Students will learn the theoretical component of the course mainly online.
Coventry University has announced they are launching an online nursing degree “offering maximum flexibility and ensuring widening participation” to those wishing to join the profession.
Seven universities have been selected to pilot the new way of training nurses by Health Education England (HEE), the new Blended Learning Nursing Degree, which will start in January 2021.
The university says the new nursing degree mixes flexible, fully interactive digital learning with practical placements in clinical settings and makes it easier for student nurses to balance their studies with family or carer roles and part-time work.
Students will learn the theoretical component of the course mainly online, allowing them to learn on their own terms.
Coventry University will enrol students from five of HEE’s seven regions – the Midlands, North East and Yorkshire, London, Kent, and East of England, and run the degree from its Coventry campus and CU Scarborough and CU London campuses.
A lot of interest.
Professor Lisa Bayliss-Pratt, Pro-Vice-Chancellor for Health and Life Sciences at Coventry University, said; “These courses represent an important addition to our ever-growing portfolio of online courses, which are designed with the student at the centre, offering maximum flexibility and ensuring widening participation.
“Our practice education partners, who recognise the need to address the shortage of nurses and the need to grow digital capabilities within the workforce, are fully on board. I am happy to add that we are already receiving interest from potential students.”
Patrick Mitchell, Director of Innovation and Transformation for Health Education England added; “We were impressed by the innovation that our chosen universities had put into their plans, especially around looking for new student markets, embracing the widening participation agenda and their use of innovative technologies.
“This approach has been accelerated by the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, and it will really help to enable wider access to nursing degrees for people who may previously have had barriers to a nursing career.