The BSc Nursing Studies aims to enhance the knowledge and understanding for students in progressing from diploma to degree level. The programme will be delivered in a manner that is flexible and proactive and designed as a level 8 degree to meet the needs of national and international students who are registered nurses. This theory based programme draws upon previous knowledge and experience. The theoretical programme is designed to build upon students’ existing knowledge and offer a more global perspective on nursing. The programme aims to enhance nurses’ ability to respond to both consumer and service needs, within an ever changing and diverse healthcare environment, at both local and global level.
The University of Limerick fosters a learning environment that is committed to developing graduates with the attributes to be knowledgeable, creative, articulate and responsive. Opportunities to share this learning environment with national and international students are fundamental to the Department, and the University’s overall strategic plan.
The course philosophy evolves from consideration of pertinent issues related to health and illness, the nature of nursing and the role of the nurse. The Department of Nursing and Midwifery ensures that the curriculum structure is flexible, innovative and responsive to the needs of students and health service providers. In addition, it ensures that graduates have the required transferable skills necessary for future clinical practice. Learners are facilitated in a lifelong learning context through credit accumulation and credit transfer which comply with the ECTS credit system. This is commensurate with the Nurses and Midwives Act (Government of Ireland 2011), where Continuous Professional Development (CPD) is seen as an inherent tenet within the professional lives of nurses.
The programme builds on existing knowledge and skills aiming to foster lifelong learning through a stimulating learning environment. It provides opportunities for students to integrate into student’s life across campus and develop personal, professional, and University graduate attributes. To this end, some modules will be co scheduled with existing undergraduate modules, where opportunities for shared learning occur, while being responsive to the specific learning requirements of the students.
