Nursing - General Nursing
The BSc (Hons) in Nursing in General Nursing at Hibernia College is an innovative approach to undergraduate nurse education. The programme is delivered through a blended learning design with a mixture of practical clinical learning, traditional classroom-based and online learning.
| Award Name | Degree - Honours Bachelor (Level 8 NFQ) |
|---|---|
| NFQ Classification | Major |
| Awarding Body | QQI |
| NFQ Level | Level 8 NFQ |
| Award Name | NFQ Classification | Awarding Body | NFQ Level |
|---|---|---|---|
| Degree - Honours Bachelor (Level 8 NFQ) | Major | QQI | Level 8 NFQ |
Duration
3 years and 4 months.
The programme is delivered through a blended learning design with a mixture of practical clinical learning, traditional classroom-based and online learning.
QQI FET Applicants General Information
Nursing Studies (5M4349)
Healthcare Support (5M4339)
Community and Health Services (5M4468)
Health Service Skills (5M3782)
In all cases, applicants must have achieved distinctions in five components including:
Anatomy and Physiology (5N0749)
Nursing Theory and Practice (5N4325)
Human Growth and Development (5N1279) or Biology (5N2746)
Entry Requirements
All applicants must be 18 years of age or over on 1 January in the year of entry, be eligible to work in the Republic of Ireland and satisfy the entry requirements of one of three application pathways.
English Language Proficiency
In line with NMBI registration requirements, applicants whose first language/primary mode of expression is not English will be required to provide evidence of necessary knowledge of English to communicate effectively in their practice. The current requirements are IELTS 7.0 in all components or B2+ or higher in the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR). For more information, explore the NMBI Careers in Nursing and Midwifery webpage.
NMBI Requirements
This programme is designed to lead to professional registration with the NMBI. For more details about these requirements, please visit the NMBI Careers in Nursing and Midwifery webpage https://www.nmbi.ie/Careers-in-Nursing-Midwifery
Applicants must hold a Leaving Certificate with a minimum grade of H5 in two subjects and a minimum grade of O6/H7 in four additional subjects, including:
Irish or English
Mathematics
A laboratory science subject (Biology, Physics, Chemistry, Physics and
Chemistry, or Agricultural Science)
Three other subjects
Please note that the NMBI entry requirements do not permit Foundation Level Mathematics or Foundation Level Irish.
Further information
Next Intakes: Spring 2024, Spring 2025.
An applicant aged 23 or over on 1 January in the year of entry is eligible to apply as a mature student.
Application Fee
€95
Tuition Fees
Tuition fees for Stages 1 through 3 are €7,995 annually, with a reduced fee of €3,000 for the Stage 4 Internship.
Other Fees
The other fees payable over the course of the programme include:
Garda Vetting Fee: All students must complete Garda Vetting as part of their enrolment on the programme. The current fee is €50.
Health Screening and Vaccinations: All students are required to undertake health screening and, where necessary, vaccination, as mandated by the clinical placement areas before the commencement of the programme. Students will be referred to a nominated third party to complete this step.
NMBI Candidate Register: All nursing students must register with the NMBI and be recorded on their candidate register. The current fee is €20 and is payable directly to the NMBI.
Loan Facility
Health Services Staff’s Credit Union (HSSCU) has formulated a loan facility that may interest you. For more information, read about the facility on the HSSCU website.
Tax Relief
Hibernia College is an approved college for the purposes of s.474 of the Taxes Consolidation Act, 1997, and this programme is approved for qualifying tax relief. For more information, please view the Revenue website.
Applications for the Spring 2024 intake are now open.(updated 31.8.23)
With person-centred care and safety at its core, this programme focuses on care, compassion and commitment. Graduates will be eligible to register as a Registered General Nurse (RGN) with the Nursing and Midwifery Board of Ireland (NMBI).
The BSc (Hons) in Nursing in General Nursing at Hibernia College is an innovative approach to undergraduate nurse education. The programme is delivered through a blended learning design with a mixture of practical clinical learning, traditional classroom-based and online learning.
Graduates of this programme will have a deep understanding of the nature of care as well as a highly developed capacity to be exemplary in clinical practice. The 240 ECTS honours degree has been developed in partnership with a wide range of national and international experts in nursing.
Course content includes video and audio clips/podcasts, journal articles and book chapters, interactive learning activities and quizzes, regular tutor and teaching webinars, and moderated discussion forums. Competency-based assessment is a key feature of clinical learning and uses the national assessment framework. Assessment includes academic writing, including essays, projects and care plans; group projects and presentations; and a limited number of examinations. All these submissions create a Personal Professional Portfolio throughout the programme.
Programme Structure
Online Learning
Online content such as video and audio, journal articles and book chapters, interactive learning activities and quizzes are released in a staged manner for you to work through. Other content includes regular tutor and teaching webinars and moderated discussion forums.
Clinical Skills Learning
We timetable the teaching and practice of clinical skills in specialist learning environments designed and equipped to resemble and simulate clinical care areas. This facilitates hands-on clinical learning in a safe and supported environment. We also conduct small group tutorials on the mandatory days, which support your preparation for clinical placement.
Classroom Learning
During the early stages of the programme, there is a concentration of face-to-face days to support your integration to the programme. As you progress, this in-person activity focuses on clinical skills learning, tutorials and small group work. These typically occur one day a week.
Reflection
Reflective practice is a core element in the programme. Reflective activities include creating a reflective journal and building a Personal Professional Portfolio. Weekly tutor-led reflective webinars are built into each stage of the programme to enhance and support your learning and development.
Professional Practice Placement
Approximately 50% of the programme takes place in clinical learning environments, the majority of which occur during May, June, July and August. During Stage 1, there are 18 weeks of clinical placement. Stage 2 has 20 weeks of placement, Stage 3 has 8 weeks and Stage 4 has 36 weeks, totalling 82 weeks of placement in the programme.
During your clinical learning experiences, you will work with an experienced nurse, known as a preceptor, with the support of the clinical education teams of the College and placement providers.
Our clinical partners include both private and public healthcare providers.
Required Study and Attendance
This accelerated degree programme is full-time. The theory content is released on a weekly basis to give a study workload of 39 hours per week. This involves working through the online content in the virtual learning environment, engaging in synchronous or live events, and preparing for assignments. This includes tutorials, discussion forums and informal meetups, which are facilitated by the Academic Team. You are required to attend all tutorials, online lectures and clinical skills sessions. Attendance at such events forms a vital part of the programme, and it is an important marker of your engagement with the programme.
Each clinical placement requires a full working week.
Full attendance at clinical placement is a requirement of the NMBI and an essential component for registration on completion of the programme. As a result, absences outside of the timetabled holidays are not permitted.
Formative feedback is provided throughout the programme in a timely, regular and individualised manner, allowing you to build the confidence to succeed in the programme. You will build a Personal Professional Portfolio over the duration of the programme. This will include academic writing, including essays, projects and care plans; group projects and presentations; and a limited number of examinations. Competency-based assessment is a key feature of clinical learning and uses the national assessment framework.
If you have any questions, please contact our Enrolment team at +353 (0)1 661 0168 (press 2) between 9 AM and 5 PM Monday to Friday. You are also welcome to email advisor@hiberniacollege.net.