Nursing - Intensive Care Nursing

Course Outline

The Postgraduate Diploma in Intensive Care Nursing is an exciting new pathway of the MSc/Diploma in Nursing programme. The course is offered by the School of Nursing and Midwifery at University College Cork in response to the ever-changing health care delivery systems.



This programme will inform Intensive Care nurses with the knowledge required to competently address the needs of the patient and the family, improve standards of care, maintain patient safety, engage in interdisciplinary collaboration and develop healthy work environments.



The aim of this programme is to challenge you as a nurse to think critically and creatively about intensive care nursing and to enable you to develop knowledge and skills in pace with developments in the critical care environment. It will provide you with a platform from which to further your academic and professional portfolio.



Programme Details

The MSc in Nursing programme, comprising 7 clinical pathways, is structured into two parts and will typically be completed over two years from the date of first registration for the programme (60 credits in Part I and 30 credits in Part II).



All students will be registered for a Postgraduate Diploma in Nursing in Year 1 and will be registered for an MSc in Year 2. Students who opt to exit at the end of the first year will be awarded a Postgraduate Diploma in Intensive Care Nursing upon successful completion and passing modules to the value of 60 credits (applicable to all pathways).

Programme Pathways

There are 7 clinical pathways to the degree of Masters in Nursing, all of which have an exit route available for the award of a Postgraduate Diploma in Nursing. Intensive Care Nursing is Pathway 2 and comprises theory modules and clinical practice modules as follows:



Intensive Care Nursing (Pathway 2)

Year 1 (60 credits)

Theory modules (blended learning)

NU6005 Evidence-Based Practice for Healthcare Professionals (10 credits)

NU6031 Intensive Care Nursing (10 credits)

NU6053 Professional, Ethical, and Legal Decision-making in Specialist Practice (5 credits)

NU6070 Clinical Leadership in Practice Enhancement for Nursing and Midwifery (10 credits)

NU6165 Health Assessment of the Critically Ill Patient (5 credits)

NU6171 Principles in Critical Care Nursing (10 credits)



Clinical Practice/Practicum modules

NU6130 Clinical Practice in Specialist Nursing 1 (5 credits)

NU6131 Clinical Practice in Specialist Nursing 2 (5 credits)

There are 7 clinical pathways to the degree of Masters in Nursing, all of which have an exit route available for the award of a Postgraduate Diploma in Nursing. The pathways to a degree of Masters including the Postgraduate Diploma exit route are all available to view in the College Calendar.



ENTRY REQUIREMENTS: Pathway 2 – Intensive Care Nursing



Applicants for this MSc in Nursing, including the Postgraduate Diploma exit route, should normally:



1. Hold active registration on a division of the professional register maintained by the Nursing and Midwifery Board of Ireland or be eligible for such registration as required for individual pathways. For the Intensive Care Nursing Pathway, applicants must be Registered General Nurses.



2. Have clinical practice experience (and support structures, if applicable) as required for individual pathways. For the Intensive Care Nursing Pathway, applicants must have a minimum of six months of post-registration experience (excluding courses) and at least six months experience in the speciality pathway applied for.



3. Applicants must be certified in Basic Life Support (BLS).



4. Applicants must provide written evidence of support from their Director of Nursing/equivalent authorised Nurse Manager stating:



(a) The applicant will be working in the relevant specialist area for the duration of the programme for a minimum of 18.75 hours a week;

(b) They will be released from practice to attend the programme requirements;

(c) A Clinical Preceptor and/or Clinical Facilitator can support learning in the specialist area of practice for the duration of the programme.



Note: In exceptional circumstances, applicants who do not fulfill the entry requirements may be recommended for entry to the programme under Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) following a review of their individual qualifications and experience by the programme committee. Such applicants may be invited for an interview to satisfy the selection committee of their suitability for the programme. Admission of such applicants will be subject to the approval of the School of Nursing and Midwifery.



For Applicants with Qualifications Completed Outside of Ireland

Applicants must meet the required entry academic grade, equivalent to Irish requirements. For more information see our Qualification Comparison page.



International/Non-EU Applicants

For full details of the non-EU application procedure visit our how to apply pages for international students.

• In UCC, we use the term programme and course interchangeably to describe what a person has registered to study in UCC and its constituent colleges, schools, and departments.

• Note that not all courses are open to international/non-EU applicants, please check the fact file above. For more information contact the International Office.



English Language Requirements

Applicants who are non-native speakers of the English language must meet the university-approved English language requirements.

Closing Date

Open until all places have been filled or no later than 30 June. Early application is advised.



Non-EU Closing Date

Open until all places have been filled or no later than 15 June. Early application is advised.

Assessment

A range of continuous assessment strategies are used throughout the programme including written assignments, online activities (e-tivities), seminar presentations. Assessment of clinical competence is continuous and obtained through acquisition of core competencies and reflection on clinical practice experience, all of which is recorded in the student Competency Attainment Booklet during scheduled clinical placements.

2 Years - PG Diploma (Year 1, Full-time); Masters (Year 2, Part-time).

Start Date 1 September 2025