4 Year Nursing Degree Programme (BSc Cur)

General Nursing

Overview of the course

Is this the right course for you?

You will need to have a keen interest in healthcare, be capable of working in a team, and have a caring and understanding personality and outlook to enjoy working as a nurse.

Course content

This course will give you the knowledge, skills, attitude and professional values necessary to provide high quality, competent and caring nursing practice in the discipline of nursing you choose to follow. The three main themes of the course are:

• Person and community centred holistic care
  
• Personal and interpersonal skills
  
• Professional nursing studies

The biological, behavioural and social sciences are incorporated within the relevant themes. Some contact under each of the themes is common to all three nursing disciplines and the remainder is specific to your chosen discipline.

There are two components to the nursing degree course - a theoretical component and a clinical component. The theoretical component of the course will be taught on the Trinity campus, School of Nursing & Midwifery Building, D'Olier Street or in the Schools teaching facilities in St James Hospital or AMNCH, Tallaght.

Teaching strategies

Teaching and learning strategies will include lectures, tutorials and group work. A minimum of 95% attendance is required at formal lectures and tutorials on programmes leading to registration in a division of the Nurses' Register. Student attendance at theory classes will be monitored.

Assessment strategies

The learning outcomes of the programme will be integrated fully into the assessment strategy at all levels and will include assessments such as examinations, assignments and practical skills assessment.

Clinical placement

For the clinical component you will be based in one of the health service providers.Part of your course work will be unpaid practice placements, consisting of 36 weeks in a variety of clinical settings. These placements will take place in two 6-week blocks in each of years one, two and three of the programme. During the fourth year you undertake a 36-week roster of continuous placement and you will be a paid health service employee.

Clinical learning experience will be based in the six linked health service providers (depending on discipline):

• The Adelaide and Meath Hospital, Dublin, incorporating the National Childrens Hospital at Tallaght, Dublin 24.
  
• St. Annes, Moore Abbey, Monasterevin, Co. Kildare.
  
• St. James's Hospital, James's Street, Dublin 8.
  
• St. Patrick's Hospital, James's Street, Dublin 8.
  
• HSE East Coast Area and HSE South Western Area.
  
• Stewarts Hospital Services Ltd., Palmerstown, Dublin 20.
  

Students who successfully complete the B.Sc.(Cur) are eligible to apply to An Bord Altranais to have their name entered in the appropriate division (Children’s, General, Intellectual Disability or Psychiatric) of the Nurses’ Register. Students who are eligible to apply for registration with An Bord Altranais and who meet the requirements of the University may apply to be conferred with a Bachelor in Science (Nursing) from the University of Dublin.

See modular course structure for a description of each module of this course.

General Nursing

What is General Nursing?

General Nursing involves caring for clients within the hospital and community setting. A general nurse is a key member of the healthcare team, providing for the physical, psychological and social wellbeing of patients with acute or chronic physical illness. They are required to be adaptable, responsible, motivated, knowledgeable and possess excellent communication skills. An important part of the general nurses role is to provide education and rehabilitation to patients across the age spectrum. Following registration, there are many opportunities to specialise, e.g. Accident & Emergency, Theatre, Intensive Care, Cancer Nursing and Care of the Older Person.

During the four year course, students will have an opportunity to learn in a variety of settings such as:

• Medical Wards.
• Surgical Wards.
• Accident & Emergency Department.
• Operating Theatres.
• Intensive Care.
• Coronary Care.
• Community Nursing.
• Maternity Nursing.
• Child Care Nursing.
• Care of the Elderly.
• Out Patients Department.

Further Information

• For more information visit the An Bord Altranais: Nursing Careers Centre
• Applications are made through the Central Applications Office (CAO) Galway.
• See also Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Back to top