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Florence Nightingale Faculty of Nursing, Midwifery & Palliative Care

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Department of Child & Family Health

About the Department

Together, we shape, change and save lives through innovative education, research and practice. At the heart of everything we do is our motivation to help children and their families – especially when their health and wellbeing are at risk.

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The placements with our clinical partners in world-class hospitals attract many of our students. But it’s only when they join us, they realise what it really means to be part of our nursing community. We develop innovative teaching methods to prepare our students for practice. Most importantly, we listen to what they say about our courses and the way they learn. To make sure healthcare moves forward, we need to unravel challenges and find solutions. That’s why it’s vital that we collaborate with other departments within the Faculty and wider university community.  

Growing an experienced team

The Department has a close-knit team of lecturers, researchers, lecturer practitioners and clinical teachers that teach across our pre- and post-registration courses. Their expertise is invaluable to students who are beginning their journey and healthcare professionals taking the next step in their career. Our researchers are central to ensuring that excellence in research is translated into exciting learning opportunities for students. Our clinical teachers facilitate pre-registration learning in the clinical environment, practice and simulation. They bring learning alive and listening to their insight, students grasp how to tackle the everyday challenges they’ll face when they graduate. 

We offer a curriculum that is engaging, allows for critical thinking and is a positive learning experience for our students.

Shelley McLetchie-Holder, Head of Department

Developing the next generation of child and public health professionals 

We offer BSc and MSc routes to registration as a children’s nurse. We also offer a specialist community public health nurse course and other professional development short courses. Everything we do is geared towards preparing students for their career. Alongside clinical placements, we offer simulated practice which is highly valued and enjoyed by our students. For that extra boost of confidence before they graduate, we run transition sessions to make the move from student to professional as smooth as possible.  

I wanted to be at distinguished hospitals like Guys & St. Thomas’, King’s College Hospital, University College London Hospital & Imperial College London Hospital – nowhere else could offer me all of these.

Jamie, BSc Children's Nursing student

Our courses

Central areas of our curriculum

  • Acute and Critical Care
  • Palliative and Long Term Conditions
  • Child Health in a Global Community
  • Child and Adolescent mental health and wellbeing

Transforming healthcare through research 

To solve challenges in the healthcare sector, we collaborate with other teams within the faculty, the wider academic community at King’s and external partners.  

The Department leads research in:

  • Acute and critical care
  • Palliative care and long term conditions
  • Child health in a global community
  • Pedagogy 
  • Genetics and family care 
  • Maternity and infant health 
  • Child and adolescent mental health  
  • Children with complex neurodevelopmental disorders   

The team shape guidance and quality standards in the profession. They are responsive, innovative and adaptive. Staff and students pride themselves in multiple achievements for example through research fellowships, publications and attending a variety of conferences.

 

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Pre-registration education

Pre-registration

Explore the Florence Nightingale Faculty of Nursing, Midwifery & Palliative Care at King's College…

Post-qualification education

Post-qualification

Our postgraduate courses support you to balance your career and education, and further your…

Research & Impact

Research and impact

Our research seeks to improve the healthcare experience and outcomes for patients and those…