Five separate programmes in nursing and midwifery

College Choice:There are five separate programmes in nursing and midwifery. These five programmes are referred to as pre-registration programmes, and all are at level eight honours Bachelor of Science (BSc).

The programmes take place in 13 third-level colleges in association with 56 main healthcare agencies (hospitals/clinical sites).There are 44 courses with a total of 1,880 places in nursing and midwifery at pre-registration level.

Registration with An Bord Altranais

Upon successful completion of each of the programmes, the student applies for registration as a nurse or midwife with An Bord Altranais, the statutory regulatory body for nurses and midwives in the Republic of Ireland, as follows: registered nurse in intellectual disability (RNID), registered psychiatric nurse (RPN), registered general nurse (RGN), registered children's nurse and general nurse (RCN and RGN) and registered midwife (RM).

Intellectual disability nursing: four years leading to BSc plus RNID

There are eight courses, with 240 places, in eight higher education institutions in association with 10 main healthcare agencies. The courses offered and points required in 2006 were: (DC 217) Dublin City University (295 points); (DK872) Dundalk IT (215); (LY152) Letterkenny IT (250); (AS130) St Angela's, Sligo (210); (CK730) UCC (350); (TR097) Trinity College (300); (LM154) UL (350); (WD120) Waterford IT (385).

Psychiatric nursing

Four years leading to BSc plus RPN. There are 12 courses, with 343 places, in 12 higher education institutions in association with 14 main healthcare agencies. The courses offered and the points required in 2006 were: (LM152) UL (350); (AL112) Athlone IT (325); (DC216) Dublin City University (320); (DK874) Dundalk IT (305); (GA882) Galway-Mayo IT (330); (TL115) Tralee IT (365); (LY142) Letterkenny IT (305); (GY516) NUI Galway (350); (CK720), UCC (380); (DN120) UCD (350); (TR095) Trinity College (320); (WD117) Waterford IT (350).

General Nursing

Four years leading to BSc plus RGN. There are 14 courses, with 1,057 places, in 13 higher education institutions in association with 21 main healthcare agencies. The courses offered and the points required in 2006 were: (AL110) Athlone IT (360); (DC215) Dublin City University (385); (DK870) Dundalk IT (355); (GA880) Galway-Mayo IT (370); (TL110) Tralee IT (385); (LY137) Letterkenny IT (365); (GY515) NUI Galway (410); (AS110) St Angela's, Sligo (360); (CK710) UCC (415); (DN110) UCD (365); (TR091) Trinity College (380); (LM150) UL (415); (WD116) Waterford IT (400); (TR093) Trinity College (Adelaide) (395).

Children's and general nursing (integrated):

Some 4½ years leading to BSc plus RCN and RGN. There are four courses, with 100 places, in four higher education institutions in association with three main healthcare agencies. The courses offered and the points required in 2006 were: (DC218) Dublin City University; (CK712) UCC; (DN116) UCD; and (TR911) Trinity College.

Midwifery

Four years leading to BSc plus RM. There are six courses, with 140 places, in six higher education institutions in association with seven main healthcare agencies. The courses offered and the points required in 2006 were: (DK877) Dundalk IT; (GY517) NUI Galway; (CK740) UCC; (DN118) UCD; (TR913) Trinity College; and (LM156) UL.

Clinical placements

As part of the programmes, students undertake various clinical placements. The first clinical placement occurs early in the programme. The final clinical placement consists of a continual 36-week rostered clinical placement/internship.

During that placement the student is paid 80 per cent of the first point of the staff nurse pay scale. The usual entitlements regarding a means-tested grant apply to student nurses and student midwives.

Who can apply?

Men and women of all ages are encouraged to apply. An applicant to nursing or midwifery may use two codes:

Standard Code is for those applicants who have, or hope to have, the Republic of Ireland Leaving Cert (or equivalent) entry requirements. For details of such requirements see Nursing/Midwifery A Career for You (2007 edition), available from the Nursing Careers Centre (NCC). For details of the points that were required in 2006, refer to "Becoming a nurse standard code entry requirements" on the NCC website.

For students who do not achieve the points, 12 of the higher education institutions will consider specific FETAC level five programmes, with specific modules, as an equivalent entry. Application is made through the usual (CAO method.

Mature Code is for those applicants who are 23 years of age or over on January 1st, 2007, and who do not have, or do not expect to have, the education entry requirements. Such applicants will be required to undergo an assessment process. For details, see Nursing/Midwifery A Career for You (2007 edition).

A quota of places is allocated to mature code applicants. Each standard programme listed above has a corresponding mature entry code.

As a guide, this amounts to approximately 15 per cent for general nursing, 35 per cent for intellectual disability nursing, 35 per cent for psychiatric nursing, 15 per cent for children's and general nursing (integrated) and 20 per cent for midwifery. However, this is a dynamic quota and may vary between programmes.

If you wish to identify any of them, log into www.qualifax.ie and click on programmes, followed by CAO, and followed by nursing.

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