Report of Programme Validation Panel

Transcription

1 Report of Programme Validation Panel Panel Visit: 12 th June 2013 Named Award: Programme Title(s): Exit Awards: Award Type: Award Class: NFQ Level: 8, 7, 6 ECTS / ACCS Credits: 240, 180, 120 First Intake: September 2013 Bachelor of Science (Honours) Bachelor of Science (Honours) in General Nursing Bachelor of Science in Health Studies Higher Certificate in Science in Health Studies Honours Bachelor Degree Major Panel Members Dr. Michael Hall Chair Registrar, Tralee Institute of Technology Ms Jacqueline Burke Academic University College Dublin (UCD) Ms Louise McBride Academic Letterkenny Institute of Technology (LyIT) Kavanagh Dr Michael Shannon Industry Director, Nursing and Midwifery Services Ms Tara Westby Graduate Sligo Institute of Technology Ms. Ann Campbell Secretary to Panel Registrar, Dundalk Institute of Technology (DkIT) Programme Development Team Dr. Edel Healy Ms Briege King Mr Mark Cunningham Mr Myles Hackett Ms Geraldine McDaid Ms Sinead Costello Ms Ann Evert-Reynolds Ms Kathleen Rooney Mr Raymond Boyle Dr Geraldine O Connor Ms Lorraine McGeough Ms Marina O Connor Ms Louise Wayenburg Dr John Dallat Dr Moira Maguire Dr Gerry McTaggart Ms Audrey Donnelly Ms Ailish McArdle Ms Brid Delahunt Dr Brid Moloney Report of Validation Panel Page 1/9

2 1 Introduction The following report to Academic Council is a validation panel report from an expert panel of assessors on a proposal from the School of Health and Science at Dundalk Institute of Technology to design the following programmes: Bachelor of Science (Honours) in General Nursing Bachelor of Science in Health Studies (Exit Award) Higher Certificate in Science in Health Studies (Exit Award) The evaluators would like to thank the members of the development team for engaging generously and openly with the review process. The report is divided into the following sections: Background to Proposed Programme General Findings of the Validation Panel Programme-Level Findings Module-Level Findings 2 Background to Proposed Programme This is an amendment of an existing programme. See programme submission for more detailed information 3 General Findings of the Validation Panel The panel would like to commend the programme development team for the quality and comprehensiveness of the documentation submitted. The engagement and commitment of the team was evident on the day of the validation panel and a high level of team work was evident. The validation panel acknowledged and commended the General Nursing Team s high quality and thorough preparation which was evident in the revised curriculum document prepared and presented for validation. Having considered the documentation provided and discussed it with the programme development team, the validation panel recommends the following: Bachelor of Science (Honours) in General Nursing Accredited for the next five academic years or until the next programmatic review, whichever occurs sooner Accredited subject to conditions and/or recommendations Re-designed and re-submitted to the same validation panel after additional developmental work Not Accredited X X Bachelor of Science in Health Studies (Exit Award) Accredited for the next five academic years or until the next programmatic review, whichever occurs sooner X Report of Validation Panel Page 2/9

3 Accredited subject to conditions and/or recommendations Re-designed and re-submitted to the same validation panel after additional developmental work Not Accredited X Higher Certificate in Science in Health Studies (Exit Award) Accredited for the next five academic years or until the next programmatic review, whichever occurs sooner Accredited subject to conditions and/or recommendations Re-designed and re-submitted to the same validation panel after additional developmental work Not Accredited X X Note(s): Conditions and recommendations described for the parent award apply equally for the specified exit awards. Approval is conditional on the submission of a revised programme document that takes account of the conditions and recommendations outlined below and a response document describing the actions of the Department to address the conditions and recommendations made by the programme validation panel. In this report, the term Condition is used to indicate an action or amendment which in the view of the validation panel must be undertaken prior to the commencement of the programme. Conditions are mandatory if the programme is to be approved. The term Recommendation indicates an item to which the Programme Board should give serious consideration for implementation at an early stage and which should be the subject of on-going monitoring. 4 Programme-Level Findings This section of the report addresses the following programme level considerations: Demand Award Institute strategy alignment Entry requirements Access, transfer and progression Standards and Outcomes Programme structure Teaching and Learning Strategies Assessment Strategy Resource requirements Quality Assurance. 4.1 Demand Validation Criterion: Overall Finding: Is there a convincing need for the programme and has evidence been provided to support it? Yes Report of Validation Panel Page 3/9

4 Condition(s): None. Recommendation(s): Reference in the programme document the 2011 Nurses and Midwives Act; Reference also the Programme for Government with reference to the new policy on Acute Hospitals Trust; Reference further the HSE Service Plan. 4.2 Award Validation Criterion: Overall Finding: Is the level and type of the award appropriate? Yes Condition(s): None. Recommendation(s): None. 4.3 Institute Strategy Alignment Validation Criterion: Overall Finding: Is the proposed programme aligned to the Institute s strategy and are the strategic themes of entrepreneurship, sustainability and internationalisation embedded in the proposed programme as appropriate? Yes Condition(s): None. Recommendation(s): None. 4.4 Entry Requirements Validation Criterion: Overall Finding: Are the entry requirements for the proposed programme clear and appropriate? Yes Condition(s): None. Report of Validation Panel Page 4/9

5 Recommendation(s): None. 4.5 Access, Transfer and Progression Validation Criterion: Overall Finding: Does the proposed programme incorporate the procedures for access, transfer and progression that have been established by the NQAI and does it accommodate a variety of access and entry requirements? Yes Condition(s): None. Recommendation(s): None. 4.6 Standards and Outcomes Validation Criterion: Does the proposed programme meet the required award standards for programmes at the proposed NFQ level (i.e. conform to QQI Award Standards)? Overall Finding: For parent award? Yes For exit award? - Yes The awards standards requirements for programmes on the NFQ Framework can be found at Condition(s): None. Recommendation(s): Consider the terminology used to describe learning outcomes in Stage 1 and 2 to reflect their status as level 8 modules. Clarify Institute s position on exit awards, in respect of students exiting at level 6 or level 7, when all modules are delivered at level Programme Structure Validation Criterion: Is the programme structure logical and well designed and can the stated proposed programme outcomes in terms of employment Report of Validation Panel Page 5/9

6 Overall Finding: skills and career opportunities be met by this programme? Yes Condition(s): None. Recommendation(s): The Panel approves the elective choice but caution against the duplication of essential content within elective modules, or relying on electives to cover essential content going forward. Include reference in the programme document to clinical placement arrangements with The Hermitage. 4.8 Teaching and Learning Strategies Validation Criterion: Overall Finding: Have appropriate teaching and learning strategies been provided for the proposed programme? Yes Condition(s): None. Recommendation(s): None. 4.9 Assessment Strategies Validation Criterion: Overall Finding: Have appropriate programme assessment strategies been provided for the proposed programme (as outlined in the QQI/HETAC Assessment and Guidelines, 2009)? Yes Assessment strategies are required in line with HETAC s Assessment and Standards and should form a substantial part of the documentation to be considered by the programme validation panel. See (HETAC (2009) Assessment and Standards, Section 4.6.1, page 33). Accordingly the assessment strategy should address the following (See (HETAC (2009) Assessment and Standards, Section 2.2.5, page 13) : Description and Rationale for the choice of assessment tasks, criteria and procedures. This should address fairness and consistency, specifically their validity, reliability and authenticity; Describe any special regulations; Regulate, build upon and integrate the module assessment strategies; Provide contingent strategy for cases where learners claim exemption from modules, Report of Validation Panel Page 6/9

7 including recognition of prior learning; Ensure the programme s continuous assessment workload is appropriately balanced; Relate to the teaching and learning strategy; Demonstrate how grading criteria will be developed to relate to the Institutional grading system. The Institute resource entitled Assessment and Learning: A Policy for Dundalk Institute of Technology (Nov 2010) ( should also be consulted. Condition(s): Ensure consistency and clarity of re-assessment strategies to ensure module descriptors accurately describe re-assessment requirements. Clarify nature of assessments in module descriptors. Recommendation(s): None 4.10Resource Requirements Validation Criterion: Overall Finding: Does the Institute possess the resources and facilities necessary to deliver the proposed programme? Yes Condition(s): None. Recommendation(s): None. 4.11Quality Assurance Validation Criterion: Overall Finding: Does the proposed programme demonstrate how the Institute s quality assurance procedures have been applied and that satisfactory procedures exist for the on-going monitoring and periodic review of programmes? Yes The Institute s Quality Assurance Procedures are published in the Academic Quality Assurance Manual available at: and include approved procedures for the on-going monitoring and periodic review of Programmes. Condition(s): Report of Validation Panel Page 7/9

8 Incorporate Special Regulations into Programme Schedules. Recommendation(s): Describe in greater detail the stakeholder input to the programme, referring in particular to PSP. 4.12Programme Management Validation Criterion: Overall Finding: Are the programme management structures adequate? yes The introduction of programme directors (including first-year convenors) has had a significant impact on the efficiency of and communication within the programme management structure. This should be retained into the future. Condition(s): None. Recommendation(s): Provide glossary to define the roles of Stage Convenor, First Year Convenor and Programme Director, Link Lecturer and other relevant terms utilised in the curriculum and support documents. 5 Module-Level Findings Condition(s): None. Recommendation(s): None. 5.1 Assessment Strategies Validation Criterion: Overall Finding: Have appropriate module assessment strategies been included in the proposed programme? Yes Condition(s): See 4.9 above in respect of applying a consistent approach to re-assessment. Recommendation(s): None. Report of Validation Panel Page 8/9

9 5.2 Other Findings Condition(s): None. Recommendation(s): None. Validation Panel Report Approved By: Signed: Dr. Michael Hall, Chairperson. Date: 12 th June Report of Validation Panel Page 9/9

10 Response to the Report of the Programme Validation Panel Panel Visit: 12 th June 2013 Named Award: Programme Title(s): Exit Awards: Award Type: Award Class: NFQ Level: 8 ECTS / ACCS Credits: 240 First Intake: September 2013 Bachelor of Science (Honours) Bachelor of Science (Honours) in General Nursing Bachelor of Science in Health Studies (Level 7; 180 credits) Higher Certificate in Health Studies (Level 6; 120 credits) Bachelor of Science (Honours) Major Panel Members Dr. Michael Hall Chair Registrar, Tralee Institute of Technology Ms Jacqueline Burke Academic University College Dublin (UCD) Ms Louise McBride Academic Letterkenny Institute of Technology (LyIT) Kavanagh Dr Michael Shannon Industry Director, Nursing and Midwifery Services Ms Tara Westby Graduate Sligo Institute of Technology Ms. Ann Campbell Secretary to Panel Registrar, Dundalk Institute of Technology (DkIT) Programme Development Team Dr. Edel Healy Ms Briege King Mr Mark Cunningham Mr Myles Hackett Ms Geraldine McDaid Ms Sinead Costello Ms Ann Evert-Reynolds Ms Kathleen Rooney Mr Raymond Boyle Dr Geraldine O Connor Ms Lorraine McGeough Ms Marina O Connor Ms Louise Wayenburg Dr John Dallat Dr Moira Maguire Dr Gerry McTaggart Ms Audrey Donnelly Ms Ailish McArdle Ms Brid Delahunt Dr Brid Moloney School Response to Validation Panel Report Page 1/11

11 1 Introduction The following report to Academic Council is a validation panel report from an expert panel of assessors on a proposal from the School of Health and Science at Dundalk Institute of Technology to design the following programmes: Bachelor of Science (Honours)in General Nursing Bachelor of Science in Health Studies (Exit Award) Higher Certificate in Health Studies (Exit Award) The evaluators would like to thank the members of the development team for engaging generously and openly with the review process. The report is divided into the following sections: Background to Proposed Programme General Findings of the Validation Panel Programme-Level Findings Module-Level Findings 2 Background to Proposed Programme This is an amendment of an existing programme. See programme submission for more detailed information 3 General Findings of the Validation Panel The panel would like to commend the programme development team for the quality and comprehensiveness of the documentation submitted. The engagement and commitment of the team was evident on the day of the validation panel and a high level of team work was evident. The validation panel acknowledged and commended the General Nursing Team s high quality and thorough preparation which was evident in the revised curriculum document prepared and presented for validation. Having considered the documentation provided and discussed it with the programme development team, the validation panel recommends the following: Bachelor of Science (Honours) in General Nursing Accredited for the next five academic years or until the next programmatic review, whichever occurs sooner Accredited subject to conditions and/or recommendations Re-designed and re-submitted to the same validation panel after additional developmental work Not Accredited X X Bachelor of Science in Health Studies (Exit Award) Accredited for the next five academic years or until the next programmatic review, whichever occurs sooner X School Response to Validation Panel Report Page 2/11

12 Accredited subject to conditions and/or recommendations Re-designed and re-submitted to the same validation panel after additional developmental work Not Accredited X Higher Certificate in Health Studies (Exit Award) Accredited for the next five academic years or until the next programmatic review, whichever occurs sooner Accredited subject to conditions and/or recommendations Re-designed and re-submitted to the same validation panel after additional developmental work Not Accredited X X Note(s): Conditions and recommendations described for the parent award apply equally for the specified exit awards. Approval is conditional on the submission of a revised programme document that takes account of the conditions and recommendations outlined below and a response document describing the actions of the Department to address the conditions and recommendations made by the programme validation panel. In this report, the term Condition is used to indicate an action or amendment which in the view of the validation panel must be undertaken prior to the commencement of the programme. Conditions are mandatory if the programme is to be approved. The term Recommendation indicates an item to which the Programme Board should give serious consideration for implementation at an early stage and which should be the subject of on-going monitoring. 4 Programme-Level Findings This section of the report addresses the following programme level considerations: Demand Award Institute strategy alignment Entry requirements Access, transfer and progression Standards and Outcomes Programme structure Teaching and Learning Strategies Assessment Strategy Resource requirements Quality Assurance. 4.1 Demand Validation Criterion: Overall Finding: Is there a convincing need for the programme and has evidence been provided to support it? Yes School Response to Validation Panel Report Page 3/11

13 Condition(s): None Recommendation(s): Reference in the programme document the 2011 Nurses and Midwives Act; Reference also the Programme for Government with reference to the new policy on Acute Hospitals Trust; Reference further the HSE Service Plan. School Response: The 2011 Nurses and Midwives Act and the Programme for Government are already referenced in the document, page 15- (See Appendix 1). The HSE Service Plan shall be reviewed and appropriate content included in the document. 4.2 Award Validation Criterion: Overall Finding: Is the level and type of the award appropriate? Yes Condition(s): None. Recommendation(s): None. 4.3 Institute Strategy Alignment Validation Criterion: Overall Finding: Is the proposed programme aligned to the Institute s strategy and are the strategic themes of entrepreneurship, sustainability and internationalisation embedded in the proposed programme as appropriate? Yes Condition(s): None. Recommendation(s): None. School Response to Validation Panel Report Page 4/11

14 4.4 Entry Requirements Validation Criterion: Overall Finding: Are the entry requirements for the proposed programme clear and appropriate? Yes Condition(s): None. Recommendation(s): None. 4.5 Access, Transfer and Progression Validation Criterion: Overall Finding: Does the proposed programme incorporate the procedures for access, transfer and progression that have been established by the NQAI and does it accommodate a variety of access and entry requirements? Yes Condition(s): None. Recommendation(s): None. 4.6 Standards and Outcomes Validation Criterion: Does the proposed programme meet the required award standards for programmes at the proposed NFQ level (i.e. conform to QQI Award Standards)? Overall Finding: For parent award? Yes For exit award? - Yes The awards standards requirements for programmes on the NFQ Framework can be found at Condition(s): None. School Response to Validation Panel Report Page 5/11

15 Recommendation(s): Consider the terminology used to describe learning outcomes in Stage 1 and 2 to reflect their status as level 8 modules. Clarify Institute s position on exit awards, in respect of students exiting at level 6 or level 7, when all modules are delivered at level 8. School Response: The Programme Board note the recommendations of the panel. We are of the opinion that these relate to Institute wide policy and shall raise it as a discussion point at the relevant Institute Fora. 4.7 Programme Structure Validation Criterion: Overall Finding: Is the programme structure logical and well designed and can the stated proposed programme outcomes in terms of employment skills and career opportunities be met by this programme? Yes Condition(s): None. Recommendation(s): The Panel approves the elective choice but caution against the duplication of essential content within elective modules, or relying on electives to cover essential content going forward. School Response: The team shall review the elective modules taking into account the comments of this recommendation. The electives however have been chosen because they do not cover essential content. Include reference in the programme document to clinical placement arrangements with The Hermitage. School Response: This information shall be included in the document. The clinical placement arrangements in the Hermitage are identical to that in place for HSE sites. School Response to Validation Panel Report Page 6/11

16 4.8 Teaching and Learning Strategies Validation Criterion: Overall Finding: Have appropriate teaching and learning strategies been provided for the proposed programme? Yes Condition(s): None. Recommendation(s): None. 4.9 Assessment Strategies Validation Criterion: Overall Finding: Have appropriate programme assessment strategies been provided for the proposed programme (as outlined in the QQI/HETAC Assessment and Guidelines, 2009)? Yes Assessment strategies are required in line with HETAC s Assessment and Standards and should form a substantial part of the documentation to be considered by the programme validation panel. See (HETAC (2009) Assessment and Standards, Section 4.6.1, page 33). Accordingly the assessment strategy should address the following (See (HETAC (2009) Assessment and Standards, Section 2.2.5, page 13) : Description and Rationale for the choice of assessment tasks, criteria and procedures. This should address fairness and consistency, specifically their validity, reliability and authenticity; Describe any special regulations; Regulate, build upon and integrate the module assessment strategies; Provide contingent strategy for cases where learners claim exemption from modules, including recognition of prior learning; Ensure the programme s continuous assessment workload is appropriately balanced; Relate to the teaching and learning strategy; Demonstrate how grading criteria will be developed to relate to the Institutional grading system. The Institute resource entitled Assessment and Learning: A Policy for Dundalk Institute of Technology (Nov 2010) ( should also be consulted. Condition(s): Ensure consistency and clarity of re-assessment strategies to ensure module descriptors accurately describe re-assessment requirements. Clarify nature of assessments in module descriptors. School Response to Validation Panel Report Page 7/11

17 School Response: All module descriptors shall be updated on AKARI to include the information indicated above. An example of a completed module with the required information is included in Appendix 2. Recommendation(s): None 4.10Resource Requirements Validation Criterion: Overall Finding: Does the Institute possess the resources and facilities necessary to deliver the proposed programme? Yes Condition(s): None. Recommendation(s): None. 4.11Quality Assurance Validation Criterion: Overall Finding: Does the proposed programme demonstrate how the Institute s quality assurance procedures have been applied and that satisfactory procedures exist for the on-going monitoring and periodic review of programmes? Yes The Institute s Quality Assurance Procedures are published in the Academic Quality Assurance Manual available at: and include approved procedures for the on-going monitoring and periodic review of Programmes. Condition(s): Incorporate Special Regulations into Programme Schedules. School Response: Special Regulations have been incorporated into the Programme Schedule (See Appendix 3). School Response to Validation Panel Report Page 8/11

18 Recommendation(s): Describe in greater detail the stakeholder input to the programme, referring in particular to PSP. School Response: This information has been included in Appendix 9 of the Programme document (See Appendix 1 of this response document). 4.12Programme Management Validation Criterion: Overall Finding: Are the programme management structures adequate? yes The introduction of programme directors (including first-year convenors) has had a significant impact on the efficiency of and communication within the programme management structure. This should be retained into the future. Condition(s): None. Recommendation(s): Provide glossary to define the roles of Stage Convenor, First Year Convenor and Programme Director, Link Lecturer and other relevant terms utilised in the curriculum and support documents. School Response: This information is already included in Appendix 9 of the Programme document (See Appendix 1 of this response document). 5 Module-Level Findings Condition(s): None. Recommendation(s): None. School Response to Validation Panel Report Page 9/11

19 5.1 Assessment Strategies Validation Criterion: Overall Finding: Have appropriate module assessment strategies been included in the proposed programme? Yes Condition(s): See 4.9 above in respect of applying a consistent approach to re-assessment. School Response: All module descriptors shall be updated on Akari Document to include the information indicated above. An example of a completed module with the required information is included in Appendix 1. Recommendation(s): None. 5.2 Other Findings Condition(s): None. Recommendation(s): None. School Response to Validation Panel Report Page 10/11

20 Signed on behalf of the School Dr. Edel Healy, Head of School of Health and Science. Date: 1 st December 2013 I confirm that the conditions and recommendations contained in the validation panel report have now been met and recommend this programme to the Academic Council at Dundalk Institute of Technology for ratification. Signed on behalf of the Validation Panel Dr. Michael Hall, Chair. Date:??? School Response to Validation Panel Report Page 11/11

21 School of Health and Science Department of Nursing, Midwifery & Health Studies & Health Service Executive Dublin North East BSc. (Hons) in General Nursing MAY 2013

22 BSc. (Hons) in General Nursing Section 1 Section 2 Table of Contents Page No: General Information 1.1 Provider Profile Programme Details Introduction to Dundalk Institute of Technology Vision Statement Mission Statement Organisation of Institute School of Health and Science 11 BSc (Hons) in General Nursing 2.1 General Nursing Education BSc. (Hons) in General Nursing Admission Criteria Demand for the Programme Programme Review Process Programme Philosophy Programme Aim Philosophy of Education Learning and Teaching Strategy Assessment Strategy Clinical Assessment Career Opportunities Graduate Profile Academic Progression Resourcing the Programme Programme Structure Special Progression Requirements Progression Eligibility Award Calculation Exit Award References 109 Department of Nursing, Midwifery and Health Studies, DkIT 2

23 BSc. (Hons) in General Nursing Section 3 Student Services Page No: 3.1 Library Services Learner Support Services 121 Section 4 Programme Management and Quality Assurance 4.1 Programme Management and Quality Assurance 128 Section 5 Learning Outcomes in the Context of the National Qualifications Authority of Ireland (NQAI) Framework for Level 8 Programmes 135 Section 6 Module Descriptors 136 Section 7 Appendices 1. Structure of Reflective Practice Medication Report Strategic Themes Assessment Strategies (Formative & Summative) Assignment Feedback Sheet Accommodation Resources List of Equipment Academic Marking Criteria Programme Director and First Year Convenor Role Description Department of Nursing, Midwifery and Health Studies, DkIT 3

24 BSc. (Hons) in General Nursing Figures Page No: 1 Institute Organisation Chart 10 2 Factors influencing the undergraduate 15 nursing curriculum 3 Some key policy reports driving change 17 4 Approach to Evaluation and Review of the BSc. (Hons) in 24 General Nursing Programme 5 Key Groups and their role in programme development 25 6 Academic Support 73 7 Clinical Placement Support 77 8 Approach undertaken to evaluate and review methods of assessing 82 clinical practice 9 Examples of Career Pathways for Nurses Graduate Profile Academic Progression Flow Chart Structure of Programme Partnership Quality Management Structures 133 Tables 1 CAO Application Figures 22 2 Membership of the Programme Directors Group 26 3 Membership of the General Nursing Programme 26 Development Group 4 Contributors to the Programme Development 26 5 Membership of the Clinical Documentation Partnership 27 Group 6 Contributors to the Clinical Documentation Partnership 27 Group 7 Overview of Changes made to Programme Structure 32 8 Changes made to Modules 33 9 Key Objectives in the Learning and Teaching Strategy Progression in Learning over Four Years Programme Assessment Schedule Examples of how the range of assessments utilised develop a 68 graduate s knowledge and skills. 13 Clinical Performance Assessment Criteria Programme Layout Schedules for Programme 99 Department of Nursing, Midwifery and Health Studies, DkIT 4

25 BSc. (Hons) in General Nursing Section 1 General Information Department of Nursing, Midwifery and Health Studies, DkIT 5

