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 nurses 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.
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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