Overview

NFQ Level 9, Major Award

The Postgraduate Diploma in Public Health Nursing is a full-time programme running for 10 months from the date of first registration for the programme. Students passing the Postgraduate Diploma will be eligible for registration with the Nursing and Midwifery Board of Ireland as a Registered Public Health Nurse.

Students take modules to the value of 60 credits, incorporating 300 hours of structured contact time and clinical practicum.

Attendance

Full attendance is required at all scheduled teaching activities in all modules, including at clinical placement. Where this does not occur, students will be expected to satisfactorily explain and support with evidence (e.g. medical illness certificates, explanation of other mitigating circumstances causing non-attendance) all absences and this must be considered acceptable by the relevant module coordinator(s) and Head of the School of Nursing and Midwifery. Unavoidable planned absence must be discussed and agreed with each module coordinator(s) of affected module(s) in advance. Each situation will be assessed on an individual basis. Failure to comply with these regulations can result in a student being deemed not to have fulfilled the requirements for entry to the subsequent examination. These regulations apply also to students who are studying for the qualifications of some other regulatory body. The Deputy President and Registrar, UCC will certify whether or not the student's attendance has been satisfactory on the basis of recommendations from Head of the School of Nursing and Midwifery.

Programme Requirements

For information about modules, module choice, options and credit weightings, please go to Programme Requirements. 

Programme Requirements

Module List

Code	Title	Credits
Students take 60 credits as follows:
Core Modules
NU6041	Public Health Nursing: Principles and Professional Issues	10
NU6042	Children, Young People and Families	10
NU6043	Adults and Older People in the Community	5
NU6044	Health and Health Promotion: Concepts and Principles	5
NU6047	Clinical Placement: Public Health Nursing	5
NU6054	Maternal and Child Health Nursing	10
SS6000 plus NU6005	Public Health, Social Services and Community plus Evidence Based Practice for Healthcare Professionals 1	15
or NU6170	Research Methods for Specialist Practice
Total Credits		60

¹

Applicants who have previously completed NU6005 will be required to undertake NU6170.

Examinations

Full details and regulations governing Examinations for each programme will be contained in the Marks and Standards Book and for each module in the Book of Modules.

Programme Learning Outcomes

Programme Learning Outcomes for Postgraduate Diploma in Public Health Nursing (NFQ Level 9, Major Award)

On successful completion of this programme, students should be able to:

• Practice as a competent, accountable, autonomous public health nurse, assessing planning, and implementing interventions on the basis of research, evidence and evaluation;
  
• Work in partnership to support and empower individuals and carers/families/groups and communities to influence and use available services, information and skills to the full and participate in decisions concerning their care;
  
• Acknowledge individuals/families/groups and communities rights to make their own decisions about their health and social well-being and set their own priorities;
  
• Lead/co-ordinate and/or participate in all types of community health needs assessment, planning, implementation and evaluation of health education programmes and care interventions;
  
• Assess, plan, implement and evaluate maternal and child health care in a primary care context and within the nurse's scope of practice;
  
• Encourage community participation and work in partnership with voluntary workers in health enhancing activities;
  
• Work collaboratively within the interdisciplinary/ multidisciplinary environment to maximise their contribution to health improvement in the local community;
  
• Be able to identify health inequalities and take action with communities, populations and others to address issues of health, social inequalities, and social exclusion demonstrating and increased focus on public health within contemporary practice;
  
• Develop, implement and evaluate health promotion and health education strategies;
  
• Demonstrate an awareness of policy development and strategic planning in the health services;
  
• Act as a resource of expertise in public health within an interdisciplinary/multidisciplinary setting, demonstrating the nursing contribution to public health within contemporary practice;
  
• Apply leadership skills to improve the health and well being of individuals/ families/ groups and communities across a care pathway;
  
• Develop competence in the ability to analyse health policy and the political, social, economic and environmental factors influencing health at a National, European and international level.