26 BSc. (Hons) in General Nursing 1.1 Provider Profile Name of Provider: Address: Name of President: Title Dundalk Institute of Technology Dublin Road, Dundalk, Co. Louth. Denis Cummins Mr Telephone No Fax Head of School Head of Department Dr. Edel Healy Mr. Myles Hackett Which of the following best describes the business of the Provider: (a) Non-Profit Education and/or Training: - College - Institute (b) - University - Other If other, specify: State Organisation: - Government Department - Semi-State Body (c) - Other If other, specify: Private Commercial Enterprise: Please specify: Where appropriate, state PAYE/PRSI and VAT numbers: U U IE U PAYE PRSI VAT Department of Nursing, Midwifery and Health Studies, DkIT 6

27 BSc. (Hons) in General Nursing 1.2 Programme Details Proposed Programme Title: Bachelor of Science (Honours) in General Nursing (BSc (Hons) in General Nursing) (a) Proposed Duration of Years 4 Months Programme: (b) Programme Level: Found Post grad (c) Clinical Placement: Yes No Proposed Commencement Date: Day Month Year - September 2013 Programme Status: Full-time Part-time Delivery Mode Provider Based Out-Reach Centre By Distance On-line Other If other, specify: Location of Delivery: The proposed Programme will be offered by Dundalk Institute of Technology (DkIT). The theoretical component will be delivered at DkIT and the placements will be accommodated off provider s premises with The Health Services Executive Dublin/North East, The Hermitage Medical Clinic and other associate clinical placement sites within the public and private health care system. Intake Number(s): Yr.1 Yr.2 Yr.3 Yr Total Admission Criteria: (details on page 21) National Minimum Entry Requirements Other Department of Nursing, Midwifery and Health Studies, DkIT 7

28 BSc. (Hons) in General Nursing 1.3 Introduction to Dundalk Institute of Technology Dundalk Institute of Technology (DkIT) is a major provider of higher education in the North-East region of Ireland. Established in 1970 as the Regional Technical College offering primarily technician and apprenticeship courses, it has evolved since then as a major player in Irish higher education and currently provides a suite of programmes at craft, undergraduate and postgraduate levels to more than 3,500 full-time and 1,500 part-time students. 1.4 Vision Statement Dundalk Institute of Technology will provide university-level higher education to graduates who will excel in their specialised discipline and have the creativity, confidence, resilience and entrepreneurial flair to thrive in the 21st Century. Working sustainably and with a practical focus, we will help lead the regeneration of the North East region and more widely Ireland by acting locally and thinking globally. 1.5 Mission Statement DkIT is fully committed to its role in the economic, social and cultural development of the region. This plan has a particular focus on developing learners and graduates with the following qualities: Excellent in their discipline Able to apply disciplinary and trans-disciplinary knowledge, especially focusing on entrepreneurship and sustainability Able to contribute globally as well as locally Personal and employability qualities to include an ability to solve complex problems; critical thinking; systems thinking and capacity for on-going learning. 1.6 Organisation of Institute Under the terms of the Regional Technical Colleges Act 1992, the Institute has, since January 1993, been set up as an autonomous body. The current Management structure of the Institute is depicted in the Institute Organisation is depicted in Fig. 1. Department of Nursing, Midwifery and Health Studies, DkIT 8

29 BSc. (Hons) in General Nursing Figure 1: Institute Organisation Chart Governing Body Academic Council & Sub-Committees President Mr Denis Cummins Head of Research Dr Tim McCormac Head of Teaching and Learning Dr John Dallat Head of Development Mr Gerry Carroll Secretary/Financial Controller Mr Peter McGrath Registrar Ms Ann Campbell Head of School of Informatics & Creative Arts Dr Bob McKiernan Head of School of Business & Humanities Mr Cathal Kearney Head of School of Engineering Mr Eugene Roe Head of School Health & Science Dr Edel Healy External Services Manager Ms Irene McCausland Estates Manager Mr. Conor Lait Finance Manager Ms Marie Madigan Human Resources Manager Mr. Ger O Driscoll Assistant Registrar Dr. Brendan Ryder Academic/Student Affairs Manager Ms Linda Murphy I.T. Manager Mr James McCahill Head of Computing & Mathematics Dr. Christian Horn Head of Music & Creative Media Dr. Eibhlis Farrell Head of Dept. of Business Studies Vacancy Head of Dept. of Management & Professional Studies Mr. Shane Hill Head of Dept. of Infrastructural and Environmental Studies Mr Pat Mc Cormack Head of Dept. of Electronics & Mechanical Engineering Dr Dan O Brien Head of Dept. Of Applied Sciences Dr Breda Brennan Head of Dept. of Nursing & Health Studies Mr Myles Hackett Freedom of Information Officer/ Staff Development Ms Loretto Gaughran Librarian Ms Ann Cleary Diarmuid Cahill Schools Liaison Officer Head of Dept. of Humanities Dr David Getty Head of Hospitality Studies Ms Brianain Erraught Head of Department of Building & Surveying Mr Noel McKenna Head of Department of Engineering Trades Mr John Carolan Head of Midwifery Section Ms Jill Atkinson Manager, Lifelong Learning Centre Mr A. Barrett Department of Nursing, Midwifery and Health Studies, DkIT 9

30 BSc (Hons) in General Nursing 1.7 School of Health and Science The School of Health and Science comprises of the Department of Nursing, Midwifery and Health Studies incorporating the Midwifery Section and the Department of Applied Sciences. It is the second largest school in DkIT with over 1200 students. It also contains three major research centres namely the Netwell Research Centre, the Smooth Muscle Research Centre and the Centre for Freshwater and Environmental Studies. The Department of Nursing, Midwifery and Health Studies has developed close links with the Netwell Centre which focusses on the area of Ageing. 1.8 Department of Nursing, Midwifery and Health Studies The Department of Nursing, Midwifery and Health Studies at DkIT was established in August 2002, following a decision by the Government to transfer pre-registration nursing education from hospital based Schools of Nursing to third level colleges (Universities and Institutes of Technology). Since its establishment, the Department has gone through a period of phenomenal growth. There are currently over 700 students enrolled on programmes at Levels 7, 8, 9 and 10 of which the majority are at Level Staff and Staff Development Currently, there are 29 members of staff including Head of the Department, lecturing staff, administration staff, allocations officer and clinical skills technician. The Institute encourages its staff to progress within their chosen area of employment. An Bord Altranais (2005) specifies that staff teaching on the BSc (Hons) in General Nursing should be adequately qualified to support the professional and educational level of this programme. Within the Department of Nursing, Midwifery and Health Studies, all staff teaching on the programme have obtained at least a Masters level qualification. The majority of staff have also completed a programme in education and therefore have an additional teaching qualification. Staff are actively encouraged Department of Nursing, Midwifery and Health Studies, DkIT 10

31 BSc (Hons) in General Nursing to study to PhD level and within the Department several members of staff have achieved a PhD qualification and others are actively engaged in such studies. Staff development within the Institute and the department is supported by the staff appraisal system, which highlights the required development needs of staff in order to achieve the goals and outcomes of the Department and Institute. Furthermore, staff development is also supported by a range of initiatives that are facilitated by the Human Resource Department, the Centre for Teaching and Learning and the Research Office Existing Programmes offered by the Department of Nursing, Midwifery & Health Studies. FETAC level 3: Skills for Independent Living HETAC level 6: Higher Certificate in Arts in Health Promotion Certificate in understanding behaviour associated with Ageing HETAC level 7: BSc in the Prevention and Management of Aggression and Violence HETAC level 8: BSc (Honours) in General Nursing Certificate in the Assessment and Management of the Acutely Ill Adult (Special Purpose Award) BSc (Honours) in Psychiatric Nursing BSc (Honours) in Intellectual Disability Nursing BSc (Honours) in Midwifery Certificate in the Assessment and Management of the Acutely Woman in Department of Nursing, Midwifery and Health Studies, DkIT 11

32 BSc (Hons) in General Nursing Maternity Services (Special Purpose Award) Higher Diploma in Midwifery BA (Honours) in Early Childhood Studies BSc (Honours) in Health and Physical Activity HETAC level 9 & 10 Masters in Midwifery Praxis Master of Science in Ageing, Health and Environment Masters by Research PhD by Research Department of Nursing, Midwifery and Health Studies, DkIT 12

33 BSc (Hons) in General Nursing Section 2 BSc (Hons) in General Nursing Department of Nursing, Midwifery and Health Studies, DkIT 13

34 BSc (Hons) in General Nursing 2.1 General Nursing Education The four year BSc (Hons) in General Nursing first commenced at Dundalk Institute of Technology in September The rationale for the implementation of this degree programme arose out of the significant changes in nurse education which took place in response to the recommendations of the Report of the Commission on Nursing: A Blueprint for the Future (1998), Nurse Education and Training Evaluation in Ireland (1998), Report of the Nursing Education Forum (2000) and the Report of the Paediatric Nurse Education Review Group (2000). These key reports informed the progression of undergraduate nursing education programmes in Ireland, in particular the move of undergraduate nursing education from Schools of Nursing into the higher education sector. This reflected the move internationally which was supported by the World Health Organisation (WHO, 2001), towards degree level education as a prerequisite for professional practice. Over the last decade the content and structure of the nursing curriculum has been influenced by many factors (see Fig. 2) which led to changes in the nursing undergraduate curriculum. Figure 2: Factors influencing the undergraduate nursing curriculum Department of Nursing, Midwifery and Health Studies, DkIT 14

35 BSc (Hons) in General Nursing Furthermore, in an age of increasing globalisation the WHO published Global Standards for the Initial Education of Professional Nurses and Midwives (WHO, 2009) to be used as a benchmark for progressing education and learning systems towards a common competency-based outcome. The goal of these standards is to establish educational criteria and assure outcomes that: are based on evidence and competency promote the progressive nature of education and lifelong learning ensure the employment of practitioners who are competent and who, by providing quality care, promote positive health outcomes in the populations they serve. At a European level the Bologna Declaration (1999) and the subsequent Bologna Process influenced the delivery of nursing education in Ireland. The Bologna process aimed to harmonise academic degree standards and quality assurance standards throughout Europe. The subsequent Tuning Project intended to implement the Bologna process with a view to standardising nursing education by identifying congruent, generic, and specific learning outcomes and competences for nursing/midwifery graduates at bachelor's, master's, and doctoral levels (Baumann and Blythe, 2008). Furthermore, according to Tuning, learning outcomes are to be obtained by the learner and as such will change education from a staff centred approach to a student orientated approach. The Report of the Review of Undergraduate Nursing and Midwifery Degree Programmes (2012) recommended that the five domains from the Nursing Subject Area of the Tuning Project should inform the competency goals at bachelor degree level. These domains are similar in theme to the five domains of competence that general nursing education is currently based on and are evident strands throughout the programme. In December 2011 the Nurses and Midwives Act (No. 41 of 2011) was signed into legislation. With effect from October , the name of An Bord Altranais has been changed to Bord Altranais agus Cnáimhseachais na héireann, or the Nursing and Midwifery Board of Ireland (NMBI). This change of name reflects the recognition of Department of Nursing, Midwifery and Health Studies, DkIT 15

36 BSc (Hons) in General Nursing midwifery as a separate and distinct profession. Of particular importance to general nursing education are the following key points: The introduction of reforms to the regulation of Fitness to Practise proceedings. The Act provides a statutory regime of continuing professional development (CPD) for registered nurses and midwives for the first time. The purpose of the Act is to enhance the high standards of professional education, training and competence of nurses and midwives. The enforcement of this Act and its provision s will further strengthen nursing as a profession and will have significant implications for graduates from this programme. It will impose a duty on the graduate to maintain his/her professional competence in accordance with a scheme to be adopted by the NMBI. In addition to the educational goals outlined above, the recent Report of the Review of Undergraduate Nursing and Midwifery Degree Programmes (DOH, 2012) maintains that the curriculum content needs to reflect the significant changes that have occurred in the healthcare environment over the last decade. These changes are driven by changing demographics and epidemiology and the national healthcare reform programme (Programme for Government ; HSE, 2013). The national demographic and epidemiological profile indicates that general nurses will require skills to care for an increasing number of people with chronic diseases, cancer and for an ageing population (DOHC, 2008; DOH, 2012; HSE, 2013). Furthermore, it is predicted that the increase in the volume of care delivered in the community will increase (Programme for Government ; HSE, 2011; HSE, 2012). The launch of Future Health: A Strategic Framework for Reform of the Health Service (DOH, 2012) and the Report on the Establishment of Hospital Groups as a Transition to Independent Hospital Trusts (DOH, 2013) sets out the Governments ambitious and radical plans for further healthcare reform. The Department of Nursing, Midwifery and Health Studies, DkIT 16

37 BSc (Hons) in General Nursing proposed changes will over time improve services and deliver better outcomes of healthcare for patients. Some key policy reports which are driving changes in service delivery, models of care and subsequently the development of the nursing undergraduate degree programmes at DkIT are outlined in Fig. 3. Figure 3: Some key policy reports driving change The recent Report of the Review of Undergraduate Nursing and Midwifery Degree Programmes (DOH, 2012) concludes that the delivery of care should be driven by high quality evidence-based clinical programmes. The review concurs with the National Strategy for Higher Education to 2030 (Department of Education and Skills, 2011) stipulating that nursing and midwifery programmes must maintain high quality Department of Nursing, Midwifery and Health Studies, DkIT 17

38 BSc (Hons) in General Nursing teaching and learning for students who are educated to provide safe and effective care to patients in a modern health service. They also emphasise the centrality of high quality research and collaboration as cornerstones of educational systems. 2.2 BSc. (Hons) in General Nursing The BSc (Hons) in General Nursing programme will prepare nurses to deliver patient focused, equitable, safe, high quality nursing care for the Irish healthcare services promoting health and wellbeing. It will also prepare student nurses with the necessary knowledge, skills, and professional attitudes, in effect they are competent, to carry out their duties as a nurse in accordance with the definition of a general nurse (ABA, 2005). Therefore the programme is built around the following five broad domains of competence: 1. Professional/Ethical Nursing Practice This programme will facilitate students to practice in accordance with legislation and professional guidelines affecting nursing practice. It ensures that the student practices within the limits of competence and that nursing care is underpinned by a philosophy of nursing. 2. Holistic Nursing Care Students in this programme will develop knowledge, skills and competencies to practice safely and effectively in a reformed healthcare system. Using a holistic person centred approach, students will assess healthcare needs and plan care with the patient and their family to provide appropriate evidence based care. The care patients require can vary in its complexity and students will be able to recognize and respond to changes which require referral to members of the allied health care team for consultation and intervention. Department of Nursing, Midwifery and Health Studies, DkIT 18

39 BSc (Hons) in General Nursing 3. Interpersonal Relationships Students will learn how to communicate appropriately and effectively with patients and their families. Students will become proficient in communicating effectively with other members of the multidisciplinary healthcare team. They will recognise and alleviate barriers to effective communication and demonstrate the ability to accurately present and share information with colleagues. 4. Organisation and Co-ordination of Nursing Care Students will engage with all healthcare professionals to deliver efficient and effective care and assume leadership roles in the evolving healthcare system as partners on the healthcare team (DOH, 2012). As part of their clinical experience students will participate in quality improvement initiatives to improve quality, safety and person-centred nursing care. 5. Personal and Professional Development Students will act to enhance the personal and professional development of themselves and others through support, supervision and teaching. They will demonstrate a commitment to ongoing professional education and life-long learning. Overall, through the theoretical components of the programme, students will be equipped with the knowledge and skills necessary to address the overall health and well-being of patients, their families and the wider population. Practical experience gained throughout the programme and particularly in the fourth year will further enhance students professional development and provide them with an opportunity to apply and consolidate the knowledge acquired to the practice setting. Department of Nursing, Midwifery and Health Studies, DkIT 19

40 BSc (Hons) in General Nursing 2.3 Admission Criteria Before admission to the BSc (Hons) in General Nursing the applicant must: a) Have obtained in the Republic of Ireland Leaving Certificate Examination a minimum grade of C3 in two higher level papers and a minimum grade of D3 in four ordinary or higher level papers in the following subjects: (i) English or Irish (not foundation level Irish). (ii) Mathematics (not foundation level). (iii) A laboratory science subject (Biology, Physics, Chemistry, Physics & Chemistry, or Agricultural Science). (iv) Three other subjects, or b) Have achieved the equivalent minimum attainment as in a) above. Applicants presenting GC(S)E (England, Wales and Northern Ireland) examinations must have attained 2 GCE A levels at grade C or better plus 4 other passes at GCSE O level grade C or better to include English and Maths (CAO, 2007), or c) In the case of an applicant who is 23 years of age or over on the 1 st January on the year of application, he/she will be required to satisfy Bord Altranais agus Cnáimhseachais na héireann regarding suitability to undertake the Programme through the process of a written assessment, or d) Meet the minimum educational requirements specified by the Institute for entry to the programme provided that such requirements are not of a lower standard than those set out in a) above, or e) Have attained FETAC/NCVA Level 5 qualifications (FETAC level 5 qualification in Nursing Studies, Community and Health Services or Health Care Support. A minimum of Distinction (80% or greater) in 5 modules must be achieved. The modules must include Anatomy and Physiology, Introduction to Nursing, Human Growth and Development or Biology. f) Produce Garda/Police clearance on commencement of the programme. g) Undergo an occupational health check before commencement on clinical placement. If any health issues arise during the Programme of study, the student will be referred back to Occupational Health. Department of Nursing, Midwifery and Health Studies, DkIT 20

41 BSc (Hons) in General Nursing 2.4 Demand for the Programme The Department of Health (2012, p.16) Report of the Review of Undergraduate Nursing and Midwifery Degree Programmes agreed that in order to maintain stability within the health and higher education system the current number of undergraduate nurses and midwives (1570) should continue to be commissioned until the economic and service reform agenda becomes clearer. Table 1 below outlines the steady, continuing demand for general nursing places based on CAO standard and mature applications to DkIT for 2010, 2011 and Table 1: CAO Application Figures to the BSc. (Hons) in General Nursing Programme, DkIT General Nursing st choice Mature st choice This table demonstrates that there has been a consistently high level of demand for the BSc (Hons) in General Nursing programme, with over 1078 applicants in 2012 for the 40 places available. Of these 161 non-mature and 65 mature students nominated DkIT as their 1 st choice location. The geographical location of DkIT, equi-distant from Dublin and Belfast with a commute time of approximately 50 minutes to either city makes it an accessible location for commuting students. Its close proximity to Northern Ireland, particularly to Armagh and Down has resulted in a number of students from Northern Ireland choosing to study general nursing at DkIT. Department of Nursing, Midwifery and Health Studies, DkIT 21

42 BSc (Hons) in General Nursing 2.5 Programme Review Process Background In 2008 the School of Health and Science underwent a Programmatic Review. This resulted in minor amendments to the BSc. (Hons) in General Nursing Programme due to the fact that in 2005 as part of an Institute wide initiative to facilitate the transfer and progression of students the BSc (Hons) in General Nursing was modularised and semesterised. As part of the modularised and semesterised system the programme changed from six areas of study on a year-long basis to 32 theoretical modules delivered over eight semesters with clinical modules in each semester. While key content in the programme remained unchanged the restructured programme served to further facilitate student learning and assimilation of knowledge. These changes successfully occurred due to the partnership approach adopted by Dundalk Institute of Technology and the Health Service Executive. Programmatic Review 2013 Programmatic Review is a mandatory quality review process that occurs every five years, providing an opportunity to critically evaluate our programme and plan for the next five years (DkIT, 2012). As part of this review process a detailed evaluation of key stakeholders (students, academic staff, clinical practitioners and employers within the health service provider), was undertaken alongside a review of key driving forces that impact on and guide the education of nurses. The comprehensive approach undertaken to review the BSc. (Hons) in General Nursing Programme is illustrated in Fig. 4. A fundamental component in the evaluation and review of the programme was the participation of and feedback from all key stakeholders. Feedback on the students experience of the programme was provided in a series of focus groups facilitated within the Department and through student representation at Programme Board Department of Nursing, Midwifery and Health Studies, DkIT 22

43 BSc (Hons) in General Nursing meetings. In addition to this nursing students and nursing graduates were also invited to complete a questionnaire distributed via Survey Monkey. It was also considered essential to receive feedback from employers on graduates from the programme and therefore Directors of Nursing from the 4 clinical sites were invited to participate by undertaking a postal questionnaire. Lecturers in nursing, other lecturers involved in the programme, and clinical partners provided feedback on the programme in a series of meetings conducted within the Department and at clinical partnership meetings. Figure 4: Approach to Evaluation and Review of the BSc. (Hons) in General Nursing Programme Department of Nursing, Midwifery and Health Studies, DkIT 23

44 BSc (Hons) in General Nursing Programme Development 2013 The vital information provided from the evaluation and review process was used to develop the BSc. (Hons) in General Nursing Programme in Four key groups (see Fig. 5), with specific roles, guided and directed the development of the programme. Central to this was on-going communication within and between the key groups. Figure 5: Key Groups and their role in programme development Department of Nursing, Midwifery and Health Studies, DkIT 24

45 BSc (Hons) in General Nursing Table 2: Membership of the Programme Directors Group Jill Atkinson Ann Everitt Reynolds Myles Hackett Dr. Edel Healy Kevin McKenna Kathleen Nallen Joe Treacy Head of Section of Midwifery, Acting Head of Department of Nursing, Midwifery and Health Studies (September February 2013) Programme Director for BSc. (Hons) in General Nursing Programme Head of Department of Nursing, Midwifery and Health Studies, Acting Head of School of Health and Science (September February 2013) Head of School of Health & Science (seconded out of the School September 2012 February 2013). Programme Director for BSc. (Hons) in Psychiatric Nursing Programme Programme Director for BSc. (Hons) in Midwifery and the Higher Diploma in Midwifery Programmes Programme Director for BSc. (Hons) in Intellectual Disability Nursing Programme Table 3: Membership of the General Nursing Programme Development Group Brid Delahunt Ann Everitt Reynolds Ailish Mc Ardle Geraldine Mc Daid Gerry Mc Taggart Geraldine O Connor Kathleen Rooney Lecturer in Nursing Programme Director for BSc. (Hons) in General Nursing Programme Lecturer in Nursing Lecturer in Nursing Senior Lecturer in Nursing Lecturer in Nursing Lecturer in Nursing Table 4: Contributors to the Programme Development Ms. Margaret Cotter Mr. Mark Cunningham Ms. Attracta Digney Ms. Geraldine Killeen Ms. Patricia Larkin Ms Brid Maloney Ms. Moira Maguire Ms. Lorraine Mc Geough Mr. Frankie Waters Lecturer in Nursing Lecturer in Nursing Lecturer in Nursing Nursing Allocations Officer, DkIT Lecturer in Nursing Lecturer in Biochemistry Lecturer in Psychology Lecturer in Nursing Lecturer in Law Department of Nursing, Midwifery and Health Studies, DkIT 25

46 BSc (Hons) in General Nursing Table 5: Membership of the Clinical Documentation Partnership Group Lorraine Clarke General Clinical Placement Our Lady of Lourdes Co-ordinator Hospital, Drogheda Ann Everitt -Reynolds Programme Director for BSc. DkIT (Hons) in General Nursing Programme Catriona Mc Caughey General Clinical Placement Our Lady of Lourdes Co-ordinator Hospital, Drogheda Geraldine O Connor Lecturer in Nursing DkIT Table 6: Contributors to the Clinical Documentation Partnership Group Mr. Darren Behan General Clinical Placement Coordinator Our Lady s Hospital, Navan Mr. Raymond Boyle General Clinical Placement Coordinator Cavan General Hospital Ms. Sonia Carr General Clinical Placement Coordinator Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital, Drogheda Ms. Karen Clarke General Clinical Placement Coordinator Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital, Drogheda Ms. Brid Delahunt Lecturer in Nursing DkIT Ms. Geraldine Nursing Allocations Officer, DkIT Killeen Ms. Ailish Mc Ardle Lecturer in Nursing DkIT Ms. AnnMarie Murray General Clinical Placement Coordinator Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital, Drogheda Ms. Colette Patton General Clinical Placement Coordinator Cavan General Hospital Department of Nursing, Midwifery and Health Studies, DkIT 26

