Specialist Nursing

Entry requirements

Applicants will typically hold a (NFQ) Level 8 Honours Degree with a H2.2 or equivalent. Candidates will generally hold a primary degree in a relevant discipline.

In addition, candidates must:

· Be currently registered in one of the following four divisions of the Register of Nurses maintained by NMBI: General Nursing; Psychiatric Nursing; Intellectual Disability --Nursing or Children's Nursing.

· Must have a minimum of 12 months post registration experience, which should be 12 months full-time experience OR 24 months at minimum of 19.5 FTE.

· Applicants must be employed for a minimum of 19.5 hours per week or 0.5 FTE.

· Be currently employed in the specialist area/setting and provide written evidence from their line manager that they will be supported in completing
the minimum required hours of practice, including the clinical practicum.

Months of entry

September

Course content

Are you a qualified nurse or dual qualified midwife keen to expand your specialist expertise and advance your nursing career?

The Graduate Diploma in Specialist Nursing is a one-year, part-time programme delivered in a flexible, blended-learning format using a mix of face-to-face, online learning activities and learning in the practice context. The Graduate Diploma in Specialist Nursing offers two specialist pathways, students must choose one of the following:

• Women's Health
• Chronic Disease Management

Designed by the School of Nursing, Psychotherapy and Community Health in partnership with leading nurses and midwives, the pathways address contemporary Irish healthcare issues and prepare students to work in specialist areas.

Throughout your study, you’ll learn how to develop a person-centred approach to care, design a structured treatment plan, work as part of a multidisciplinary team, and develop your specialist knowledge and leadership skills to enhance practice and improve patient outcomes.

Blending theory with practice
Theory is mostly taught online, while you’ll gain supervised practical experience and some skills are developed in our labs.

Once you graduate, you will have enhanced practice in your specialist area of care, with respect to assessment, novel treatment modes, health promotion approaches, research-based practice and health policy pertinent to your specialism.