NOTE: This programme has been revised. Students who entered the BSc (Hons) (Nursing) degree up to and including the 2011/12 academic year will follow the curriculum as outlined below.

This is a four-year, (four and a half years in the case of CK712/CK713), full-time undergraduate registration programme, leading to the award of a BSc (Hons).

• On successful completion of the programme, students on CK710/CK711, CK720/CK721 and CK730/CK731 will also be recommended to the Nursing and Midwifery Board of Ireland for registration as a nurse in one of the following divisions of Nursing: General Nursing, Psychiatric Nursing or Intellectual Disability Nursing
• On successful completion of the programme, students on CK712/CK713 will also be recommended to the Nursing and Midwifery Board of Ireland for registration as a nurse in both the Children's Nursing and General Nursing divisions.

Students must take modules specific to General Nursing or Children's and General (Integrated) Nursing or Intellectual Disability Nursing or Psychiatric Nursing in order to register in the relevant division(s).

Applicants who are under 23 years of age must satisfy the minimum entry requirements of the College of Medicine and Health as set out here.

Garda Vetting and Health Clearance
All students entering programmes in the College of Medicine and Health will be working with vulnerable people in clinical areas during their time in UCC. Most of these clinical areas will be under the ownership and authority of the Health Services Executive (HSE). The HSE requires all students working within its organisation to obtain Garda Clearance.

For all BSc (Hons) Nursing and BSc (Hons) Midwifery Degree programmes, students undertaking CK710/CK711, CK712/CK713, CK720/CK721, CK730/CK731 and CK740/CK741: students are required to do the following before their registration for their chosen BSc programme is finalised and for continued access to a clinical placement area:

1. Successfully complete all health clearance* and Garda vetting requirements
2. Sign a statutory declaration
3. Sign a practice placement agreement

In view of the long lead time required to obtain Garda clearance, particularly in relation to non-European Union countries, applicants are strongly advised to begin seeking police clearance from jurisdictions outside of Ireland on receipt of confirmation of a place on the BSc (Hons) Nursing and BSc (Hons) Midwifery Degree programmes.

* Completion of the prescribed vaccination programmes (as per HSE Occupational Health Department Guidelines) is required before progression to Year 2 of the above programmes.

Entry on the Grounds of Mature Years

Applicants who have not satisfied the minimum entry requirements may, on the recommendation of the College, be considered for admission on the grounds of mature years (see under "Mature Students" in the Admission to Undergraduate Programmes section of the University Calendar).

Exemptions

Students who have undertaken relevant studies may be exempt from particular modules. This will be at the discretion of the Head of the School of Nursing and Midwifery, and subject to the approval of the College of Medicine and Health.

Two Year Rule

Students of Nursing must pass/progress within two academic years of first registration for each year of the programme, otherwise they cannot continue in the programme. After failing a resit examination, students may be allowed to repeat the year. Any individual year can be repeated only once, however, a maximum of two failed years may be repeated during a student's programme of studies. Thus, students taking the General, Intellectual Disability and Psychiatric Nursing pathways must complete their studies ordinarily within six years of registering for the First Year of the BSc (Hons) Nursing Degree programme. For the BSc Children's and General (Integrated) Nursing pathway, students must complete their studies ordinarily within six and a half years of registering for the First Year of this programme. Note: A student on the General, Psychiatric and Intellectual Disability pathways may not graduate without achieving a pass in the Fourth University Examination and a pass in the relevant Part B module. A student on the Children's and General (Integrated) pathway may not graduate without achieving a pass in the Fifth University Examination involving a practice module.

REGULATIONS FOR THE BSc (Hons) (NURSING) DEGREE
The programme is defined in terms of modules, which are measured in terms of credits. A module may correspond to 5, 10, 15 or 20 credits. One year of a degree programme consists of modules to a total value of 60 credits.

For students entering Fifth Year for 2015/16 only.

Children's and General (Integrated) Nursing only.

A student may not register for the Fifth Year of the programme until the Fourth University Examination in Nursing and the relevant Part B module has been passed. In order to be admitted to the Fifth University Examination in Nursing, each student must have attended a Practice Module to the value of 20 credits as follows:

Children's and General (Integrated) Nursing
NU5075 Children's and General Nursing Practice (20 credits)

Module Semester Information may be found here. Module Descriptions may be found here.

Examinations
Full details of regulations governing Examinations for each programme will be available in the Marks and Standards 2017 Book, and for each module in the Book of Modules, 2016/2017.

