UCC SONM 25 Year Book

UCC / School of Nursing and Midwifery

Summary The call for change in the professional education of nurses and midwives is described based on the recommendations of the Commission on Nursing. Details are given on the establishment of the School of Nursing and Midwifery at UCC including the building of Brookfield Health Sciences Complex and the Clinical Simulation Skills Resource Centre. Placement and recruitment of students is also addressed. As Hospital Schools were to transfer their programmes to UCC staffwere accorded their rights to assimilate into the School at UCC. A Local Working Group representative of staff from the Health Service and from the University led the assimilation process. Individual and group meetings were held, HR issues addressed and in 2002 twenty-one nurse tutors moved in to the University as College Lecturers. Just one had a Higher degree and there was a National agreement that all would complete a Master’s Degree within 2 years of being assimilated into the School – this led to considerable issues in managing workload, whilst concurrently developing staff competencies in teaching, learning and research. Thanks is due to the Matrons/Directors of Nursing who were accountable for the Hospital Nursing Schools Especially Sr. Tecla Kelleher, Elizabeth Kelly, Kay O’Sullivan, Mary Boyd, Mary Mills (St Finbarr’s and Cork University Hospitals), Sr. Laurentia Roche (Mercy Hospital) Brenda Dorgan, Helen Donovan (South Infirmary), Sr. Helena Daly (Bon Secours) and Ms. Nora O’Sullivan and Mr. Seán Abbott, COPE Foundation), Professor David Sines, University of Ulster who acted as Extern Examiner for all new programmes at their inception. Understanding the context in which nursing and midwifery Schools evolved is an important step in appreciating the fact that Schools of Nursing and Midwifery work together with many stakeholders and partners to deliver educational programmes. Understanding the context in which Nursing and Midwifery Schools evolved is an important step in appreciating the fact that Schools of Nursing and Midwifery work together with many stakeholders and partners to deliver educational programmes.

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