47 BSc (Hons) in General Nursing Programme Changes At an Institute level, the Academic Council agreed that programmes leading to major awards shall have a maximum of 10 modules per stage. A maximum of 2 yearlong modules per stage is permitted (DkIT, 2012, p.7). As a result of this and the extensive evaluation and review of the undergraduate general nursing programme changes to the structure (see Table 7 Overview Changes made to Programme Structure) and content of the programme were made to reflect new and changing models of care delivery and to reduce overlap of content within the programme (see Table 8 Changes made to Modules). Key content within the programme remains mainly unchanged; however the restructured programme serves to further facilitate student learning and assimilation of knowledge. The main changes to the programme are as follows: 1. Restructure of Theoretical Modules The overall number of modules in the programme has been reduced from twelve to nine modules in Stage 1, from eleven to ten modules in Stage 2, from eleven to six modules in Stage 3 and from six to five modules in Stage 4. This was facilitated by the amalgamation of existing modules were applicable and in such case the ECTS Credits assigned to modules were increased. It was also achieved through the introduction of year-long modules theoretical and /or clinical modules in all stages of the programme which will enhance the assimilation of knowledge. Module content was restructured to strengthen the existing curricula by avoiding overlap in content and to reflect the continual developments in the practice of nursing across the continuum of care. This was achieved through the amalgamation of modules or parts of modules e.g. Altered Health States (Gastrointestinal Nursing) and Altered Health States (Endocrine, Hepatic and Bilary Nursing) to create the new module Gastrointestinal and Hepato-bilary Nursing. The amalgamation of modules allowed for the development of new modules, such as Palliative Care and End of Life Department of Nursing, Midwifery and Health Studies, DkIT 27

48 BSc (Hons) in General Nursing Care. These topics were part of other modules but in keeping with evidence recommending greater focus on these elements in the undergraduate curricular, a distinct module is devoted to palliative care and end of life care. The introduction of three elective modules in stage 3 of the programme provides learners with choice, innovative learning opportunity and flexibility (DkIT, 2013), e.g. Civic Engagement has both academic and non-academic benefits for students as it provides them with the opportunity to further enhance their personal and professional development. More emphasis on the competencies required by nurses can be seen through the strengthening of simulated learning within the practice based modules. 2. Restructure of Clinical Modules Clinical modules were restructured as year-long modules in Stages 1, 2 and 3. A semester long clinical placement in Stage 3 of the programme will allow students to avail of International exchanges. The experience of nursing in another country is seen as a positive and enriching one with immeasurable benefits. Nursing students can fully participate in patient care exposing them to new philosophies of care and sensitising them to cultural differences in terms of caring for patients. They develop transferable academic skills leading to flexible, adaptable, open-minded, independent learners. Nursing students can network with learners and educators from all over Europe and beyond while challenging themselves to live and thrive away from home. In consultation with our clinical partners, some changes have been made to the clinical documentation. The new clinical assessment of competence workbook focuses more on capturing the student s competence for practice. Students will be assessed using the clinical performance assessment criteria for the BSc (Hons) in General Nursing as outlined later in this document (see page 84). The assessment criteria will assesses students competence in knowledge, skills, attitudes, behaviour and communication. Progression from Assisted Participant in Stage 1, Supported Department of Nursing, Midwifery and Health Studies, DkIT 28

49 BSc (Hons) in General Nursing Participant in Stage 2, Advanced Participant in Stage 3 and in Stage 4 (Internship) Proficient. Students will be actively encouraged to reflect on their practice by keeping a written record of their reflection(s) during their clinical experience and/or through participation in structured group discussions facilitated by nurse lecturers following clinical placement. Full details of the structure of reflective practice for the BSc (Hons) in General Nursing is described in Appendix 1. These guided reflective group discussions and written reflective entries replace the portfolio currently in the use in the BSc (Hons) in General Nursing. 3. Strengthening of Pharmacology /Medication Management In October 2012 the Professional Standards Partnership Group in DkIT requested that a Medication Management subgroup be formed to consider, and report on how both the theoretical and clinical perspective of medication management could be enhanced for student nurses and student midwives. As a result of the report presented by the subgroup, the key recommendations (see Appendix 2) were incorporated into new theoretical modules e.g. Palliative Care and End of Life Care and strengthened in the practice based modules through the use of formative MCQ assessments e.g. Gastrointestinal and Hepto-biliary Nursing. From a clinical perspective the students involvement in medication administration has been strengthened by making it more visible as learning outcomes in the clinical documentation. The plan to incorporate a medication assessment in Internship will enhance the existing practice, whereby 4th year students must show evidence of successfully completed the e-learning programme Guide to Medication Management on the HSE Learning Centre. Furthermore, these changes are congruent with the suggestions made in the Report of the Review of Undergraduate Nursing and Midwifery Degree Programmes (DOH, 2012). Furthermore, in conjunction to strengthening pharmacology /medication management within existing modules an elective module titled Applied Pharmacology for Nurses in year 3 was developed. This module will augment students existing knowledge. Department of Nursing, Midwifery and Health Studies, DkIT 29

50 BSc (Hons) in General Nursing 4. Strengthening Research The research stream underwent changes based on feedback from students, lecturers, and external examiners. Previously, it was thought that students were introduced to research too late in the programme that is year three. Overall the purpose of the changes were to strengthen the student s experience and engagement with research in an incremental manner. These changes are reflected in Stage 1 in the Learning to Learn module where there is a greater emphasis placed on research, sources of knowledge and evidence based practice. A new module was developed for Stage 2, The Research Process. This new module was created to familiarise students with the steps of the research process, core concepts and the language of research. In Stage 3 the module Evaluating Research replaces the critique module with a greater emphasis on analysis and synthesis of evidence for practice. The development of these skills is supported by the introduction of a journal club where, through shared learning, students should gain confidence in exploring and defending evidence for practice. In Stage 4 the Research Proposal module has little changes based on positive feedback for this module from students, staff and external examiners. These changes have strengthened weaknesses in the programme without increasing the assessment workload for students. Department of Nursing, Midwifery and Health Studies, DkIT 30

51 BSc (Hons) in General Nursing Table 7: Overview Changes made to Programme Structure The embedding of Entrepreneurship, Sustainability and Internationalisation into the Programme. Change to Number of Module Change to Module Level. Changes The three themes, as identified on Appendix 3, have been embedded into the programme curriculum. The overall number of modules in the programme has been reduced from twelve to nine modules in Stage 1, from eleven to nine modules in Stage 2, from eleven to six modules in Stage 3 and from six to five modules in Stage 4. Two modules Natural Sciences for Health Professions & Learning to Learn in Stage 1 of the Programme are at Level 7. Reason DkIT has identified these 3 themes as strategic themes to be embedded in all programmes in its Strategic Plan Please see Appendix 3 for specific details of same. At an Institute level, the Academic Council agreed that programmes leading to major awards shall have a maximum of 10 modules per stage. A maximum of 2 year-long modules per stage is permitted (DkIT 2012, p.7). The General Nursing team feel that Level 7 more accurately reflects the level of learning outcomes in Stage 1 of the Programme. Furthermore, the knowledge developed in the modules identified will be expanded throughout the programme. Department of Nursing, Midwifery and Health Studies, DkIT 31

52 BSc (Hons) in General Nursing Table 8: Changes made to Modules Title of Module(s) Change(s) Reason(s) Stage 1 Fundamentals of Care 1 Foundations Studies in Natural Sciences 1 Module reviewed and material updated. Change of Title to Safe Healthcare Practice 1. Change of title to Natural Sciences for Nursing /Midwifery Practice to incorporate the nutritional component from the Foundations in Natural Sciences 2 module (stage 1 semester 2). The current delivery mode of the Anatomy and Physiology was changed to include lecture of 1 hour and online learning 1 hour each week. The change of module title reflects the emphasis on safety in healthcare agenda. Students identified the need for the Anatomy and Physiology of body systems, where possible, to run in tandem with the practice based modules for better integration and learning. The General LecturingTeam felt that the changes in teaching the Anatomy and Physiology would complement the existing knowledge base of leaving certificate students and assist mature students in their learning of this component. Learning to Learn Preparation for Clinical Placement & Care Modalities (stage 1 semester 1) & Personal & Professional Development (stage 1 semester 2) Module reviewed and material updated to include more emphasis on research and the development of writing confidence. Replaced by a single year-long module worth 10 credits and titled changed to Foundations for General Nursing Practice. The General LecturingTeam agreed that research should be strengthened throughout the programme and as such the research content currently in the learning to learn module should be expanded to reflect an introduction to evidence-based practice and the research process. Further updates to the module are in response to three studies conducted by lecturers in the Department which focused specifically on students experiences around academic reading & writing. The focus of this module is on students developing confidence, as well as, appropriate knowledge & skills in relation to reading & writing in third level. To refine the content included and reduce any overlap in content that previously existed, as identified by the team, graduates and students. Increased emphasis on the core nursing concepts of care, compassion, dignity, respect and the person-centred philosophy. Department of Nursing, Midwifery and Health Studies, DkIT 32

53 BSc (Hons) in General Nursing Module(s) Change(s) Reason(s) Foundation Studies in Natural Sciences 2 (stage 1 semester 2) The module is now a year-long module worth 7.5 credits and titled changed to Natural Sciences for Health Professionals. There has been a significant re-sequencing of content. The A&P and pharmacology component has been moved from 2nd semester in Stage 1 and spread over Semester 1 & 2 in Stage 2 in order to link it to the practice based nursing modules. The Nutrition component which was part of this module has been removed and incorporated into the module titled Natural Sciences for Nursing /Midwifery Practice. Students and staff identified the need for the Anatomy and Physiology of body systems, where possible, to run in tandem with the practice based modules for better integration and learning. Health & Society and Development and Change Across the Lifespan Nursing the Person with a Chronic Illness & Community Nursing & Nursing the Older Person Replaced by a single module worth 7.5 credits and titled changed to Introduction to the Social Sciences of Health and Illness. Replaced by a single module worth 10 credits titled Older Person, Chronic Illness and Community Care module. To refine the content included and reduce any overlap in content that previously existed, as identified by the team, graduates and students. The General team agreed that these subject areas suited being grouped together into one module. To refine the content included and reduce any overlap in content that previously existed, as identified by the team, graduates & students. Therefore, rather than look at Older Person, Chronic Illness and Community Care separately, the General Nursing Team believe that this module will be strengthened through the amalgamation and will better reflect the changing focus of the delivery of healthcare as outlined in HSE and DOHC policy documents and the changes envisaged by the Programme for Government Department of Nursing, Midwifery and Health Studies, DkIT 33

54 BSc (Hons) in General Nursing Module(s) Change(s) Reason(s) Fundamentals of Care 2 Module reviewed and material updated. Change of Title to Safe Healthcare Practice 2. The change of module title reflects the emphasis on safety in healthcare agenda. Clinical Placement Stage 2 Altered Health States (Cardio- Pulmonary & Haematology Nursing) The module is now a year-long module titled Clinical Placement 1. Reviewed and changes made to the assessment of clinical competence through a new workbook and the use of Reflective Exercise. Module reviewed and some of the Haematology component has been removed & incorporated into the Gastrointestinal and Hepato-biliary Nursing & the Renal & Reproductive modules. Change of Title to Cardiovascular and Respiratory Nursing. Clinical modules were restructured as year-long modules in Stages 1, 2 and 3 in line with the directive from the Institute s Academic Council agreeing that programmes leading to major awards shall have a maximum of 10 modules per stage. A maximum of 2 year-long modules per stage is permitted (DkIT, 2012, p.7). Changes to the clinical assessment document reflect the need to assess students competence in knowledge, skills, attitudes, behaviour and communication. To refine the content included and reduce any overlap in content that previously existed, as identified by the team, graduates and students. Health Psychology and Perspective on Health Specialist Nursing for General Nurses and Child and Family Nursing Replaced by a single module worth 10 credits and titled changed to Psychosocial Aspects of Nursing and Health Replaced by a single module worth 7.5 credits and titled changed to Specialist Nursing and Maternity Care and moved to Stage 1 semester 2. The theory component of Mental Health has been developed and incorporated into a new module in Stage 2 titled Mental Health In General Nursing. To refine the content included and reduce any overlap in content that previously existed, as identified by the team, graduates and students. The team agreed that this module should be delivered at the end of stage 1 in preparation for specialist placements which will begin in stage 2 of the programme. Department of Nursing, Midwifery and Health Studies, DkIT 34

55 BSc (Hons) in General Nursing Module(s) Change(s) Reason(s) Altered Health States (Gastrointestinal Nursing) and Altered Health States (Endocrine, Hepatic-biliary Nursing) Replaced by a single module worth 7.5 credits and titled changed to Gastrointestinal & Hepato-biliary Nursing. The Hepato-biliary component was incorporated from the module Altered Health To refine the content included and reduce any overlap in content that previously existed, as identified by the team, graduates and students. The team agreed that the change in title reflects the health focus of modules rather than an illness focus. Altered Health States (Endocrine, Hepatic-biliary Nursing) and Altered Health States(Nervous System & Special Senses) Clinical Placement States (Endocrine, Hepatic-biliary Nursing). Replaced by a single module worth 7.5 credits and titled changed to Neurological and Endocrine Nursing. The Neurological component was moved from stage 3 to stage 2 semester 4. The module is now a year-long module and title is Clinical Placement 2. The clinical placement module in Stage 2 was reviewed and changes were made taking account of issues relating to student progression in clinical learning. Changes were made to the assessment of clinical competence through a new workbook and the use of Reflective Exercise. To refine the content included and reduce any overlap in content that previously existed, as identified by the team, graduates and students. The team agreed that the change in title reflects the health focus of modules rather than an illness focus. Clinical modules were restructured as year-long modules. Changes to the clinical assessment document reflects the need to assess students competence in knowledge, skills, attitudes, behaviour and communication. Stage 3 Altered Health States (Support and Movement) Altered Health States (Reproductive and Urinary) Moved to Stage 2 Semester 1. Change of Title to Musculoskeletal Nursing Module reviewed and material updated. Change of Title to Renal and Reproductive Nursing. Credits for the module increased to 7.5 to reflect the changes and restructuring of content. To refine the content included and reduce any overlap in content that previously existed, as identified by the team, graduates and students. To refine the content included and reduce any overlap in content that previously existed, as identified by the team, graduates and students. Department of Nursing, Midwifery and Health Studies, DkIT 35

56 BSc (Hons) in General Nursing Module(s) Change(s) Reason(s) Foundations Studies in Emergency Care Nursing (Stage 2) & Complex Healthcare Needs (Stage 3) Replaced by a single module worth 7.5 credits and titled changed to Nursing the Acutely Ill Adult to be delivered in stage 4 semester 7. Feedback from students and from lecturers involved in teaching these modules highlighted significant overlap between these modules, and indeed with other modules (Altered health states modules). In addition, it was felt that some of the concepts addressed within these modules were too advanced for junior nursing students (in particular, the foundation studies in emergency nursing module). This new module acknowledges that nurses care for acutely ill patients in a variety of clinical areas. Nurses need to have a knowledge base in which he/she can identify anticipated problems and in doing so incorporate a timely and appropriate approach to prevent potential problems. This module allows nurse to develop their knowledge in the management of adult patients requiring advanced care. Nursing the acutely ill adult replaces the foundation studies in emergency nursing (stage 2) and complex care needs (stage 3) to reflect the increase in acutely ill adults in Research Appreciation Module reviewed and material updated. Change of Title to Evaluating Research the various settings in the hospital environment. Evaluating Research replaces the critique module with a greater emphasis on analysis and synthesis of evidence for practice. The development of these skills is supported by the introduction of the journal club where, through shared learning, students should gain confidence in exploring and defending evidence for practice. Legal & Ethical Guidelines for Safe Practice Module reviewed and material updated. Change of Title to Ethical and Legal Practice To refine the content included and reduce any overlap in content that previously existed, as identified by the team, graduates and students. Department of Nursing, Midwifery and Health Studies, DkIT 36

57 BSc (Hons) in General Nursing Module(s) Change(s) Reason(s) Clinical Placement The module is now a year-long module and title changed to Clinical Placement 3. Reviewed and changes made to the assessment of clinical competence through a new workbook and the use of Reflective Exercise. Clinical modules were restructured as year-long modules. A semester long clinical placement in Stage 3 of the programme will allow students to avail of Erasmus exchanges. The experience nursing in another European country is seen as a positive and enriching one with immeasurable benefits. Changes to the clinical assessment document reflect the need to assess students competence in knowledge, skills, attitudes, behaviour and communication. Stage 4 Research Application Module reviewed and material updated. Module name change to Research Proposal. The Research Proposal module has little changes based on positive feedback for this module from students, staff and external examiners. Current Trends and Issues in Nursing Module was reviewed and the content was incorporated into the module Management and Leadership. Module name change to Leadership and Innovative Management for Nursing Practice. To refine the content included and reduce any overlap in content that previously existed, as identified by the team, graduates and students. Management and Leadership Module reviewed and material updated. Change of Title to Leadership and Innovative Management for Nursing Practice. Credits for the module increased to 7.5 to reflect the changes and restructuring of content. Based on feedback from lecturers and students the module content was refined and any overlap in content that previously existed was reduced. Department of Nursing, Midwifery and Health Studies, DkIT 37

58 BSc (Hons) in General Nursing Module(s) Change(s) Reason(s) Oncology Nursing Module reviewed and content incorporated into practice based modules - new module titled Palliative Care and End of Life Care. Clinical Placement Title changed to Clinical Placement 4 Reviewed and changes made to the assessment of clinical competence through a new workbook and the use of Reflective Exercise. Internship Reviewed and changes made to the assessment of clinical competence through a new workbook and the use of Reflective Exercise. New Modules Change(s) Reason(s) Stage 2 Mental Health & General Nursing The theory component of Mental Health from the module titled Specialist Nursing for General Nurses in Stage 2 semester 4 has been developed and incorporated into this new module. The Research Process This is a new module developed for stage 2 familiarises students with the steps of the research process, core concepts and the language of research. To refine the content included and reduce any overlap in content that previously existed, as identified by the team, graduates and students. Changes to the clinical assessment document reflect the need to assess students competence in knowledge, skills, attitudes, behaviour and communication. Changes to the clinical assessment document reflect the need to assess students competence in knowledge, skills, attitudes, behaviour and communication. The focus of this module is on the relationship between mental health and physical illness. Recent research revealed that poor physical health is common among people with serious mental health illness. Furthermore, studies have suggested that the life expectancy of those with severe mental illness can be up to 25 years shorter than that of the general population and that physical health issues are primarily responsible for this. Therefore, based on the changing demographics, feedback from lecturers, clinical partners and students there general team felt there was a need to develop a module that would prepare students for the changes they face in practice. Based on feedback from lecturers, and external examiners it was thought that students were introduced to research too late in the programme, year three. Department of Nursing, Midwifery and Health Studies, DkIT 38

59 BSc (Hons) in General Nursing New Modules Change(s) Reason(s) Stage 3 Civic Engagement This is an elective 5 credit module in stage 3 of the programme offering students an opportunity to engage and work with community organisations. It is an innovative approach to developing awareness of social and health related issues in the community. This module fulfils the strategic aim of DkIT of engaging with local communities in the region It is mutually beneficial to local organisations and students alike in terms of sharing knowledge and skills. Management of Obesity and Diabetes The management of Obesity and diabetes has been introduced as an elective 5 credit module in stage 3 semester 2. This module has been introduced in response to the growing problem of obesity and diabetes. It gives students a greater understanding of the management of obesity and diabetes through exercise and nutritional interventions. It is planned to deliver this module in conjunction with a Stage 4 module on the Health & Physical Activity programme. Applied Pharmacology for Nurses This is an elective 5 credit module in stage 3 of the programme offering students the opportunity to explore issues that present patients/clients with significant challenges when they commence on treatment with medicinal products. It explores both the short-term and long term implications of medicinal management for both the patient and the nurse. It also explores challenges confronted by nurses in assisting the patient manage medicinal products in hospital, residential and home care settings. Department of Nursing, Midwifery and Health Studies, DkIT 39

60 BSc (Hons) in General Nursing 2.6 Programme Philosophy The programme curriculum is designed to prepare general nursing students to provide for the health and well-being needs of current and future populations. The programme facilitates the development and application of professional knowledge, skills and attitudes necessary to deliver safe, high quality, evidence-based care in a variety of acute and community healthcare settings. Inherent in the curriculum are innovative learning experiences and teaching strategies which promote the attainment of graduate skills such as critical analysis, problem-solving, team work, decision making and interpersonal skills. The curriculum is not static and is responsive to changes in the delivery of health services, changes in knowledge and evidence for practice and the needs of service users. The programme is also underpinned by the following philosophy of nursing. A Philosophy of Nursing The nursing philosophy which underpins the curriculum is grounded in values and beliefs relating to the nature of four fundamental concepts: nursing, person, environment and health. Nursing is an interpersonal caring process that seeks to create a therapeutic relationship with the individual in need of care. At the core of this therapeutic relationship is the delivery of safe, high quality, evidence-based care in a compassionate and respectful manner. General nursing encompasses a range of roles and services that meet the preventative, promotional, supportive, curative, rehabilitative, and palliative health care needs of individuals, families and communities. Department of Nursing, Midwifery and Health Science, DkIT 40

61 BSc (Hons) in General Nursing Fundamental to fulfilling these roles is the concept of person-centred care which recognises the uniqueness and inherent worth of each individual. The individual is considered a holistic being with physiological, psychological, social, cultural and spiritual dimensions. Nurses work collaboratively with individuals and families helping identify and address healthcare needs so that no matter what the stage of the health- illness continuum the best outcomes are realised. Nursing emphasizes the use of caring, interpersonal communication, critical thinking and clinical reasoning skills while taking into account the individual s health care needs and preferences. The responsibility of the nurse is to use the nursing process to assist and empower the person in making informed decisions about their health care needs. Nursing is dedicated to providing comprehensive care to all individuals regardless of race, colour, ethnicity, religious beliefs, age, sexual orientation, political persuasion or social status. Environment is an aggregate of all internal and external factors which influence individuals and population groups. The environment refers to all the internal and external factors that affect the health of an individual. The person and the environment are inextricably linked as the environment influences the person s health and the person, in turn, influences the environment. The environment includes physical, psychological, social, cultural, economic, legal, ethical, and spiritual elements and the nurse utilises knowledge of these to enhance the individual s health and well-being. The environment also refers to the unique nursing environment as the process of nursing occurs in a complex and rapidly changing health care environment. Thus demanding a knowledgeable, skilled and autonomous practitioner who can critically evaluate and reflect on current practices and who is committed to evidence-based practice. Nurses strive to provide high quality and cost effective care, drawing on knowledge derived from the humanities as well as the physical, social, medical and biological sciences. The nurse s role is pivotal within health care systems and teams in the provision of services. Department of Nursing, Midwifery and Health Science, DkIT 41

62 BSc (Hons) in General Nursing Health is a dynamic state of physical, mental, and social well-being, requiring constant adaptation to internal and external environmental stressors. Health is viewed as a fundamental human goal, which can only be defined in relation to the individual s experiences and his/her expectations while progressing through the life span. Each individual has the right to control the decisions about health care at all levels and to receive accurate and unbiased information to make informed choices. Mindful that economic, environmental, socio-cultural and ethical factors affect health care provision; nurses seek to influence policy formulation in the health service that promotes sustainability. Nurses work collaboratively within the multidisciplinary team to assess, plan, implement and evaluate care. Nursing activities aspire towards enabling and empowering clients to determine and achieve their maximum health potential with as much control and independence as possible thus fostering self-reliance and self-determination. Nurses promote the active involvement of the client s support network in all aspects of health care, his or her family, friends, social group and community, as appropriate. Strategic Themes within the Programme Central to the philosophy of the BSc. (Hons) in General Nursing Programme was the integration of DkIT s strategic themes of: Sustainability, Internationalisation and Entrepreneurship. Specific details are included in Appendix 3. Department of Nursing, Midwifery and Health Science, DkIT 42

