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NMHS44270

Academic Year 2026/2027

Chronic Cardiovascular Care (NMHS44270)

Subject:
Nursing,Midwifery & Health Sys
College:
Health & Agricultural Sciences
School:
Nursing,Midwifery & Health Sys
Level:
4 (Masters)
Credits:
10
Module Coordinator:
Ms Kate O'Donovan
Trimester:
Spring
Mode of Delivery:
Blended
Internship Module:
No
How will I be graded?
Letter grades

Curricular information is subject to change.

This module aims to provide the student with a comprehensive theoretical background to facilitate the delivery of holistic and evidence based nursing care for persons with a diagnosis of chronic cardiovascular disease.

AI Use Permitted for Limited Support
Students may use AI tools for limited support in this module (e.g. idea generation, practice questions, or as a study aid). However, students remain fully responsible for the accuracy and reliability of their learning. Any use of AI must be cited appropriately.

About this Module

Learning Outcomes:

On completion of this module students should be able to:
1. Demonstrate competence in the systematic interpretation of 12 lead ECGs in relation to hypertrophy, bundle branch blocks, hemiblocks and their impact for nursing care.
2. Show awareness of the contribution of interprofessional care to the person with cardiovascular disease
3. Using an evidence base analyse the role of the critical care nurse in cardiac rehabilitation and slaintecare, taking into account the changing profile of persons with cardiovascular disease
4.Assess the physiological benefits of prescribed and supervised cardiac training post-myocardial infarction/ cardiac surgery/cardiac transplantation.
5. Examine the nursing and collaborative evidence base in the care of a person with chronic cardiovascular disease
6. Explore the role of palliative care in chronic cardiovascular disease from symptom management , end of life and holistic patient centred care perspectives .





Indicative Module Content:

The systematic interpretation of 12 lead ECGs in relation to hemiblocks, pre excitation syndromes and their impact for nursing care.
Chronic cardiovascular disease management with focus on symptom management , co morbidity reduction and quality of life
The role of the critical care nurse in cardiac rehabilitation and slaintecare
Exploration of palliative care in chronic cardiovascular disease
Interprofessional contribution to cardiovascular patient management
Career opportunities following completion of the graduate diploma

UNESCO highlights a set of key competencies that support individuals in their development and support society in achieving the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). UCD has adapted these competencies and is combining them with others to form a general framework of learning competencies. This module will help you develop the competencies below to the levels specified. 
Learning Competency Additional Information Level

Collaboration

 The ability to learn from others; to understand and respect the needs, perspectives and actions of others (empathy); to understand, relate to and be sensitive to others (empathic leadership); to deal with conflicts in a group; and to facilitate collaborative and participatory problem solving. Competent

Critical Thinking

 The ability to question norms, practices and opinions; to reflect on one’s own values, perceptions and actions. Competent

Systems Thinking

 The ability to recognize and understand relationships; to analyse complex systems; to think of how systems are embedded within different domains and different scales; and to deal with uncertainty. Not addressed

Self-awareness

 The ability to reflect on one’s own role in the local community and (global) society; to continually evaluate and further motivate one’s actions; and to deal with one’s feelings and desires. Competent

Normative

 The ability to understand and reflect on the norms and values that underlie one’s actions; and to negotiate values, principles, goals, and targets, in a context of conflicts of interest and trade-offs, uncertain knowledge and contradictions. Competent

Anticipatory

 The ability to understand and evaluate multiple scenarios for the future – possible, probable and desirable; to create one’s own visions for the future; to apply the precautionary principle; to assess the consequences of actions; and to deal with risks and changes. Competent

Digital Literacy and Judgement

 The ability to access, evaluate, create and communicate information in digital environments; to engage critically, ethically and responsibly with digital technologies and digital information; to understand their opportunities, limitations, risks and impact on individual’s digital identities; and to exercise informed judgement in digital participation and decision-making. Competent

AI Literacy & Agency

 The ability to understand, critically evaluate and responsibly engage with artificial intelligence; to recognise how AI systems are shaped by human values; to assess their ethical, social and environmental implications; and to exercise human judgement, agency and accountability in AI-related contexts. Advanced Beginner

Wellbeing

 Wellbeing is having the resources and skills to meet life's challenges, including attributes such as personal development skills, resilience, stress management, strengths, lifestyle skills, nutrition, physical activity, sleep, alcohol/substance use, academic skills, time management, goal setting, interpersonal skills, group work, communication. Not addressed

The United Nations identified seventeen Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) as core to the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, and UCD contributes in general to SDG 4 Quality Education. Further SDGs explored within this module if relevant are listed below. A scale of 1 - 5 indicates the extent to which the SDG is covered.


