Nursing - Infection Prevention & Control Nursing

Why study nursing and midwifery at RCSI Dublin?
Educating future leaders in healthcare delivery and related research is at the core of the mission of the RCSI School of Nursing & Midwifery. The School aims to develop caring, reflective nursing and midwifery practitioners who can seek out and use research-based knowledge to improve patient care.

We are committed to providing students with outcome-focused curricula shaped by innovative teaching and learning practices. We have a long association with postgraduate nursing and midwifery education and are the largest such school in Ireland.

We aspire to become recognised leaders in the provision of health sciences education, both nationally and internationally. The suite of programmes we offer nurses and midwives in pursuit of postgraduate education is continually evolving in response to the needs within the healthcare service.

Our goal is to empower nurses and midwives to be able to demonstrate the difference they make to practice, and in doing so, to be able to respond accordingly to the leadership and professional challenges that they face every day.

Course Details
Healthcare-associated infections (HCAI) are recognised as a major burden for patients, society and healthcare management. More than four million people acquire a healthcare-associated infection each year in the European Union (EU), of which approximately 37,000 die as the direct consequence of the infection.

In tandem with these ongoing issues, we have a growing risk of the global spread of infectious diseases and an ever-increasing resistance to antibiotics.

The Postgraduate Certificate in Infection Prevention and Control Nursing is a fully accredited online six-month part-time programme aimed at infection control professionals who wish to gain theoretical expertise, delivered by industry leading professionals.

Guided by the core competencies of the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC 2014) this programme provides a foundation for the clinical expertise needed by infection prevention and control professionals to guide our practice, educate, monitor standards, challenge, lead and progress preventative strategies.

Learning outcomes?
This programme will provide you with the skills and knowledge to critically:
• Evaluate infection prevention/control guidelines
• Discuss the principles of microbiology in the prevention and control of infection.
• Devise and update infection prevention/control guidelines based on National and International standards.
• Evaluate administration and management systems for infection prevention/control, including strategic planning for the infection prevention and control service.
• Evaluate the use of information technology in the development and updating of infection prevention/control guidelines and procedures.
• Discuss the principles preventing the spread of infection within the hospital and community.
• Discuss with the methods of investigating and controlling an outbreak of infection.
• Discuss with the use of surveillance methods in infection prevention/control.
• Discuss surveillance and the investigation of relevant infections.

Modules
The programme is run over one academic semester, beginning in January.

Between the annual study blocks, you will be supported by a programme tutor, a programme coordinator and a programme director. The online information and resources are regularly updated for students to access through a virtual learning environment (VLE).

The programme modules are:
Module name Credits Assessment method
• The Microbiological Basis for Infection Prevention and Control in the Healthcare Setting, 10 MCQ and Assignment
• Principles of Infection Control, 10, Assignment
• Managerial Issues in Infection Control, 10, Assignment

Entry requirements
To be eligible for the programme you must:
• Be a registered nurse or midwife on the active register with the Nursing & Midwifery Board of Ireland, or the relevant regulatory body in your country of practice before commencing the programme.
• Hold a level 8 degree* or international equivalent, demonstrated through a defined recognition of prior learning (RPL) process.
• Meet the English Language Requirements: IELTS English proficiency test score of 6.5 or the equivalent score on another standardised test. You are exempt if you completed your undergraduate/postgraduate studies full-time in the medium of the English language (three or more years, cumulatively).

*Please note: If you do not hold a level 8 qualification, you may still be eligible to join the programme through our pathway programme. Please contact us for further information on this route.

1 Semester beginning in January.
Delivery: Part-time