Nursing - Leadership & Quality Healthcare - Athlone

The MSc in Nursing in Leadership and Quality Healthcare programme is aimed at graduate nurses who wish to advance their academic and professional development. The nursing profession is dynamic and evolving with societal needs and care needs of individuals, families and communities. Nurses are challenged by the sophistication of technological, medical and social advancement and with the ever-increasing divergence in social inequalities, presenting nursing with a new agenda for transformation. The MSc in Nursing in Leadership and Quality Healthcare programme provides the nurse with a broad-based educational experience to practise at a higher level incorporating key concepts such as clinical decision-making, professional leadership, evidence-based practice, professional ethics, research knowledge and skills. Upon successful completion of this programme, graduates will have developed a mastery of complex and specialised knowledge and a critical awareness of issues at the forefront of nursing. They will have an advanced understanding of how techniques of enquiry enable the critical and objective analysis, interpretation and application of research and scholarly evidence. Graduates are ideally placed to progress to doctoral studies.

Semester 1
Nursing in a Modern Health System
Credits: 10
The aim of this module is to develop students’ critical appraisal and evaluation of nursing in a modern health system. Critical reflection of the core theories and concepts underpinning professional nursing practice will include: the nature and function of nursing, the professionalisation of nursing and the nurses’ role embedded in a modern health system. Critical awareness will enable heightened insight into nursing from organisational, national, international and global perspectives.

Research Methods in Healthcare
Credits: 10
The aims of this module are to enhance the student’s knowledge and understanding of the research process, and to develop an advanced understanding of research methods and its application to practice.

Clinical Leadership and Management
Credits: 10
This module will enable the student to develop the knowledge, understanding and skills to lead and manage change and quality improvement in the modern healthcare environment.

Semester 2
Quality Initiatives and Outcomes
Credits: 10
The aim of this module is to develop the students understanding of the quality issues that pertain to the provision of an effective and efficient quality healthcare service.

Professional, Legal and Ethical Issues in Nursing
Credits: 10
This module provides the student with the opportunity to learn, reflect and critically analyse many diverse ethics, bioethical, legal and cultural ethical concepts and their application to professional nursing practice, The module content is designed to guide the student through important areas of study, and introduce the student to the issues and skills central to the module content, with an emphasis on the development of active and independent learning to enhance professional practice and create lifelong learning skills.

Application of Evidence to the Healthcare Setting
Credits: 10
The module will consolidate the student’s prior knowledge and skills developed in previous modules and through experiential learning about evidence based practice. It will equip the student with the skills necessary to: 1. Evaluate the evidence base which underpins quality practice. 2. Develop a Policy, Procedure, Protocol, or Guideline (PPPG) from inception/review through to validation.

Semester 3
Generating Evidence for the Healthcare Setting
Credits: 30
This year-long capstone module aims to consolidate students’ learning. This module aims to enable the student to:

Critically evaluate evidence using structured approaches and original research designs.
Critically discuss the ethical implications of conducting research in a healthcare setting.
Engage in the dissemination of their work.

A Bachelor of Science in Nursing (Level 8, H2:1 or higher) or equivalent qualification will be required for entry to this programme. In line with University Guidelines students, prior learning may also be recognised including: prior experiential (non-certified) and accredited (certified) learning.

International students: Entry for these students will follow normal Institute procedures handled by the Admissions Office at TUS in consultation with the International Office. Students applying for entry to these postgraduate programmes should supply the following information directly to the International Office, TUS Athlone Campus on or before June for programmes commencing in September: Completed TUS application form; Detailed curriculum vitae; Certified transcripts of examination results and English language translations of qualifications not issued in English; Evidence of ability to follow classes in the English language (which must satisfy university entry requirements i.e. IELTS 6.5 or equivalent Letter of recommendation from appropriate Head of Department or Lecturer at home institution. Any other relevant information regarding nursing and other qualifications or previous work experience. Students from non-EU countries must apply for a valid study visa for the duration of the programme of study in advance of registration at the University.

Assessment Information
Assessment is a continuous process which aims to measure the achievement of students in relation to the learning outcomes. It is combined with appropriate feedback, to assist students in improving their performance in relation to set criteria for progression towards, or for the award of the degree. Assessment can be practical or theoretical, formative and/or summative, and administered by lecturers, students themselves or their peers. The use of self and peer-assessment is used regularly as a formative strategy to develop students' skills in gauging and evaluating their own performance and that of their fellow colleagues.

Assessment strategies are focused on the measurement of outcomes and competencies as identified in this programme. At the beginning of each academic year all students are given an Assessment Schedule so that they can plan and organise their work. Each module has clear marking criteria that is available to students and external examiners when they are reviewing the work. All of the assessments are based on the premise of the integration and application of theory to practice, whilst also achieving and demonstrating the various competencies' appropriate to students completing a Level 9 programme.

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

Commencing September

This course will enable graduates have the opportunity to complete Level 10 PhD Doctoral programmes in universities nationally and internationally.

Career Opportunities
Graduates from this MSc has the potential for employment in multiple domains of practice. There are multiple areas for career advancement, both nationally and internationally with MSc identified as an essential requirement for career progression and promotion in both administrative and clinical managerial posts.