Nursing - Gerontological Nursing

Meeting the healthcare and social care needs of older people requires expert assessment and careful planning by a range of disciplinary experts with specialist knowledge of ageing and altered health. If you are a nurse working in an older persons' care setting, and you are committed to the provision of excellent care, the MSc in Gerontological Nursing offers an exciting and innovative way to further your career and enhance your professional development. This programme is designed to provide nurses with an opportunity to develop, enhance and maintain the specialist skills required to care for older adults in a variety of acute and community care environments.

The Graduate Diploma in Gerontological Nursing is designed for nurses who are involved in the care of older persons in acute, community or long-term care settings.

The UCD School of Nursing, Midwifery & Health Systems provides graduate programmes to prepare nurses and midwives to excel as caregivers and as leaders. Many of the School's graduates have gone on to assume key clinical and leadership positions in their discipline, both nationally and internationally. This programme will provide you with an opportunity to develop, enhance and maintain the specialist skills that are required to care for older persons.

The Graduate Diploma in Gerontological Nursing aims to provide students with the requisite knowledge and discipline-specific skills for their specialist role in gerontological nursing in a range of care settings. The Programme will build on students' prior knowledge and experience in either older person's care services or in tertiary care. The Programme will:

provide an advanced educational experience which will develop the student's capacity for independent judgement and problem-solving skills.

provide an educational framework to support the development of analytical and critical skills for an enquiring and creative approach to the theory and practice of gerontological nursing.

develop the student's capacity to respond to changing needs in gerontological nursing.

develop the student's capacity to identify and integrate best evidence into gerontological nursing practice.

Successful participants in this programme will be awarded a Graduate Diploma in Gerontological Nursing. Credits obtained from this programme will readily contribute to an MSc degree for those who wish to pursue that option in the future.

You will be taught by academics who have strong links with local and regional health service providers, including major hospitals and community-based health services and clinical staff who are experts in the field of health care and gerontological nursing.

Possessing a broad and deep understanding of the theory and skills required for caring for older adults, you will be well positioned to work in a variety of settings specialising in this area both nationally and internationally. The programme is particularly aimed at preparing nurses to assume senior and specialist roles in gerontological nursing.

We use a range of teaching methods including lectures, workshops and seminars. A blended model of teaching and learning is a deliberate part of the programme to facilitate flexibility and accessibility. Clinical teaching is undertaken by specialists in the clinical area with particular emphasis on assisting students in applying theory to practice.

The Graduate Diploma in Gerontological Nursing will be awarded to students who have completed six ten-credit modules providing them with the knowledge and skills to act as clinical nurse specialists in gerontological nursing:

NMHS44040: Ageing And Health (10 ECTS)
NMHS43980: Advanced Health Assessment (10 ECTS)
NMHS44050: Reablement of the Frail Older Person (10 ECTS)
NMHS43270: Research Methods Applied To Healthcare (10 ECTS)
NMHS44060: Integrated Care – Leading and Developing Quality Services (10 ECTS)
NMHS44070: Clinical Practicum In Gerontological Nursing (10 ECTS)

The Graduate Diploma in Gerontological Nursing consists of 6 modules which are delivered on a part-time basis over 2 years (3 modules per year).

Core Modules:

NMHS43980- Advanced health assessment (Spring Trimester)
NMHS43270 - Research methods applied to healthcare (Spring Trimester)

Specialist Modules:

NMHS44040 - Ageing and health (Autumn Trimester)
NMHS44050 - Reablement of the frail older person (Autumn Trimester)
NMHS44060 - Integrated care – leading and developing quality services (Spring Trimester)
NMHS44070 - Clinical practicum in gerontological nursing (Autumn & Spring Trimester)

Specific requirements:

Hold a minimum of a BSc honours degree or equivalent in a related discipline. Applicants not holding an honours bachelor's degree may apply for Recognition of Prior Learning.

Be currently registered in one of the following divisions of the Register of Nurses maintained by the Nursing and Midwifery Board of Ireland (NMBI): General Nursing; Psychiatric Nursing; Intellectual Disability Nursing

Have a minimum of twelve months' post-registration experience

Be currently employed in an older persons' care setting, such as an older person's clinical department in a hospital, the community setting, a residential care setting or a day hospital and provide written evidence that they will be supported in completing the minimum required hours of practice, including the clinical practicum

Applicants not currently employed in an older persons' care setting may apply; however, they will be required to be employed in an older persons' care setting upon commencing the programme.

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

It is essential that you have access to a personal computer as Brightspace, a Virtual Learning Environment (VLE) that supports students' online learning and teaching, is used extensively.

Closing Date 30 July 2022

Documents to be submitted with your application

Original transcript(s) including date and grading of degree award (non UCD Graduates only) and notarised English translations where relevant

A current photocopy of Nursing and Midwifery Board of Ireland (NMBI) registration

Copy of Birth Certificate or Personal Page of Passport

Signed Declaration Form from Employer (original form)

Completed Professional Reference Form (original form)

Completed Clinical Competence Assessor Nomination Form signed by the nominee

Evidence of proficiency in English language (applicants whose first language is not English).

Applications are made online through UCD Applications.

Please note that all applicants are required to pay a €50 application fee. Your application cannot be processed fully unless the application fee has been paid.

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

The MSc in Gerontological Nursing provides you with the comprehensive knowledge and skills required for caring for older people in multiple environments. Possessing a broad and deep understanding of the theory and skills required for caring for older people, you will be well positioned to work in a variety of settings, both nationally and internationally.