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University College Cork

Nursing - Public Health Nursing

Course Outline
This level nine programme aims to develop informed and skilled public health nurses. On successful completion of the programme, participants can apply to the Nursing and Midwifery Board of Ireland for registration as a Public Health Nurse (RPHN). Application Process - Please visit PAC to apply.

This is a one-year, full-time programme, usually running from September to June inclusive each year. Students undertake nine modules to the value of 60 credits. There are four blocks of placement with a registered public health nurse in the sponsoring HSE area. If your name is not registered in the Midwives Division of the NMBI Register, you will complete an NMBI approved module or unit of study on maternal and child health as part of the course. Maternity placement of five weeks as part of this module will be in Cork University Maternity Hospital. Total clinical placement accounts for over 23 weeks during the year.

Entry requirements

Open to Registered General Nurses, currently registered with the Nursing and Midwifery Board of Ireland (NMBI). Candidates must have a NQF level 8 qualification or demonstrate equivalence using an APEL (Accreditation of Prior Experiential Learning) as detailed on application materials. Candidates must have at least three years RGN post registration experience

The recruitment and sponsorship of student public health nurses is a national joint application process between the Higher Education Institutions (HEI) and the HSE. Requirements may vary slightly from year to year depending on HSE needs. Current applicants are required to be Registered General Nurses. Candidates must have a minimum of 3 years post registration experience as a registered general nurse within the past 7 years, working 39 hours per week*, or its equivalence within the last 7 years if working less hours.

* From 08/04/2009 to 30/06/2013 working a 37.5 hours per week

In addition it is necessary to have an academic level 8 (Honours Degree or Higher Diploma) course completed or provide evidence that you can perform at this level as directed on the application form. If English is not your first language, fluency must be demonstrated (IELTS 7 or higher). Admission to the course will be subject to a joint HSE/Higher Education Institution (HEI) application process.

If you are applying with Qualifications obtained outside Ireland and you wish to verify if you meet the minimum academic and English language requirements for this programme please click here to view the grades comparison table by country and for details of recognised English language tests.

Non-EU Candidates

Non-EU candidates are expected to have educational qualifications of a standard equivalent to Irish university primary degree level. In addition, where such candidates are non-native speakers of the English language they must satisfy the university of their competency in the English language. To verify if you meet the minimum academic requirements for this programme please visit our qualification comparison pages.

For more detailed entry requirement information please refer to the International website .

Fitness to Practice

Commencing with the 2013/2014 intake, this programme will be subject to the University's Fitness to Practice Policy

Duration

1 year full-time

Lectures take place Monday to Friday throughout the year. A typical day would contain 4 to 6 hours of lectures but it is expected that students would spend the remainder of the day in reading around the topic and self-directed learning. Where workshops are scheduled these may run from 9am to 5pm. Field trips and self-directed tasks in the community setting are also scheduled.

Further enquiries

Contact details for this course
Lloyd Philpott
lloyd.philpott@ucc.ie
+353 21 490 1509
http://www.ucc.ie/en/nursingmidwifery/

For further queries on the HSE recruitment please email
Mary Hinds, HSE at
recruitment.phnsponsorship@hse.ie

Subjects taught

Students take modules to the value of 60 credits incorporating 300 hours of structured contact time and clinical practicum. Students take 60 credits as follows:

NU6041 Public Health Nursing: Principles and Professional Issues (10 credits)

NU6042 Children, Young People and Families (10 credits)

NU6043 Adults and Older People in the Community (5 credits)

NU6044 Health and Health Promotion: Concepts and Principles (5 credits)

NU6005 Research Methods (10 credits)

NU6047 Clinical Placement: Public Health Nursing (5 credits)

NU6054 Maternal and Child Health Nursing (10 credits)

SS6000 Public Health, Social Services and Community (5 credits)

Assessment method

A variety of assessment methods are used including continuous assessment, written examinations, presentations and completion of portfolios and clinical workbooks.