63 BSc (Hons) in General Nursing 2.7 Programme Aim The aim of the BSc (Hons) in General Nursing Programme is to prepare a competent, knowledgeable and accountable nurse, who can provide holistic, evidence based systematic care for service users in a variety of settings within an increasingly culturally diverse health care system. The programme also meets An Bord Altranais learning outcomes for a General Nursing Registration Programme. This registration education programme will ensure that the student is equipped with the knowledge and skills necessary to practice as a professional nurse. Overall Programme Learning Outcomes The aim of the programme is to ensure that the graduate will: 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, preventative, 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 general nursing care needs of the individual, family, community in all health care settings Demonstrate the 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. (An Bord Altranais, 2005, p.12) Department of Nursing, Midwifery and Health Science, DkIT 43

64 BSc (Hons) in General Nursing Learning Outcomes in the Context of the National Qualifications Authority of Ireland (NQAI) Framework for Level 8 Programmes Graduates from the BSc (Hons) in General Nursing programme will meet the learning outcomes, in the Context of the National Qualifications Authority of Ireland (NQAI) Framework, for Level 8 Programmes. Please refer to Section 5 for details of constructive alignment of individual module learning outcomes to the Programme Outcomes, in the Context of the National Qualifications Authority of Ireland (NQAI) Framework, for Level 8 Programmes. Department of Nursing, Midwifery and Health Science, DkIT 44

65 BSc (Hons) in General Nursing 2.8 Philosophy of Education The academic and clinical partners involved in teaching on this programme believe that an honours degree level education (NQAI 8) is fundamental to prepare the student to provide a level of care necessary to practice within a contemporary general health care context. To that end a learning environment needs to be conducive to the development of intellectual curiosity and creativity. Education is viewed as a dynamic and life-long learning process where education enhances intellectual and personal development of the learner. The philosophy which underpins the BSc (Hons) in General Nursing reflects the vision for education contained in the DkIT Learning and Teaching Strategy (2010b) which views the Institute as a community which responds holistically to all learners. The approach to teaching and learning across the modules reflects the strategy s view that the objective should be to use innovative and traditional teaching and learning approaches to achieve best-practice in facilitating student learning. The curriculum will therefore be underpinned by several core educational principles including: Embedding research and evidence based practice throughout the programme. Emphasizing the necessity to continuously reflect in and on practice Encouraging the integration of research, reflection and practice. The use of innovative student centred educational approaches such as blended learning, peer teaching and support. The learner in the BSc (Hons) in Nursing Programme is considered an adult learner and thus learns at different rates and by different methods. Learners are influenced by environmental factors, which may affect their motivation, readiness, and participation in the learning process. The responsibility for learning ultimately rests with the learner thus the goal of education is to facilitate the learner to learn how to learn. Innovative teaching and learning strategies will be employed to support this Department of Nursing, Midwifery and Health Science, DkIT 45

66 BSc (Hons) in General Nursing philosophy. Education is a dynamic and life-long process and enhances the intellectual and personal development of the learner. The educational philosophy of the BSc. (Hons) in General Nuring also reflects DkIT s Policy on Assessment and Learning (DkIT, 2010a) and DkIT s Learning and Teaching Strategy (DkIT, 2010b). 2.9 Learning and Teaching Strategy The OECD Review of Irish Higher Education (OECD 2004), the National Strategy for Higher Education to 2030 (Department of Education and Skills 2011) and the current Programme for Government (2011) are central to policy on Higher Education in Ireland. While they differ in range and scope, these documents all suggest the creation of a higher education system that provides: Quality student experiences relevant to their personal needs; High quality learning and teaching. These driving principles are embedded in the Learning and Teaching Strategy adopted by the BSc (Hons) in General Nursing programme has been developed within the framework of the Institute s Learning and Teaching Strategy, within which there are eight key objectives: Table 9: Key Objectives in the Learning and Teaching Strategy Objective 1 Objective 2 Objective 3 Embed Learner-centred Approaches to Learning Become More Accessible to Learners and Develop Flexible Approaches which support Lifelong Learning Encourage and Implement Learner Centred Approaches to Blended and elearning Department of Nursing, Midwifery and Health Science, DkIT 46

67 BSc (Hons) in General Nursing Objective 4 Objective 5 Objective 6 Objective 7 Objective 8 Introduce Regular Review of Programmes and Modules Develop a Value Added Component in Learners Learning Experience Focus on the Experience of 1 st year for DkIT Learners Linking Teaching, Learning and Research Develop Staff Personally and Professionally to Support the Practice of Learning and Teaching Consistent with this vision for learning and teaching within DkIT the BSc. (Hons) in General Nursing will utilise innovative evidence based approaches for programme delivery. These approaches will be underpinned by student centred approaches to learning, reflection and research. Learner Centred Approaches to Learning DkIT Learning and Teaching Strategy (2010a) aims to foster the use of best practice in teaching and learning using both traditional and innovative approaches in order to transform the teaching and learning processes of the Institute. In doing so, DkIT aspires to create a learner-centred and empowering environment in which learners take responsibility for their own learning and in which the staff-learner relationship is based on equality and mutual respect. The curriculum and the specific learning and assessment activities within the individual modules are designed to promote active, deep learning and understanding in line with a student centred approach (Attard et al. 2010). Virtual learning environments (Moodle) are widely used across the programme to support learning and teaching. Students will also be encouraged to engage in learning through the utilisation of a variety of teaching and learning methodologies including shared learning, blended learning, group work, e- assessments such as online quizzes and tutorials and lectures to facilitate student learning. Department of Nursing, Midwifery and Health Science, DkIT 47

68 BSc (Hons) in General Nursing Shared Learning In A Review of Practice Development in Nursing and Midwifery in the Republic of Ireland and the Development of a Strategic Framework (Department of Health and Children, 2010, p.41), one operational objective is to explore Shared Learning and joint working opportunities by introducing mechanisms where interdisciplinary and multidisciplinary team members can work together on specific projects but also focus on the sharing of modules across disciplines in relation to the implementation of this strategic framework in practice. The Report of the Review of Undergraduate Nursing and Midwifery Degree Programmes also acknowledges the value of interdisciplinary and shared learning, provided it is well planned and has clear relevance for the discipline (DOH, 2012). The sharing of some modules with other BSc. programmes will address this educational tenet and will allow for multidisciplinary mix and shared expressions and ideas which are currently running within the School. Specifically the modules which will be shared, either in part or completely, are: Stage 1: Safe Health Care Practice 1 & 2, Learning to Learn, Natural Science for Nursing/Midwifery Practice. Stage 2: The Research Process. Stage 3: Ethical and Legal Practice, Evaluating Research and Management of Obesity and Diabetes. Stage 4: Evaluating Research and Leadership and Innovative Management for Nursing Practice. Department of Nursing, Midwifery and Health Science, DkIT 48

69 BSc (Hons) in General Nursing This meets the following objectives: Objective 2 Objective 5 Objective 6 Become More Accessible to Learners and Develop Flexible Approaches which support Lifelong Learning Develop a Value Added Component in Learners Learning Experience Focus on the Experience of 1 st year for DkIT Learners Blended Learning Blended learning is an innovative teaching strategy which involves a combination of face-to-face and e-learning techniques. Direct contact with students will be complimented with on-line engagement as appropriate including the use of on-line approved learning resources for example in such areas as medication management and pain assessment. These e-tivities will facilitate the student to undertake directed study away from the DkIT campus. In so doing, blended learning will help meet the challenges and opportunities of the dynamic and transformative nature of higher education delivery modalities. Additionally it may also go some way in addressing the economic challenges identified and faced by students (DkIT Student Survey, 2012). It is recognised that this approach to programme delivery is preparatory in nature and will develop as demand and IT infrastructure permit. This meets the following objectives: Objective 1 Embed Learner-centred Approaches to Learning Objective 2 Objective 3 Objective 8 Become More Accessible to Learners and Develop Flexible Approaches which support Lifelong Learning Encourage and Implement Learner Centred Approaches to Blended and elearning Develop Staff Personally and Professionally to Support The Practice of Learning and Teaching Department of Nursing, Midwifery and Health Science, DkIT 49

70 BSc (Hons) in General Nursing Reflection An Bord Altranais (2005, p.12) state that the purpose of registration programmes is to ensure that on successful completion of the programme the student is equipped with the knowledge and skills necessary to practice as a professional nurse. Dye (2005) identifies reflection as an essential component of expert professional practice is the practitioner s ability to critically reflect on his or her performance. The importance of reflection as a key component in this process is highlighted by Taylor (2006) who suggests that the promotion of reflection in nursing education aims to encourage learning both within academic and practice based contexts. Moreover, for learners who apply their knowledge in a practical setting, it is important that they become aware of their attitudes toward learning. Reflection compels learners to examine the larger context, meaning and implications of action from experiences to make them better (Rosenbaum et al., 2005). It is therefore imperative that nurses engage in reflection in order to obtain meaning from their experiences and contribute to on-going professional knowledge and practice development (Taylor, 2000). The significance of reflective practice to nursing education is similarly highlighted in the Report of the Review of Undergraduate Nursing and Midwifery Degree Programme (DOH, 2012). In this review, a number of recommendations are made with regard to the on-going and future education of nurses. Among these is the recommendation that HEIs should detail opportunities for students to engage in reflective clinical practice (DOH, 2012, p.14). According to Taylor-Haslip (2010), guided reflective assignments reveal improved performance in the clinical area. It is suggested therefore, that reflective writing represents reliable evidence of reflective thinking. However, the use of portfolios as a reflective tool has been described with varying degrees of success in the literature. A systematic review undertaken by Buckley et al., (2009) revealed that the strength and extent of the evidence base for the educational effects of portfolios in the undergraduate setting is at best limited. The quality of student reflections appeared Department of Nursing, Midwifery and Health Science, DkIT 50

71 BSc (Hons) in General Nursing to vary, with some evidence that sophisticated reflection by students is relatively rare (Buckley et al., 2009). Kok and Chabeli (2002) suggest that portfolio use should be accompanied by detailed guidance to students on how to reflect, particularly when students are new to the reflective process. Systematic and structured approaches to the development of students reflective abilities where students are encouraged to become increasingly reflexive as courses progress have been advocated (Kok and Chabeli, 2002). In recognition of the findings of Buckley et al s 2009 systematic review, the BSc. (Hons) in General Nursing will utilise guided reflective questions/exercises to enhance the integration of theory and practice. Smyth (1992) suggests that posing such questions could enhance reflective thinking, while Taylor (2010, cited in Howatson-Jones 2013) and Tate and Sills (2004) advocate the usefulness of posing questions to awaken and potentially deepen reflective abilities in individuals. Therefore, the guided reflective exercises in the BSc. (Hons) in General Nursing will take the form of stage and placement appropriate reflective submissions see Appendix 1 for further details on how reflection is structured within the BSc. (Hons) in General Nursing. As stated, reflection on practice enhances student learning, therefore, in order to facilitate this process, there is provision for protected time amounting to four hours per week throughout the programme for students while on clinical placement. In addition, students are further facilitated in reflexive learning processes by ensuring that, up until the second semester of fourth year, they are supernumerary to staff requirements. In the last semester students are rostered members of staff during the internship period. The supernumerary status of the student affords the student the time and space to synthesise the learning that has taken place within a safe environment. Department of Nursing, Midwifery and Health Science, DkIT 51

72 BSc (Hons) in General Nursing This meets the following objectives: Objective 1 Objective 2 Objective 3 Objective 5 Objective 6 Objective 7 Objective 8 Embed Learner-centred Approaches to Learning Become More Accessible to Learners and Develop Flexible Approaches which support Lifelong Learning Encourage and Implement Learner Centred Approaches to Blended and elearning Develop a Value Added Component in Learners Learning Experience Focus on the Experience of 1 st year for DkIT Learners Linking Teaching, Learning and Research Develop Staff Personally and Professionally to Support The Practice of Learning and Teaching Research Titler (2006) highlights the importance of the utilisation of research in developing an evidence-based practice. This highlights the need for nursing students to develop the knowledge and skills that will enable them to navigate the research process thereby allowing them to critically evaluate practice and ensure evidenced based care provision (An Bord Altranais, 2010). This BSc (Hons) in General Nursing programme will generate an interest and passion for research by ensuring a clear link between research and practice through the use of an evidence based approach in teaching and through utilising research in the process of learning through reflection on practice in both clinical and classroom settings. The introduction of research as a core subject area at an early stage of the programme will instil students with essential research knowledge and skills that will scaffold subsequent learning. Additionally, including research modules in each stage of the programme will further Department of Nursing, Midwifery and Health Science, DkIT 52

73 BSc (Hons) in General Nursing enhance spiral learning opportunities and enable students to apply the principles of evidence based practice to future academic and clinical work. In summary, the introduction to research in stage one will be facilitated through shared learning with other disciplines. This is incorporated into the learning to learn component and will consist of an introduction and background to evidence based practice. Students will develop the basic skills and knowledge of searching for and reading evidence based practice in the literature. The second stage research module is designed to provide students with an understanding of the research process. The purpose of the third stage module is to build on the skills developed in stage two and to progress to critical evaluation, analysis and synthesis of the literature relevant to a particular practice issue. The stage four module will enable the student to demonstrate skills of critical analysis and synthesis of the literature related to a practice issue. This meets the following objectives: Objective 2 Objective 3 Objective 6 Objective 7 Become More Accessible to Learners and Develop Flexible Approaches which support Lifelong Learning Encourage and Implement Learner Centred Approaches to Blended and elearning Focus on the Experience of 1 st year for DkIT Learners Linking Teaching, Learning and Research Department of Nursing, Midwifery and Health Science, DkIT 53

74 BSc (Hons) in General Nursing Other Learning and Teaching strategies Other Learning and Teaching strategies may include: Lectures with discussion will be used throughout the programme to introduce and critically analyse key subject areas. Tutorials, where used, will encourage students to think actively about subject areas and manage issues in a constructive and critical way. Tutorials will also act as a valuable feedback mechanism for students and lecturers to assess work assigned and help resolve any difficulties that may have arisen in the course of the module/programme. Seminars will be used to encourage dialogue between students in order to promote further enquiry and deepen understanding. Seminars will also promote peer teaching and learning which has been proven to enhance motivation, improve cognition, develop collaborative skills (Biggs, 1999) and increase the sense of responsibility for one's own learning (Bruffee, 1999). All of these skills are directly transferable to the practice based settings where students are placed. Peer Assisted Learning and Support (PALS) is an umbrella term and includes many different strategies and definitions. These include peer mentoring and support, peer teaching and peer assessment. Topping (2005) provides a useful definition of what PAL encompasses: People from similar social groupings who are not professional teachers helping each other to learn and learning themselves by so doing (Topping, 2005, p.631). It is suggested that cross-level PAL schemes, in which more senior students provide assistance to their less experienced peers (Nickendel et al., 2009; Topping, 1996), have the potential to confer considerable benefits on all participants. For the purpose of the General Nursing curriculum the emphasis will initially be on peer support and peer teaching. Department of Nursing, Midwifery and Health Science, DkIT 54

75 BSc (Hons) in General Nursing Simulated learning and OSCE present a viable teaching and learning strategy which promotes student engagement and achievement of desired clinical skills and competencies. They allow for the provision of immediate feedback through self assessment and guidance from lecturers on performance which in turn motivates student learning (Biggs 2003). In some instances students are required to talk through and explain what they are doing providing a rationale, this furthers boost student engagement and promotes deep learning. Best practice guidelines for OSCEs derived from extensive literature reviews by Michell et al., (2009) suggest that the OSCEs should focus on aspects of practice related directly to delivery of safe client / patient care. Also they should be structured and delivered in a manner which aligns directly with mastery of desired knowledge and skill (Michell et al., 2009). This is the objective of the OSCEs in the various modules of this curriculum. Expert speakers perspectives on health and illness from the service- user/ patients provides a valuable contribution to student learning. The experience of illness, treatment and hospitalisation is best told by the patient and provides a very meaningful insights for students. Input from service users is included in modules on older person and chronic illness as people who have chronic illness are invited to speak to students about their experience of living with disease. This approach is aligned to the person-centred philosophy inherent in the programme. Another resource is the expert knowledge from our clinical partners, such as clinical nurse specialists who provide specialist services. Their expertise and knowledge is frequently included in teaching either, directly by giving presentations and indirectly through the collaboration with nurse lecturers. Students will also be expected to spend considerable time on directed reading, assignments and independent study of the programme content. The students will be encouraged to engage in self-directed learning as is appropriate for learners at Honours Degree level. Department of Nursing, Midwifery and Health Science, DkIT 55

76 BSc (Hons) in General Nursing Academic Support for Students within the Department The General Nursing team recognise the importance of supporting students through their programme of study. The support structures available for students are depicted in Fig. 6. The support of students within the department has been enhanced through the development of the Programme Director, First Year and Stage Convenor roles, which were put in place in September These roles were established to address the following: First Year Retention (A Study of Progression in Irish Higher Education, HEA, Oct. 2010) Enhancement of the First Year Experience ( The First Year Experience: Draft Proposal from CELT, DkIT, April 2011) Improved progression of students The recommendations of the last Institutional Review which states that DkIT should appoint programme leaders/directors to ensure effective consideration of academic issues (HETAC DkIT Institutional Review, 2009) Figure 6: Academic Support Department of Nursing, Midwifery and Health Science, DkIT 56

77 BSc (Hons) in General Nursing Students are made aware of these support structures and are encouraged to avail of them. Details on the role of Programme Director and First Year Convenor are available in Appendix 4. Progression in Learning over Four Years There are a number of ways that nursing students learn over the four years of the BSc (Hons) in General Nursing. In general, learning is spiral in nature and reflects progression through levels of learning. Ultimately, the goal is that the student will become an independent practitioner capable of autonomous practice and able to critically reflect on the practice as a nurse with the view to changing and improving the service available to patients/clients and their families. Taxonomy of Learning As evidenced in the module descriptors, over the four years, the curriculum has been designed to reflect progression in the level of complexity in terms of learning outcomes. Bloom s (1956) six levels of learning, in the cognitive domain, have been useful in this regard (see appendix 5 & 8). Students progress from describing to critically analysing over the course of the programme and this must be reflected in their theoretical and clinical assessments. Increasing Complexity of Content The process of learning is also facilitated by the way in which the programme content is presented. The student is exposed to non-complex care challenges initially. Then the student builds on this background knowledge with the introduction of more complex issues and care situations. Department of Nursing, Midwifery and Health Science, DkIT 57

78 BSc (Hons) in General Nursing Regular Opportunities for Application of Learning in Practice Pivotal to achieving progress in student learning is the provision of regular opportunities to link theory learned in class to practice. The programme is structured in such a way, over the four years, to facilitate learning from experience. In addition, the type of learning opportunities provided for the students, where possible, is closely linked to the theory content studied in class. The student is facilitated to link the theory aspect of the programme to the practice aspect in a number of ways: Lecturers in the Institute facilitate the integration of theory to practice through the use of practice case scenarios in class. Students are also encouraged to draw on their practice experience when writing assignments. Simulated Learning provides for the teaching and learning of clinical skills in a simulated learning environment (SLE) before caring for actual patients. The opportunity to repeatedly practice skills and actions in a controlled environment has been shown to improve learning, enhancing the knowledge gained from theoretical studies (Broussard et al., 2009). The student s assigned preceptor facilitates the integration of theory to practice through demonstration, role modelling, and guidance. The Clinical Placement Co-coordinator in the practice area and the link lecturer guides the student in the application of theory to practice in the clinical area. Reflective Practice/ Protected Time Students on the programme progress in their learning by reflecting on their practice. To facilitate this process, there is a provision for protected time amounting to four hours per week while in the clinical area throughout the programme (Nurse Education Forum, 2000; ABA, 2005). This allocated protected reflective time is Department of Nursing, Midwifery and Health Science, DkIT 58

79 BSc (Hons) in General Nursing recorded in the student s workbook to ensure that all students receive this time. In addition to this, students are further facilitated in the learning process by ensuring that, up until the second semester of fourth year, they are supernumerary to staff requirements. In the last semester students are rostered members of staff during the internship period. The supernumerary status of the student affords the student the time and space to synthesise the learning that has taken place within a safe environment. Please refer to Appendix 1 for further details on how students will be facilitated to reflect within the programme. Learning Together/ Interactions with Multidisciplinary Team The programme is structured to reflect a progression in terms of the introduction of more complex content and care situations to students over the four years. Therefore, in the first year, students will mostly draw on the expertise of the clinical nurses and nurse lecturers. However, as they are further introduced to care situations, which draw more heavily on the interdisciplinary team, the student learns to communicate and collaborate with other members of the care team like doctors, dieticians and physiotherapists. The student's learning is re-enforced by a regular form of feedback in the clinical area and at the college. Path to Proficiency Students on the BSc (Hons) in General Nursing programme progress in their learning from engaging at assistant participant level to becoming proficient in Year 4. Supervision will be continuous as first. At this time the student will be primarily observing and practicing skills that are at the least complex end of the continuum of the work of a qualified nurse. Progressively the student will be expected to assess, plan, implement and evaluate the care of patients. They will be responsible for management, leadership and supervisory skills gradually assuming the role of a registered nurse. Students in clinical placement are facilitated through this process by the gradual reduction in the level of supervision they require. In this way the Department of Nursing, Midwifery and Health Science, DkIT 59

80 BSc (Hons) in General Nursing student gains confidence and competence in general nursing practice, ultimately leading to competent and safe delivery of care with the support of their preceptor. Table 10 provides a visual representation of how the programme is structured and organised to facilitate this progression in learning. Department of Nursing, Midwifery and Health Science, DkIT 60

81 BSc (Hons) in General Nursing Table 10: Progression in Learning over Four Years Stage Taxonomy of Learning 1 Knowledge, Comprehension Increasing Complexity of Content Develop an understanding of the fundamentals in caring for patients/clients within a variety of care settings under direct supervision 2 Application Assess, and plan patient care under supervision in specialist and non-specialist care settings 3 Analysis, Synthesis Implement and evaluate nursing care within generalist and specialist care settings 4 Evaluation Management of patient care Application of Theory to Practice Theory/Practice/ Theory/ Practice/ Theory Theory/Practice/ Theory/ Practice/ Theory Practice/Theory Practice/ Theory/ Practice (Internship Placement) Reflective Practice/ Protected Time Four hours protected time per week/ Supernumerary Four hours protected time per week/ Supernumerary Four hours protected time per week/ Supernumerary Four hours protected time per week/ Supernumerary/ Internship Learning Together/ Interaction with Multidisciplinary Team Gaining knowledge in General nursing. Mostly communicates with other members of the nursing team. Begins to learn from other disciplines in core and specialist areas. Complexity of cases requires student to interact with other disciplines. Manages the care of the patient in collaboration with members of multidisciplinary team independently Level of Supervision Decreases over Time/ Level of Competence Assistant Participant/ Continuous direction and support Supported Participant/ Some direction and support Advanced Participant/ Minimum direction and support Proficient Participant/ Rarely needs direction and support Department of Nursing, Midwifery and Health Science, DkIT 61

82 2.10 Assessment Strategy Academic Assessment The traditional approach to assessing theoretical knowledge has been the unseen written examination. This approach primarily promotes rote learning. Furthermore, the written examination is limited in relation to assessing students ability to critically analyse, synthesise, develop an argument and apply information to complex clinical situations or to predict success in practice. Therefore, more varied assessment strategies are employed within the BSc (Hons) in General Nursing and are based on the Assessment and Learning Policy developed by the Centre of Learning and Teaching (DkIT, 2010a). The policy emphasises the need for reliable and valid assessments that bring learning, teaching and assessment together in a coherent way. Deep learning will be facilitated by active and experiential learning, peer and self-assessment and collaborative rather that competitive learning. The programme employs a diverse and balanced range of student centred assessment methods, both formative and summative (see Appendix 4), to enhance engagement and active lifelong learning. The assessment methods utilised in the programme aim to: Enhance student learning and progress. Provide evidence of a student s performance by offering opportunities for a student to demonstrate their knowledge, understanding and skills (cognitive and practical). Support the development of a student s key transferrable skills (e.g. communication, teaching, teamwork, reflectivity, leadership and critical thinking). Assist and enhance student learning via the provision of timely feedback, guidance and support through continuous assessment. Department of Nursing, Midwifery and Health Studies, DkIT 62

