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NMHS44280

Academic Year 2026/2027

Acute Cardiovascular Care (NMHS44280)

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
Credit Split by Trimester:
Autumn 5
Spring 5
Trimester:
2 Trimester duration (Aut-Spr)
Mode of Delivery:
Online
Internship Module:
No
Module Type:
Clinical Module
How will I be graded?
Letter grades

Curricular information is subject to change.

The 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 acute cardiovascular disease such as acute coronary syndromes, heart failure and arrhythmias.
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. Perform an in-depth patient assessment demonstrating competence in cardiovascular and respiratory assessment, advanced haemodynamic monitoring, arrhythmia interpretation and interpretation of laboratory values
2. Apply prior knowledge of the anatomy and physiology of the heart and the electrophysiology of the ECG to the care of persons with altered cardiac function,
3. Using an evidence base, analyse the nursing care of the person undergoing cardiac diagnostic investigations/imaging and electrophysiology studies
4. Demonstrate clinical judgement and diagnostic reasoning, the nursing management and collaborative care of persons with altered cardiac function, incorporating political, economic and socio-cultural factors that impact care using an evidence base .
5. Evaluate the diagnosis of and evidence based treatments used in the management of arrhythmias and conduction disturbances
6. Examine the nursing and collaborative care of the person with acute heart failure, cardiogenic shock.
7. Demonstrate an empathetic awareness of the care of the person requiring transplant assessment



Indicative Module Content:

A comprehensive theoretical background to facilitate the delivery of holistic and evidence based nursing care for persons with altered cardiac function, with rhythm disturbances (arrhythmias and heart blocks) and for those undergoing invasive and non-invasive cardiac investigations.
Students will also engage with the application of nursing theories and of standardise nursing languages (NANDA-I, NIC and NOC) to clinical practice of acute cardiovascular nursing.

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. Advanced Beginner

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. Competent

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
Specified Learning Activities

8
Autonomous Student Learning

182
Lectures

30
Practical

10
Online Learning

20
Total

250

Approaches to Teaching and Learning:
A combination of synchronised (live) and asynchronous (pre recorded) lectures and workshops will be provided complimented by in person days (5 in person days between October and February . A variety of educational strategies such as case based scenarios, ECG/ rhythm interpretation workshops and simulations with a simulated patient will be provided
Other online resources will be provided as required .

Requirements, Exclusions and Recommendations
Learning Requirements:

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

Learning Recommendations:

Prior learning will be module NMHS44230 or NMHS33990.


Module Requisites and Incompatibles
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
Assignment(Including Essay): Poster Presentation of a patient case to clinical and academic experts plus some peers followed by oral discussion, question and answer assessment Week 7 Spring Alternative non-linear conversion grade scale 50% No
35
 No
Practical Skills Assessment: Nursing round assessment comprising of history taking, physical examination, identifying nursing diagnosis , planning care with rationalisation of diagnosis and planned care on an evidence base Week 9 Spring, Week 10 Spring, Week 11 Spring, Week 12 Spring, Week 14 Spring, Week 15 Spring Alternative non-linear conversion grade scale 50% No
65
 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, post-assessment
• Group/class feedback, post-assessment
• Self-assessment activities

How will my Feedback be Delivered?

One-to-one feedback is offered. Students are provided with written feedback via rubric on the Poster Presentation, Oral Questions and Answers Assessment, and Nursing Rounds Assessment which is facilitated by the Course Director/UCD Academic and Clinical Expert/s.

Recommended Reading list
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

NMHS44230 Fundamentals in Acute Care
Textbooks
Bennett, D.H. (2013) Bennett's Cardiac Arrhythmias: Practical Notes on Interpretation and Treatment (8th edition), Oxford: Wiley-Blackwell.
Bickley, L.S. (2016) Bates' Pocket Guide to Physical Examination and History Taking (8 th edition), Philadelphia: Lippincott Williams and Wilkins.
Deepak,L. Bhatt, MD (2021) Opie's Cardiovascular Drugs: A Companion to Braunwald's Heart Disease: Expert Consult (9th Edition), Philadelphia Elsevier,
Huff, J. (2022) ECG Workout: Exercises in Arrhythmia Interpretation (8 th edition), Philadelphia: Lippincott Williams and Wilkins.
Knapp, R (2020) Haemodynamic Monitoring Made Incredibly Visual (Incredibly Easy ! Series) (4th edition) Philadelphia: Wolters Kluwer
Lough, M.E. (2015) Haemodynamic Monitoring: Evolving Technologies and Clinical Practices: Edinburgh: Elsevier.
Opie, L.H. (2013) Drugs for the Heart (8 th edition), Philadelphia: W.B. Saunders.
Topol, E.J. (2019) Textbook of Interventional Cardiology (8th edition), Philadelphia: W. B. Saunders.
Wesley, K. (2021) Huszar’s ECG and 12 Lead interpretation(6th edition) Missouri. Elsevier

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. (2014) The nuts and bolts of implantable device therapy: Pacemakers (1st edition), Wiley-Blackwell, Oxford.


