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Return to Professional Practice

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  3. Return to Professional Practice

Key Facts

  • Level

    Post RegistrationPO

  • Duration

    4-6 months part-time

  • Starting

    September, February

    SEP, FEB

Updated 09/04/2025

Updated 09/04/2025

Get in touch

For questions regarding study and admissions please contact us:

Follow Us

CPD@northampton.ac.uk

Overview

This return to nursing course enables nurses who have had a break from practice to enhance and refresh their existing knowledge and skills so that they can confidently return to professional practice. Please note that NUR3039 (return to practice for specialist community public health nurses) is no longer available.

Our Return to Professional Practice course is approved by the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC).

NMC - Nursing and Midwifery Council logo

Highlights

  • Strong links with NHS stakeholders.
  • Flexible arrangements to suit individual needs.
  • Comprehensive support available from a designated and experienced course team
Aerial view of University of Northampton, Waterside campus featuring multiple modern buildings, a river, and surrounding greenery and open fields. Car parks and residential areas are visible in the background.

Waterside campus has everything students needs from: Learning Hub featuring 24/7 library, Creative Hub, on-site shop, restaurant, cafes and food outlets, multi-faith chaplaincy, student village hall, Students' Union and more. With only a short walk over the bridge into the town centre.

Internal view of the Learning Hub, showing barriers towards elevators and in the background the student information desk. There is a large clock on the wall. A person is walking through the spacious lobby.

The Learning Hub and Student Information Desk would be a student's first point of call when needing support.

Two floors of the Learning Hub library, showing a spacious, modern interior with rows of bookshelves, a mezzanine level, and several students studying on couches and tables below.

Our library covers three floors of the Learning Hub, with IT rich learning environments, including silent and group study spaces, physical books. Don't forget there are plenty more resources available online!

University of Northampton Student Information Desk area with digital screens, staff computers, and a sign reading

The Student Information Desk is the first place a student should go if they need any help. Here the team can direct you to academic support, mental health support, financial support, IT support, and more.

Spacious modern building lobby, the Learning Hub, with high ceilings, circular ceiling panels, staircase, and staff and students working at yellow seating areas.

The Learning Hub is where every student will go for library support and classes, as well as food outlets and social events.

External view of the Learning Hub, with large windows and vertical pillars housing, adjacent to a green lawn with benches and an outdoor seating area with an umbrella.

The Learning Hub also has lots of outdoor space for meeting with friends or finding some silent time between classes.

External view of the Learning Hub at the University of Northampton. The building features large glass windows, metal panelling, and pavements.

The Learning Hub is the biggest building on campus, home to our Student Information Desk, 24/7 library, teaching spaces, cafes, and more.

External view of Senate building at the University of Northampton, which is a modern building with cream features and grey roads surrounding it.

The big and spacious modern Senate building has various types of learning spaces, teaching rooms, our Bloomberg suite, Morley Room lecture hall, and cafes.

Entry Requirements

The course is open to nurses without current NMC registration.

You will need to submit the following documents with your application:

  • Personal Statement
  • Health CPD Reference Request Form (information can be found on the additional documents page)
  • Proof of lapsed PIN (information can be found on the NMC website)

  • All offers of a place on the programme are subject to:

    Please contact the Course Team for further information at ros.wray@northampton.ac.uk or mary.kitson@northampton.ac.uk.

    Further information and documents can be found on the postgraduate application guidance page.

  • On entry applicants are required to demonstrate proficiency in the English language. This is determined by following the NMC requirements for Return to Practice Nursing Programmes:

    • Trained in English within an NMC Pre-Registration Nursing approved programme;
    • Registered and practised in English evidence of one year of recent practice in a majority English speaking country;
    • Accepted English language tests IELTS and OETs at required level

    These requirements are reconfirmed through the programme admissions process and subsequent personal statements and interviewing processes.

Course Content

  • Our Return to Professional Practice course is approved by the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC). This course is provided for all nurses who are unable to meet the criteria for revalidation, and who are therefore required to undertake a Return to Practice programme before re-registering with the NMC. Studying our return to nursing course can also help nurses to refresh their skills if they are considering moving between disciplines.

    Currently, there is a national campaign led by Health Education England to encourage nurses to return to practice, and funding is available to support students.

    The course is a 20 credit module comprising both theory and practice and accessed at Level 6. This professional accreditation is unlike other back to nursing courses, as our teaching staff are specialists within health disciplines and use their experience and knowledge to inform their teaching and practice. The programme length is 4 – 6 months. Courses take place in September, February and May.

    Supervised practice is usually undertaken in an area related to previous experience, and can be arranged in a variety of ways. You will have supernumerary status.

    For more information about financial, clinical and academic support available to any allied health professional wishing to take the Return to Practice nursing course, please visit the Health Education England site.

    For further information, please contact either Ros Wray, Senior Lecturer and Course Leader for Return to Practice or Mary Kitson, Senior Lecturer.

  • How will I learn?

    Study takes place through lectures, group work, online resources, one to one tutorials and practical sessions. This course allows you to develop your independent study skills and allows you to apply theory to practice.

    What is the schedule?

    Our return to nursing course commences with a three-week induction which aims to refresh key areas of knowledge and provide updating in mandatory skills. Practice placements then become the focus with follow up monthly study days taking place on Tuesdays.

    Study takes place through lectures, group work, online resources, one to one tutorials and practical sessions. This course allows you to develop your independent study skills and allows you to apply theory to practice.

    How will I be assessed?

    Assessments take place in the practice setting and through submission of academic work.

Fees and Funding

Back to nursing courses are currently supported by a national campaign. Most students will receive UK government funding via Health Education England (HEE) regions. There are also bursaries available to help cover costs incurred during the programme. Please visit HEE Return to Practice website for further information about funding.

If you are undertaking independent sector placements and are sponsored by your employer you must present a sponsorship letter to the university when you enrol on the course.

Please contact Karen Edwards for further information about fees for this module.

For more information about possible funding options, please visit our Fees and Funding pages.

Staff

Placeholder image for Tracey Ali, Senior Lecturer - Leadership in Health & Social Care

Senior Lecturer - Leadership in Health & Social Care
Faculty of Health, Education and Society

Tracey Ali
Placeholder image for Ros Wray, Senior Lecturer - Return to Practice

Senior Lecturer - Return to Practice
Faculty of Health, Education and Society

Ros Wray
Placeholder image for Mary Kitson, Senior Lecturer - Return to Practice/ Int Healthcare Progs

Senior Lecturer - Return to Practice/ Int Healthcare Progs
Faculty of Health, Education and Society

Mary Kitson

Careers and Employability

Once you have completed a return to practice nursing programme and are back on the professional register, you will find that there are many varied opportunities available to work as a qualified nurse in the NHS or other healthcare arena.

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