Diabetes (Nursing) (MHSc/PDipHSc)

Applications and Selections

Who Teaches this Course

Requirements and Assessment

Glossary of Terms

Year 1 (60 Credits)

RequiredGPN10: Diabetes

GPN10: Diabetes

Semester 1 and Semester 2 | Credits: 10

Diabetes is a postgraduate module offered to health care professionals as a component of Masters in Diabetes, Postgraduate Certificate in Clinical Primary Care and also as a stand alone module.The main learning objective of this module is to improve the management of patients with diabetes. This course has been developed so that the tutors and teachers involved are local experts and specialists in the area and involves a multidisciplinary approach. The aim of the course is to offer an excellent learning resource and also offer an opportunity to build support with specialists in secondary care. This module has been developed for allied health professionals including general practitioners, practice nurses, hospital and community nurses and dieticians and is aimed to address the learning needs of those managing patients with this condition. This course is ICGP accredited.
(Language of instruction: English)

Learning Outcomes

1. • Demonstrate competency in diagnosis, screening and classification of patients with diabetes
2. • Critically analyse the challenges of diabetes control, monitoring and self-management education
3. • Implement appropriate structure of care for patients with diabetes
4. • Integrate health behaviours methodology in the care of patients with diabetes
5. • Demonstrate a clear understanding of the appropriate use of therapeutics in diabetes
6. • Demonstrate the ability to recognise and manage acute and chronic diabetes complications
7. • Implement appropriate screening and pathways of care for pregnancy and diabetes

Assessments

• Continuous Assessment (65%)
• Oral, Audio Visual or Practical Assessment (35%)

Teachers

•  SEAN FINBARR DINNEEN 🖂
  
•  PAUL WILLIAM GORMLEY 🖂
  
•  BREDA KELLEHER 🖂
  
•  MARI MORAN 🖂
  
•  EVA FLYNN 🖂
  
•  Derek O'Keeffe 🖂
  

Reading List

1. "A Practical Guide to Integrated Diabetes Care" by n/a
2. "Additional recommended and supplemental references per weekly unit." by n/a

RequiredNU921: Clinical Competence 1

NU921: Clinical Competence 1

Semester 1 | Credits: 0

(Language of instruction: English)

Assessments

• Continuous Assessment (100%)

Teachers

•  MAURA DOWLING 🖂
  
•  FRANCES FARRELLY 🖂
  
•  SINÉAD HAHESSY 🖂
  
•  ANDREW HUNTER 🖂
  
•  BRONA MOONEY 🖂
  
•  MARI MORAN 🖂
  
•  MARCELLA HORRIGAN-KELLY 🖂
  
•  CLAIRE QUINN 🖂
  
•  ELAINE O'HARA 🖂
  
•  Derek O'Keeffe 🖂
  
•  Peter Carr 🖂
  
•  Katherine Pigott 🖂
  

RequiredNU623: Clinical Governance: Supporting Safe Practice

NU623: Clinical Governance: Supporting Safe Practice

Semester 2 | Credits: 10

This module will examine clinical governance and its role in supporting safe practice. Errors are inevitable in healthcare systems (Commission on Patient Safety and Quality Assurance, 2008). It is estimated that medical errors would rank 5 in the top 10 causes of death in the United States, ahead of accidents, diabetes, and Alzheimer’s disease, if included on the National Centre for Health Statistics’ list (Joint Commission, 2005 p.7). In Ireland, the Commission on Patient Safety and Quality Assurance (2008) acknowledge that healthcare will never be risk free but argue that it is critical that the systems in place are as safe as possible, that the right ‘checks and balances’ are in place and that learning results from mistakes. To ensure this happens it is important that programmes prepare nurses to promote and enhance clinical safety. The module is guided by the National Patient Safety Framework (The Australian Council for Safety and Quality in Health Care, 2005) and the World Health Organisation (WHO) Patient Safety Curriculum Guide for Medical Schools (WHO, , 2009), National Patient Safety Strategy 2019-2024 (HSE, 2019) and the HSE Code of Governance (HSE, 2021).
(Language of instruction: English)

