Nursing - Obesity

Your Course
Ultimately our motivation in developing this programme is two-fold: to inform better, evidence-based, compassionate and dignified care to patients affected by obesity and related disorders and secondly to inform better population level strategies to mitigate the obesity epidemic. This "two-pronged" approach is a strong theme throughout the programme, reflected in the two distinct obesity modules and founded in Geoffrey Rose's seminal descriptions of the fundamental principles of modern population health in "Sick Individuals and Sick Populations". Through specific learning outcomes, our students will have an excellent grasp of the various therapeutic strategies available to patients and will understand the factors underlying variations in the obesity phenotype. Students will also appreciate the potential benefits and risks of various population level strategies that can be formulated to address the obesity crisis, and the societal, political and legislative challenges faced in deploying these.

Minimum Entry Requirements
In order to be considered for entry to the programme applicants must have a 2.1 degree (or equivalent) and meet the following entry requirements:

• Be registered as a general nurse;
• Hold an active general nursing registration;
• Have a minimum of one year's post-registration experience.

However, there will be special consideration for cases where applicants have demonstrated aptitude for the course material through three years of high-level experience in an obesity-related field (relevant to their background). Candidates coming to Ireland from abroad or who do not have a degree from Ireland or the UK will be asked to provide evidence of an acceptable result in one of the recognized English language proficiency tests, e.g., IELTS total score of 6.5.

WHEN TO APPLY: NUI Galway does not set a deadline for receipt of applications (with some exceptions). Offers will be issued on a continuous basis. Candidates are encouraged to apply as early as possible.

1OBS1: MHSc, 2 years, full-time; 1OBS2: PDip, 1 year, full-time.

Career Opportunities
On completion of the Postgraduate Diploma/Master's' of Health Sciences Obesity, which are Level 9 NFQ awards, a registered nurse would be eligible to apply for clinical nurse specialist registration in obesity.