Nursing - Critical Care Nursing - Cardiovascular

The programme is designed to expand the knowledge, skills and attitudes of nurses engaged in the care of people within the critical care environment. The associated complications and special needs are explored in detail. Students are encouraged to apply their theoretical knowledge in the clinical setting. Therefore, the role of the nurse as educator, innovator, researcher, advocate and clinician will be enhanced to meet the multiple and complex needs of the person with critical illness and its complications. Critical care nursing requires an advanced knowledge base, skilled assessment, prompt intervention and ongoing evaluation. The critical care nurse maintains the balance between the science of nursing and the art of caring. The Graduate Diploma Critical Care Nursing: Cardiovascular will provide the nurse with an opportunity to develop, enhance and maintain these specialist skills that are required to care for the critically ill.

This Graduate Diploma in Nursing Studies Programme will enhance your career prospects and give you the building blocks for lifelong self-directed learning. It will provide you with the key knowledge and skills to innovate and lead in your area of practice in Critical Care Cardiovascular Nursing.

Highly focused on enhancing clinical practice
The programme is focused on developing practical, usable cardiovascular critical care nursing skill to enable graduates to be even more effective clinicians, change agents and clinical leaders in the Critical Care Cardiovascular workplace.

Innovative modules
Each of the modules in the programme is designed for experienced nurses and midwives and in combination, provides a comprehensive learning experience and opportunities for acquiring new skills. The emphasis throughout the programme is on the practical application of knowledge and skills in the cardiovascular critical care contexts. By incorporating clinical based scenarios and simulation, the specialty modules within this programme demonstrate the collaborative care provided to cardiovascular patients while also enhancing the nurse’s ability to think critically.

Networking
The student body is drawn from a number of the organizations, enabling the sharing of learning and experience between you and your class members, as well as from the academic and clinical staff.

Additional features
The programme partners for this Graduate Diploma, St. Vincent’s University Hospital Group and the Mater Misericordiae University Hospital, are critical care centers of excellence. The Programme employs a variety of innovative assessment strategies with a strong clinical focus.

The Graduate Diploma Critical Care Nursing: Cardiovascular consists of a total of 6 modules of study as follows:

Core modules
NMHS43260 Nursing Knowledge: Phil & Prac (Autumn Trimester, 10 ECTS)
NMHS43270 ResMethodsAppliedtoHealthcare (Spring Trimester, 10 ECTS)

Specialist modules
NMHS42500 Nursing: Cardiovascular Dx (Autumn Trimester, 10 ECTS)
NMHS42760 CardiacRehab&HeartFailureNurs (Spring Trimester, 10 ECTS)
NMHS42510 Clinical Practicum (CV) (Year Long module, 10 ECTS)
NMHS42750 Nursing: AlteredCardiacFunct (Year Long module, 10 ECTS)

The two core modules are common to all Graduate Diplomas in Nursing Studies. In the three specialist modules and the one clinical Module of the Graduate Diploma in Nursing Studies (Critical Care) Cardiovascular Pathway you will learn the following:

Cardiovascular Disease
The module aims to focus on the role of the critical care nurse in relation to the person with cardiovascular disease and to determine the characteristics and severity of the major symptoms of the acutely ill person with ischaemic heart disease in the coronary care unit.

Altered Cardiac Function
This module aims to expand the student's understanding, knowledge and practice of care for persons during cardiac investigations, rhythm disturbances and treatments including cardiac pacemakers and ICD. It also aims to examine holistic management of persons with altered fluid and electrolyte management. The student will develop competence in cardiovascular and respiratory assessment, haemodynamic monitoring, arrhythmia interpretation of laboratory values and in his/her role as patient educator.

Cardiac Rehabilitation & Heart Failure
This module focuses on Heart Failure and its impact on the person’s life. Rehabilitation for persons with cardiovascular disease will also be incorporated within this module. The module aims to create awareness for the student of the importance of cardiac rehabilitation and promoting optimum quality of life for persons with cardiovascular disease, heart failure and their families.

Clinical Practicum (CV) Module
The clinical learning outcomes of this module have been designed to reflect the skills and knowledge necessary for competent cardiovascular nursing practice. Each specialist module has distinct learning outcomes, which will facilitate the student to consolidate the theory of cardiovascular nursing practice.

• All applicants must hold a primary degree in Nursing (or equivalent in related discipline)/RPL consideration if no degree.

• All applicants must be entered onto the appropriate division of the Nurses Register maintained by An Bord Altranais (be registered as an RGN)

• All applicants must have at least one year’s post-registration experience at time of application

• All applicants must be employed in coronary care nursing for the duration of the programme and work a minimum of 75 hours per month

• In addition, each student must provide documented evidence from the Director of Nursing in the clinical practice area, which guarantees a coronary care nursing placement for the duration of the programme

Documents Required

Academic transcript(s) including date and grading of degree award (non UCD Graduates only) & notarised English translations where relevant
Nurse applicants: A current photocopy of NMBI registration
Other health care professionals: A current photocopy of registration with professional registration body
Copy of Birth Certificate or Personal Page of Passport
Signed Declaration Form from Employer (original form)
Completed Professional Reference Form (original form)
Nurse applicants: Completed Clinical Competence Assessor Nomination Form signed by the nominee
Evidence of proficiency in English language (applicants whose first language is not English)

Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL)

RPL may be granted in respect of individual modules if applicants can demonstrate that the modules' learning outcomes have been achieved through prior credentialled or experiential learning. In some cases, where an applicant does not meet the prerequisites for entry to a programme, an RPL application may be considered. Further information can be found in respect of this here.

How to apply?
The following entry routes are available:

Grad Dip Nursing (Critical Care - Cardiovascular) FT (X552)
Duration 1 Years
Attend Full Time
Deadline Rolling*

Grad Dip Nursing (Critical Care - Cardiovascular) PT (X744)
Duration 2 Years Attend Part Time
Deadline Rolling*

* Courses will remain open until such time as all places have been filled, therefore early application is advised

60

1 year full-time or 2 years part-time.
MODE OF DELIVERY: Face-to-Face

Next Intake: 2024/2025 September.

Careers / where can I go?
The key knowledge and skills gained on this Programme should enable you to innovate and lead in the area of practice in Critical Care Cardiovascular Nursing.