Becoming a Nurse

An order of merit list is drawn up for each course code.

A mature code applicant who passes the NCC written assessment and interview is placed on the list for each mature course code for which she has applied. The overall score in the NCC written assessment determines an applicant’s position on the order of merit list for each mature course code for which she applied.

A standard code applicant who meets the minimum education entry requirements is placed on the list for each standard course code for which she has applied. A standard code applicant’s position on the order of merit list/s is determined by the points achieved in the Republic of Ireland Leaving Certificate or equivalent examination.

An applicant’s position on each order of merit list may differ, because not all applicants apply for the same programmes.

Higher Education Institutions generally distinguish between applicants on equal overall scores by appending to each score a randomly generated number. The combined overall score/random number is the final determinant of position in order of merit.

Places allocated to each course code will be offered to an appropriate number of applicants, beginning with those at the top of each order of merit list.

The order of merit lists are drawn up just prior to the Offers stage.

It is not possible to predict an applicant’s position on an order of merit list. Neither is it possible to predict if an applicant will receive an offer.

OFFERS

First offers of places to mature code applicants will take place in early July.  If necessary, further offers may be made early August. 

First offers of places to FETAC (standard code applicants) will take place in early August. 

First offers of places to standard code applicants (excluding FETAC) issue following the results of the Leaving Certificate examination (Round One).

Offers continue to be made, as needed, until mid-October.

Offers will be issued by post and may also be viewed and accepted on the CAO website www.cao.ie.

It is important to remember that cut-off points/scores for each programme are determined by the relative supply-demand situation including:

• The number of applicants 
• The points/scores achieved by the applicants
• The number of places available.

Refer to the CAO Handbook 2010 details regarding Offers and how places are allocated www.cao.ie

AVAILABLE/VACANT PLACES COMPETITION

Where there are available/vacant places in specific programmes, Higher Education Institution/s will advertise these on the CAO website www.cao.ie under the heading of Available/Vacant Places’.

An applicant for Available/Vacant Places must meet the normal minimum entry terms for the programme/s in question.

DEFERRED ENTRY

An applicant who receives an offer of a place and who wishes to defer taking up the place for one year must seek the agreement of the appropriate Higher Education Institution. Such agreement is not guaranteed and is totally at the discretion of the appropriate Higher Education Institution. An applicant who wishes to defer a place is strongly urged to check directly, and well in advance, with the admission office of the appropriate Higher Education Institution about the conditions under which deferred entry might be granted. Refer to CAO Handbook 2010.

CANDIDATE REGISTER OF AN BORD ALTRANAIS

In preparation for the professional dimension of the programme, a student will be required, within thirty days of commencing the programme, to have her name entered on the Candidate Register of An Bord Altranais. A student must provide a birth certificate or other legal documents as required with the application. There is no charge for entering a name on the Candidate Register (Nurses Rules, 2004 S.10.2)

ALLOWANCES AND GRANTS

Uniform
A uniform (clothing) allowance is administered by the health service.

Salary
Part of the programme in fourth year consists of a continual 36 week rostered clinical placement. During that placement, the student is paid 80% pro rata of the 1st point of the Staff Nurse/Midwife pay scale. Payment is administered by the health service.

Free Fees Initiative
Higher Education - Equity of Access 
Department of Education and Science
Portlaoise Road
Tullamore
County Offaly
Telephone (057) 9325317 or (01) 889 6400
www.education.ie

Third Level Maintenance Grant
Contact the local County Council or Local Vocational Educational Committee (VEC). 

PURPOSE OF PROGRAMME

A student engaging in a Pre-Registration Honours Degree Programme is required to observe standards of conduct and behaviour commensurate with the requirements of An Bord Altranais to enter the nursing/midwifery profession.

The purpose of the Pre-Registration Honours Degree Programmes is to ensure that the student is equipped with the knowledge and skills necessary to practice as a competent nurse/midwife.

