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Graduate Certificate Critical Care Nursing (Intensive Care)

GradCert (NFQ Level 9)

This course is available through the following application route(s)

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Critical Care Nursing requires an advanced knowledge base, skilled assessment, prompt intervention and ongoing evaluation in order to care for the critically ill with complex needs.

The critical care nurse maintains the balance between the science of nursing and the art of caring. This course will provide the nurse with an opportunity to develop, enhance and maintain these specialist skills that are required to care for the critically ill.

This programme will enhance your career prospects and give you the building blocks for lifelong self-directed learning. It will also provide you with the vital knowledge and skills to innovate and lead in your area of practice in Critical Care.  Following successful completion of the Graduate Certificate in Nursing Critical Care - Intensive Care, you will be able to complete an MSc Critical Care in one academic year.

About This Course

  • Develop a greater understanding of the holistic principles which underpin the various aspects of critical care nursing particularly in relation to intensive care
  • Augment students' knowledge and appreciation of nursing theory and biopsychosocial sciences which underpin critical care nursing practice in intensive care
  • Provide students with an opportunity for personal growth and professional development
  • Develop skills to enhance their professional practice, including critical analysis, creative thinking, decision making and communication skills

The Graduate Certificate in Nursing, Critical Care – Intensive Care is a 40 ECTS programme offered over1-year. Assessments are varied (assignments/short examination questions/MCQ/case presentation/practical examination) and occur at intervals throughout and at the end of the trimesters.

Programme Strengths

  • UCD has a long history of producing high-quality graduates
  • This programme enables graduates to be even more effective clinicians, change agents and clinical leaders in Critical Care
  • Access to clinical and university-based lecturers with national and international expertise from clinical, research and educational perspectives
  • The Programme employs a variety of innovative assessment strategies with a strong clinical focus
  • Extensive use of IT in supporting the teaching environment of the programme
  • Access to excellent facilities for lectures

Does this programme have an official conferring ceremony?

Please note there is no online or in-person conferring ceremony for this programme. Your parchment will be posted to you by UCD Conferring.

The Graduate Certificate Critical Care Nursing Intensive Care provides you with the comprehensive knowledge and skills required for caring for the critically ill. The key knowledge and skills gained on this programme will also enable you to innovate and lead in your area of practice in Critical Care.

Below is a list of all modules offered for this degree in the current academic year. Click on the module to discover what you will learn in the module, how you will learn and assessment feedback profile amongst other information.

Incoming Stage 1 undergraduates can usually select an Elective in the Spring Trimester. Most continuing undergraduate students can select up to two Elective modules (10 Credits) per stage. There is also the possibility to take up to 10 extra Elective credits.

Module Type Module   Trimester Credits
Stage 1 Core Modules
NMHS42770 The Complex Critically Ill Patient 2 Trimester duration (Aut-Spr)  10
Stage 1 Core Modules
NMHS42780 Nursing Care of the Chronically Critically Ill Patient Spring  10
Stage 1 Core Modules
NMHS42520 Clinical Practicum Year-long (12 months)  10
Stage 1 Options - A)1 of:
Students who have completed CPD module select NMHS32440, otherwise select NMHS42630
NMHS32440 Core Theoretical Concepts of Nursing Care for the Critically Ill patient. Autumn  10
Stage 1 Options - A)1 of:
Students who have completed CPD module select NMHS32440, otherwise select NMHS42630
NMHS42630 Core Theoretical Concepts of Nursing Care for the Critically Ill Patient Autumn  10

Graduate Certificate Critical Care Nursing (Intensive Care) (X685) Part Time
EU          fee per year - € 7550
nonEU    fee per year - € 14550

***Fees are subject to change

Funding

If the fees for your programme are being paid by a third party (full or partial), please ensure your funding organisation/sponsor/hospital contacts student.payments@ucd.ie. Please note this is not a student facing email address.

Student Queries

If you have any queries about your fees, please contact the Student Desk:

www.ucd.ie/askus

https://www.ucd.ie/students/studentdesk/

Application Fee

Please note that all applicants are required to pay the €60 application fee. Your application cannot be processed fully unless the application fee has been paid.

More information about fees is available on the UCD website at the link below:

 

  • Applicants must hold a primary degree in Nursing (or equivalent in a related discipline)/RPL (Recognition of Prior Learning) consideration if no degre

  • Applicants must be listed on the Register of Nurses and Midwives, which is maintained by the Nursing and Midwifery Board of Ireland (NMBI)

  • Applicants must hold a Graduate Diploma in another specialist area of nursing or have obtained 30 ECT (credits) at level 9 (Masters Level in both research and theoretical aspects of nursing)

  • Other criteria to be used in the assessment of the application include number of years of experience, and evidence of ongoing professional development

  • Must have at least one year’s post-registration experience at the time of application

  • Must be employed in coronary care nursing for the duration of the programme and work a minimum of 75 hours per month

  • Also each student must provide documented evidence from the Director of Nursing in the clinical practice area, which guarantees ICU placement for the duration of the programme

Documents Required

  • Academic transcript(s) including date and grading of degree award (non UCD Graduates only) & notarised English translations where relevant
  • Nurse applicants: A current photocopy of An Bord Altranais registration
  • Other health care professionals:  A current photocopy of registration with professional registration body
  • Copy of Birth Certificate or Personal Page of Passport
  • Signed Declaration Form from Employer (original form)
  • Completed Professional Reference Form (original form)
  • Nurse applicants: Completed Clinical Competence Assessor Nomination Form signed by the nominee
  • Evidence of proficiency in English language (applicants whose first language is not English)

Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL)

RPL may be granted in respect of individual modules if applicants can demonstrate that the modules' learning outcomes have been achieved through prior credentialled or experiential learning. In some cases, where an applicant does not meet the prerequisites for entry to a programme, an RPL application may be considered. Further information can be found in respect of this here.

 

You may be eligible for Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL), as UCD recognises formal, informal, and/or experiential learning. RPL may be awarded to gain Admission and/or credit exemptions on a programme. Please visit the UCD Registry RPL web page for further information.

Part Time option suitable for:

Domestic(EEA) applicants: Yes
International (Non EEA) applicants: No


This programme is aimed at advancing the registered nurse’s repertoire of knowledge and skills for professional practice in the care of patients within the critical care environment. This programme is for registered nurses working within the critical care environment in the Republic of Ireland. Applicants for this programme most hold either a UCD, MSc Clinical Practice qualification or who have completed the following modules NMHS43260 Nursing Knowledge Philosophy and Practice and NMHS43270 Research Methods Applied to Healthcare.


General application route(s) for Irish/UK/EU applicants* for International (non-EU) applicants* to Graduate Certificate Critical Care Nursing (Intensive Care):

ROWCLASS Apply to   Application Type  
showAudience-audienceEU showAudience-audienceInt X685
Graduate Certificate Critical Care Nursing (Intensive Care)
Graduate Certificate
Part-Time
Commencing September 2024
Graduate Taught Not available to International applicantsClosed
showAudience-audienceEU showAudience-audienceInt X685
Graduate Certificate Critical Care Nursing (Intensive Care)
Graduate Certificate
Part-Time
Commencing September 2025
Graduate Taught Not available to International applicantsApply
* you can change options at the top of the page