Goal Name Description Coverage

Ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for all at all ages 1

Ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all 1
 

Student Effort Hours:
Student Effort Type Hours
Autonomous Student Learning

204
Lectures

24
Practical

10
Online Learning

12
Total

250

Approaches to Teaching and Learning:
A blended learning approach will be taken, with a combination of online synchronous (live) and asynchronous ( pre recorded) lectures. There will be at least one in person day per month where learners will engage with a variety of learning strategies such as case based learning, ECG/Rhythm interpretation workshops and simulations with a simulated patient (actor).Other online resources will be provided and students are expected to attend clinical placement in Heart Failure and Cardiac Rehabilitation settings.

Requirements, Exclusions and Recommendations
Learning Requirements:

The student:
• Needs to be registered with NMBI.
• Must have a minimum of 12 months post registration experience.
• Must work a minimum of 78 hours per month in the relevant specialist clinical area

Learning Recommendations:

Prior learning modules:
NMHS44230 or NMHS33990.
NMHS 44280


Module Requisites and Incompatibles
Required:
NMHS44280 - Acute Cardiovascular Care

Co-requisite:
NMHS33990 - Fundamentals of Acute Care CPD, NMHS44230 - Fundamentals of Acute Care


 

Assessment Strategy
Description Timing Component Scale Must Pass Component % of Final Grade Component repeat (in-module) Offered
Exam (In-person): Clinical Based scenario and ECG analysis . Depending on the pandemic situation this exam may take place in an invigilated classroom / exam room setting or on line Week 12 Alternative non-linear conversion grade scale 50% No
60
 No
Practical Skills Assessment: Objective structured clinical assessment (OSCA). Students will be required to perform an in-depth cardiovascular assessment , establish nursing diagnosis and care priorities using evidence base Week 15 Alternative non-linear conversion grade scale 50% No
40
 No

As part of UCD's student support, under the Additional Consideration policy, extensions may be available for the following assessments in the module: Assignment (including essay/poster), Portfolio, Reflective Assignment, Report(s), and Individual Project.


Carry forward of passed components
Yes
 

Remediation Type Remediation Timing
In-Module Resit Prior to relevant Programme Exam Board
Please see Student Jargon Buster for more information about remediation types and timing. 

Feedback Strategy/Strategies

• Feedback individually to students, on an activity or draft prior to summative assessment
• Feedback individually to students, post-assessment

How will my Feedback be Delivered?

The ECG exam is a reusable object. Students are provided with practice with feedback on reading ECGs during the workshops throughout the Semester. Feedback is available by request on the terminal exam

Core textbooks
Olsen, K. (2021) Oxford handbook of Cardiac Nursing (3rd Edition), Oxford: Oxford University Press
**Thaler, M. (2021) The Only EKG Book you’ll Ever Need (10 th edition), Philadelphia: Lippincott Williams and Wilkins.
**Perpetua E.M. Keegan P.A. (2021) Cardiac Nursing (7th Edition), Philadelphia: Lippincott, Wilkins and Williams
Jennings et al. (2021) ESC Textbook of Cardiovascular Nursing, Oxford: Oxford University Press (some chapters available: https://doi.org/10.1093/med/9780198849315.001.0001)
** indicate essential texts


Reference Texts
• Adam S.K Osborne (2017) Critical Care Nursing: Science and Practice (3rd edition) Oxford University Press
• Bickley, L.S. (2016) Bates' Pocket Guide to Physical Examination and History Taking (8 th edition), Philadelphia: Lippincott Williams and Wilkins.
• Blows, W.T. (2024 ) The Biological Basis of Clinical Observations ( 4th edition) , London: Routledge.
• Hayes, D.L., Asirvatham, S.J. & Friedman, P.A. (2021) Cardiac Pacing, Defibrillation and Resynchronisation (4th Edition), London: Wiley
• Gonce Morton, P. and Fontaine, D.K. (2017) Critical Care Nursing: a Holistic Approach (11th Edition), London: Wolters Kluwer/ Lippincott Williams & Wilkins.
• Kapoor, P.M. (2023) Textbook of Cardiac Critical Care (1st edition) Thieme
• Kenny, T. (2015) The nuts and bolts of implantable device therapy: Pacemakers (1st edition), Wiley-Blackwell, Oxford.



