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Professional Certificate Examination of the Newborn

ProfCert (NFQ Level 9)

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

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This programme is aimed to develop and advance the clinical skills of registered midwives to become competent practitioners in the complete (sometimes called 'discharge') physical examination and screening of the neonate.

An active learning format will empower you to acquire the necessary knowledge and skills in a variety of ways. These will include online lectures, tutorials and workshops in a simulated, virtual clinical environment, specified learning activities, and autonomous self-directed learning.

The next intake for this programme will be September 2025.

About This Course

  • Students will be motivated to continue independent learning, facilitating adaptation to the dynamically altering environment within society and maternity care to empower personal and professional development within variable and diverse maternity care settings
  • Demonstrate capacity to evaluate, critically analyse and apply research related to the examination of Newborn babies. Demonstrate the application and integration of best practice informed by national and international research in order to advance midwifery practice and delivery.
  • Use technology effectively to enhance midwifery practice and personal and professional development ensuring a contribution to learning, and the delivery of safe, evidence based maternity care.
  • Apply critical, creative, reflective, independent thinking and problem solving to demonstrate clinical decision making and care is safe, effective, evidence based and woman and family-centered. Promote leadership to evolve this midwifery led initiative.
  • Communicate and collaborate effectively with women, their families, advocates, the public, and professional peers in a competent, compassionate and professional manner that respects autonomy, dignity and privacy. Refer appropriately to the multi disciplinary team.

The module is offered as part of an MSc in Advanced Practice (Midwifery) programme or as a stand alone module at level 9.  On successful completion of the module 10 credits (ECTS) will be awarded.

Autumn Trimester:  Involves a combination of live and pre-recorded online lectures and tutorials. The live practical workshops may be attended either in-person or online.

Spring Trimester: Involves undertaking supervised clinical examinations of the newborn and successfully passing the final three, formal assessments of competence. All learning and assessment activities are recorded in the Examination of the Newborn Competency Assessment Tool - EoNCAT. A practical workshop is also offered, and may be attended either in-person or online.

Assessment

Students will be assessed via an exam (MCQ) and one short written assessment in the autumn trimester. The EoNCAT document must be successfully completed during the spring trimester. Apart from recording the assessed newborn examinations, and regular meetings with the mentor-assessor, the EoNCAT also captures the midwife's structured reflections as their scope of practice expands during the clinical component.

Students will be presented with problem-based learning scenarios throughout the programme for guided discussion and reflection.

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.

Professional Certificate Examination of the Newborn (X753) Part Time
EU          fee per year - € 1855

***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:

General information about UCD Fees

Applicants need a minimum of 2 years post registration experience in a postnatal/community or neonatal setting.

NB:  Applicants must secure a Lead Clinical Mentor-Assessor within their practice setting and work with them to undertake thirty complete (discharge) examinations of the newborn. The assessed newborn examinations may be undertaken in a postnatal ward setting or possibly during a newborn clinic. The mentor-assessor should closely supervise the first 15 examinations, then appropriately monitor and assess the student's progress throughout the remainder of the clinical assessment component. The lead mentor/assessor should then conduct three, in-depth assessments of the student's competence for the final three newborn checks before signing the student off in all standards and elements of the complete examination and screening of the newborn.

Documents Required

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. Any exceptions are also listed on this webpage.

Part Time option suitable for:

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


The module is aimed at registered midwives who have the required experience in postnatal care.


General application route(s) for Irish/UK/EU applicants* for International (non-EU) applicants* to Professional Certificate Examination of the Newborn:

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X753
Professional Certificate Examination of the Newborn
Professional Certificate

Part-Time
Commencing September 2025
Graduate Taught
Not available to International applicantsApply
* you can change options at the top of the page