Learning Outcomes

1. Examine the concept of ‘clinical governance’ in the Irish healthcare system
2. Identify and evaluate the factors that determine the quality and safety of healthcare from the perspective of (i) the nurse or midwife (ii) the client (iii) the multidisciplinary team and (iv) the wider healthcare system
3. Explore their role in promoting and enhancing safety as a member of the multidisciplinary team
4. Critically evaluate risk assessment processes and issues relevant to their practice setting.
5. Evaluate their contribution to quality improvement in their practice setting

Assessments

• Continuous Assessment (100%)

Teachers

•  EIMEAR BURKE 🖂
  
•  FRANCES FARRELLY 🖂
  
•  SINÉAD HAHESSY 🖂
  
•  CATHERINE MEAGHER 🖂
  
•  MARI MORAN 🖂
  
•  CLAIRE O'TUATHAIL 🖂
  
•  CLAIRE QUINN 🖂
  
•  Katherine Pigott 🖂
  
•  Ciara O'Meara 🖂
  

RequiredNU605: Recognising & Responding to Client Deterioration

NU605: Recognising & Responding to Client Deterioration

Semester 1 | Credits: 10

Hartigan et al. (2010 p.294) cite an experienced nurse who is commenting on the aspects of competence that new graduates require to manage challenging acute care episodes: “(it’s about) … knowing that there is something wrong, be able to pick up the difference between somebody deteriorating and somebody just … unwell”. This comment illustrates the thinking behind this module. The module aims to provide nurses with the specialised knowledge and skills to assess, prioritise, respond to and manage challenging acute care episodes. Supporting students to broaden and deepen their knowledge and skills has the potential to enable them to identify client deterioration more quickly and minimise avoidable emergencies.
(Language of instruction: English)

Learning Outcomes

1. Analyse challenging acute care episodes and evaluate the appropriateness of different clinical interventions including care episodes relating to COVID -19 and nursing in a pandemic..
2. Critically analyse client data and prioritise client problems relating to the signs & symptoms of Critical Illness & Client Deterioration, Cardiovascular disorders, Sepsis & Shock, Effective Pain Management, COVID- 19, Renal & Neurological Deterioration
3. Demonstrate the ability to observe, interpret and appropriately respond to the signs and symptoms of deterioration and knowledge of INEWS V 2.
4. Implement appropriate nursing interventions that meet the individual client’s needs.
5. 5. Demonstrate knowledge of current technologies to support the provision of safe and effective care to acutely ill clients, including point of care technology ultrasound in Covid -19, and supportive educational technologies e.g. AHA Guidelines on the Go’ and ‘The Who Academy’ mobile learning resources.
6. Integrate research findings in the provision of evidence based care to acutely ill clients.
7. Use ISBAR to communicate clearly and effectively with other members of the multidisciplinary team
8. Demonstrate awareness of the importance of psychological care as a nursing priority including sensitivity to the needs of clients and/or relatives under stress
9. Demonstrate knowledge of the principles underpinning the technical/clinical skills addressed in this module – Assessment tools, ABG’s, ECGs and rhythm strips analysis, interpreting blood results, haemodynamic monitoring, CVP, central line management, monitoring consciousness level, High Flow Nasal Oxygen (HFNO) Continuous Positive Airway Pressure (C-PAP), Bi-level Positive Airway Pressure (BiPAP), Continuous Subcutaneous Infusion (CSCI)

Assessments

• Continuous Assessment (100%)

Teachers

•  FRANCES FARRELLY 🖂
  
•  BRONA MOONEY 🖂
  
•  MARI MORAN 🖂
  
•  Derek O'Keeffe 🖂
  
•  Peter Carr 🖂
  
•  Katherine Pigott 🖂
  

RequiredPO5101: Management of Diabetic Foot Disease

PO5101: Management of Diabetic Foot Disease

Semester 2 | Credits: 10

The management of diabetic foot disease requires a multi-disciplinary approach, expert knowledge and a dedication to service provision and service development underpinned by evidence based practice approach. The increasing pace of change and complexity in management of diabetic foot disease has shaped the design of this module. The focus is to ensure students have the capacity to remain current and are capable of updating themselves on new interventions and approaches to the prevention and management of diabetic foot disease. The goal is to teach for life-long learning. Therefore, the module has been carefully designed in stages (see Stages 1- 5) which build on one another with the aim of ensuring that students have a thorough understanding of and in-depth knowledge of the principles of prevention and management, and how these can be applied to diabetic foot disease. Clinical care will be considered in the context of multi-professional management which will involve an appreciation of National and International Guidelines in addition to a range of strategic healthcare polices and initiatives. Students will develop critical reasoning techniques and problem solving skills which will be verified by evaluation of evidence to enable sound judgements to be reached and effective multi-professional communication to take place. These themes will be developed with particular relevance to the student’s work setting.
(Language of instruction: English)

