Nursing - Trauma & Emergency Nursing

This MSc/Postgraduate Diploma in Trauma & Emergency Nursing is offered by the School of Nursing and Midwifery at University College Cork. The nursing programme provides Emergency nurses with the opportunity to enhance their careers on a professional and personal level.



The Diploma in Trauma & Emergency Nursing is a one-year course offered in partnership with health service providers, with the possibility of taking a Master's programme in Year 2.



Our teaching methods range from lectures to seminars to small group work as well as assessments and simulations conducted within the Clinical Skills Simulation Resource Centre (CSSRC).



Programme Details



The MSc in Nursing programme, comprising seven 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 Trauma & Emergency 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. Trauma & Emergency Nursing is Pathway 1 and comprises theory modules and clinical practice modules as follows:



Trauma and Emergency Nursing (Pathway 1)



Year 1 (60 credits)



Theory modules

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

NU6027 Trauma Nursing (10 credits)

NU6028 Medical and Special Population Emergency 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)

NU6126 Physical Assessment for Nursing Practice (5 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 degree of Masters including Postgraduate Diploma exit route are all available to view in the College Calendar.



ENTRY REQUIREMENTS: Pathway 1 - Trauma & Emergency 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 Trauma and Emergency 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 Trauma and Emergency 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:



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;



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



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. Visit our PG English Language Requirements page for more information.

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

Start Date 1 September 2025

This course facilitates the enhancement of your assessment and the management of emergency situations.



On successful completion of this MSc /Postgraduate Diploma in Nursing – Trauma and Emergency Nursing Pathway, you will have the necessary academic qualification (PG Diploma Nursing) required for Clinical Nurse Specialist posts within emergency nursing.