UCC SONM 25 Year Book

UCC / School of Nursing and Midwifery

Beginning in 2002, the four-year nursing degree Programmes was introduced, and all nurse education nationally moved to third-level higher education institutions (HEIs - Universities and Institutes of Technology). The theoretical component was delivered by higher education institutions and the clinical practice component in affiliated health service providers. On successful completion of the degree programme graduate nurses registered with the Nursing and Midwifery Board of Ireland (NMBI) in one of four divisions of the Register of Nurses, general, psychiatric, intellectual disability and general/children’s nursing (2006). The first cohort of graduate nurses began their employment in Cork hospitals in 2006.

Establishment of the Department of Nursing Studies University College Cork (later became the School of Nursing and Midwifery)

A major challenge throughout Ireland was the establishment of Departments/Schools of Nursing, within third-level institutions headed by a nurse with appropriate academic qualifications. This meant the establishment of nursing as an academic discipline with equal rights and responsibilities to other disciplines. There was also the requirement to staff the departments with adequate numbers of nurse lecturers with specific academic qualifications and expertise in diverse nursing practice areas. The School at University College Cork had its genesis in October 1994 when a Lecturer (Dr. Geraldine McCarthy) was appointed to develop a Diploma in Public Health Nursing and to outline further nursing education requirements to the then Dean of the Medical Faculty- Professor David Jenkins. Geraldine worked with Dr. Mairtin O’Fathaigh, Department of Adult Education, UCC; Professor Fred Powell, Department of Applied Social Studies, UCC and selected public health nurses to develop a Diploma in Public Health Nursing programme for delivery at University College Cork. Professor John Hall, the then Dean of the Faculty of Medicine together with President, Dr. Michael Mortell, were receptive and supportive of this proposal through the University approval structures. Working in collaboration with the Director of Public Health Nurses a robust curriculumwas designed and the first class for the Diploma in Public Health Nursing commenced on the 26 th October 1994 with an intake of 35 students. As no resources had been allocated to the Programme, Professor John Hall kindly provided accommodation for Dr. McCarthy in his Dean’s office at Ardpatrick, College Road.

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