83 BSc (Hons) in General Nursing Students will be presented with an Assessment Schedule at the beginning of each semester, outlining the assignments, marks available and deadlines for submission. All assessment strategies will take cognisance of the recommendations put forward in the Report of the Review of Undergraduate Nursing and Midwifery Degree Programmes published by the (DOH, 2012). Each theoretical module is assessed individually, either by a combination of continuous assessment and examination or by course work (100%) or final examination (100%). The choice, weighting of assessment methods and length of examinations are constructively aligned to reflect the stated aim, learning outcomes and teaching methods employed in each module. In addition, the choice of module assessment methods is based upon a number of factors including the hours and credit allocation for the module and the nature of the module area under study. Table 11 provides details of the Programme Assessment Schedule for the four years of the programme. Department of Nursing, Midwifery and Health Studies, DkIT 63

84 BSc (Hons) in General Nursing Table 11: Assessment Schedule for all Modules (Theoretical and Practical) Module Name BSc in General Nursing - Stage 1 Semester/ Stage Method of Assessment Please Tick as appropriate CA Practical Project Other Final exam Safe Health Care Practice 1 Semester 1 Stage 1 Natural Sciences for Nursing / Midwifery Practice Semester 1 Stage 1 Learning to Learn Semester 1 Stage 1 Foundations for General Nursing Practice Semester 1 & 2 Stage 1 ǂ Total Introduction to the Social Sciences of Health and Illness Semester 2 Stage 1 Safe Health Care Practice 2 Semester 2 Stage 1 Older Person, Chronic Illness and Community Care Semester 2 Stage 1 Specialist Nursing and Maternity Care Semester2 Stage 1 Clinical Placement 1 Semester 1 & 2 Stage 1 Total ǂ This assessment will take place in semester 2 Department of Nursing, Midwifery and Health Studies, DkIT 64

85 BSc (Hons) in General Nursing BSc in General Nursing Stage 2 CA Practical Project Other Final exam Natural Sciences for Health Professionals Semester 3 & 4 Stage 2 Musculoskeletal Nursing Semester 3 Stage 2 Cardiovascular and Semester 3 Respiratory Nursing Stage 2 ǂ Mental Health in General Nursing Psychosocial Aspects of Nursing and Health Semester 3 Stage 2 Semester 3 Stage 2 Total The Research Process Semester 4 Stage 2 Gastrointestinal and Hepatobilary Nursing Neurological and Endocrine Nursing Semester 4 Stage 2 Semester 4 Stage 2 * * * Clinical placement 2 Semester 4 Stage 2 Total * This is a synoptic assessment for two modules. ǂ This assessment will take place in semester 4 Department of Nursing, Midwifery and Health Studies, DkIT 65

86 BSc (Hons) in General Nursing BSc in General Nursing Stage 3 CA Practical Project Other Final exam Clinical Placement 3 Semester 5 Stage 3 1 Total Renal and Reproductive Nursing Semester 6 Stage 3 Ethical and Legal Practice Semester 6 Stage 3 Evaluating Research Semester 6 Stage 3 Palliative Care and End of Life Semester 6 Care Stage 3 Elective Module Civic Engagement Semester 6 Stage 3 Management of Obesity and Semester 6 Diabetes Stage 3 Applied Pharmacology for Semester 6 Nurses Stage 3 Total from elective from elective 2 BSc in General Nursing Stage 4 Research Proposal Leadership and Innovative Management for Nursing Practice Semester 7 Stage 4 Semester 7 Stage 4 Nursing the Acutely Ill Adult Semester 7 Stage 4 Clinical Placement 4 Semester 7 Stage 4 Total Clinical placement (Internship) Semester 8 Stage 4 Total 1 Department of Nursing, Midwifery and Health Studies, DkIT 66

87 BSc (Hons) in General Nursing Assessment and Graduate Skills The programme assessment strategy develops not only disciplinary specific skills and knowledge, but a range of generic skills which are transferrable graduate skills. Table 12 below provides examples of how the range of assessments utilised on the programme develop a graduate s knowledge and skills. Table 12: Examples of how the range of assessments utilised develop a graduate s knowledge and skills. Stage Module Generic /Transferrable skill 1 Learning to Learn Lifelong learning skills. Time management skills Assessment Method Students will produce an academic assignment within a given time frame engaging in the skills of effective reading & writing. 1 Foundations for General Nursing Practice 2 Older person, Chronic Illness and Community Care 2 Neurological and Endocrine Nursing 3 Mental Health in General Nursing 3 Clinical Placement 3 Communication and Interpersonal skills. Practice safely Communication skills. Critical thinking skills. Flexibility, creativity, innovation skills Problem solving Group work Confident to work as an effective client advocates Group work/ Group dynamics. Teamwork/ Professional partner with other disciplines in healthcare delivery Reflective practice. Students will undertake OSCE s which will include the use of communication with other students. The assessment consists of a presentation and a written assignment that will engage the learner in challenging tasks to develop oral and written communication skills, critical skills, promote active listening, flexibility, creativity, innovation, and presentation skills. Group presentations will address, amongst other factors, positive lifestyle interventions /strategies that optimise health and well-being. Group presentation on a mental health condition and relevance to general practice. Student works as a member of the healthcare team to achieve learning outcomes for the placement. Students complete a reflective log of experiences whilst on placement. Department of Nursing, Midwifery and Health Studies, DkIT 67

88 BSc (Hons) in General Nursing 4 Leadership and Innovative Management for Nursing Practice 4 Research Proposal Leadership skills Teaching and assessing Communication and Interpersonal skills. Designing and Planning Problem Solving. Critical Thinking. Identifying/evaluating evidence based literature Plans, implements and evaluates a micro teaching session in a simulated learning environment. Plans and designs a research proposal. Assessment Balance To ensure that the assessment workload is appropriately balanced, a Programme Board is convened at the beginning of each semester, to comprise of the Head of Department, Programme Director, lecturing staff associated with the programme and 2 class representatives from each stage of the programme. At this meeting, the assessment workload is discussed with regards to its timing, appropriateness, balance and overall number for that given semester and is agreed upon by all participants present. Theoretical assessments, where possible, are not undertaken when students are on clinical placement. In addition to all students being furnished with a Semester Based Assessment Schedule, students receive assessment criteria and marking schemes for each module at the beginning of each semester, to facilitate the planning of their semester workload at its onset. If a student is experiencing extenuating circumstances at the time of undertaking an assessment, this may be taken into consideration at Examination Board. For example, students can defer from examinations until a later date. Students can also avail of extensions on continuous assessments if they can demonstrate that they are experiencing extenuating circumstances. In this case, the department policy on extensions must be followed. Department of Nursing, Midwifery and Health Studies, DkIT 68

89 BSc (Hons) in General Nursing Validity, Reliability and Authenticity of Assessments To ensure the validity of an assessment tool, lecturers adopt the concept of constructive alignment whereby assessment criteria are formulated for the student, linking them directly to the module s learning outcomes. This ensures that all learners, upon completion of a given assessment, are able to demonstrate achievement of the learning outcomes. In addition, to further enhance the process, final examination papers are sent to External Examiners of the programme to ensure their validity of assessment. In relation to written academic performance, the General Nursing team, strive to ensure reliability of assessment by utilising an Assignment Feedback Schedule in the provision of written feedback to a student (Appendix 5). This is based upon Bloom s Taxonomy of Educational Objectives (1956) and focused within the cognitive domain with an addition in relation to language and referencing. It provides feedback in relation to knowledge, comprehension, application, analysis, synthesis, evaluation and literary style. The use of this schedule should increase the reliability of the marking of academic work and increase the spread of marks awarded. To further enhance reliability double marking is a tool utilised by the General Nursing team. As an example, research proposals and written assignments are first marked by the primary module lecturer and then a sample (a range from the top, middle, bottom and all fails) are second marked by another lecturer. A range of all assessments are reviewed by the External Examiner. Best practice for OSCEs recommends the use of holistic marking guide to enhance both the rigor of assessment and reliability (Mitchell et al., 2009). This allows judgements of student s performance to be related to clinical practice as a whole, rather than as a collection of discrete independent actions. OSCEs in this programme strive to be holistic and as realistic to clinical practice situations as possible by including infection prevention and communication skills. Global /holistic marking criteria are used such as pass/ fail. The importance of professional integrity, as an attribute of a graduate of DkIT, is explained to all first year students of the Department of Nursing, Midwifery and Health Studies on commencement of the programme and they are furnished with a hard copy of Dundalk Department of Nursing, Midwifery and Health Studies, DkIT 69

90 BSc (Hons) in General Nursing Institute of Technology: Academic Integrity Policy which they must comply with. In addition, students undertake a module in the first semester titled Learning to Learn which further develops the concept of academic integrity through the appropriate use of citation and referencing. In a bid to uphold academic integrity within the Department, all written academic assessments are uploaded to a plagiarism detection software package, Turnitin. If a student is suspected of a plagiarism offence, there is a dedicated set of procedures to be followed, as outlined in DkIT s Academic Integrity Policy. First Year Assessment The General Nursing team are cognisant of the fact that the transition into 3 rd level education has the potential to be a daunting prospect and experience for incoming first year students. In light of this, in the first semester, students undertake the Learning to Learn module. This module aims to develop the necessary knowledge and skills to study effectively and become independent learners in a third level educational environment. It focuses on the development of key skills including sourcing appropriate academic evidence, analytical and writing skills, essential if students are to find their academic voice in the production of academic assignments. In addition, students complete a diverse range of assessments, including formative assessments, MCQ exams, practical/ skills demonstration, reflective exercises and final examinations. It is Departmental policy that lecturers provide students with constructive feedback in a timely fashion. Another strategy employed by the General Nursing team is to utilise a number of components of assessment in subject areas that traditionally present a difficulty to students e.g. science based subjects anatomy and physiology and biochemistry, to allow for the best chance of academic success for the student. For a complete overview of the assessment load and type during the first year of the programme, please refer to Table 11 (page 64). Department of Nursing, Midwifery and Health Studies, DkIT 70

91 BSc (Hons) in General Nursing Feedback Feedback is an integral part of the assessment process. Lecturers provide students with both formal and informal feedback in relation to their theoretical modules. Formal feedback on continuous assessments and final examinations is provided to each student following the Examination Boards. Students receive written feedback on their academic work and can also avail of one to one consultations with the relevant lecturer. Informally students receive formative feedback during lectures, classroom discussions, presentations and clinical skills training. Within the classroom formative feedback can be facilitated by the use of classroom quizzes, short MCQ s and question and answer sessions. On-line resources, using the Institute s Virtual Learning Environment, can also facilitate formative feedback Clinical Assessment Taught Clinical Placement is an integral part of the four-year BSc (Hons) in General Nursing Programme. Clinical learning provides students with the opportunity to develop their knowledge, skills and attitudes and to apply and integrate theoretical concepts to the practice of general nursing. During the four-year programme, students will be exposed to a wide variety of clinical allocations, which will prepare them to function within an increasingly complex, changing and demanding nursing care setting. Optimum learning opportunities can be achieved through collaboration between individual students, clinical staff and educational facilitators. Adequate supervision and support is needed to ensure that optimum benefit is derived from clinical placements as outlined in recommendation in the Requirements and Standards for the Nurse Registration Education Programme (An Bord Altranais, 2005). Educational support from lecturers in nursing, clinical placement co-ordinators and skilled clinicians is essential to the art of reflection, as is the requirement for protected time-out from service delivery (Report of the Nursing Education Forum, 2000). Students will be allocated four hours per week protected time-out from service delivery for reflection and Department of Nursing, Midwifery and Health Studies, DkIT 71

92 BSc (Hons) in General Nursing supervised clinical experience during supernumerary and internship placements. Clinical visits by link lecturers will also enhance the link between theory and practice by acting as a resource for both students and staff. Additionally, the link lecturer will provide educational support, advice and liaise with clinical staff and assist in undertaking educational audits. Clinical Placement Supervised clinical placement is an essential component of the BSc (Hons) in General Nursing. The aim of the clinical placement is to give students the opportunity to develop competence in general nursing practice and become safe, caring, competent decisionmakers willing to accept personal and professional accountability for evidence-based nursing care (An Bord Altranais, 2005, p.42). Clinical practice experience, whether in the hospital or in the community care setting, will integrate, complement and further develop the skills acquired by students as they progress through their years of study. The placements will involve a partnership between the student, the health service provider and the Institute. This triangular approach endeavours to ensure that the placements are properly supervised, evaluated and relevant to the student s learning needs. The clinical placement component of the Programme satisfies required experiences set out by European Union Directive regulations (2005/36/EC) and the Requirements and Standards for Nurse Registration Education Programmes (2005) as follows: Core areas of general nursing practice; General/Specialist Medicine 18 weeks General/Specialist Surgery 18 weeks Specialist placements: (18 weeks) Accident & Emergency (A&E) Child Care/Paediatrics Mental Health/Psychiatric Nursing Care of the Older Person Home Nursing/ Community Department of Nursing, Midwifery and Health Studies, DkIT 72

93 BSc (Hons) in General Nursing Theatre Nursing Maternity Care (minimum placement of 2 weeks in each specialist area) Remaining regulated placements: (May be in core or specialist areas). (20 weeks) Overall Clinical Placement Learning Outcomes On successful completion of the programme the student will be able 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 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 individual, family, community in all health care settings. 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. (An Bord Altranais, 2005, p.12). The Clinical Placement Settings Department of Nursing, Midwifery and Health Studies, DkIT 73

94 BSc (Hons) in General Nursing Clinical placements are based in healthcare institutions that have been audited for their suitability as quality learning environments in accordance with An Bord Altranais standards for approval. Placement planning is guided by clinical requirements but also takes cognisance of the availability of sufficient and varied clinical experiences and capacity of the staff in the clinical setting to support, teach, supervise and assess nursing students. The main healthcare institutes where students will be placed are: Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital, Drogheda Cavan General Hospital, Cavan Louth County Hospital, Dundalk Our Lady s Hospital, Navan Hermitage Medical Clinic, Lucan Audits of existing clinical learning environments will be are carried out every two years and prior to students being allocated to new clinical sites. The results of these will be furnished to Bord Altranais agus Cnáimhseachais na héireann. Student evaluations of clinical placements will also be carried out at the end of each placement and the results of these reported to the line managers and DkIT. These measures will serve as a monitoring system to ensure that students clinical placements are appropriate for student learning. Clinical Placement Support Below Fig. 7 outlines the clinical support for students when on placement. Figure 7: Clinical Placement Support Department of Nursing, Midwifery and Health Studies, DkIT 74

95 BSc (Hons) in General Nursing The Preceptor As stipulated by An Bord Altranais in the Requirements and Standards for the Nurse Registration Education Programmes (2005), section , each student nurse will be allocated to a named preceptor, and an associate preceptor, who will have completed a teaching and assessing programme. This includes a mandatory one day training programme on competency assessment (ABA, 2005). This provides an opportunity for the preceptor to engage in the practicalities of competency assessment. In addition to ensuring the uniformity of assessment standards among assessors, this programme will enable the preceptor to assist and guide the student in the practice of general nursing. The preceptor will be a general nurse working in the clinical areas to which the student is assigned. The preceptor will be responsible for role modelling best practice for the student and will support, guide and challenge the student in his/her learning. Department of Nursing, Midwifery and Health Studies, DkIT 75

96 BSc (Hons) in General Nursing Clinical Placement Co-ordinator (CPC) Clinical Placement Co-ordinators are experienced nurses or midwives who support preceptors and clinical nurse/midwife managers in the teaching and assessment of student nurses and midwives on clinical placement (DOH, 2012). They facilitate learning through the identification of a range of potential learning opportunities in clinical areas as well as imparting their knowledge. Further, they have a role in supporting the creation of an environment that is conducive to learning acquisition in practice. Clinical Placement Coordinators, working as part of a Practice Development Team, provide a significant support role for students undertaking the undergraduate nursing degree programmes (DOH, 2001). The National Evaluation of the Role of Clinical Placement Co-ordinator (DOH, 2001) identifies the role as including: Student Support Teaching / Professional Development Supports Student Assessment and Feedback Preceptor Support External Placement supports Practice Development Pastoral Care and Counselling Overall a core function of the role is to guide and support student nurses in clinical areas and identify learning deficits to help the student achieve competency in nursing practice. In addition, Clinical Placement Co-ordinators have a role in ensuring that the clinical placement meets the requirements of the education programme with regards to planned experiences and outcomes (Government of Ireland 2000). Department of Nursing, Midwifery and Health Studies, DkIT 76

97 BSc (Hons) in General Nursing Nurse Practice Development Co-ordinator The role of Nurse Practice Development Co-ordinator has been identified as complex and multifaceted. Practice Development Co-ordinators provide a range of service supports. It is a facilitative role in relation to practice developments, education, research and quality with an emphasis on person centredness: Practice development is a systematic approach that aims to help practitioners and healthcare teams to look critically at their practice and identify how it can be improved. Its purpose is to develop effective workplace cultures that have embedded within them person centred processes, systems and ways of working. Unique to practice development is its explicit person centred focus. (Dept. of Health and Children (2010, p. 16) One aspect of the role relates to the clinical learning environment and supports in relation to the undergraduate nursing programmes (DOH, 2010). Nursing and Midwifery Practice Development Co-ordinators provide supports across the clinical learning environments and monitor the implementation of standards at senior management level (DOH, 2012). The Commission on Nursing and the Nursing Education Forum (Government of Ireland 1998, 2000) identified particular roles for NPDCs in relation to: establishing nursing practice development units quality assurance supervision of Clinical Placement Co-ordinators student supports clinical learning environments clinical nursing research and envisaged development of practice development roles in other areas. The Review of Practice Development in Nursing and Midwifery in the Republic of Ireland and the Development of a Strategic Framework (Dept. of Health and Children 2010) identifies a Department of Nursing, Midwifery and Health Studies, DkIT 77

98 BSc (Hons) in General Nursing vision for practice development in Ireland that is inclusive of roles previously identified whilst allowing for a more broad and person centred activity. This strategic framework identifies how practice development can provide a sustainable methodology to transform the culture and context of care to support delivery of a person-centred care culture within the context of national health policy (Dept. of Health and Children 2010). Allocations Officers An Allocations Officer is employed in Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital, Drogheda, and in DkIT. Their role includes: Planning, organising and co-ordinating the clinical placements for general nursing students. Liaise with the health service provider and the educational institution to ensure that student placement allocations are regularly reviewed and monitored. Maintaining and developing placement areas and identify new placement sites. Maintaining records of placements and student allocations. Link Lecturer Link lecturers liaise with Clinical Placement Co-ordinators and Preceptors to guide and support students in the clinical learning environment as stipulated by An Bórd Altranais in the Requirements and Standards for the Nurse Registration Education Programmes, section (An Bord Altranais, 2005). As part of this support the link lecturer visits the clinical area every month to support students and staff. Clinical Learning Assessment Given the multifaceted nature of nursing practice and the broad range of practice settings, it is essential that general student nurses are flexible, able to respond to and learn from the challenging and unique situations they encounter within the clinical practice placements. Furthermore, it is imperative that student nurses are prepared for professional practice Department of Nursing, Midwifery and Health Studies, DkIT 78

99 BSc (Hons) in General Nursing through the acquisition of skills, knowledge and attitudes to practise safely; in effect that they are competent for practice (Topping, 2008). Dolan (2003) reminds us that the ultimate aim of producing competent nurses is to ensure a high level of patient care. Competence is a complex concept and debates continue about the most appropriate definition and method of assessment (National Education Framework for Cancer Nursing, 2008). Assessment of competence of practising nurses has been identified as crucially important in maintaining professional standards (McMullan, 2006). A review of the literature identifies that a range of tools have been developed for competence assessment in nursing however, there is a lack of empirical evidence regarding their effectiveness in measuring progression and attainment of competence. Assessment tools, which are used to measure competence, should be capable of distinguishing between safe and unsafe practice, must reflect progression from simple to complex skills and should be relevant to the placement learning outcomes. Therefore the challenge lies in developing a model that will assess student s progress in a meaningful way throughout the four year of the programme. In order meet this challenge a comprehensive approach was undertaken to evaluate and review methods of assessing clinical practice which is illustrated in Fig. 8. Figure 8: Approach undertaken to evaluate and review methods of assessing clinical practice Department of Nursing, Midwifery and Health Studies, DkIT 79

100 BSc (Hons) in General Nursing Following the comprehensive evaluation and review of the international and national literature, models of clinical assessment and discussions with stakeholders (clinical partners and students), it was acknowledged that too much importance has been placed on the acquisition of knowledge and theory to the neglect of performance (Topping, 2008). Furthermore, there is general agreement that competence assessment in nursing cannot solely be based on theoretical knowledge or technical skills but should also involve some inference about the student s attitudes and practice (National Education Framework for Cancer Nursing, 2008). Therefore, an integration of the following models of assessing competence were selected and modified to underpin the assessment of general nursing students in clinical practice: Bloom s (1956) model on professional development which examines three domains of learning namely cognitive, affective and psychomotor. These are viewed as crucial components in developing competence (Way, 2002). Bondy (1983) developed a framework or skills escalator scale with five levels of competence within three major domains: professional standards, qualitative aspects of a performance and the level of assistance needed to perform. This framework provides the preceptor with a structure for determining the level of performance required by the student for the particular stage of their pre-registration nursing programme. The Dreyfus Model of Skill Acquisition (Benner, 1984) gives consideration to the acquisition and development of a skill, a nurse passes through five levels of proficiency from novice to expert. Benner (1984), investigating the nursing profession, described the development of competence to expertise by the application of knowledge on practice through experience. Gonczi et al. s model (1993) recommends using the holistic/integrated approach for competency-based assessment of clinical practice where attitudes, professional code of conduct, context, ethics and reflection are assessed in addition to other attributes such as technical skills and problem solving skills. Gonczi (1994) claimed that if this approach to competence underpinned assessment strategies, they were likely to be Department of Nursing, Midwifery and Health Studies, DkIT 80

101 BSc (Hons) in General Nursing more valid than traditional methods, enabling the assessment of the capacity of the professional to integrate knowledge, skills, values and attitudes into their practice. These models where then modified to incorporate the requirements necessary to assess the progress of the general nursing student in the clinical learning environment while undertaking the BSc. (Hons) in General Nursing. The clinical performance assessment criteria is depicted in Table 13. Table 13: Clinical Performance Assessment Criteria for BSc (Hons) in General Nursing Adapted from Bloom, 1956; Bondy, 1983; Benner, 1984; Gonczi, 1993 Level of Competence Stage 1 Assisted Participant Stage 2 Supported Participant Stage 3 & First Level of Supervision /Support Preceptor closely directs and observes. Student works under direct supervision Preceptor provides frequent supervision and guidance and monitors performance. Preceptor provides Level of Practice Student observes, participates, assists in providing nursing care. Student actively participates in planning activities/ nursing care. Student actively Professional Knowledge and Skills Performs safely under supervision. Can explain rationale for practice some of the time. Practices skills and achieves learning outcomes for the placement. Can explain rationale for practice involved in. Is safe in performing skills and achieved learning outcomes for the placement. Can explain rationale for practice and discuss Attitudes/ Behaviour/ Communication Demonstrates a willingness to learn, asks questions. Communicates appropriately with patients/ families & the MDT. Accepts constructive feedback on performance & acts accordingly. Demonstrates a willingness to learn, asks questions. Behaviour appropriate to context. Ability to communicate sensitively & effectively with patients/families & the MDT. Accepts constructive feedback on performance & acts accordingly. Demonstrates a willingness to learn, ask questions and Failed Placementlearning outcomes not achieved Requires continuous prompting. Unsafe /unable to perform skills Lacks knowledge for practice Lacks willingness to learn, ask questions or participate in care. Requires continuous prompting /supervision. Unsafe /unable to perform skills, provide rationale for care Lacks knowledge for practice Lacks willingness to learn, ask questions or participate in care. Direction /prompting required frequently Unsafe / Key AP SP Department of Nursing, Midwifery and Health Studies, DkIT 81

