Postgraduate Diploma in Nursing (part time)

Course details

The WIT Postgraduate Diploma in Nursing programme enables a nurse to explore and develop their practice with the guidance and support of academic and clinical supervision. The programme provides a structured framework that enables the student to further develop knowledge, skills and competencies in their specialist area of practice within one of the seven areas of nursing, as outlined by the Commission of Nursing (1998):

WD524: High Dependency Nursing: may be suitable for those working in areas such as coronary care, intensive therapy (psychiatry), neonatal intensive care nursing, renal nursing

WD525: Rehabilitation and Habilitation Nursing: may be suitable for those working in areas such as care of the older adult, spinal injuries and palliative care nursing

WD526: Medical Surgical Nursing: may be suitable for those working in areas such as oncology, infection control, stoma care, neurosciences and anesthesia nursing

WD527: Maternal and Child Health Nursing: may be suitable for those working in areas such as maternity, ultrasonography, paediatric cardiology and paediatric oncology nursing

WD528: Community Health Nursing: may be suitable for those working in areas such as health education and health promotion, family development and community mental health services

WD529: Mental Health Nursing: may be suitable for those working in areas such as addiction counselling and behaviour therap

WD530: Intellectual Disability Nursing: may be suitable for those working in areas such as sensory stimulation and challenging behaviour

The Postgraduate Diploma in Nursing consists of six modules, equating to 60 credits at Level 9. There are four generic core modules and two modules reflecting a student’s specified clinical field.

Semester I

Developing Clinical Practice I (10 credits): The aim of this module is to enable the student to analyse their role and identify essential skills and competencies to be integrated into a specific practice area.

Professional Caring in Context (5 credits): The aim of this module is to enable the student to evaluate critically their clinical practice within the context of professional caring

Politics of Health Care (5 credits): The aim of this module is to enable the student to critique the politico-legal factors that influence health care provision in their chosen clinical field.

Clinical Governance (10 credits): The aim of this module is to enable the student to analyse the issues involved in establishing clinical governance within the organisational context of health care related to their specialist area.

Semester II

Research (10 credits): The aim of this module is to provide a critical understanding of research paradigms in order to enable the expansion of knowledge essential to clinical practice.

Developing Clinical Practice II (20 credits): The aim of this module is to enable the student to advance their knowledge, understanding and competency in essential skills within a specific practice area.

Entry requirements for the Postgraduate Diploma in Nursing

• Registered nurse/midwife with the Nursing and Midwifery Board of Ireland (NMBI).
• An honours degree in nursing or hold another recognised qualification which is approved as a suitable alternative to a primary degree OR submit a portfolio for accreditation of prior experiential learning for consideration.
• A minimum of two years post registration experience. This must include no less than one year’s engagement (whole time equivalent) in the specialist area they choose to study.
• Currently engaged in clinical practice - a minimum of 20 hours per week.
• Support from their Director of Nursing and Clinical Nurse Manager.
• Applicants whose first language is not English must submit evidence of competency in English, please see WIT’s English Language Requirements for details.