Nursing - Critical Care Nursing - Children

Graduate Diploma Critical Care Nursing (Children)

A Graduate Diploma Critical Care Nursing (Children) will build on your existing knowledge and skills in caring for infants, children and young people within the Paediatric intensive care setting. Possessing this advanced knowledge will enable you to utilise a range of therapeutic interventions, and enhance your ability to review differing approaches and trends in the care and treatment of infants, children and young people in Paediatric critical care nursing.

Who is the programme for?
This programme is designed to meet the professional development needs of Registered Nurses who wish to specialise in Paediatric Critical Care Nursing. Specifically applicants should be registered as an RCN, RCN/RGN with a minimum of one year's experience in Paediatric Intensive Care. Applicants registered as an RGN with a minimum of 2 years experience in Paediatric Nursing may be considered for the programme. Applicants should be employed in either the Intensive Care Unit of Our Lady's Hospital Crumlin, or the Children's University Hospital, Temple Street. Places are allocated on the programme subject to availability and place on waiting list.

Programme objectives
The Graduate Diploma Critical Care Nursing (Children) course aims to build upon and advance the registered nurse's repertoire of knowledge, skills, attitudes and professional values, in order to prepare the nurse to assume the role of a nurse specialist in this area of care. The course aims to develop the practitioner's capacities for caring and competent practice in Paediatric intensive care nursing, in order to prepare the nurse to provide a patient-centred service within health care.

The specific aims of the course are:
• To build upon and advance the student's repertoire of knowledge, skills, attitudes and professional values that were developed during the course of his/her basic training and arising out of his/her experiences in clinical practice

• To provide the student with the requisite knowledge, skills, attitudes and professional values for the advancement of his/her role in the care of children and their families in critical care, including critical analysis, creative thinking, decision making and communication

• To develop a greater understanding of the theory which underpins critical care nursing practice, including nursing theory, theory in the social and behavioural sciences and theory in the biomedical sciences

• To provide learning experiences that advance the student's professional development and personal growth and experiences that affirm the student's capacity to be a self-directed learner

• To advance the student's sense of professional awareness, and commitment and a sense of professional responsibility and accountability in Paediatric critical care nursing

• To enable the student to value learning as a continuous process and as a necessary process in the context of his/her professional role in Paediatric critical care nursing

How will I benefit?
On successful completion of the programme, you will receive a Graduate Diploma in Critical Care Nursing (Children) from the UCD School of Nursing, Midwifery and Health Systems. The programme is recognised nationally and internationally.

What will I learn?
The curriculum is designed to enhance your knowledge and skills with respect to the holistic assessment and management of the child and their family.

Programme strengths
• While based in PICU in either the Children's University Hospital Temple Street, or Our Lady's Children's Hospital Crumlin, you will rotate on occasion between both hospitals to experience nursing care of a wide spectrum of specialties which includes care of neonates, care of the child with a thermal injury, cardiac care, care of child post renal transplantation, care of child with a neurological disorder

• Lectures are both clinical and university-based and are delivered by a wide range of specialists. These include specialist nurses, intensivists, university lecturers, radiologists, dieticians, physiotherapists, and members of pastoral care

• There is a strong emphasis on continuous progression of clinical ability and clinical effectiveness through continuous assessment, clinical examinations, and case presentations

• The delivery of specialist modules on care of the critically ill infant/child with altered respiratory function, altered cardiovascular function, and complex care needs

• Flexible pathway – may be undertaken over 1 year full-time or 2 years part-time

• Extensive use of IT in supporting the teaching environment of the programme

• Access to excellent facilities for lectures

Teaching methods
A wide range of teaching methods is used, which includes large group and small group lecturing, seminars and tutorials. Clinical teaching is undertaken by specialists in the clinical area who work with the students to assist them in applying theory to practice. Clinical placements provide students with excellent opportunities to learn from experts in other hospitals and/or within their own hospitals; students attend multi-disciplinary team meetings and tutorials, and engage in supervised practice.

