UCC SONM 25 Year Book

UCC / School of Nursing and Midwifery

Mr. Seán Barry, Director of Procurement and Contracts UCC, was approved to negotiate all equipment purchasing associated with the national introduction of the BSc Nursing on behalf of the Confederation of Heads of Irish Universities. Fixtures and fittings, medical gases, clinical furniture, clinical consumables and a wide range of clinical equipment such as infusion and monitoring devices were selected to reflect those commonly available in clinical practice settings. Teaching and learning resources were gradually acquired including a wide selection of task trainers, low fidelity manikins, anatomical models, sensory equipment and lifting hoists. Audio-visual installations included a digital recording system with bedside recording capacity available to students and faculty to enhance clinical skills teaching and assessment and promote self-directed learning and self-assessment. Throughout the course of the building programme (2003-2004) the facility was inspected regularly in conjunction with the UCC buildings and estate appointed project manager and areas of concerns raised and rectified. The ultimate goal was to provide a student-centered clinical skills facility that was reflective of the practice environment, resourced to a high specification and provide extensive opportunities for faculty to enhance teaching and learning though interactive pedagogical approaches. The facility was named the Clinical Skills Resource Centre (CSRC) to reflect this over-riding goal.

After years of planning and preparation, on the 23 rd and 24 th of October 2004 all equipment and furniture from the interim clinical skills facility/ temporary storage was relocated to the 550m 2 CSRC in the newly opened Catherine McCauley School of Nursing and Midwifery. Clinical skills sessions commenced the following afternoon and have continued at pace ever since. For the remainder of 2005 and throughout 2006 snags were rectified, various installed

55