Public Health Nursing

GradDip Public Health Nursing

Graduate Taught (level 9 nfq, credits 60)



The Graduate Diploma Public Health Nursing helps you to develop valuable knowledge and skills in the areas of primary healthcare and community nursing leading to registration on the Public Health Nursing Division of the Nursing and Midwifery Board of Ireland.



You will sharpen your analytical and critical thinking and develop knowledge and skills that will help you assume the role of a public health nurse.



Course objective

The programme is designed to expand students’ knowledge, competencies and critical engagement in the care of multiple client groups in the community.



How will I benefit?

The programme will enhance your career prospects and give you the building blocks for lifelong self-directed learning. It will provide you with they key knowledge and skills in public health nursing.



Highly focused on enhancing clinical practice

The programme is focused on developing practical, usable skills in the multiple contexts of community nursing. Students will develop specific critical skills in the area of community nursing which will lead to the ability to engage with multiple client groups effectively and efficiently.



Innovative modules

Each of the modules in the programme is designed for experienced nurses and in combination provide a comprehensive learning experience and opportunities for acquiring new skills. The emphasis throughout the programme is on the practical application of knowledge and skills in the specific context of community.



Networking

The student body is drawn from a wide variety of clinical specialisms and organisations, enabling the sharing of learning and experience between you and your class members, as well as from the academic staff.



The public health nursing programme is a partnership with colleagues in the clinical areas (Local Health Authority). Together, students will engage in intra and inter-disciplinary collaboration which will facilitate a solid foundation for clinical practice as a public health nurse.

This is a full-time graduate diploma level programme, which takes place over two academic semesters (September-June). Classes take place on Mondays in Semester 1 and the remaining time represents clinical placement in the public heath nursing area or the maternity site. In semester 2, clasess are scheduled according to the availability of clinical placements and schedules vary from year to year. Successful completion of the programme depends on passing all clinical and academic requirements.



Curriculum

The programme is broken down into two semesters (September to December and January to May). Clinical timetabling is dependent on whether the student needs to complete the Maternal and Infant module and clinical placement in the maternity site.



Students take the following modules:

Research Methods Applied to Healthcare

Maternal and Infant Health (for students who are not registered midwives with the Nursing and Midwifery Board of Ireland (NMBI)

Public Health Nursing: A Lifespan Approach

Public Health Nursing: Principles and Theory

Public Health Nursing: Issues in Clinical Practice

Public Health Nursing: Clinical Practice

Maternal and Infant Health: Clinical Practice (for students who are not registered midwives with the Nursing and Midwifery Board of Ireland (NMBI)



Stage 1 - Core

Maternal & Infant Health Th&PR NMHS32930

Public Health Nursing: Principles and Theory NMHS40700

Public Health Nursing: Issues in Clinical Practice NMHS42440

Public Health Nursing: A Lifespan Approach NMHS42680

Public Health Nursing: Clinical Practicum NMHS42920

ResMethodsAppliedtoHealthcare NMHS43270

Be registered in the General Nursing Division of the Register of Nurses maintained by the Nursing & Midwifery Board of Ireland (NMBI) or entitled to be so registered AND have a minimum of 3 years post registration general nursing experience.



OR



Be registered in the General Nursing Division and another Division of the Register, including Registered Midwife (RM), Registered Children’s Nurse (RCN), Registered Nurse Intellectual Disability (RNID) or Registered Psychiatric Nurse (RPN) Divisions of the Register of Nurses and Midwives maintained by the Nursing & Midwifery Board of Ireland (NMBI) or entitled to be so registered; AND have a minimum of 18 months post registration general nursing experience as an RGN, and 18 months post registration experience as an RM or RCN or RNID or RPN.



AND



Meet the academic criteria set by the relevant Higher Education Institute (HEI); Applicants whose first language or primary language of expression is not English must provide evidence that their English language ability meets the required standard for admission. The minimum required score is 7.0 on the IELTS assessment test.



Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL)

RPL may be granted in respect of individual modules if applicants can demonstrate that the modules' learning outcomes have been achieved through prior credentialled or experiential learning. In some cases, where an applicant does not meet the prerequisites for entry to a programme, an RPL application may be considered.

1 year full-time. Mode of Delivery: Face-to-Face.

Next Intake: 2024/2025 September.

Careers & Employability

Following successful completion of the programme, students may register with the Nursing and Midwifery Board of Ireland (NMBI) as RPHN and practice as public health nurses. You may wish to extend your learning and complete a Master’s degree.