Information technology
It is essential that you have access to a personal computer and an email account as communication with students is primarily undertaken by email. Lecture handouts/announcements are made available to students via Blackboard (a Virtual Learning Environment (VLE) that supports online learning and teaching) and/or via email. Messages from the university regarding examination policy and procedures are also sent via email. The Graduate Diploma in Critical Care Nursing (Children) enhances the development of the students' critical thinking skills, and enhances their ability to review therapeutic care delivery and care trends in PICU.

Programme Structure
The course may be taken over 1 year full-time or 2 years part-time. Assessments are varied (assignments/short examination questions/MCQ/case presentation/practical examination/online discussion boards) and occur at intervals throughout and at the end of the semesters. Students will attend college on one day per week and learning experiences are also undertaken in planned block weeks of study, at local hospital sites.

Curriculum
You will complete six modules in total, to include two core modules and four specialist modules.

Core Modules:
Sem 1 NMHS43260 - Nursing Knowledge, Philosophy & Practice
Sem 2 NMHS43270 - Research Methods Applied to Healthcare

Specialist Modules:
Sem 1 NMHS43700 Fundamental Concepts Children's Critical Care
Sem 2 NMHS43720 Advanced Children's Critical Care
Sem 2 NMHS43730 Specialist Considerations in Children's Critical Care
Sem 1 and Sem 2 - NMHS42460 - Clinical Practicum: Paediatric Critical Care Nursing

Application requirements
- Applicants should be registered as an RCN, RCN/RGN with a minimum of one year's experience in Paediatric Intensive Care

- Applicants registered as an RGN with a minimum of two years experience in Paediatric Intensive Care may be considered for the programme

Recognised Prior Learning
Recognised Prior Learning (RPL) applications must be submitted online through your SISWeb account.

There are two instances in which you can apply to have recognised prior learning taken into account when applying for a programme in UCD.

1. RPL for admission to a UCD programme
If you are a prospective student seeking admission to UCD and you do not meet the required admissions criteria as set down for a particular programme of study in UCD, you may apply to be admitted based on prior learning.

2. RPL for exemption from a module or modules on a UCD programme
If you have been accepted onto a UCD programme and wish to have credit transferred towards the requirements of the UCD programme of study, you may apply for RPL from a module or modules.

When applying for RPL, please note the following:
You must submit your application for RPL as early as possible and preferably before you commence the relevant module/stage/programme.

An application for RPL relating to a particular module should be submitted before the third week of the trimester in which it is offered. Applications made after this date will only be accepted under exceptional circumstances.

Your application will be reviewed by the Taught Graduate Standing Committee and Programme Board. You can expect to hear of the outcome or status of your application typically within four to six weeks of submitting it (depending on committee schedules).

Please note that in some cases your application may not be successful or you may not receive RPL for the amount of credit for which you applied, therefore you must register for, attend and participate in the module or modules until you have been informed of the decision of the School Programme Board.

If your application is not successful, you are responsible for all assessments associated with the module.

TO APPLY FOR RPL PLEASE CLICK ON THE FOLLOWING LINK: https://sisweb.ucd.ie/usis/W_HU_MENU.P_PUBLISH?p_tag=APPLY

Please read the UCD Policy on Recognition of Prior Learning at this link: UCD Policy on Recognition of Prior Learning

Closing Date
30 July 2022 - Completed applications are reviewed on a rolling basis and programmes will close once they are filled. We advise you to apply as early as possible to avoid disappointment. 2

1 year full-time, 2 years part-time.

Full Time 1 yr
Code X617
Part Time 2 yr
Code X748

Careers/Where Can I Go?
The Graduate Diploma in Critical Care Nursing (Children) provides you with the comprehensive knowledge and extensive skills required for caring for infants and children in the critical care setting, thereby equipping you to work nationally or internationally. Academically, there are opportunities to continue to Masters/PhD level, and clinically you may choose to further your expertise to facilitate critical care education, to take position as a Clinical Nurse Manager or Clinical Nurse Specialist or to study for the role of Advanced Nurse Practitioner.