ALTERNATIVE PATHWAY FOR STUDENTS NOT COMPLETING FIFTH UNIVERSITY EXAMINATION IN NURSING (for 2015/16 only)
The BSc (Hons) Health Studies is an honours bachelors' degree pathway for students who do not satisfy the pass standard for the placement module Part B Practice Module in the BSc Nursing Children's and General (Integrated) Nursing in Year 5 of programme. For students who do not pass the Part B Practice module for Year 5 of the BSc (Hons) Nursing at the Summer Examination or at the first attempt in a Repeat year, the student will re-register for the alternative pathway. Such students may opt to register instead for the non-clinical BSc (Hons) Health Studies. This pathway does not confer eligibility to practice as a Registered Nurse. To complete the BSc Health Studies, a student must pass all Part A modules for the fourth-year BSc Nursing Examinations and achieve a pass in the Part B independent study project module NU5078 Independent Study in Health Studies (20 credits). Programme requirements are outlined below:

FIFTH YEAR - FIFTH UNIVERSITY EXAMINATION IN HEALTH STUDIES

Leading to: NFQ Level 8, Major Award - BSc (Hons) Health Studies

A student may not register for the Fifth Year of the BSc (Hons) Health Studies until the Fourth University Examination in Nursing and the relevant Part B module has been passed. In order to be admitted to the Fifth University Examination in Health Studies, each student must have completed an independent project module to the value of 20 credits as follows:

Health Studies
NU5078 Independent Study in Health Studies (20 credits)

Module Semester Information may be found here. Module descriptions may be found here.

Examinations
Full details of regulations governing Examinations for each programme will be available in the Marks and Standards 2017 Book, and for each module in the Book of Modules, 2016/2017.

In the case of a student repeating a module which is no longer available under the present code, repeat arrangements will be made by the School of Nursing and Midwifery, UCC.

Programme Learning Outcomes for BSc (Hons) (Nursing) (NFQ Level 8, Major Award)
On successful completion of this programme, students should be able to:

• Demonstrate the knowledge, know-how and skills necessary to practice as a competent and professional nurse through achievement of clinical learning outcomes and competency assessments;
• Meet the requirements of the domains of competencies specified by An Bord Altranais for entry to the Professional Register;
• Assist individuals, families and groups achieve optimum heath, independence, recovery or a peaceful death in a professional caring manner;
• Provide and manage direct practical nursing whether health promotion, preventive, curative, rehabilitative or supportive, to individuals, families or groups;
• Demonstrate a knowledge base and a level of competence in clinical practice skills essential for safe practice, which are grounded in recent evidence-based nursing research, where available;
• Identify and meet the nursing care needs of the person, primary carers and family in all heath care settings including primary and community care;
• Demonstrate development of skills of analysis, critical thinking, problem-solving and reflective practice;
• Act as an effective member of a health care team and participate in the multidisciplinary team approach to the care of patients/clients.

Domains of Competence for Entry to the Professional Register
On successful completion of this programme, students should be able to:

• Practice in accordance with legislation affecting nursing practice.
• Practice within the limits of own competence and take measures to develop own competence.
• Conduct a systematic holistic assessment of client needs based on nursing theory and evidence-based practice.
• Plan care in consultation with the client taking into consideration the therapeutic regimes of all members of the health care team.
• Implement planned nursing care/interventions to achieve the identified outcomes.
• Evaluate client progress toward expected outcomes and reviews plans in accordance with evaluation data and in consultation with the client.
• Establish and maintain caring therapeutic interpersonal relationships with individuals/clients/groups/communities.
• Collaborate with all members of the health, care team and document relevant information.
• Effectively manage the nursing care of clients/groups/communities.
• Delegate to other nurses activities commensurate with their competence and within their scope of professional practice.
• Facilitate the co-ordination of care.
• Act to enhance the personal and professional development of self and others.

Programme Learning Outcomes for Diploma in Health Studies (NFQ Level 6, Minor Award)
On successful completion of this programme, students should be able to:

• Demonstrate knowledge of life and social sciences relevant to health studies;
• Demonstrate knowledge of team working with individuals , groups and communities;
• Promote health and well being when working with individuals, groups and communities across the lifespan.

Programme Learning Outcomes for BSc (Ordinary) (Health Studies) (NFQ Level 7, Major Award)
On successful completion of this programme, students should be able to:

• Demonstrate knowledge of life and social sciences relevant to health studies;
• Demonstrate knowledge of team working with individuals, groups and communities;
• Promote health and well being when working with individuals, groups and communities across the lifespan;
• Demonstrate reasoning skills in a broad range of settings related to health studies;
• Work in an ethical manner that respects social, cultural differences and confidentiality;
• Demonstrate literacy and numeracy in report writing and in oral communication.

Programme Learning Outcomes for BSc (Hons) (Health Studies) (NFQ Level 8, Major Award)
On successful completion of this programme, students should be able to:

• Demonstrate knowledge of life and social sciences relevant to health studies;
• Demonstrate knowledge of team working with individuals, groups and communities;
• Promote health and well being when working with individuals, groups and communities across the lifespan;
• Demonstrate reasoning skills in a broad range of settings related to health studies;
• Work in an ethical manner that respects social, cultural differences and confidentiality;
• Demonstrating a critical awareness of health policies and legislation in Ireland;
• Develop and use lifelong learning skills in the workplace;
• Engage in research to advance knowledge and best practice in health studies.