Learning Outcomes

1. Critically analyse research and evidence underpinning the multi-professional management of manifestations of diabetes in the lower limb and foot
2. Appraise relevant policy and position documents relating to management of diabetes in the lower limb and foot
3. Formulate problem solving strategies that relate to assessment, diagnosis and treatment strategies for people with diabetes.
4. Evaluative and explore areas of uncertainty, ambiguity, limitations of knowledge and current innovations in managing people with diabetes.

Assessments

• Continuous Assessment (100%)

Teachers

•  FIONA LOWRY 🖂
  
•  CAROLINE DAWN MCINTOSH 🖂
  
•  MARI MORAN 🖂
  
•  AMANDA WALSH 🖂
  
•  GEORGINA GETHIN 🖂
  
•  CLAIRE MACGILCHRIST 🖂
  
•  Olga Carey 🖂
  
•  Duygu Sezgin 🖂
  

RequiredNU502: Advanced Research Methods

NU502: Advanced Research Methods

Semester 1 | Credits: 10

. This module is designed to enable students to explore the methodological and practical issues of research. It will help students determine the appropriate research design for research questions in their practice and provides an opportunity for students to debate, challenge and clarify research issues. This module will also help students understand the systematic review process and types of reviews, Finally, the module prepares students to develop a research protocol.
(Language of instruction: English)

Learning Outcomes

1. Demonstrate an understanding of what is meant by ‘evidence-based practice’
2. Discuss theoretical perspectives on research methodology
3. Formulate an answerable clinical question using the PICO approach
4. Develop a database search strategy
5. Explain the key characteristics, strengths and weaknesses of the main qualitative and quantitative research methodologies
6. Articulate a research problem and formulate a research question or hypothesis as appropriate to guide the conduct of a study
7. Justify the use of appropriate data collection, sampling, and data analysis methods for qualitative and quantitative research
8. Discuss rigour in the context of quantitative and qualitative research
9. Discuss evidence synthesis of quantitative and qualitative research
10. Create a plan with clear rationales for data collection, sampling, data analysis and rigour to be used when conducting a primary qualitative or quantitative study or evidence synthesis

Assessments

• Continuous Assessment (100%)

Teachers

•  MAURA DOWLING 🖂
  
•  BERNARD MCCARTHY 🖂
  
•  BRONA MOONEY 🖂
  
•  MARI MORAN 🖂
  
•  CLAIRE O'TUATHAIL 🖂
  
•  SIOBHÁIN SMYTH 🖂
  
•  AMANDA WALSH 🖂
  
•  DECLAN DEVANE 🖂
  
•  FIONNUALA JORDAN 🖂
  
•  STEPHEN KENNETH BRADLEY 🖂
  
•  Peter Carr 🖂
  
•  Katherine Pigott 🖂
  

RequiredNU6439: Service Improvement

NU6439: Service Improvement

Semester 2 | Credits: 10

This module will allow the student the opportunity to plan and implement, with their manager, and an academic facilitator, a service improvement initiative. The project will focus on an issue of relevance to client care or service improvement and must be supported by the student’s line manager and/or clinical facilitator. Examples of the types of projects include: completion of a defined literature review supporting some aspect of unit work, preparation of a patient education leaflet (supported by an evidence based rationale presented separately), development of a patient education pack (supported by an evidence based rationale presented separately), development of a strategy to reduce waiting time, an initiative that will improve patient/staff safety, development/implementation of guidelines/policies, an initiative that improves the quality of patient services or the work environment, an initiative that saves time/money or any issue/problem/change that can be addressed through action. This work must be completed within a calendar year.
(Language of instruction: English)