102 BSc (Hons) in General Nursing Semester in Stage 4 Advanced Participant Stage 4 Proficient (Internship) some supervision and guidance Minimal supervision or guidance required initiates and participates in planning activities and care for patients. Student actively participates in assessing, planning, implementin g and evaluating all activities and is capable of leading some. evidence related to patient care provided. Is safe, accurate & effective when performing skills and achieving learning outcomes for the placement. Requires some supervision whilst caring for a small group of patients (2-3). Critiques evidence based practice and its implementation. Clinical performance is safe, accurate, organised and efficient. Recognises deviations from expected outcome and seeks advice as appropriate Can effectively deliver care for 4-6 patients Guides & supports junior colleagues. seek answers. Behaviour appropriate to context. Communicates relevant information to the patient, family & MDT. Accepts constructive feedback on performance and acts accordingly. Self-directed and motivated about own learning. Behaviour is appropriate to context. Effectively & sensitively communicates relevant information to the patient, family & MDT. Accepts accountability for own practice /omissions. Accepts constructive feedback on performance and acts accordingly. unorganised / unable to plan and prioritise care. Unable to discuss rationale / evidence related to care. Lack of ability to demonstrate behaviour appropriate to context. Direction /prompting required frequently Unsafe / unorganised / unable to plan and prioritise care. Unable to discuss rationale / evidence related to care. Lack of ability to demonstrate behaviour appropriate to context. AVP P The BSc (Hons) in General Nursing Programme strives to ensure that, by the end of the Programme, nurse graduates will be able to function as general nurses at the level of independence. The above framework guides assessment of the student in the clinical placement. Each year the student must demonstrate progression in terms of the level of supervision, practice, knowledge, skills, behaviours and communication displayed. Learning Progression in Clinical Placement Successful progression requires that the student is deemed clinically competent at each stage of the Programme. An Bord Altranais (2005, p.12) outlines that competence is a complex multidimensional phenomenon and is defined as the ability of the Registered Nurse to practice safely and effectively, fulfilling his/her professional responsibility within his/her scope of practice.. Department of Nursing, Midwifery and Health Studies, DkIT 82

103 BSc (Hons) in General Nursing Five domains of competence developed by An Bord Altranais (2005) provide a broad enabling framework for the assessment of pre-registration student nurses taught clinical placement. The five domains include Professional /Ethical Nursing Practice; Holistic Approaches to Care; Interpersonal Relationships; Organisation and Management of Care; and Personal and Professional Development. An Bord Altranais (2005) has also specified performance criteria and indicators prescribing the learning, which the student nurse must achieve in order to be competent in each domain. Students in the BSc (Hons) in General Nursing have specific learning outcomes that they must achieve in each clinical placement area, which satisfy the domains of competence specified by An Bord Altranais (2005). Over the four years, students achieve competence by acquiring the theoretical knowledge and availing of practice experiences. In the clinical area the student observes his/her preceptor who acts as a role model. Initially the student is continually supervised by the preceptor and gradually, over the four years, less supervision is needed until year four when the student has mastered the required competencies to adopt the role of a nurse. Assessment of the Clinical Practice: The Process 1. Assessment of clinical competence in each stage of the BSc (Hons) in General Nursing will be carried out through the use of clinical assessment of competence workbook(s) and student reflective exercises (see Appendix 1). 2. Each placement will be assessed at regular intervals by the clinical preceptor based on learning outcomes that are assessed within the framework of domains of competence. If a student passes all placements within a stage then the student is deemed to have met the level of competence required for the stage. 3. The structure for the clinical assessment of competence workbook(s) is based upon a system of incremental progress as illustrated in Table 13. This expects progression from assisted participant in Stage 1, supported participant in Stage 2, advanced participant Stage 3 & semester 7 in Stage 4 and proficient in Stage 4 (Internship). Students are expected to achieve all the relevant competency indicators at the minimum specified level in order to pass each placement. Department of Nursing, Midwifery and Health Studies, DkIT 83

104 BSc (Hons) in General Nursing 4. Performance evaluation (Clinical Assessment of Competence Workbook) (Pass/Fail): The student s learning in the clinical placement is assessed by clinical preceptors in the competency assessment workbook and relates to 10 weeks in Stage 1; 10 weeks in Stage 2; 19 weeks in Stage 3; and 42 weeks in Stage 4. Students must be at least four weeks in a placement before they can be assessed. All students will be assessed on the same number of practice hours although the number of assessments in a year may vary. This is because individual students may not have the same number of four-week placements as the rest of the cohort of students. 5. The Clinical Assessment of Competence Workbook involves three interviews, which take place during the placement. These interviews are designed to initially make the student aware of the learning outcomes relevant to that placement, identify their learning outcomes and to monitor the student s progress over the course of the placement. The preceptor deems the student to have passed if he/she has achieved the learning outcomes specific to the placement and at the level required for the stage of the programme. The preceptor comes to a decision of pass or fail based on his/her own experience of working with the student in conjunction with the evidence provided under each domain of competence. Placements of less than 4 weeks duration will be assessed using a locally developed short placement assessment form based upon competency domains. 6. If a preceptor observes that a student is not achieving the appropriate level by the second interview, a developmental plan (see appendix X) is constructed in collaboration with the preceptor, the clinical placement coordinator and the link lecturer. The developmental plan identifies specific learning outcomes, which must be achieved by the student in order to pass the placement. If the student is unable to achieve the learning outcomes identified in the Developmental Plan by the final interview then the Clinical Assessment of Competence Workbook for that placement will be given a fail mark. 7. Reflective exercises (Formative Assessments): The students will participate in reflective exercises which will involve written account of experience(s) and guided reflective discussions. Full details of the reflective exercises are outlined in Appendix1. 8. If a student fails to achieve the learning outcomes for the placement the Progression Policy for Undergraduate Student Nurses/Midwives in the Department of Nursing, Midwifery and Department of Nursing, Midwifery and Health Studies, DkIT 84

105 BSc (Hons) in General Nursing Health Studies will be initiated. The student will be given the opportunity to repeat the placement prior to progression to the next stage or level (for progression from stage 4 supernumery to stage 4 Internship placement). If the student is unsuccessful at the second attempt, then she/he will be unable to progress to the next stage/level of the programme. A student, who fails three clinical placements, either consecutively or over the duration of their programme, will not be offered another opportunity to repeat the clinical placement module and will be required to leave the BSc. (Hons) in General Nursing programme. The student may utilise the Institute s appeal process at any stage and/or apply for an Exit Award (page 103). 9. Preceptors must sign off all aspect of the Clinical Assessment of Competence Workbook. A database of preceptor signatures, located in the competency assessment workbook facilitates the verification of students clinical experience. 10. It is the student s responsibility to ensure that this documentation is signed prior to submission to the Institute Career Opportunities The undergraduate degree programme will prepare the graduate for the role of professional nurse following registration. General nursing offers the most varied of careers with opportunities available across a number of settings such as in general practice, the community, nursing homes, hospices and the armed forces as well as in public and private hospitals. Graduates from the BSc (Hons) in General Nursing will be entitled to apply and gain entry to the nursing register in other EU countries. They will also be entitled to apply for registration in the United States and Australia, but may be required to undertake additional academic and professional competency based assessments. Many graduates choose to spend at least their first year gaining experience and being part of a clinical team which is invaluable in determining what direction their career may take. Career pathways can be considered in terms of education, clinical, management, and research pathways see Fig. 9 below. Department of Nursing, Midwifery and Health Studies, DkIT 85

106 BSc (Hons) in General Nursing Figure 9: Diagram of Career pathways for General Nurses 2.13 Graduate Profile Dundalk Institute of Technology Strategic Plan (2013) identifies that it will: Provide university level higher education to graduates who will excel in their specialised discipline and have the creativity, confidence, resilience and entrepreneurial flair to thrive in the 21st century. Graduates from the BSc (Hons) in General Nursing will have completed a programme of study that conforms to the theoretical and clinical requirements as set out in EU Directive 2005/36/EC. They will have been successful in achieving the learning outcomes of the BSc (Hons) in General Nursing programme which requires that they attained competence in the five domains outlined by An Bord Altranais (2005). They will have achieved generic/ Department of Nursing, Midwifery and Health Studies, DkIT 86

107 BSc (Hons) in General Nursing transferable graduate attributes such as excellent interpersonal and communication skills, teamwork skills, problem-solving skills, and abilities to continue their life-long learning. Graduates will have the capacity to work as part of a multidisciplinary team in promoting the health and wellbeing of individuals, families and communities. Their practice will reflect the core concepts of caring, patient advocacy, ethical practice and evidence based practice which underpin the programme. This will require that they have the skills to assist individuals, families and groups achieve optimum health, independence, recovery or a peaceful death in a professional caring manner. They will also be competent to provide and manage direct practical nursing whether health promotion, preventive, curative, rehabilitative or supportive, to individuals, families or groups. Graduates will demonstrate a knowledge base and a level of competence in clinical practice skills essential for safe and effective practice, which are grounded in recent evidence-based nursing research, where available. They will also be required to demonstrate analytical, critical thinking, problem-solving and reflective practice skills. They will also be required to participate in the multidisciplinary team approach to care provision. The graduate profile for graduates from the BSc. (Hons) in General Nursing programme is outlined in Fig. 10. Figure 10: Graduate Profile Department of Nursing, Midwifery and Health Studies, DkIT 87

108 BSc (Hons) in General Nursing Department of Nursing, Midwifery and Health Studies, DkIT 88

109 BSc (Hons) in General Nursing 2.14 Academic Progression The National Framework of Qualifications recognises ten levels of academic study, with an Honours Bachelor Degree and Higher/Graduate Diploma both at Level 8, Postgraduate Diploma/Masters Programme(s) defined as being Level 9 and Doctorate and PhD Programmes at Level 10. An embracing relationship between the different levels of nurse education is depicted in Fig. 11. Figure 11: Academic Progression Flow Chart Opportunities for academic progression exist within the Institute for postgraduate study at both diploma and masters level in related areas. DkIT offers academic progression for nurses to level 9 with a Masters in Ageing, Health and Environment. A range of programmes to support the career pathway chosen by the graduate are available in other colleges within Ireland. Over the four years of the BSc (Hons) in General Nursing Programme, as students progress from assistant participant, through to proficient participant students will develop professional competences. Section 5 indicates the constructive alignment of assessments used with modular learning outcomes. Department of Nursing, Midwifery and Health Studies, DkIT 89

110 BSc (Hons) in General Nursing 2.15 Resourcing the Programme Human Resources Lecturing Staff The programme is delivered by the following core Nursing staff: Brid Delahunt Lecturer in Nursing Attracta Digney Ann Everitt -Reynolds Briege King Ailish Mc Ardle Geraldine Mc Daid Lorraine Mc Geough Gerry Mc Taggart Geraldine O Connor Kathleen Rooney Lecturer in Nursing Programme Director for BSc. (Hons) in General Nursing Programme Lecturer in Nursing Lecturer in Nursing Lecturer in Nursing Lecturer in Nursing Senior Lecturer in Nursing Lecturer in Nursing Lecturer in Nursing The programme is further supported by the following core staff: Geraldine Killeen Anne Marie Gillespie Allocations Officer Administration Officer for Nursing Clinical Support Staff The following core clinical staff support the student when on clinical placement: Kathleen McMahon Marina O Connor Mr. Darren Behan Mr. Raymond Boyle Ms. Sonia Carr Ms. Karen Clarke Nurse Practice Development Coordinator Nurse Practice Development Coordinator General Clinical Placement Coordinator General Clinical Placement Coordinator General Clinical Placement Coordinator General Clinical Placement Coordinator Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital, Drogheda Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital, Drogheda Our Lady s Hospital, Navan Cavan General Hospital Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital, Drogheda Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital, Drogheda Department of Nursing, Midwifery and Health Studies, DkIT 90

111 BSc (Hons) in General Nursing Lorraine Clarke General Clinical Placement Coordinator Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital, Drogheda Audrey Donnelly Allocations Officer Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital, Drogheda Catriona Mc Caughey General Clinical Placement Coordinator Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital, Drogheda Ms. AnnMarie Murray Ms. Colette Patton General Clinical Placement Coordinator General Clinical Placement Coordinator Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital, Drogheda Cavan General Hospital Accommodation Resources In February 2005, a new state of the art, Nursing, Midwifery and Health Studies building was opened. This building provides modern specialist training facilities for Nursing, Midwifery and Allied Health Students. The accommodation includes a large lecture theatre, which will accommodate 170 students in addition to a number of tiered and un-tiered lecture rooms. Most of the lecture theatres have audio-visual equipment, internet access and projectors. Three IT laboratories as well as tutorial and meeting rooms are also available to enhance small group learning. There are three six bedded units resembling state of the art hospital wards, which are fully equipped with modern equipment. An Intensive Care Unit is fully equipped enabling students to prepare for situations that they might be presented with in a clinical situation. There is a multi-sensory room with specialized equipment and a creative, diversional and recreational activity room (C.D.R.). There are two observation rooms where students can engage in therapeutic interventions. These facilitate students in the development of specialist skills such as assessment or communication techniques. A number of tutorial rooms are available for students to meet with staff. Students can also avail of these rooms to engage in group or individual private study. These facilities provide sufficient accommodation for students undertaking the BSc (Hons) in General Nursing Programme. Details are available in Appendix 6. Equipment There is a wide range of state of the art equipment specifically purchased for the BSc. (Hons) in Midwifery programme. Details are available in Appendix 7. Department of Nursing, Midwifery and Health Studies, DkIT 91

112 BSc (Hons) in General Nursing 2.16 Programme Structure The BSc. (Hons) in General Nursing programme is built around the following five broad domains to develop competence (ABA, 2005) as illustrated in Fig.12. Figure 12: Structure of Programme Domain 1: Professional/ Ethical Nursing Practice This programme will facilitate students to practice in accordance with legislation and professional guidelines affecting nursing practice. It ensures that the student practices within the limits of competence and that nursing care is underpinned by a philosophy of nursing. Modules, which support the development of these competencies include: Stage 1: Stage 2: Stage 3: Stage 4: Foundations for General Nursing Practice. Gastrointestinal and Hepato-bilary Nursing. Ethical and Legal Practice. Research Process and Nursing the Acutely Ill Adult. Department of Nursing, Midwifery and Health Studies, DkIT 92

113 BSc (Hons) in General Nursing Domain 2: Holistic Nursing Care Students in this programme will develop knowledge, skills and competencies to practice safely and effectively in a reformed healthcare system. Using a holistic person centred approach, students will assess healthcare needs and plan care with the patient and their family to provide appropriate evidence based care. The care patients require can vary in its complexity and students will be able to recognize and respond to changes which require referral to members of the allied health care team for consultation and intervention. Stage 1: Safe Health Care Practice 1 and Safe Health Care Practice 2. Stage 2: Stage 3: Stage 4: Musculoskeletal Nursing and Cardiovascular and Respiratory Nursing. Renal and Reproductive Nursing and Palliative Care and End of Life Care. Nursing the Acutely Ill Adult Domain 3: Interpersonal Relationships Students will learn how to communicate appropriately and effectively with patients and their families. Students will become proficient in communicating effectively with other members of the multidisciplinary healthcare team. They will recognise and alleviate barriers to effective communication and demonstrate the ability to accurately present and share information with colleagues. Stage 1: Stage 2: Stage 3: Stage 4: Foundations for General Nursing Practice. Mental Health in General Nursing. Palliative Care and End of Life Care. Nursing the Acutely Ill Adult. Department of Nursing, Midwifery and Health Studies, DkIT 93

114 BSc (Hons) in General Nursing Domain 4: Organisation and Co-ordination of Nursing Care Students will engage with all healthcare professionals to deliver efficient and effective care and assume leadership roles in the evolving healthcare system as partners on the healthcare team (DOH, 2012). As part of their clinical experience students will participate in quality improvement initiatives to improve quality, safety and person-centred nursing care. Stage 1: Safe Health Care Practice 1 and Safe Health Care Practice 2. Stage 3: Stage 4: Evaluating Research. Leadership and Innovative Management for Nursing Practice. Domain 5: Personal and Professional Development Students will act to enhance the personal and professional development of themselves and others through support, supervision and teaching. They will demonstrate a commitment to on-going professional education and life-long learning. Stage 1: Stage 2: Stage 3: Stage 4: Learning to Learn Psychological Aspects of Nursing and Health Evaluating Research Research Proposal The clinical placement modules from year 1-4 provides the general nursing student with the opportunity to integrate and further develop the knowledge and skills required to function as a competent professional on completion of the programme. Department of Nursing, Midwifery and Health Studies, DkIT 94

115 BSc (Hons) in General Nursing Overview of the Programme The Bachelor of Science (Hons) in General Nursing is a full- time four year programme offered by the Department of Nursing, Midwifery and Health Studies, Dundalk Institute of Technology in conjunction with the Health Service Executive Dublin North East Region (Louth, Meath, Monaghan, Cavan and Dublin City North). This programme of study will lead to the award of a Bachelor of Science (Hons) in General Nursing and to registration on the General Nurse division of the Nursing Register maintained by Bord Altranais agus Cnáimhseachais na héireann. The programme complies with the relevant provisions of the Nurses and Midwives Act (2011), the Requirements and Standards for Nurse Registration Education Programmes (ABA, 2005), Assessment and Standards (HETAC, 2009), Marks and Standards (DkIT, 2013) and European Union Directive regulations (2005/36/EC) in relation to General Nursing. It also embraces the recommendations of the Report of the Review of Undergraduate Nursing and Midwifery Degree Programmes (DOH, 2012). The BSc (Hons) in General Nursing comprises of 68 weeks (1700 hours) of theory and 81 weeks (2915hours) of clinical practice. Two thirds of the theoretical content of the programme is devoted to Nursing Studies, onesixth to Biological Sciences and one-sixth to Social Sciences. In compliance with EU Directive Requirements (2005/36/EC), the student nurse must receive 4,600 hours of theoretical and clinical instruction. Theoretical instruction must account for no less than one third of the programme (1,533 hours) and clinical instruction must account for no less than one half of the programme (2,300 hours) (ABA, 2005). Table 14 (page 98) details the Four Year Programme Layout. Department of Nursing, Midwifery and Health Studies, DkIT 95

116 Table 14: BSc (Hons) in General Nursing FOUR-YEAR PROGRAMME LAYOUT SEP OCT NOV DEC JAN FEB MAR APR MAY JUNE JULY AUG SEP SEMESTER 1 SEMESTER 2 WEEK NO th Year P P P P P P T S T T T T T T T H H I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I 3 rd Year P P P P P P P P P P P P P P P H H P P P P T T T T T T T T T T H H T T E E H H H H H H H H H H H H H H H 2 nd Year H T T T T T P P P P T T T T T H H E E S T P P P P P P T T T T H H T T E E H H H H H H H H H H H H H H H 1 st Year In T T T T T T S T T P P P P T H H E E S T T T T T T T P P P P P P H H E E H H H H H H H H H H H H H H H Description Year 1 Year 2 Year 3 Year 4 Total THEORETICAL WEEKS This includes first year induction (In), direct contact (T), self-directed study (S) and examinations (E) CLINICAL PLACEMENT WEEKS This includes supernumery clinical placement (P) and Internship (I) (6+36) 81 TOTAL WEEKS Department of Nursing, Midwifery and Health Studies, DkIT 96

117 BSc. (Hons) in General Nursing Table 15: Programme Schedules Stage 1 / Semester 1 Mandatory Mod Code Module Title Co-ordinator Level Credits FT Contact Hours PT Contact Hours Course Work End of Module Formal Examination Safe Health Care Practice 1 Myles Hackett Natural Sciences for Nursing / Midwi Myles Hackett fery Practice Learning to Learn Myles Hackett Foundations for General Nursing Practice ( Part 1 of 2 ) Myles Hackett 8 5/ Clinical Placement 1 ( Part 1 of 2 ) Myles Hackett 8 2.5/ Department of Nursing, Midwifery and Health Studies, DkIT 99

118 BSc. (Hons) in General Nursing Stage 1 / Semester 2 Mandatory Mod Code Module Title Co-ordinator Level Credits FT Contact Hours PT Contact Hours Course Work End of Module Formal Examination Introduction to the Social Sciences of Health and Illness Myles Hackett Older Person, Chronic Illness and Community Nursing Myles Hackett Specialist Nursing and Maternity Care Myles Hackett Safe Healthcare Practice 2 Myles Hackett Foundations for General Nursing Practice ( Part 2 of 2 ) Myles Hackett 8 5/ Clinical Placement 1 ( Part 2 of 2 ) Myles Hackett 8 2.5/ Department of Nursing, Midwifery and Health Studies, DkIT 100

119 BSc. (Hons) in General Nursing Stage 2 / Semester 1 Mandatory Mod Code Module Title Co-ordinator Level Credits FT Contact Hours PT Contact Hours Course Work End of Module Formal Examination Musculoskeletal Nursing Myles Hackett Cardiovascular and respiratory nursing Myles Hackett Psychosocial Aspects of Nursing and Health Myles Hackett Mental Health in General Nursing Myles Hackett Natural Sciences for Health Professionals ( Part 1 of 2 ) Myles Hackett / Clinical Placement 2 ( Part 1 of 2 ) Myles Hackett 8 2.5/ Department of Nursing, Midwifery and Health Studies, DkIT 101

120 BSc. (Hons) in General Nursing Stage 2 / Semester 2 Mandatory Mod Code Module Title Co-ordinator Level Credits FT Contact Hours PT Contact Hours Course Work End of Module Formal Examination Gastrointestinal and Hepato-biliary Nursing Myles Hackett Neurological and Endocrine Nursing Myles Hackett The Research Process Myles Hackett Natural Sciences for Health Professionals ( Part 2 of 2 ) Myles Hackett / Clinical Placement 2 ( Part 2 of 2 ) Myles Hackett 8 2.5/ Department of Nursing, Midwifery and Health Studies, DkIT 102

121 BSc. (Hons) in General Nursing Stage 3 / Semester 1 Mandatory Mod Code Module Title Co-ordinator Level Credits FT Contact Hours PT Contact Hours Course Work End of Module Formal Examination Clinical Placement 3 ( Part 1 of 2 ) Myles Hackett 8 15/ Stage 3 / Semester 2 Mandatory Mod Code Module Title Co-ordinator Level Credits FT Contact Hours PT Contact Hours Course Work End of Module Formal Examination Renal and Reproductive Nursing (Draft) Myles Hackett Palliative Care (Draft) Myles Hackett Ethical and Legal Practice (Draft) Myles Hackett Evaluating Research (Draft) Myles Hackett Clinical Placement 3 (Draft) ( Part 2 of 2 ) Myles Hackett 8 15/ Stage 3 / Semester 2 Elective Civic Engagement (Draft) Myles Hackett Management of Obesity and Diabetes (Draft) Myles Hackett Applied Pharmacology for Nurses (Draft) Myles Hackett Department of Nursing, Midwifery and Health Studies, DkIT 103

122 BSc. (Hons) in General Nursing Stage 4 / Semester 1 Mandatory Mod Code Module Title Co-ordinator Level Credits FT Contact Hours PT Contact Hours Course Work End of Module Formal Examination Research Proposal Myles Hackett Nursing the Acutely ill adult Myles Hackett Clinical Placement 4 Myles Hackett Leadership and Innovative Management for Nursing Practice Myles Hackett Stage 4 / Semester 2 Mandatory Mod Code Module Title Co-ordinator Level Credits FT Contact Hours PT Contact Hours Course Work End of Module Formal Examination Internship Myles Hackett Department of Nursing, Midwifery and Health Studies, DkIT 104

