University College Dublin

Graduate Certificate Critical Care Nursing: Intensive Care

Critical Care Nursing requires an advanced knowledge base, skilled assessment, prompt intervention and ongoing evaluation in order to care for the critically ill with complex needs. The critical care nurse maintains the balance between the science of nursing and the art of caring. This course will provide the nurse with an opportunity to develop, enhance and maintain these specialist skills that are required to care for the critically ill.


Who is the programme for?

This programme is aimed at advancing the registered nurse's repertoire of knowledge and skills for professional practice in the care of patients within the critical care environment.


Aims of the programme

•Develop a greater understanding of the holistic principles which underpin the various aspects of critical care nursing particularly in relation to intensive care

•Augment students' knowledge and appreciation of nursing theory and biopsychosocial sciences which underpin critical care nursing practice in intensive care

•Provide students with an opportunity for personal growth and professional development

•Develop skills to enhance their professional practice, including critical analysis, creative thinking, decision making and communication skills


How will I Benefit

This Graduate Certificate Critical Care Nursing: Intensive Care will enhance your career prospects and give you the building blocks for lifelong self-directed learning. It will also provide you with the key knowledge and skills to innovate and lead in your area of practice in Critical Care.


Information Technology

It is essential that you have access to a personal computer and an email account as communication with students is primarily undertaken by email. Lecture handouts/announcements are made available to students via Blackboard (a Virtual Learning Environment (VLE) that supports online learning and teaching) and/or via email. Messages from the university regarding examination policy and procedures are also sent via email.

•Major strengths

•UCD have a long history of producing high quality graduates

•This programme is highly focused on enhancing clinical practice to enable graduates to be even more effective clinicians, change agents and clinical leaders in Critical Care

•Clinical and university-based lecturers with national and international expertise from clinical, research and educational perspectives

•Specialist modules are offered in association with St. Vincent's University Hospital and the Mater Misericordiae University Hospital

•Clinical placements in a variety of intensive care settings which enable students to learn from leading experts in the holistic care of patients following cardiothoracic surgery, cardiac and lung transplantation, liver failure and liver transplantation, multiple trauma and spinal injury. Students will gain expert knowledge and experience in caring for patients with complex needs such as acute respiratory failure, sepsis, multi organ dysfunction and the therapeutic modalities associated with each condition including extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO), dialysis and advanced haemodynamic monitoring

•The student body is drawn from a number of the organisations, enabling the sharing of learning and experience between students, as well as from the academic and clinical staff

•The programme employs a variety of innovative assessment strategies with a strong clinical focus

•Extensive use of IT in supporting the teaching environment of the programme

•Access to excellent facilities for lectures