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M. Sc. / P.Grad. Dip. in Specialist Nursing

PAC Course Code: TRZ69

Key Facts

Overview TThe School of Nursing and Midwifery in conjunction with St. James' Hospital, Tallaght Hospital and other healthcare providers, offers a taught (Level 9)cPostgraduate Diploma in Specialist Nursing with the following seven specialities (Intensive Care Nursing, Cardiovascular Nursing care, Perioperative Nursing, Haematology Nursing, Renal Nursing, Orthopaedic Nursing and Emergency Nursing).This post-registration education course is designed and developed in close collaboration with health service providers. Students shall be facilitated through teaching and learning to become articulate, inquisitive practitioners capable of problem solving, analysis, reflection and self-direction at a level appropriate to their development pathway.
The National Council for the Professional Development of Nursing (2002) identifies that the specialist nurse should act as a consultant in clinical practice and education to both nurses and the wider multidisciplinary team. This highlights the evolving nature of the specialist nurses’ role, as one of change agent, management, leadership and utilising evidence based practice to ensure the attainment of excellence in patient care. The promotion of patient safety is a core element of providing quality care and must be integrated into all areas of healthcare delivery (DoH & C, 2009). Clinical leadership and quality improvement are essential to clinical practice and health care, as evidenced in reports such as Quality and Fairness (2001), Clinical nurse/midwife Specialist role resource pack (2008); Corporate Plan 2008-2011 and Commission on Patient Safety and Quality Assurance (2008). The clinical modules aim to provide the student with theoretical and practical knowledge related to their specialist areas. They also aim to enhance the student's understanding, skills and attitudes so that he/she may utilise higher levels of clinical judgement, problem solving skills, communication and team skills and evidence based care to systematically care for patients, their partners and their families. The MSc in Specialist Nursing meets the educational needs of eligible registered nurses whilst meeting professional requirements applying for CNS posts.

Specialisms offered and course content

7 specialist strands available including:

Course Duration
and Structure

You will initially register as a M.Sc. /P.Grad. Dip. student. You may choose to be awarded a Postgraduate Diploma in Specialist Nursing on successful completion of six modules. Students who successfully complete all the required elements of the MSc programme will be conferred with a M.Sc. in Nursing: Specialist Nursing.

Year one of the part-time taught masters course starts with a full week on 17 September 2012 and continues with classes on the following Thursdays until 13 December 2012. There is a break then before it recommences on 17 January 2013 and continues on Thursdays until the end of March or early April. Teaching and learning includes some web-based learning.

Attendance in Year 2 of M.Sc. courses involves attending a selection of workshops run from September to March. These workshops are designed to support students as they progress through the various stages of their final year dissertation. Students will be free to attend any of the workshops on offer. At the end of Year 2, M.Sc. students will produce a dissertation on a chosen subject related to their field of study.

Teaching of the clinical specialist modules takes places on clinical sites.

Location

24 D'Olier Street, Dublin 2 and clinical sites.

Start date

September 2012.

Entry Requirement

Admission to the strand will be subject to place availability. The entry criteria for this strand are:

  1. Current registration on the appropriate nursing division of An Bord Altranais Active Register
  2. Two years post-registration clinical experience since first registration
  3. Twelve months experience (within the last two years) in the specialty at the time of application.
  4. Candidates must also fulfil one of the following criteria:
  • An honours degree in nursing or a related discipline or equivalent professional and academic qualification or satisfy the selection committee that they have the academic ability to successfully complete the programme.
  1. Additional criteria may be required by individual Health Service Providers.
  2. Each student will be engaged in specific practice settings relevant to each individual strand for the duration of the programme of study.
Documentation required to complete application
  • 1 Academic reference
  • 1 Clinical reference
  • Copies of academic transcripts from completed educational courses
  • Copies of official awards (parchment) from completed educational courses
  • A letter of support from your Director of Nursing

How to apply

Online Online Application System. Please use course code TRZ69

Closing date and late applications

Late applications are being accepted for this course. The normal closing date for this course is 4th May 2012.

Courses are usually advertised in early March of the year of entry and the normal closing date is in early May.

Always check these pages for current information on the application process and new information on late applications.

Progression

All students register on the M.Sc. programme in the first instance. On successful completion of all the requirements of the first year, students may progress to the second year of the programme during which they complete a dissertation; or may opt to exit and be awarded a Postgraduate Diploma.

Flexibility in Progression in M.Sc./P.Grad. Dip. programmes

The School of Nursing and Midwifery are pleased to offer flexibility in pathways for progression from P.Grad. Dip. level to M.Sc. level within its M.Sc. programmes. The following is a summary of the pathways for such re-entry:

  • On successful completion of all modules of Year One 60 ECTS credits), students may proceed immediately to year two in the next academic year to complete the M.Sc. programme.
  • On successful completion of all modules of Year One (60 ECTS credits), students may exit the programme without any award (deferring the award), but may apply to return to complete the M.Sc. programme within four years.

Further pathways options available for alumni who already hold a P.Grad. Dip., in respect of a programme which they successfully completed in the School of Nursing and Midwifery TCD within the past four years

Language

All applicants whose first language is not English and who have not been educated through the medium of English must present one of the following qualifications in the English language:
IELTS: Grade 6.5
TOEFL: 230-computer based, 570 paper based
Cambridge Certificate of Advanced English: Grade C
Cambridge Certificate of Proficiency in English: Grade C
Further information is available from Graduate Studies Office TCD

Annual Tuition Fees

M. Sc. in Nursing - Specialist Nursing 2012 Year One annual tuition fees for new entrants are EU: €6,500, non-EU €13,000

M. Sc. in Nursing - Specialist Nursing 2012 Year Two annual tuition fees are EU: €4,750, non-EU €9,500

Course contacts

Jacqueline Whelan,, Course Co-ordinator, tel +353 1 8963899.

Gráinne Curistan, Executive Officer, tel +353 1 8963753.


Note: The details outlined in this page are subject to change. The School of Nursing and Midwifery reserve the right to amend the contents of pages to reflect any curriculum and course management changes. The University of Dublin, Trinity College is not bound by errors in or omissions from this course information document.

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Last updated 9 May 2012 by nursing.midwifery@tcd.ie (Email).