UCC SONM 25 Year Book

UCC / School of Nursing and Midwifery

Postgraduate Education and Professional Development

Over the year’s Irish nurses have continued to study after receiving a first qualification. Traditionally, this meant studying for a second nursing registration, with the most popular choice being midwifery. Up to the 1960s there was little post-basic nurse education provided by either employing authorities or An Bord Altranais. Nurses aspiring to University education or to studying specialist courses in nursing had to travel to the British Universities. This may be explained on the one hand by a lack of understanding or commitment to ongoing education in nursing and a lack of suitable nurse leaders to plan and co-ordinate education programmes. As a result, in the 1980s and 1990s some Irish nurses pursued full-time third level degree courses, predominantly in education, psychology, sociology, law, social policy, childcare and public administration. Some returned to nursing; other were lost to the profession. Professional organisations united to campaign for both in-service and university post graduate education. An Bord Altranais published a Report (1997) recommending a framework for professional Development for Nurses in Ireland. A major step in the promotion of education was the establishment of the Nurse Tutor Diploma Course in University College Dublin in 1960, the Diploma in Public Health Nursing in 1986, and a Bachelor in Nursing Degree (for nurse tutors) in 1988. In 1990, University College Dublin established a degree for registered nurses (most of whom were nurse tutors). In 1996 UCC established an Undergraduate degree for registered nurses who prior to this did not have access to university education. In addition a Faculty of Nursing was established at the Royal College of Surgeons of Ireland (RCSI) in 1994. Education programmes were offered in several centres nationally which could lead to a Diploma from RCSI. If 6 different diplomas were attained a Fellowship was awarded. Over the years it fulfilled a need evidenced by the large attendances at courses offered in Dublin and around the country A range of post graduate specialist Programmes have been developed in the School as detailed in this section. This was necessary as nurses and midwives play a pivotal role in delivering health and social care services. Roles have changed dramatically over the past two decades to meet patient needs. Nurses are performing many of the activities previously performed by doctors and have become skilled in dealing with special groups of patients such as those with renal disease or cancer or with neurological disorders to name just a few areas. The historical evolution of advanced practice has been complex and lengthy but there are now advanced roles in acute, emergency, midwifery, older adult nursing, mental health and primary care settings. Formal career ladders have been created based on the Commission in Nursing recommendation that positions of Clinical Nurse Specialist (CNS) and Advanced Nurse

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