The programmes in nursing enable the student to:

• Assist individuals, families and groups achieve optimum health, independence, recovery or a peaceful death in a professional caring manner
• Provide and manage direct practical nursing whether health promotional, 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 individual, family, or community in all healthcare settings
• Demonstrate the development of skills of analysis, critical thinking, problem-solving and reflective practice
• Act as an effective member of the healthcare team and participate in the multi-disciplinary team approach to the care of patients/clients.

The programmes in midwifery enable the student to:

• Provide competent, safe midwifery care to women, their babies and, where possible, their wider family circle
• Demonstrate respect for the individuality of each woman and support shared decision-making throughout the woman’s childbirth experience
• Promote and support lifestyle choices that enhance the health and wellbeing of women, their families and the wider community
• Recognise the scope of midwifery practice, initiate appropriate referrals to other healthcare providers and provide emergency care when required
• Take responsibility for maintaining a level of knowledge and clinical skills that is based on the best available evidence.

COMPETENCIES

On completion of the programme, the student will be required to have achieved competence in the following five domains of practice:

Nursing

• Professional/ethical practice 
• Holistic approaches to care and the integration of knowledge 
• Interpersonal relationships 
• Organisation and management of care 
• Personal and professional development.

Midwifery

• Professional/ethical midwifery practice
• Holistic midwifery care
• Interpersonal relationships
• Organisation and co-ordination of midwifery care
• Personal and professional development.

REGISTRATION with AN BORD ALTRANAIS

An Bord Altranais (the Nursing Board) is the statutory regulatory body for the nursing/midwifery profession in Ireland.  Its main functions relate to the promotion of high standards of professional education and training and professional conduct among nurses/midwives including:

• the maintenance of the Register of Nurses
• the control of the education and training of student nurses/midwives and the post-registration education and training of nurses/midwives
• the operation of fitness to practice procedures
• the ensuring of compliance with European Union Directives on nursing and midwifery.

The present Board was established under the Nurses Act, 1985.  It consists of twenty-nine members, seventeen of whom are nurses and midwives elected by the nursing profession and the remainder, appointed by the Minister for Health and Children, are representative of the Department of Health and Children, the medical profession, the management of the health services, educational interests and the general public.

Upon successful completion of an education programme, a student nurse/midwife may apply to register in the appropriate part of the Register maintained by An Bord Altranais.  The attention of applicants is drawn to the provisions of Section 28 (5) of the Nurses Act, 1985, whereby:

Nothing in this section shall operate to prevent the Board from refusing to register the name of any person, who is otherwise entitled to be registered, on the grounds of the unfitness of that person to engage in the practice of nursing.

Nursing/Midwifery is both a physically and mentally challenging profession.  In any event where the Board considers an application for registraton it will consider any information relating to the professional conduct and/or fitness of an applicant to engage in nursing/midwifery practice.

The Board may onlty consider such applications at the point of application for registration.  Decisions pursiant to Section 28 (5) of the Nurses Act 1985, are not made at point of entry to a nursing/midwifery education programme of an any time during a nursing/midwifery education programme.  In any such consideration, the Board will consider each case on an individual basis, and the Applicant will be invited to make witten representation to the Board in the matter, will be invited to attend such Board meeting to make such representation, or may be represented at such meeting.

Any Applicant subject to a decision by the Board to reguse registration pursuant to Section 28 (5) of the Nurses Act, 1985, may apply to the High Court for cancellation of this decision pursuant to Section 28 (7) of the Act.

Please contact An Bord Altranais in regard to any general queries that you may have in regard to this section of the Act.  Any personal queries in regard to this section of the Act should be brought to the attention of your nurse Education Programme Director at your point of entry to training or at any time during your nurse/midwife education programme.

 PROGRAMME STRUCTURE

A minimum number of hours/weeks in theoretical and clinical instruction must be successfully completed before applying to register as a nurse/midwife with An Bord Altranais.

For most of the programme the student receives a combination of theoretical and clinical instruction and this period generally includes normal third-level college holidays. During this period the student is not a paid employee of the health service. The usual entitlements/conditions regarding a means-tested third-level grant applies to student nurses/midwives.

The first clinical placement occurs early in the programme, usually within three months of commencement.

A continual 36 week rostered clinical placement (internship) takes place during the fourth year. During this period the student is a paid employee of the health service.