Placements and simulation-based sessions build practical clinical skills, while interprofessional learning develops the ability to coordinate care with colleagues across health and social care in complex cases. Students learn to promote health, challenge inequalities and advocate strongly for the people they support, and to use research and quality improvement methods to evaluate and improve practice. They also strengthen their digital, academic and professional skills for lifelong learning. This prepares them for NMC registration and for varied roles across the age range, with the opportunity to specialise in areas such as hospital liaison or forensic services.