123 BSc. (Hons) in General Nursing 2.17 Special Progression Requirements Stage 1: A minimum of 90% attendance is required in all theoretical modules. A maximum of three attempts will normally be permitted to achieve a pass in any one module. No compensation can be exercised from or to Clinical Placement modules. Prior to progression to Stage 2, the student must successfully complete the Stage 1 Clinical Placement and Safety in Health Care 1 modules. Stage 2: A minimum of 90% attendance is required in all theoretical modules. A maximum of three attempts will normally be permitted to achieve a pass in any one module. No compensation can be exercised from or to Clinical Placement modules. Prior to progression to Stage 3, the student must successfully complete the Stage 2 Clinical Placement module. Stage 3: A minimum of 90% attendance is required in all theoretical modules. A maximum of three attempts will normally be permitted to achieve a pass in any one module. No compensation can be exercised from or to Clinical Placement modules. Prior to progression to Stage 4, the student must successfully complete the Stage 3 Clinical Placement module. A 40% weighting will be applied to Stage 3 Semester 6 and the remaining 60% of the overall classification of the final award will be determined from the Stage 4 Semester 7. Stage 4: A minimum of 90% attendance is required in all theoretical modules. A maximum of three attempts will normally be permitted to achieve a pass in any one module. No compensation can be exercised from or to Clinical Placement modules. A 40% weighting will be applied to Stage 3 Semester 6 and the remaining 60% of the overall classification of the final award will be determined from the Stage 4 Semester 7. An award at honours classification will not be considered unless the student has passed, on first attempt, all Clinical Placement modules in Stage 4. Department of Nursing, Midwifery and Health Studies, DkIT 105

124 BSc. (Hons) in General Nursing 2.18 Progression Eligibility Progression in each module and within each Stage of the BSc (Hons) in General Nursing will be in accordance with the rules related to progression as outlined in Marks & Standards (DkIT, 2013). A student, to be eligible to progress to a particular stage, is normally required to demonstrate achievement of the minimum intended learning outcomes of all the preceding stages. Subject to any special conditions of the programme, there are three exceptions to the general requirement of passing all the required modules in order to progress to the next stage. These are: 1. pass by compensation 2. exemption from part of the programme (with or without the allocation of a grade and credit) 3. eligibility to progress carrying the failed modules to be passed during the subsequent stage Progression Stage 1 A student who passes all modules in the first and second Semesters will be deemed to have passed Stage 1. Compensation may apply between modules as outlined in DkIT Mark and Standards. The clinical placement module cannot be passed by compensation. A student must successfully complete the Clinical Placement and Safety in Health Care 1 modules to progress into Stage 2. To progress from Stage 1 to Stage 2, a student must have successfully accumulated 55 credits by the end of Stage 1. Department of Nursing, Midwifery and Health Studies, DkIT 106

125 BSc. (Hons) in General Nursing Stage 2 A student who passes all modules in the first and second Semesters will be deemed to have passed Stage 2. Compensation may apply between modules as outlined in DkIT Mark and Standards. The clinical placement module cannot be passed by compensation. To progress from Stage 2 to Stage 3, a student must have successfully accumulated 55 credits by the end of Stage 2. Stage 3 A student who passes all modules in the first and second Semesters will be deemed to have passed Stage 3. Compensation may apply between modules as outlined in DkIT Mark and Standards. The clinical placement module cannot be passed by compensation. To progress from Stage 3 to Stage 4, a student must have successfully accumulated 55 credits by the end of Stage 3. Stage Award A student who passes all modules in the first and second Semesters will be deemed to have passed Stage 4. Compensation may apply between modules as outlined in DkIT Mark and Standards. The clinical placement module cannot be passed by compensation. Students will receive the Award of Degree when they have successfully accumulated a total of 240 credits Calculating the Level of the Award The Award of BSc (Hons) in General Nursing may be made at the levels of First class honours (1:1), Second class honours (2:1, 2:2) and Pass level. Refer to the current Dundalk Institute of Technology Marks and Standards document for an outline of the marks, which equate to each of these levels. In line with the Institute requirements, 40% is the pass mark. The final mark (Grade Point Average) leading to the level of award shall be computed from the Department of Nursing, Midwifery and Health Studies, DkIT 107

126 BSc. (Hons) in General Nursing combined marks awarded in Stages 3 (40%) and Stage 4 (60%) of the programme. A 40% weighting will be applied to Stage 3 Semester 6 and the remaining 60% of the overall classification of the final award will be determined from the Stage 4 Semester 7. A student who fails a module in the Award Stage and cannot compensate will be awarded an honours degree at pass level. An award at honours classification will not be considered unless the student has passed, on first attempt, all Clinical Placement modules in Stage Exit Awards Exit Awards are embedded in this programme for students who do not achieve the required credits for a BSc (Hons) Degree as outlined by HETAC. In certain circumstances students can apply for an Exit Award when they have gained 120 or 180 credits. Students with 120 credits may apply for a Higher Certificate in Health Studies while students with 180 credits may apply for a BSc. in Health Studies. It is important to note that both awards do not meet the requirements of An Bord Altranais agus Cnaimhseachais na heireann for registration as a General Nurse. Department of Nursing, Midwifery and Health Studies, DkIT 108

127 BSc. (Hons) in General Nursing 2.21 References An Bord Altranais (2005) Requirements and Standards for Nurse Registration Education Programmes (3 rd ed.) Dublin: An Bord Altranais. An Bord Altranais (2007) Addendum to Section 3 of: Requirements an standards for Nurse Registration Education Programmes Circular ABA 1/2007 Dublin: An Bord Altranais. An Bord Altranais (2010) Requirements and Standards for Post-Registration Nursing and Midwifery Education Programmes - Incorporating the National Framework of Qualifications. Dublin: An Bord Altranais. Attard A., DiLorio E., Geven K. & Santa, R. (2010) Student centred learning: Toolkit for students, staff and Higher Education Institutions. Brussels: The European Students' Union Banks, J.A. (2002). An Introduction to Multicultural Education (3rd ed.) Boston: MA: Allyn and Bacon. Baumann A, and Blythe J. (2008) Globalization of Higher Education in Nursing 13 (2) OJIN: The Online Journal of Issues in Nursing Available at: /TableofContents/vol132008/No2May08/GlobalizationofHigherEducation.html Accessed on 26/03/2013. Benner, P. (1984) From Novice to Expert: Excellence and Power in Clinical Nursing Practice.Menlo Park, California: Addison-Wesley. Biggs, J. (1999) Teaching for Quality Learning at University: what the Student does. Buckingham: SRHE and Open University Press. Bloom, B. (1956) A Treasury of Educational Objectives: Cognitive Domain New York: McKay. Bond, S. (2003). Engaging Educators: Bringing the World into the Classroom: Guidelines for Practice. Ottawa, ON: Canadian Bureau for International Education. Bondy N.K. (1983) Criterion Referenced Definitions for Rating Scales in Clinical Education. Journal of Nursing Education. 22(9), pp Broussard, L., Myers, R., & Lemoine, J. (2009). Preparing pediatric nurses: The role of simulation based learning. Issues in Comprehensive Pediatric Nursing, 32, pp Bruffee, K. (1999) Collaborative Learning: Higher Education, Interdependence, and the Authority of Knowledge. Baltimore: Johns Hopkins University Press. Buckley, S., Coleman, J., Davison, I., Khan, K. S., Zamora, J., Malick, S., Morley, D., Pollard, D., Ashcroft, T., Popovic, C. and Sayers, J. (2009) The educational effects of portfolios on Department of Nursing, Midwifery and Health Studies, DkIT 109

128 BSc. (Hons) in General Nursing undergraduate student learning: A Best Evidence Medical Education (BEME) systematic review. BEME Guide No. 11 Medical Teacher, 31 (4) pp Brundtland, G. (1987). Our Common Future: Report of the World Commission on Environment and Development. OSLO: United Nations. CAO (Central Applications Office) (2007) Scoring System for GC(S)E Applicants (England, Wales and Northern Ireland) [accessed on 06/03/2013]. Confederation of EU Rectors Conferences and the Association of European Universities (CRE) (2000) The Bologna Declaration on the European Space for Higher Education: An Explanation. Available at: (Accessed 26/01/13). Department of Health and Children (2000) Report of the Paediatric Nurse Education Review Group. The Stationery Office, Dublin. Department of Health and Children (2001a) Quality and Fairness: A Health System for You. Dublin: The Stationery Office. Department of Health and Children (2001b) Primary Care: A New Direction. Dublin: The Stationery Office. Department of Health and Children (2001c) National Evaluation of the Role of the Clinical Practice Co-ordinator, Dublin: Department of Health and Children. Department of Health and Children (2006a) A Strategy for Cancer Control in Ireland. Dublin: Department of Health and Children. Department of Health and Children (2006b) A Vision for Change. Report of the Expert Group on Mental Health Policy. Dublin: The Stationery Office. Department of Health and Children (2008a) Tackling Chronic Disease A Policy Framework for the Management of Chronic Diseases. Dublin: Department of Health and Children. Department of Health and Children (2008b) Building a Culture of Patient Safety: Report of the Commission on Patient Safety and Quality Assurance. Dublin: The Stationery Office. Department of Health and Children (2010) Changing Cardiovascular Health: National Cardiovascular Health Policy Dublin: Government Publications. Department of Health and Children (2010) A Review of Practice development in Nursing and Midwifery in the Republic of Ireland and the Development of a Strategic Framework. Dublin: Department of Health and Children. Department of Nursing, Midwifery and Health Studies, DkIT 110

129 BSc. (Hons) in General Nursing Department of Education and Skills (2011) The National Strategy for Higher Education to 2030 Available at: (Accessed 26/01/2013). Department of Health and Children (2011) Strategic Framework for Role Expansion of Nurses and Midwives: Promoting Quality Care. Dublin: Department of Health and Children. Department of Health (2012) Future Health: A Strategic Framework for Reform of the Health Service Dublin: Department of Health. Department of Health (2012). Report of the Review of Undergraduate Nursing and Midwifery Degree Programmes. Dublin: Department of Health. Department of Health (2013) Report on the Establishment of Hospital Groups as a Transition to Independent Hospital Trusts (DOH, 2013) Department of Health and Children (2013) Framework for Health and Wellbeing. Dublin: Department of Health and Children. Department of the Taoiseach (2011) Programme for Government Available at: gramme_for_government_2011.html. [accessed 4 February 2013 March 2011]. Dolan, G. (2003) Assessing student nurse clinical competency: will we ever get it right? Journal of Clinical Nursing 12, pp Dougherty, L. and Lister, S. (Eds). (2011). The Royal Marsden Hospital Manual of Clinical Nursing Procedures. 8 th ed. Oxford: Wiley-Blackwell. Dundalk Institute of Technology (2007) Dundalk Institute of Technology Strategic Plan [online], available: [accessed 15 March 2013]. Dundalk Institute of Technology (2010a) Assessment and Learning: A Policy for Dundalk Institute of Technology [online], available: [accessed 4 February 2013 March 2011]. Dundalk Institute of Technology (2010b) Dundalk Institute of Technology Learning and Teaching Strategy [online], available: [accessed 4 February 2013]. Dundalk Institute of Technology (2010c) Dundalk Institute of Technology Marks and Standards. [online], available: [accessed 1 May 2013]. Department of Nursing, Midwifery and Health Studies, DkIT 111

130 BSc. (Hons) in General Nursing Dundalk Institute of Technology (2012). Dundalk Institute of Technology Handbook for Programmatic Review [online], available: [accessed 31 November 2013]. Dundalk Institute of Technology (2013). Dundalk Institute of Technology Strategic Plan Towards a Sustainable Future. [online], available: [online], available: [Accessed 11 April 2013]. Dye, D. (2005) Enhancing critical reflection of students during clinical internship using the self S.O.A.P. note. The Internet Journal of Applied Health Sciences and Practice. 3 (4), pp.1-6. European Commission (2008) Entrepreneurship in Higher Education, especially within Non- Business Studies. Europe: European Commission. Available online at ntr_highed_en.pdf [accessed 16 th April 2013] Gonczi, A., Hager, P. and Athanasou, J. (1993). A Guide to the Assessment of Competency Based Standards in the Professions. DEET. Canberra: Australian Government Publishing Service.. Gonczi, A. (1994) Competency Based Assessment in Professions in Australia. Assessment in Higher Education. 1(1), pp Government of Ireland (1998) Report of the Commission on Nursing: A Blueprint for the Future Dublin: The Stationary Office. Government of Ireland (2000) A Strategy for a Pre-Registration Nursing Education Degree Programme. Report of the Nursing Education Forum Dublin: Stationary Office. Government of Ireland (2011) The Nurses and Midwives Act. The Stationery Office, Dublin. Health Service Executive (2011) Time to Move on from Congregated Settings. A Strategy for Community Inclusion. Report of the Working Group on Congregated Settings. Dublin: HSE. Health Service Executive (2012) National Clinical Programmes. Available at: (Accessed 15/02/2013) Health Service Executive (2013) National Service Plan Available at: (Accessed 14/6/2013) Higher Education and Training Awards Council (2009) Assessment and Standards. Available at: (Accessed 15/02/2013) Department of Nursing, Midwifery and Health Studies, DkIT 112

131 BSc. (Hons) in General Nursing Knight, J. (2004) Internationalisation Remodeled: Definitions, Rationales and Approaches. Journal for Studies in International Education, 8 (1): Kok, J. and Chabeli. M. M. (2002) Reflective Journal Writing: How it Promotes Reflective Thinking in Clinical Nursing Education: A students perspective. South African Journal of Nursing McMullan M. (2006) Students perceptions on the use of portfolios in pre-registration nursing education: a questionnaire survey. International Journal of Nursing Studies 43, pp National Education Framework for Cancer Nursing (EdCaN) (2008) A National Workforce Development Framework for Cancer Nursing. Version 1, (accessed 31 March 2013). Nikendel, C. Andreeson, S., Hoffmann K. and Junger, J. (2009) Cross-year peer tutoring on internal medicine wards: Effects on self-assessed clinical competencies A group control design study Medical Teacher 31: e32 e35. Nurse Education Forum (2000) A Strategy for a Pre-Registration Nursing Education Degree Programme Dublin: The Stationary Office. OECD (2004) Review of Higher Education in Ireland. Education% pdf [accessed 16 th April 2013]. Rosenbaum, M., Lobas, J. and Ferguson, K. (2005) Using reflection activities to enhance teaching about end-of-life care. Journal of Palliatative Medicine Schuerholz-Lehr, S., & Van Gyn, G. (2006). Internationalizing pedagogy or applying pedagogy to internationalism - the journey of a professional development workshop. Paper presented at Internationalizing Canada's Universities: Practices, Challenges, and Opportunities symposium. Available online at Schuerholz-Lehr.pdf [Accessed 15/02/2013]. Smeltzer, S.C., Bare, B.G., Hinkle, J. and Cheever, K. (2010). Brunner and Suddarth s Textbook of Medical-Surgical Nursing. 12 th ed., Philadelphia: Lippincott, Williams and Wilkins. Smyth, J. (1992). Teachers' Works and the Politics of Reflection American Educational Research Journal, 29, Tate, S., and Sills M. (2004). Developing Critical Reflection in the Health Professions LTSN Occasional Paper 4. York: Higher Education Academy. Taylor, B.J. (2000) Reflective Practice: A Guide for Nurses and Midwives. Sydney: Allen and Unwin. Department of Nursing, Midwifery and Health Studies, DkIT 113

132 BSc. (Hons) in General Nursing Taylor, B. J. (2006). Reflective Practice: A guide for nurses and midwives.2 nd ed. Buckingham, Open University Press. Taylor-Haslip, V. (2010) Guided Reflective Journals Depict a Correlation to the Academic Success of Nursing student. Teaching and Learning in Nursing, 5(2), Topping, K.J. (2005) Trends in Peer Learning, Educational Psychology 25(6), pp UNESCO. (2012) Education for Sustainable Development, [online],available: [accessed 15 February, 2013]. World Health Organisation (WHO) (2001) Nurses and Midwives for Health. WHO European Strategy for Nursing and Midwifery Education Copenhagen: WHO. World health Organisation (WHO) (2009) Global Standards for the Initial Education of Professional Nurses and Midwives. Geneva: WHO Biggs, J. B. ( 2003) Teaching for Quality Learning at University, 2 nd. edition. Open University Press. Maidenhead. Mitchell, M. L., Henderson, A., Groves, M., Dalton, M., Nulty, D.D. (2009) The Objective Structured Clinical Examination (OSCE) ; optimising its value in the undergraduate nursing curriculum. Nurse Education Today. 29 (4) Department of Nursing, Midwifery and Health Studies, DkIT 114

133 BSc. (Hons) in General Nursing Section 3 Student Services Department of Nursing, Midwifery and Health Studies, DkIT 115

134 BSc. (Hons) in General Nursing 3.1 Library Services The role of the DkIT library is to encourage, facilitate and enable learning, critical thinking and teaching. The Library does this by providing access to services tailored to the needs of members of DkIT, by responding to needs, by creating physical and virtual spaces where people can work with information and by encouraging intellectual exploration in general. Access to up-to-date information is of upmost importance especially in the era of evidencebased practice. Learning how to find, manage and critically evaluate information is an essentially important part of education and research today. The Library plays a vital role in this process, acting both as a gateway to the world s information and as a laboratory environment where best practice information skills can be developed and put into use. The Library aims to hold as much essential material as may be required. It uses all available technologies print, digital and A/V material and supports access virtually over the Web or directly. In order to achieve this aim every effort is made to manage resources efficiently and clearly. There are policies and agreements with colleagues and other service providers to ensure that readers get the service they require when they need it. Library staff are encouraged to work in teams, share knowledge and expertise and to take responsibility for their areas of activity. Services are evaluated and assessed regularly to ascertain their value and relevance to readers. The DkIT Library provides the following services - borrowing (Readers may borrow most items from the Library for periods ranging from three weeks to one day depending on demand. Most loans can be renewed in person, online or over the telephone and on loan items can be requested and recalled from other readers) - research and reference - ongoing resource collection and development - inter-library loans - information skills training - access to group and individual study spaces - access to Electronic Desktops and Wi-Fi Department of Nursing, Midwifery and Health Studies, DkIT 116

135 BSc. (Hons) in General Nursing - access to staff knowledge and support - course validation and programmatic review resource planning, costing, presentation and implementation - current awareness and guidance publications both print and online - events such as workshops, lectures and readings There are six Seminar Rooms in the Library which can be used by all students as group workspaces. There is also an Information Skills learning facilitation room, a presentation practice space and a Roof Garden which are all accessible to students as well. The entire Library has Wi-Fi access with over 100 student spaces containing dedicated electronic desktops offering access to Web based resources and MS Office. Students can avail of all these facilities to read other people s work and discuss, evaluate and distil information to create new knowledge. The Library also provides a wide range of learning facilitation sessions through its Information Skills programme. These sessions are purposely designed and integrated into new and returning degree and post-graduate students programmes. They utilise best practice learning facilitation approaches and students learn how to find, critically evaluate, manage and use the many information resources available to them. Information skills are essential in order to discover and critically appraise information efficiently and manage information effectively. Becoming equipped with these skills can significantly contribute to successful assessment, project and examination results, evidence-based practice, on-going professional career development and life-long learning. In practice, information skills are essential for all enquiry based learning methods. To selfdirect learning and develop critical thinking skills they are continually used to source and apply information to facilitate the learning process. These skills are of great benefit in research and enable the students to develop and graduate from DkIT to pursue their careers with the required key information skills needed in today s world. Many Library services can be accessed at any time over the web, including the Library Catalogue which includes a list of fully accessible books and Ebooks Department of Nursing, Midwifery and Health Studies, DkIT 117

136 BSc. (Hons) in General Nursing ( Journal Article Databases, Reader Account Information, Renewals, Requests and Inter Library Loan applications. Readers can also avail of an interlibrary loan service free of charge if they attend a workshop on this topic and in other instances on payment of a fee. The Library is open during term time with a full range of helpdesk services and consultations available for arrangement as follows Mon Thur 8.30 am 9.00 pm Fri 8.30 am 5.00 pm Sat am 4.00 pm Library Resources As new programmes are initiated, new programme collections are budgeted for and developed to meet the needs of students on these programmes. This facilitates the establishment and maintenance of currency of a new collection and development of subject content. The Library s Collection Development Policy details the Library s approach to collection development. The Library collection includes well over 50,000 items, both physical and electronic and aims to facilitate access to as much essential material as may be required. Most items are openly and quickly accessible at all times. Significant current stock is print based and held on site and increasingly more and more material is going online as well with multiple Ebooks and Ejournal articles content resources available 24/7 on the web. The library web site and specialized subject and research guides provides access to this wealth of material, and the library staff are always eager to give assistance and advice on planning research and assignment strategies and finding and managing the best print and online resources. Annually, the Library removes out of date material from the collection to ensure that material is kept up to date. Department of Nursing, Midwifery and Health Studies, DkIT 118

137 BSc. (Hons) in General Nursing Relevant Books and EBooks currently in stock Subject Area Titles Available Anatomy & Physiology 532 Health Promotion 237 Management Medicine/ Disease Nursing 1393 Nutrition 541 Psychology Psychiatry & Mental Health 813 Research Methodology 932 Sociology 1446 Medical Law 122 Medical Ethics 211 Gynaecology 229 Communication Skills 131 Academic Writing 39 Journals The Library subscribes to a large range of printed journals as well as numerous online journal article databases that provide access to full text journal articles 24/7 on the Web. In many instances an electronic version of a journal is available as well as a print based one. The library has an A-Z listing of all electronic journals available through the journal article databases. Titles not accessible can be ordered through the inter-library loans service, which can provide full text versions. Library resources at DkIT can be accessed via the Web from any remote locations including home and the clinical area. Students can do literature searches, manage their personalised search alert accounts and download full text journal articles though the Internet. Inter-library loans can also be requested through this facility. In addition, students can sometimes have access to other libraries while on placement, which can sometimes house good resources of additional educational information. Department of Nursing, Midwifery and Health Studies, DkIT 119

138 BSc. (Hons) in General Nursing Relevant Journal Article Databases Available: Midwifery and Infant Care (Citations & Abstracts Only) ProQuest Nursing and Allied Health CINAHL Academic Search Complete Science Direct The Millennium Library system manages the Library s collections, access and use of them. This system allows the library to create detailed statistical profiles, including statistics on reading per programme and to track usage of items in a comprehensive manner. Staff and readers have access to internet, and relevant software packages. Among the features available are: Reading Lists service groups all reading material for a programme together under lecturer name and programme code Featured Lists service this allows the library to create specific lists of specific material in the library as required Suggest a Title service Make a Comment service Library Staff The Library employs numerous staff in permanent and temporary positions. Staff are encouraged to work in teams. Staff also act as liaison people for subject and reader groups and the School of Health has its own dedicated Subject and Research Support team working in close and successful collaboration with all the Schools staff. Department of Nursing, Midwifery and Health Studies, DkIT 120

139 BSc. (Hons) in General Nursing 3.2 Learner Support Services Academic Support An academic calendar will be available on the DkIT web page from the commencement of term. Module timetables and assignment titles will also be available from the programme leader/co-ordinator on registration for each module. Studies Advisors Studies advisors are provided for each student and have both academic and pastoral responsibilities. The primary responsibilities of the advisor are: Aiding fulfilment of the student s potential Helping the student to adapt to third level education Facilitating referral mechanisms which will aid the successful completion of the student s course of study Representing the student if necessary at Exam Boards Sessions for advice on studies are timetabled once or twice a term. Each advisor of studies meets all their students together or in smaller groups. Frequently, the problems raised by one student apply equally to others. Students can also arrange to see the advisor of studies on an individual basis. Other Dundalk Institute of Technology aims to provide education and training to the highest standards and to contribute to the personal and social development of all students. Student Services is explicitly concerned with the latter of these aims, particularly fostering the personal growth of students above and beyond their educational experience, as well as providing support in times of crisis. The services provide student support in the areas outlined below. Department of Nursing, Midwifery and Health Studies, DkIT 121

140 BSc. (Hons) in General Nursing Student Services Building The student services building is an important resource for students and comprises of a variety of social, leisure and recreational facilities. These include office space for student services, the students union, a bar, a cafeteria, seminar/meeting rooms, common room facilities, a place for worship and a large theatre/cinema. Academic & Student Affairs Officer Student services are co-ordinated by the Academic and Student Affairs Officer who also has responsibilities within the area of academic administration. Staff in student services work closely with all other areas of the Institute, including the students union, to ensure that the welfare of students is paramount. Services for students with special needs are arranged through the Academic and Student Affairs Officer. Students Union The students union provides support, advice and information on a wide variety of issues and represents students throughout the Institute. Located in the student services building, it also has a web site page address Chaplaincy Service Chaplaincy is staffed by one full-time Chaplain (Catholic) and two part-time Chaplains (Church of Ireland and Presbyterian). Department of Nursing, Midwifery and Health Studies, DkIT 122

