Postgraduate Diploma/Master of Science in Nursing - Intensive Care Nursing

The Postgraduate Diploma in Intensive Care Nursing is an exciting new pathway of the MSc/Diploma in Nursing programme. The course is offered by the School of Nursing and Midwifery at University College Cork in response to the ever-changing health care delivery systems.

This programme will inform Intensive Care nurses with the knowledge required to competently address the needs of the patient and the family, improve standards of care, maintain patient safety, engage in interdisciplinary collaboration and develop healthy work environments.

The aim of this programme is to challenge you as a nurse to think critically and creatively about intensive care nursing and to enable you to develop knowledge and skills in pace with developments in the critical care environment. It will provide you with a platform from which to further your academic and professional portfolio.

Applicants for this MSc in Nursing, including the Postgraduate Diploma exit route, should normally:

1. Hold active registration on a division of the professional register maintained by the Nursing and Midwifery Board of Ireland or be eligible for such registration as required for individual pathways. For the Intensive Care Nursing Pathway, applicants must be Registered General Nurses.

2. Have clinical practice experience (and support structures, if applicable) as required for individual pathways. For the Intensive Care Nursing Pathway, applicants must have a minimum of six months of post-registration experience (excluding courses) and at least six months experience in the speciality pathway applied for.

3. Applicants must be certified in Basic Life Support (BLS).

4. Applicants must provide written evidence of support from their Director of Nursing/equivalent authorised Nurse Manager stating:

(a) The applicant will be working in the relevant specialist area for the duration of the programme for a minimum of 18.75 hours a week;
(b) They will be released from practice to attend the programme requirements;
(c) A Clinical Preceptor and/or Clinical Facilitator can support learning in the specialist area of practice for the duration of the programme.

Duolingo English Test: DET 120 (with a minimum score of 110 in each individual section)

IELTS: 6.5 Overall; 6.0 Individual Skills (academic version)

TOEFL iBT: 90 Overall; Listening 20; Reading 19; Speaking 21; Writing 20

Cambridge Examinations:

C2 Proficiency
C1 Advanced
B2 First

176 overall with no less than 169 in each element of the test

Pearson PTE: Minimum score of 63 with no section score below 59