National And European Guidelines / Publications
HSE, National Heart Programme (2021). Heart Failure Model of Care. Accessed via National Heart Failure Model of Care 2021 [accessed 23/06/2025].
Long L, Mordi IR, Bridges C, Sagar VA, Davies EJ, Coats AJS, Dalal H, Rees K, Singh SJ, Taylor RS. Exercise-based cardiac rehabilitation for adults with heart failure. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews 2019, Issue 1. Art. No.: CD003331. DOI: 10.1002/14651858.CD003331.pub5. Available at: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6492482/pdf/CD003331.pdf [Last Accessed May 4th 2022]
McDonagh TA et al. 2021 ESC Guidelines for the diagnosis and treatment of acute and chronic heart failure. European Heart Journal 42(36) pp3599-3726. https://doi.org/10.1093/eurheartj/ehab368 [accessed 23/6/2025]
McDonagh, T.A. Metra, M. Adamo M, et al (2023) 2023 Focused update of the 2021 ESC guidelines for the diagnosis and treatment of acute and chronic heart failure. European Heart Journal 44 (37) pp 3627 – 3639. https://doi.org/10.1093/eurheartj/ehad195 [accessed 23/06/2025]
Zeppenfeld, K. et al. (2022) 2022 ESC Guidelines for the management of patients with ventricular arrhythmias and the prevention of sudden cardiac death Developed by the task force for the management of patients with ventricular arrhythmias and the prevention of sudden cardiac death of the European Society of Cardiology (ESC) Endorsed by the Association for European Paediatric and Congenital Cardiology (AEPC)", European heart journal, 43(40), pp. 3997-4126. https://doi.org/10.1093/eurheartj/ehac262


Journal Publications of Interest (Acute Cardiovascular Care)
Asber S.R. Shanahan K.P. Lussier L. et al (2020) Nursing management of patients requiring acute mechanical circulatory support devices Critical Care Nurse 40 (1) e1 -e 11. https://doi.org/10.4037/ccn2020764
Barisone M. Hayter M. Ghirotto L et al (2022) The experience of patients with an implantable cardioverter defibrillator: a systematic review and meta synthesis of qualitative studies European Journal of Cardiovascular Nursing 21(7) pp 677 – 686 https://doi.org/10.1093/eurjcn/zvab135
Barisone M., Ghirotto, L., et al (2023) Improving the experience of patients living with an implantable cardioverter defibrillator, European Journal of Cardiovascular Nursing 22, 21-24. https://doi.org/10.1093/eurjcn/zvad020
Cooper, K.L. (2015) biventricular pacemakers in patients with heart failure, Critical Care Nurse, 35 (2), pp.20-28. https://doi.org/10.4037/ccn2015942
Costanzo M.R. (2020) The cardiorenal syndrome in heart failure Heart Failure Clinics 16 (1) pp 81 -97 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.hfc.2019.08.010
Fletcher L. (2020) The leadless pacemaker and cardiac nursing care British Journal of Cardiac Nursing 15 (11) https://doi.org/10.12968/bjca.2020.0059
Hill B. Smith C. (2021) Central venous pressure monitoring in critical care settings British Journal of Nursing 30 (4) https://doi.org/10.12968/bjon.2021.30.4.230
Jaarsma T. Hill L. Bayes – Genis A. et al (2021) Self care of heart failure patients: practical management recommendations from the heart failure association of the European society of cardiology European Journal of Heart Failure 23 (1) pp 157 – 174 https://doi.org/10.1002/ejhf.2008
Kida K. Miyajima I. Suzuki N. et al (2023) Nutritional management of heart failure Journal of Cardiology 81 (3) p 288 -291 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jjcc.2022.11.001
Kirkby C. Renwick, C. Hargrave J et al (2022) Inherited arrhythmias: consideration for nurses British Journal of Cardiac Nursing 18 (2) https://doi.org/10.12968/bjca.2022.0127
Moghaddam N. Van Diepen S, So, D. et al (2021) Cardiogenic shock teams and centres: a contemporary review of multidisciplinary care for cardiogenic shock ESC Heart Failure 8(2) p 988 – 998 https://doi.org/10.1002/ehf2.13180
Sampson, M. (2016) Understanding the ECG part 4: conduction blocks, British Journal of Cardiac Nursing, 11(4), p.71.
Sampson, M. (2016) Understanding the ECG part 7: chamber enlargement, British Journal of Cardiac Nursing, 11(5), p.230
Van Stipdonk A.M. W. Schretlen S. Dohmen W et al (2020) Development and implementation of a cardiac resynchronisation therapy care pathway: improved process and reduced resource use BMJ Open Quality 10 e001072 https://doi.org/10.1136/bmjoq-2020-001072






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.
2 Trimester (Sep-May) Laboratory Offering 50 Week(s) - 9 Wed 09:30 - 15:00
2 Trimester (Sep-May) Laboratory Offering 50 Week(s) - 11 Wed 09:30 - 15:50
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