141 BSc. (Hons) in General Nursing Student Counsellor One full-time and one part- time student counsellor are available on site for consultation with students. The Health Unit All full-time students of the Institute are treated free of charge at the student health unit. A Registered Nurse and Doctor staff the unit. The Nurse is available to see students at the times posted on the door of the unit. No appointment is necessary. The Doctor attends the unit every Tuesday and Thursday from 2.00 pm to 3.00 pm. Students who wish to see the Doctor must make an appointment with the Nurse prior to the commencement of Surgery. The Doctor is also available for consultation at his surgery. A full appointment system operates in both the morning and afternoon. All appointments can be made at the unit by the Nurse. Access Officer The role of the Access Officer is to promote access and provide support for groups that have been traditionally under-represented in third-level education. The Access Officer aims to support students with a background of socio-economic disadvantage, mature students, students from the traveller community and ethnic minorities. Students are advised to contact the Access Officer as soon as possible if they require any of these services. Refer to the College Student Handbook for further details on the Access Officer. Department of Nursing, Midwifery and Health Studies, DkIT 123

142 BSc. (Hons) in General Nursing Disability & Student Quality Office The Disability and Student Quality Office provides supports and advocates on behalf of any student with a physical, sensory or learning difficulty, or has a mental health condition that interferes with the learning process. Academic supports available include:- Small Group/One to One specialist tuition Academic Tuition Extended Library Loans Academic/Personal Assistant Assistive Technology Examination Supports available include:- Extra Time Reader Scribe Rest Period Use of Technology e.g. laptop Smaller Examination Centre Waiver on Spelling and Grammar Sport and Recreation The sport and recreation department co-ordinates the internal and external sports programme in the Institute. These services are available to all students and clubs in the Institute who are interested in sport, either on an individual basis or interested in competing at inter-collegiate varsity level. Department of Nursing, Midwifery and Health Studies, DkIT 124

143 BSc. (Hons) in General Nursing Centre for Excellence in Teaching and Learning (CELT) Given the acknowledged and strong correlation between quality teaching and quality learning, DkIT places significant emphasis on the continuing professional development (CPD) of its staff. This emphasis is reflected in numerous Institute initiatives, including the setting up of its Centre for Excellence in Learning and Teaching (CELT) in 2008, a Master of Arts in Learning and Teaching (2009), which has a current enrolment of 55 Institute staff, and, significantly too, the creation of a Student Learning and Development Centre (2009). In 2009, an e-learning Development Unit was established to promote technology enhanced, flexible and blended approaches to student learning throughout the Institute. The MA Programme was validated in October 2009 and provides an accredited and modularised professional development pathway incorporating a flexible/blended learning philosophy. The Programme has modules which are specifically focused on the enhancement of student learning, as the following titles highlight: Student-centred Learning and Teaching: Models and Strategies (Mandatory); Enhancing Student Learning through E- pedagogy; Improving Learning and Teaching through Creativity and Scholarship. CPD within the Institute is further consolidated through the provision of a range of other opportunities for staff to promote excellence in their teaching, including: professional development events (PDEs), exhibitions in which staff projects showcasing the diversity of approaches to learning and teaching are exhibited and guest speaker presentations. CELT seeks to promote excellence with particular emphasis on student-centred learning (SCL), technology-enhanced learning (TEL) and teaching quality, all of which are inter-linked. This aim is aligned with the Hunt Report which recommends that: "All higher education institutions must ensure that all teaching staff are both qualified and competent in teaching and learning, and should support on-going development and improvement of their skills". CELT works actively with Schools across the Institute, piloting, implementing and evaluating teaching and learning approaches with a view to improving practice through application. The Centre has participated in nationally-funded learning and teaching projects such as the Department of Nursing, Midwifery and Health Studies, DkIT 125

144 BSc. (Hons) in General Nursing National Digital Learning Repository (NDLR) and SIF 2 Flexible Learning. It also collaborates with the wider higher education teaching and learning community such as NAIRTL, LIN and ILTA. A number of staff within the School of Health & Science have completed the MA in Teaching and Learning Programme. Student Learning and Development Centre The Student Learning and Development Centre is a space where students feel comfortable about raising issues that may help them to study or learn more effectively. The centre, which works under the umbrella of CELT, should help to build confidence and self-esteem, especially when mitigating circumstances arise, and be a catalyst for those who are involved in different aspects of student support to work together on a student s behalf. The centre provides support for individuals or groups, with individual consultations, small group consultations, and workshops for all students, on a range of academic and study related skills while improving retention rates. Free tutorials include; IT skills, Academic Writing Skills and English as a second language. In addition incoming mature students are invited to attend a week of mathematic and IT tutorials prior to the start of the academic year. The Centre assists in both easing the transition from second to third level study. Department of Nursing, Midwifery and Health Studies, DkIT 126

145 BSc. (Hons) in General Nursing Section 4 Programme Management and Quality Assurance Department of Nursing, Midwifery and Health Studies, DkIT 127

146 BSc. (Hons) in General Nursing 4.1 Programme Management and Quality Auuurance Introduction Dundalk Institute of Technology strives to deliver best-in-class service to all its stakeholders. Using the standards defined by the National Framework of Qualifications as its benchmark, the Institute aims to offer value added learning in a student centred approach, while delivering value for money (DkIT 2011, p1). The quality assurance processes detailed in the Quality Policy (DkIT, 2011) also highlights the Institute commitment to quality when it states that: It is the policy of the Institute that all programmes are approved by external peer review to ensure that they are relevant, well designed and in conformance with the standards of the National Framework of Qualifications. (DkIT 2011, p5) In pursuit of quality, The Institute engages in processes aimed at measurement, evaluation and continuous improvement. These are facilitated by a number of key structures at corporate and departmental levels including Academic Council, Programme and Stage Board, The Student Representation Forum and the External Examination Process. The role that each of these structures play in assuring quality is detailed in the following sections. Academic Council The Academic Council plays an important role in maintaining and developing the academic standards of programmes and activities of the Institute. The current Academic Council consists of 52 members. These are drawn from the academic and managerial roles within the Institute and the student body. The Academic Council, through the appointed sub-committee, evaluates all proposed programmes. This evaluation considers: The overall quality of the programme Department of Nursing, Midwifery and Health Studies, DkIT 128

147 BSc. (Hons) in General Nursing The quality of the programme document in terms of clarity, comprehensiveness and linkages between modules and how these are highlighted The relevance of the programme within the current academic and economic environment The matching of the curriculum with the rationale, aims and objectives of the programme and current practice and policy. The Programme Board The Programme Board will comprise of the Head of Section of Midwifery, Head of Department of Nursing, Midwifery and Health Studies, lecturers associated with the programme, midwifery practice development co-ordinator and clinical placement coordinators plus 2 student representatives from each stage. Students responsibilities, as a programme board committee member, are outlined in the college policy. There will be three programme board meetings each year: At the beginning of each semester for the purposes of agreeing Assessment Schedules. During each semester. At the end of each semester (Examination Board) A meeting of the Programme Board will be held at the end of the academic year under the chairmanship of the Programme Director and attended by the external examiners. This will constitute the Examination Board. (Students will not attend this meeting). The Programme Board is critical to the successful operation of the programme and an example of roles include: The implementation and review of the aims and objectives The establishment and maintenance of academic standards Monitoring student progress and student feedback Encouraging lecturers to reflect on their learning and teaching practices and the integration of module material Continuous review of programme content and preparation of revision of Department of Nursing, Midwifery and Health Studies, DkIT 129

148 BSc. (Hons) in General Nursing material as appropriate The review of External Examiner reports Report annually to the Academic Council. Annual Reporting to the Academic Council The preparation of the annual report to the Academic Council will represent an opportunity to carefully analyse the overall performance of the programme. Examination results of the previous session will be reviewed. The review will consider: Distribution of grades Overall pass rate Pass rate of individual modules Distribution of marks within modules Modules, which are most significant in affecting student progress. The monitoring of the performance of students will provide an insight into student progress and any difficulties encountered and the action required. Evaluation Evaluation of the programme is undertaken for two main purposes: To ensure the quality of the programme offered To ensure that the needs of students are met. Evaluation involves a number of sources of feedback and includes both formative and summative evaluation. Formative evaluation is undertaken throughout the life of the programme and guides on-going modification. Summative evaluation is undertaken at the end of the programme. Department of Nursing, Midwifery and Health Studies, DkIT 130

149 BSc. (Hons) in General Nursing Formative evaluation Throughout the period of approval, modifications of the programme in response to the feedback received from internal and external examiners, students and the results of the annual programme review process will be made. Agreement to any major amendments will be obtained from Academic Council. Summative evaluation Summative evaluation is undertaken at the end of a student s experience of the programme and at the end of the period of approval. Formal processes are also in place to measure the effectiveness of the programme. External Examiners External examiners will be appointed in accordance with Academic Council regulations. The external examiners play an important role in monitoring the appropriateness of the programme, assessment and the standards achieved in both course work and examinations. External Examiners shall determine, in their expert judgement, whether: The standard of examinations is satisfactory The standard of the student performance meets the intended Learning Outcomes. The assessment and determination of awards processes have been consistent and fair. The student performance on the programme as a whole has been properly assessed. The standard of assessment and performance is comparable to that in other institutions (if appropriate). The reports they submit will be considered in detail and any items raised will be dealt with in the context of the annual programme review. Department of Nursing, Midwifery and Health Studies, DkIT 131

150 BSc. (Hons) in General Nursing Staff/Student Council The aim of the School of Health and Science staff/student council is to provide a forum within which undergraduate students can bring to the attention of staff and management of the School general issues relating to their undergraduate programmes and general issues relating to their student experience within the Institute. It is also an opportunity for students from different programmes and disciplines within the School to share their experiences. The council meets once every semester and membership includes: Head of School of Health and Science (Chairperson) Head of Department of Nursing, Midwifery and Health Studies Head of Department of Applied Sciences Head of Midwifery Section School Administrator (Grade VI) Class representatives from all programme stages within the School One lecturer representative from each programme Department of Nursing, Midwifery and Health Studies, DkIT 132

151 BSc. (Hons) in General Nursing Partnership Quality Management Structures A number of partnership quality management structures are also in place as identified in figure 13 Fig 13: Partnership Quality Management Structures Professional Standards Partnership (PSP) This group meet twice every semester and focus on working issues such as developing guidelines for clinical practice and supporting the integration of theory and practice. The PSP reports to the Local Joint Working Group. Membership includes the Head of Section of Midwifery, Head of Department, link lecturers (from each discipline), practice development co-ordinators, clinical placement co-ordinators and allocations officers. Local Joint Working Group (LJWG) This group meets twice every semester and has a strategic role in programme management and delivery from a theoretical and clinical perspective. The LJWG reports to the Management Advisory Group. Membership includes the Head of Section of Midwifery, Head of Department, Head of School, Directors of Nursing and Midwifery, Practice Development Co-ordinators, and Allocations Officers. Department of Nursing, Midwifery and Health Studies, DkIT 133

152 BSc. (Hons) in General Nursing Management Advisory Group The group meets a minimum of once every semester. Membership includes Head of Section of Midwifery, Head of Department, Head of School and Directors of Midwifery and Nursing. This group has a strategic management role. Department of Nursing, Midwifery and Health Studies, DkIT 134

153 BSc. (Hons) in General Nursing Section 5 Learning Outcomes in the Context of the National Qualifications Authority of Ireland (NQAI) Framework for Level 9 Programmes Department of Nursing, Midwifery and Health Studies, DkIT 135

154 BSc. (Hons) in General Nursing Section 6 Module Descriptors Department of Nursing, Midwifery and Health Studies, DkIT 136

155 BSc. (Hons) in General Nursing Section 7 Appendices Department of Nursing, Midwifery and Health Studies, DkIT 137

156 BSc. (Hons) in General Nursing APPENDIX 1 Structure of reflective practice in the Programme Department of Nursing, Midwifery and Health Studies, DkIT 138

157 BSc. (Hons) in General Nursing Structure of reflective practice in the BSc (Hons) in General Nursing Programme This appendix contains the following: 1. Reflective Practice Pathway 2. Guidance for Reflective Practice for BSc. (Hons) in General Nursing programme Department of Nursing, Midwifery and Health Studies, DkIT 139

158 BSc. (Hons) in General Nursing Reflective Practice Pathway Dye (2005, p.1) suggest that the process of reflection guides the student to the areas of strength and weakness and directs them to acquire additional knowledge. In order to aid refection and thereby enhance nursing practice, the following reflective protocol will be adopted for the BSc in General Nursing. In stage 1, within the module Foundations for General Nursing Practice, students will be introduced to the concept of reflection prior to entry to the clinical area. Students will be given guidance on the domains of competence and academic literature to enhance the reflective experience. Following the student s exposure to the clinical area, on return to college, students will participate in a structured group discussion on reflection. The focus of this discussion will be based on student s reflection using a recognized reflective model. This reflective piece will take the form of a formative assessment. Each student must write a short account of his/her experience and be prepared to discuss this experience(s). This will be a small group discussion and will be facilitated by two lecturers. Guidance for the reflective practice discussions for the BSc (Hons) in General Nursing is detailed on page 133. In stage 2, reflection is included within the module Cardiovascular and Respiratory Nursing. Prior to entry to the clinical area, the concept of reflection will be re-visited and students will be given guidance on the written reflective piece which they will complete while in the clinical area. As in stage 1, this will highlight the domains of competence and academic literature to augment the reflective experience. Students will be asked to reflect on an experience that had a significant impact on them, and will record this in writing. This reflective piece will take the form of a formative assessment. Following the clinical experience, within the module Neurological and Endocrine Nursing, students will participate in a structured group discussion on their reflections, using a recognized reflective model. Each student will be given the opportunity to discuss his/her own experience. The will be a small group discussion and will be facilitated by two lecturers. Department of Nursing, Midwifery and Health Studies, DkIT 140

159 BSc. (Hons) in General Nursing In stage 3, students will be required to maintain a reflective log, using the Mahara e- portfolio software. The domains of competence and academic literature will be used to support students reflections. Students will work in small groups of 4/5, and each students will contribute three reflective entries to Mahara. Only this group of students and the assigned lecturers will have access to the reflective work on Mahara. The purpose of using Mahara is to facilitate peer reflection among this group of students. On return to the college this group of 4/5 students will select one or two pertinent reflective entries for group discussion and reflection, this will be facilitated by two lecturers. This reflective piece will take the form of a formative assessment. Reflection will be facilitated within the module Palliative Care and End of Life Care. In stage 4, semester 1, reflection is included within the module Nursing the Acutely Ill Adult. Students will maintain a reflective log while on clinical placement using the Mahera e- portfolio. As in stage 3, students will work in groups of 4/5 and will select relevant entries for reflection. The focus on this reflective work is focusing on the student s ability to critically analyse an experience which had a significant impact on them. Reference to the literature and to the domains of competence will support student s reflection. This reflective piece will take the form of a formative assessment. The group/peer discussions will consist of 4/5 students, and will be facilitated by two lecturers, on students return to college. In stage 4, semester 2 (internship) students will be required to reflect on topics such as clinical reasoning, patient management, multi-disciplinary team, or topics that the student considers important in the context of their internship. Reference to the literature and to the domains of competence will support student s reflection. Student s reflective thinking will be augmented and consolidated by means of the protected reflective time afforded to students during their internship. This will take the form of peer reflection. Peer reflection will be facilitated in the clinical area by CPC s and visiting lecturers. Department of Nursing, Midwifery and Health Studies, DkIT 141

160 BSc. (Hons) in General Nursing STAGE 1 Knowledge and comprehension STAGE 2 Application STAGE 3 Analysis and Synthesis STAGE 4 Evaluation Learning Outcome THEORY CLINICAL Assessment Through reflection the student will demonstrate a cognisance of their own strengths and limitations, in relation to professional knowledge, skills and attitudes and work under the supervision of their preceptor, at dependant participant level, to address areas for improvement. Through reflection the student will begin to evaluate their own strengths and limitations, in relation to professional knowledge, skills and attitudes and work under the supervision of their preceptor, at supported participant level, to address areas for improvement. Through reflection the student will evaluate their own strengths and limitations, in relation to professional knowledge, skills and attitudes and work in partnership with their preceptor, at advanced participant level, to address areas for improvement. Through reflection the student will critically evaluate their own strengths and limitations, in relation to professional knowledge, skills and attitudes and work in partnership with their preceptor, at proficient level, to address areas for improvement. Midwifery 1 Introduction to Reflection and Reflective Practice. Linking theory to practice Structured group discussion on a reflective question(s) on return from clinical placement* Midwifery 2 Critique of models used within reflection Linking theory to practice Structured group discussion on a reflective question(s) on return from clinical placement* Midwifery 3 Critically review of the benefits and challenges or reflective practice Linking theory to practice Structured group discussion on a reflective question(s) on return from clinical placement* Midwifery 4 Consolidation and embodiment of reflective practice Linking theory to practice Structured group discussion on a reflective question(s) on return from clinical placement* Clinical 1 Workbook Protected reflection time Clinical 2 Workbook Protected reflection time Clinical 3 Workbook Protected reflection time Clinical 4 Workbook Protected reflection time Clinical 1 - Summative Assessment Structured on-line reflective question(s) that the student undertakes independently when on clinical placement. Midwifery 1 - Formative Assessment *The same question is discussed generically within the student group on return to college to facilitate peer learning and link theory to practice. Clinical 2 - Summative Assessment Structured on-line reflective question(s) that the student undertakes independently when on clinical placement. Midwifery 2 - Formative Assessment *The same question is discussed generically within the student group on return to college to facilitate peer learning and link theory to practice. Clinical 3 - Summative Assessment Structured on-line reflective question(s) that the student undertakes independently when on clinical placement. Midwifery 3 - Formative Assessment *The same question is discussed generically within the student group on return to college to facilitate peer learning and link theory to practice. Clinical 4 - Summative Assessment Structured on-line reflective question(s) that the student undertakes independently when on clinical placement. Midwifery 4 - Formative Assessment *The same question is discussed generically within the student group on return to college to facilitate peer learning and link theory to practice. Department of Nursing, Midwifery and Health Studies, DkIT 142

161 BSc. (Hons) in General Nursing Guidance for Reflective Practice discussion for BSc (Hons) in General Nursing Reflective practice involves thinking about and reviewing events to try to make sense of them using already acquired nursing knowledge and understanding. Reflecting upon experiences during the BSc (Hons) in General Nursing programme is an essential exercise in personal and professional development. It enables you as a student to review events, analyse the events, review sources of evidence, identify possible courses of action and select the most appropriate one for future practice. You are required to participate in reflective exercises throughout the programme. This promotes learning through experience and fosters the development of a reflective practitioner. Guidance for Structured group discussion on a reflective question(s) on return from clinical placement Ground rules must be agreed within each group Refection must be based solely on YOUR thoughts/experiences/actions Client/staff confidentiality must be maintained at all times This is not a forum for identification/discussion in relation to perceived poor practice and any concerns regarding clinical issues must be addressed through the proper channels. Everybody s experience is equally important and therefore needs to be heard and respected Department of Nursing, Midwifery and Health Studies, DkIT 143

162 BSc. (Hons) in General Nursing APPENDIX 2 Medication Management Sub-group Report Department of Nursing, Midwifery and Health Studies, DkIT 144

163 BSc. (Hons) in General Nursing Medication Management Sub-group Report Medication Management Sub-group Membership Jill Atkinson Madeline Colwell Mark Cunningham Patricia Finlay Anne James Catriona McCahey Ailish McArdle John Reid Joe Treacy Head of Section of Midwifery Acting Practice Development Co-ordinator Lecturer Clinical Placement Co-ordinator, Psychiatry Clinical Placement Co-ordinator (Midwifery) Clinical Placement Co-ordinator (General Nursing) Lecturer Clinical Placement Co-ordinator (Intellectual Disability Nursing) Lecturer Dundalk Institute of Technology Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital, Drogheda Dundalk Institute of Technology Louth/Meath Mental Health Services Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital, Drogheda Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital, Drogheda Dundalk Institute of Technology Saint John of God North East Services, St. Mary s, Drumcar Dundalk Institute of Technology External Consultation Sharon Tuohy Oran Quinn Clinical Skills Technician Pharmacist Dundalk Institute of Technology Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital, Drogheda Department of Nursing, Midwifery and Health Studies, DkIT 145

164 BSc. (Hons) in General Nursing Background In October 2012 the Professional Standards Partnership group requested that a Medication Management Sub-group (MMS) be formed to consider, and report back, how Medication Management could be enhanced for student nurses and student midwives from both a theoretical and clinical perspective. Process The MMS had a series of three meetings. The main priorities of these meetings included: Meeting 1 Review of current medication management practice from a theoretical and clinical perspective. Meeting 2 Consideration of how to enhance current practice from a theoretical and clinical perspective. External Consultation Ms. Sharon Tuohy advised on the current resources in the clinical skills laboratory, DkIT. Mr. Oran Quinn reviewed the resources in the clinical skills laboratory and advised how Medication Management could be strengthened. Meeting 3 Review of draft report for Professional Standards Partnership Group Key Recommendations A partnership approach should be taken to developing student knowledge and skills. The knowledge and skills for Medication Management should be built upon each year with students facilitated to follow a clear taxonomy of learning. In view of this a Medication Management Pathway, that each discipline can apply meaningfully in theory and clinical practice, to be developed (Refer to Appendix 1). Stage one of the programme should focus on students developing core knowledge on Pharmacology and medication calculations. Learning and assessment on specific medications should be taught and assessed in a holistic manner throughout the programme. Further emphasis to be placed on scope of practice, drug errors and near misses. Update the drug trolley/boxes in the skills lab and consider using this as a learning and assessment tool. Consider introducing an assessed Medication Management OSCE in stage 3. Inclusion of students in Medication Rounds at all stages of the programme. Introduce two Medication Assessments as part of Internship assessment (Appendix 2). Department of Nursing, Midwifery and Health Studies, DkIT 146

165 BSc. (Hons) in General Nursing MEDICATION MANAGEMENT PATHWAY STAGE 1 Learning THEORY CLINICAL Knowledge and Fundamentals of Pharmacology comprehension Introduction to Medication Management Theory and practice of Medication Administration (OSCE) Medication Calculations (OSCE) Participation in administration of medications appropriate to stage Domains of Competence (Workbook) STAGE 2 Application Fundamentals of Pharmacology Cycle of Medication Management Learning and teaching on medications in relation to conditions being studied. Participation in administration of medications appropriate to stage Domains of Competence (Workbook) STAGE 3 STAGE 4 Analysis and Synthesis Evaluation Learning and teaching on medications in relation to conditions being studied. Scope of Practice in relation to Medications Safety in Medication Management Errors and near-misses Adverse reactions Ethical and legal dilemmas Learning and teaching on medications in relation to conditions being studied. Medication Protocols Nurse/midwife prescribers Preparation for Internship (? Students do this prior to Int) Completion of Learning Packages EG. Guide to Medication Management Insulin Administration for Nursing Staff Participation in administration of medications appropriate to stage Domains of Competence (Workbook) Semester 1 Participation in administration of medications appropriate to stage Domains of Competence (Workbook) Semester 2 Internship Medication Management Assessment x 2 Department of Nursing, Midwifery and Health Studies, DkIT 147

166 BSc. (Hons) in General Nursing INTERNSHIP MEDICATION ADMINISTRATION ASSESSMENT INTERNSHIP MEDICATION MANANGEMENT ASSESSMENT FOR STUDENT NURSES AND MIDWIVES DEPARTMENT OF NURSING, MIDWIFERY AND HEALTH STUDIES & THE HEALTH SERVICE EXECUTIVE DUBLIN NORTH THE HEALTH SERVICE EXECUTIVE WEST & ST JOHN OF GOD SERVICES NORTH EAST Department of Nursing, Midwifery and Health Studies, DkIT 148