THE telephone helpline has been inundated with queries from lots of worried mothers, some concerned fathers, one diligent brother, and the occasional student (mainly mature).
There have been more inquiries about nursing than about any other course, despite the fact that nursing is not in the CAO system and this year's recruitment campaign for the college associated courses has not yet started.
One caller was concerned that, after searching the CAO handbook, she could find no mention of nursing. She was under the impression that it should be listed here as it is now a diploma/ degree course. This is a reasonable assumption.
However, a separate central applications system has been put in place for nursing. There are 12 college associated diploma courses in operation for general nursing. Students apply for these through a central applications centre in Galway. The accompanying panel has a complete list of the courses and colleges.
In effect, there are still two methods of general nurse training in existence - the traditional model of in hospital training and the new diploma which is college associated. Four general training hospitals - the Mater Hospital Dublin, James Connolly Memorial Hospital, Blanchardstown Dublin, Our Lady of Lourdes Drogheda, Co Louth, and Cork University Hospital - have yet to introduce the diploma.
Mr Gerry Donnellan, deputy chief executive of the nursing board, An Bord Altranais, says that the plan is to have the college associated diplomas in all general training hospitals by the end of 1998. But, the pace of introduction has been much faster than expected and, by the time the Nursing Applications Centre places its advertisement this year (usually in April), all of the 16 general training hospitals may be included.
The requirements for the college associated courses differ from those of An Bord Altranais in that a language, other than English and Irish, is required and a laboratory science subject rather than a science subject is specified.
In effect, the requirements are those of the NUI matric. The programme was first piloted in UCG which, understandably, as an NUI college, put NUI requirements in place. As the number of college associated courses grew, these requirements were extended to all colleges. This means that nursing applicants for courses in non NUI colleges such as DCU and UL, must fulfill NUI requirements - a unique and slightly absurd situation.
several guidance counsellors and parents contacted this column about the additional language requirement which they say is a burden on students who may not be linguistically inclined. Schools must arrange timetabling and students must make subject choices as they enter senior cycle so the implications for those choosing nursing are felt early in a student's career. But Mr Donnellan is adamant that sufficient notice of the change was given. What has taken people by surprise is the pace of the changes, he explains.
Prospective nurses must attain a minimum of two grade C3s at higher level and four D3s at ordinary level in the Leaving Cert. Subjects and grade requirements tray be accumulated over two sittings of the Leaving Cert.
All applicants for the diploma course who meet the minimum requirements (including the new special subject requirements) will be called for interview early in the summer. Students sitting the Leaving Cert this June will be called for interview if they are taking the correct combination of subjects in the Leaving Cert.
Candidates who do not perform well at the first interview are then eliminated and a second round of interviews is held for the remaining cohort. A central committee sends lists of eligible candidates to each participating hospital - the individual hospital does not choose its trainees.
Nursing has always been a much sought after career but the introduction of the diploma/ degree has made it an even more attractive proposition to many school leavers. Last year, there were more than 3,000 applicants for the 515 places available on college associated courses, giving applicants a one in six chance of getting a place. Impressing the interview committee is vital. A points system does not operate for Leaving Cert candidates.
This leaves the unsuccessful candidate who wants to try again next year with a dilemma as to the best course of action. You have the minimum entry requirements but you don't know exactly what you lacked in the interview.
Probably the most sensible decision would be to acquire some work experience in a related area or to do a Post Leaving Certificate course in the pre nursing or community care areas. Interview boards are usually impressed by proof of a candidate's commitment to the career.
Guidance counsellors say that the selection procedure has not been made completely clear to them and they are still unsure whether an additional weighting is given for Leaving Cert results. This makes it very difficult for them to advise students whether they should repeat the Leaving Cert or go for these other options.
Everyone seems to be agreed that a central applications centre is a great advance on students having to apply individually to hospitals. In the past, each hospital had its own closing date for applicants and Leaving Cert students had to be constantly on the look out for advertisements in the media. They then had to attend as many interviews as possible, in order to maximise their chances. Now students only have to send in one application for the 12 college associated courses.
So, the central applications centre is very welcome but it seems that entry requirements and screening procedures are still causing something of a headache for guidance counsellors students and parents.
Late in November last year the Department of Health appointed Price Waterhouse management consultants to review the operations of the Nursing Applications Centre which was established in 1995.
The Minister for Health Mr Noonan, said the question of the precise Leaving Certificate requirements, in terms of subjects and grades which are required for entry to nursing, will be addressed by this review, which is expected to be completed soon. It is hoped that any recommendations will be implemented for this year's applicants. There is no sign of any results yet but there is still time for changes to be made.
Whatever about the entry requirements and admissions procedures (and there were bound to be teething problems), the increasing professionalisation of nursing, with the development of college associated courses, is a very positive step. The traditional method of training - where nurses were part of the workforce and received a salary is being replaced by a new model which has academic accreditation.
Student nurses doing the college associated courses are no longer part of the hospital workforce. They are participating to learn. This means that they are not paid a salary but receive a non means tested maintenance grant from the local health board or voluntary hospital and they have full student status.
On completion of the three year diploma, graduates will have the option of continuing their studies for one year to obtain a degree.
Leaving Cert subject requirements:
Traditional training: Irish, English, maths, science subject and any two other subjects. Diploma/degree: Irish, English, maths, one other language, lab., science subject, one other subject (not home economics general).
Grades: for both types of training a minimum of two grade C3s at higher level and four grade D3s at ordinary level.
Specialist nurse training:
Psychiatric nurse training in now college associated for three hospitals and applications for these courses must be made through the Central Applications Centre. An Bord Altranais envisages that mental handicap nurse training will follow the same route.
It used to be possible for Leaving Cert students to apply directly to the children's hospitals to train as paediatric nurses. This option has been discontinued and paediatric training is offered as an 18 month post graduate course only.
Applying for the diploma/degree programme for general or psychiatric nursing:
Applications should be made through the Nursing Applications Centre, PO Box 118, Galway, following their advertisement in the national press in the spring of this year. So, watch out for the advertisement.
Mature students:
Applicants aged 24 or older one October 15th of the year of application, who do not possess the minimum educational requirements, are eligible to apply for both the traditional training model and the diploma/degree programme.
Fees alert:
A distraught mother rang the helpline on Friday as her daughter had been invoiced for £1,175 tuition fees for an add on degree in furniture technology in Galway RTC. A number of students have been wrongly invoiced by the college due to a computer error - fees for the certificate are paid by the European Social Fund while fees for the degree are paid by the Department of Education. The college is contacting any students who have been invoiced in error.