UCC SONM 25 Year Book

UCC / School of Nursing and Midwifery

Transition of Midwifery Education to School of Nursing and Midwifery, University College Cork

Following the publication of the Future of Nurse and Midwife Education by An Bord Altranais (1994) and the Commission on Nursing (DoH 1998), change was required in midwife education. The need for midwives to obtain academic qualifications became apparent. The first students commenced the Postgraduate Higher Diploma in Midwifery in March 1998. This programme had an intake in March and September each year with 16 students per cohort and was offered in partnership with the Southern Health Board College of Midwifery and the Department of Nursing Studies in University College Cork. Throughout this period, demand for places was high. Recruitment of students was undertaken by the Southern Health Board who paid the university fees and provided students with a two- year contract of employment. As employees of the health services, the status of the student midwife has always been difficult. As part of the hospital workforce, students undertake weekend and night shifts as required, unfortunately their student status is not always recognised when service needs have to be met. The new programme was divided into units of study and research, ethics and social policy were introduced. The majority of content was delivered in the College of Midwifery at St. Finbarr’s Hospital with students attending UCC for other units of study. At this time, the first clinical assessment book was developed, this replaced the ABA Proficiency Assessment Form (PAF) and was based on an assessment tool used in the Middlesex University London and Benner’s Skill Acquisition Model (Benner 1994).

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