National And European Guidelines / Publications

Department of Health (2023) National Review Cardiac Services. National-review-of-adult-specialist-cardiac-services-in-ireland.pdf (assets.gov.ie) Accessed 30th June 2025
Health Services Executive (2020) National Framework for the Integrated Prevention and Management of Chronic Disease in Ireland 2020- 2025. www.hse.ie/eng/about/who/cspd/icp/chronic-disease/documents/national-framework-integrated-care.pdf (accessed 11th July 2024)
Irish Association of Cardiac Rehabilitation (2013) Cardiac Rehabilitation Guidelines 2013. Https://iacronline.ie//wp-content/uploads/2022/09/IACR-Guidelines2013.pdf (access 11th July 2024) –
Glikson et al. (2021) 2021 ESC Guidelines on cardiac pacing and cardiac resynchronization therapy. European Heart Journal 42(35) https://doi.org/10.1093/eurheartj/ehab364
Mach F, Baigent M, Catapano A et al. (2020) 2019 ESC/EAS Guidelines for the management of dyslipidaemias: lipid modification to reduce cardiovascular risk. European Heart Journal1;41(1):111-188. Https://doi.org/10.1093/eurheartj/ehz455
Prevention Sub-Group of the National Heart Programme, Office of the National Clinical Advisor and Group Lead for Chronic Disease (2023) Model of Care for Integrated Cardiac Rehab) Model of Care for Integrated Cardiac Rehabilitation (hse.ie) Accessed 30th June 2025
Prevention Sub-Group of the National Heart Programme, Office of the National Clinical Advisor and Group Lead for Chronic Disease (2024) An overview of cardiac Rehab services in Ireland. An Overview of Cardiac Rehabilitation Services in Ireland (hse.ie) Accessed 30th June 2025
Virani, S, Newby, L, Arnold, S. et al. 2023 AHA/ACC/ACCP/ASPC/NLA/PCNA Guideline for the Management of Patients with Chronic Coronary Disease: A Report of the American Heart Association/American College of Cardiology Joint Committee on Clinical Practice Guidelines. JACC. 2023 Aug, 82 (9) 833–955.https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jacc.2023.04.003

Additional Research and Published Articles

Bahram, M. Maryam S. Azar, T (2021) Application of health education and promotion theory-based interventions on patients with cardiovascular disease Journal of Education and Health Promotion 10(1) p 236 https://doi.org/10.4103/jehp.jehp_173_21
Connolly M, Cotter, P (2021) Effectiveness of nurse led clinics on healthcare delivery: an umbrella review Journal of Clinical Nursing 32 (9-10) p 1760 -1767. https://doi.org/10.1111/jocn.16186
Connolly, M. & Ryder, M. (2022) Consideration of symptom management in advanced heart failure, International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health. 19 (22) p15160. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph192215160
Kim S. Lee K. Kim S (2020) Knowledge , attitude, confidence and educational needs of palliative care in nurses caring for non-cancer patients: a cross-sectional descriptive study. BMC Palliative Care 19(article 105). https://doi.org/10.1186/s12904-020-00581-6
Lindberg F. Lund L.H. Benson, L et al (2022) Patient profile and outcomes associated with follow up in specialty vs primary care in heart failure ESC Heart Failure 9 (2) p 822- 833. https://doi.org/10.10002/ehf2.13848
Mehra V.M. Gaalema D.E. et al (2020) Systematic review of cardiac rehabilitation guidelines: quality and scope European Journal of Preventive Cardiology 27(9) pp 912 -928 https://doi.org/10.1177/2024487319878958
Moradi M. Daneshi F. Behzadmehr R et al (2019) Quality of life of chronic heart failure patients: a systematic review and meta analysis Heart Failure Reviews 25 pp 993 – 1006
Paul G. Eftekhari H. (2022) Implantable cardioverter defibrillator deactivation: opportunities and good practice British Journal of Cardiac Nursing 17 (3) https://doi.org/10.12968/bjca.2021.0107
Porkodi A. Venkatakrishnan Ramakrishnan T (2021) The impact of nurse led cardiac rehabilitation on quality of life and biophysiological parameters in patients with heart failure: a randomised clinical trial The Journal of Nursing Research 29(1) p. e130. https://doi.org/10.1097/jnr.0000000000000407
Ski C.F. Cartledge,C. Foldager, D. et al (2023) Integrated care in cardiovascular disease: a statement of the association of cardiovascular nursing and allied professions of the European society of cardiology European Journal of Cardiovascular Nursing 22(5) p e39 -e46 https://doi.org/10.1093/eurjecn/zvad009
Sobanski P. Z Alt – Epping B. Currow D.C. et al (2020) Palliative care for people living with heart failure: European association for palliative care task force expert position statement Cardiovascular Research 116(1) pp 12 -27 https://doi.org/10.1093/cvr/cvz200


Name Role
Dr Aoife Claire MacCormac Lecturer / Co-Lecturer

Timetabling information is displayed only for guidance purposes, relates to the current Academic Year only and is subject to change.
Spring Laboratory Offering 1 Week(s) - 36 Mon 08:00 - 17:00
Spring Laboratory Offering 1 Week(s) - 21, 24 Mon 09:00 - 15:50
Spring Laboratory Offering 1 Week(s) - 32 Mon 09:00 - 15:50
Spring Lecture Offering 1 Week(s) - 29 Thurs 09:00 - 16:00
Spring External & School Exams Offering 1 Week(s) - 36 Tues 08:00 - 17:00
Spring Lecture Offering 1 Week(s) - 32 Tues 09:00 - 11:50
Spring Lecture Offering 1 Week(s) - 19 Tues 13:00 - 16:50
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