Nursing: Intensive Care Postgraduate Diploma

Course Overview

The Postgraduate Diploma in Health Sciences (Intensive Care is designed for registered nurses who wish to pursue a specialist qualification in Intensive Care Nursing.

All students will register for a full-time one-year Postgraduate Diploma. On successful completion of both theoretical and clinical modules for year one, students may graduate with a Postgraduate Diploma or (if they have achieved the minimum 60% average mark across these modules they may apply to transfer to year two of the MHSc programme.

A blended learning format is adopted for the delivery of this programme. Students are required to attend a total of 12 workshop days across the first year of the programme making it possible to combine working full-time with studying.

On the advice of the Nursing and Midwifery Board of Ireland (NMBI, students are also required to undertake a minimum of 500 clinical hours in an approved clinical practice setting within Ireland, normally within the students own work setting. Students may also be required to undertake additional placement(s to attain the required competency to meet programme learning outcomes.

Special Features

The course has a strong clinical emphasis, offering further opportunities to develop specialist nursing skills in intensive care. Blended learning is an innovative and flexible approach to learning that uses a combination of virtual teaching and learning through Canvas, our online learning platform. Our face-to-face workshops combine lectures and simulation with interprofessional speakers with specialist expertise.

Scholarships available

Find out about our Postgraduate Scholarships here.

All applicants must meet the following entry requirements:

1. Be a registered nurse on the General division of the register maintained by the Nursing and Midwifery Board of Ireland (NMBI);
2. Have a minimum of six months’ post-registration experience (exclusive of post-registration courses);
3. Be currently working in Ireland in the required specialist area, i.e., Intensive Care, and have as a minimum six months’ clinical experience in this specialist area;
4. Provide written evidence of support from their Director of Nursing for the duration of the programme;
5. 5. Have an honours bachelor’s degree at NFQ Level 8 in nursing or a comparable qualification. Applicants who do not hold an honours degree or Higher Diploma (Level 8) must demonstrate that they have successfully completed (in the previous two years) a module at Level 9 at: www.nuigalway.ie/pca/pca.html;
6. Applicants for this programme who have undertaken the National Foundation Education Module in Intensive Care Nursing at UCD or UCC may apply for exemption for the Specialist Module 1 on the Masters/Postgraduate Diploma in Health Sciences (Intensive Care) in University of Galway.

Graduates have found employment and promotion opportunities nationally and internationally in intensive care settings, in managerial positions and in educational roles.