COUNTDOWN TO COLLEGE:Brian Mooney guides you through the college options available to you in this year's CAO process. This column will continue until the February 1st CAO deadline.
Will I get a nursing place in 2009?
The points requirement for all nursing programmes will increase substantially in 2009 because of the HSE decision to reduce the intake of student nurses into the 13 colleges from more than 1,800 down to 1,500.
This decision will leave more than 300 empty seats in lecture theatres in every college offering nursing, without saving a single euro. It will also leave 300 potential nurses possibly drawing unemployment benefit this time next year. In my view, this decision should be reversed immediately.
If it is not, within four years there will be 1,200 fewer nurses in training in Ireland, leading to a severe shortage of nurses in our hospitals, primary care teams etc. This scenario will be taking place at a time of a rapidly aging population, where the demand for the skills of nurses will be increasing rapidly.
What variety of nursing programmes is on offer?
There are five programmes in nursing and midwifery, 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 57 main healthcare agencies (hospitals/ clinical sites).
There are 44 courses at both mature and standard levels with a total of 1,880 places in nursing and midwifery at pre-registration level.
Registration with An Bord Altranais
Upon successful completion of one of the 44 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).
The programmes on offer:
(1) Intellectual disability nursing:
Four years leading to BSc and RNID. There are eight courses, with 240 places, in eight higher-education institutions in association with 10 main healthcare agencies;
(2) Psychiatric nursing: Four years leading to BSc and RPN.
There are 12 courses in 12 higher education institutions in association with 14 main healthcare agencies;
(3) General nursing: Four years leading to BSc and RGN.
There are 14 courses in 13 higher education institutions in association with 21 main healthcare agencies.
(4) Children’s and general nursing (integrated): 4½ years leading to BSc and RCN and RGN.
There are four courses in four higher education institutions in association with three main healthcare agencies.
(5) Midwifery: Four years leading to BSc plus RM.
There are six courses in six higher education institutions in association with seven main healthcare agencies.
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, which is the justification for cutting 300 places this year.
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 one of two codes. The 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 (2009 edition), available from the Nursing Careers Centre.
For details of all of the courses on offer throughout the State and of the points that were required in 2008, refer to “Becoming a nurse: standard code entry requirements” on the NCC website, www.nursingcareers.ie. As explained above, the points for 2009 will be substantially higher, due to the HSE cutbacks.
For students who do not achieve the points required in 2009, 12 of the higher education institutions will consider specific Fetac level-five programmes, with specific modules, as an equivalent entry.
It should be noted that a very small number of places are available through this route. Application is made through the usual CAO method.
Mature entry applicants
The mature code is for those applicants who are 23 years of age or over on January 1st, 2009, 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 (2009 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 the 44 nursing programmes, log into www.qualifax.ie and click on courses, followed by CAO and followed by nursing.
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