Learning Outcomes

1. Critically examine a practice issue and contribute to service improvement
2. Integrate and apply learning from other modules
3. Work collaboratively with peers and clients
4. Become an autonomous and independent learner
5. Develop the skills and knowledge needed to implement a change in clinical practice
6. Develop their skills of analysis, critical thinking, problem-solving and reflection

Assessments

• Continuous Assessment (100%)

Teachers

•  MAURA DOWLING 🖂
  
•  FRANCES FARRELLY 🖂
  
•  SINÉAD HAHESSY 🖂
  
•  CATHERINE MEAGHER 🖂
  
•  MARI MORAN 🖂
  
•  MARCELLA HORRIGAN-KELLY 🖂
  
•  CLAIRE QUINN 🖂
  
•  DEIRDRE FITZGERALD 🖂
  
•  Duygu Sezgin 🖂
  
•  Martina Giltenane 🖂
  
•  Katherine Pigott 🖂
  
•  Ciara O'Meara 🖂
  

RequiredNU922: Clinical Competence 2

NU922: Clinical Competence 2

Semester 2 | Credits: 0

Assessments

• Continuous Assessment (100%)

Teachers

•  MAURA DOWLING 🖂
  
•  FRANCES FARRELLY 🖂
  
•  ANDREW HUNTER 🖂
  
•  BRONA MOONEY 🖂
  
•  MARI MORAN 🖂
  
•  MARCELLA HORRIGAN-KELLY 🖂
  
•  CLAIRE QUINN 🖂
  
•  ELAINE O'HARA 🖂
  
•  Derek O'Keeffe 🖂
  
•  Peter Carr 🖂
  
•  Katherine Pigott 🖂
  

Year 2 (30 Credits)

RequiredNU6515: Research Dissertation

NU6515: Research Dissertation

Semester 1 and Semester 2 | Credits: 30

Students will be required to undertake a piece of primary research or an evidence synthesis on a topic relevant to their practice area. Students will be assigned a research supervisor who will support them in undertaking this work.
(Language of instruction: English)

Learning Outcomes

1. Demonstrated knowledge of ethical requirements and procedures by negotiating access to research site/participants by securing ethical approval from the appropriate Research Ethics Committee in the case of primary research. Or in the case of evidence synthesis/secondary data analysis, demonstrate knowledge in the process of negotiating access to full text data not available in the library databases.
2. Developed a research question(s) of significance to area of of significance to their specialist nursing/midwifery professional practice or a problem statement(s) based on a review of evidence-based literature.
3. Identified and apply an appropriate method(s) to achieve the objectives of the research question (s)/ hypothesis for primary data collection, or in the case of secondary data analysis, employ valid and reliable method(s) for processing and analysing archived research data
4. Critically discuss research findings with reference to the methods used, current literature and professional practice.
5. Prepared a scholarly report (Option A) research article (Option B) ready for publication which will demonstrate accurate expression, analysis, and synthesis of the research subject.

Assessments

• Continuous Assessment (100%)

Teachers

•  GLORIA AVALOS 🖂
  
•  MIRIAM BRENNAN 🖂
  
•  EIMEAR BURKE 🖂
  
•  DYMPNA CASEY 🖂
  
•  MAURA DOWLING 🖂
  
•  ANNE FALLON 🖂
  
•  FRANCES FARRELLY 🖂
  
•  SINÉAD HAHESSY 🖂
  
•  ANDREW HUNTER 🖂
  
•  BERNARD MCCARTHY 🖂
  
•  TERESA MEANEY 🖂
  
•  BRONA MOONEY 🖂
  
•  MARI MORAN 🖂
  
•  CLAIRE O'TUATHAIL 🖂
  
•  SIOBHÁIN SMYTH 🖂
  
•  PATRICIA HEALY 🖂
  
•  GEORGINA GETHIN 🖂
  
•  DECLAN DEVANE 🖂
  
•  MARCELLA HORRIGAN-KELLY 🖂
  
•  FIONNUALA JORDAN 🖂
  
•  CATHERINE HOUGHTON 🖂
  
•  STEPHEN KENNETH BRADLEY 🖂
  
•  CLAIRE QUINN 🖂
  
•  MARION O'REGAN 🖂
  
•  Derek O'Keeffe 🖂
  
•  Peter Carr 🖂
  
•  Katherine Pigott 🖂
  
•  Ciara O'Meara 🖂