Nursing & Midwifery - Care of the Surgical Patient

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
Continuing professional development is a key professional requirement for nurses and postgraduate academic qualifications have been linked to positive patient outcomes through improved communication, expanded knowledge and stronger critical thinking skills. Though many postgraduate learning opportunities exist for nurses across a large number of clinical areas, limited opportunities exist for those working in the operating department (outside of larger Band 1 hospitals) and none exist which prepare the nurse to care for the pre and post-operative surgical patient in a ward setting at an enhanced level.

This one-year part-time fully-accredited Postgraduate Diploma in Nursing (Care of the Surgical Patient) aims to address this gap. This exciting and clinically relevant programme offers participants the opportunity to consolidate and expand their knowledge in the care of the surgical patient, thus enhancing care, whilst at the same time allowing for flexibility within the workforce. The programme is designed in such a way as to allow students to choose the path most-suited to their clinical practice: Pre and Postoperative Care; or Care in the Perioperative setting. The programme complements RCSI’s focus on surgical practice and supports the provision of efficient, safe and advanced high-quality healthcare which enables people to live long and healthy lives.

The programme provides a foundation for those wishing to progress further to the MSc in Nursing (Care of the Surgical Patient) where understanding and application for the research process will be enhanced. Students will be guided in critically evaluating research using iterative and structured approaches and original research designs, thereby generating evidence for practice that is based on the most-relevant published data and original research.

Course codes
Strand A (Care in the Perioperative setting): C32801Peri

Strand B (Pre and Postoperative Care): C32801PrePost

Subjects taught

Modules
The programme modules are:
Module name/ Credits/ Assessment method
• Advanced Research Methods 10 Assignment
• Advanced Leadership - Professional & Clinical 10 Assignment
• Professional Critical Reflexivity and Competence 10 Assignment
• Principles of Surgical Practice 10 Assignment

Strand A:
• Anesthetic and Recovery Room Nursing 10 Oral presentation and assignment

Strand A:
• Nursing Care of the Patient in the Operating Room 10 Poster and assignment

Strand B:
• Enhanced Nursing Care of the Preoperative Patient 10 Poster and assignment

Strand B:
• Enhanced Nursing Care of the Preoperative Patient 10 Oral presentation and assignment

Entry requirements

To be eligible for the programme you must:
- Be an active RGN with the NMBI.

- Hold a NFQ level 8 qualification such as a BSc or equivalent.

- Be currently working in the speciality area.

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.

Duration

1 year part-time.

More details
  • Qualification letters

    PgDip

  • Qualifications

    Postgraduate Diploma (Level 9 NFQ)

  • Attendance type

    Part time,Daytime

  • Apply to

    Course provider