If you want to care for the psychological, social, physical, emotional and spiritual well-being of others, becoming a mental health nurse is the first step towards a highly rewarding career.

This exciting degree prepares you to meet the mental health needs of adults and their families in the 21st century.

You will study in university and across a wide range of mental health services. Most importantly you will learn from those who are experts by experience: people living with or who have experienced mental health difficulties. You will develop the skills to engage with those suffering mental distress or illness, as well as their families, in a positive and collaborative way, empowering them to cope and recover.

You will study a diverse range of subjects related to understanding yourself and others emotionally, psychologically, physically, spiritually and socially. You will learn how to communicate in a therapeutic way and to support and assist people to self-manage their recovery.

First Year

• Academic Reading & Writing
• Foundations in Mental Health Nursing A & B
• Scientific Principles 1 & 2
• Introduction to Psychology & Communication
• Practice Placement this will provide 11 weeks experience in two mental health services.

Second & Third Year

• Mental Health Across The Lifespan
• Specialist Care Groups
• Pharmacology
• Patient Safety & Microbiology
• Health Promotion
• Aging & Health
• Therapeutic Interventions 1
• Acute Mental Illness
• Practice Placement (Specialist & Core Mental Health)

Further practice placements will also occur each year.

Fourth Year

• Therapeutic Interventions 2
• Collaborative Nursing Practice Mental Health Recovery
• Leadership & Management
• Evidence Based Practice
• Health Psychology and Sociology
• Internship Practice Placements

Practice Placement/Internship – You will have a 4 week placement in the Autumn trimester to prepare for internship. Internship takes place over 36 weeks and comprises of 4 core mental health placements.

Assessment is through a combination of end-of-trimester exams and continuous assessment, including assessment of performance on clinical placements.

* Please Note: Curriculum may be subject to change in line with NMBI Nurse Registration Programmes Standards and Requirements.

For detailed information on subject content click here.

In second year, you have the opportunity to study in Europe for a trimester. See www.nmhs.ucd.ie/study-with-us/erasmus

Successful completion of this degree course qualifies you as a Registered Psychiatric Nurse. Upon registration, you can work in acute and community settings further developing your knowledge and expertise. Future professional career opportunities extend to management, clinical specialization, research and education. In addition, you can pursue further education at postgraduate, Masters and PhD level.

Professional Clinical Experience

Practice placements, which form a significant part of the course are completed across a number of sites throughout the partner hospital, e.g. St. John of God Hospital or CHEast, in other Dublin and Wicklow based Health Service sites and in the IEHG. Students may be placed in any IEHG site on one or multiple occasions during their course to enable them to achieve the necessary clinical learning outcomes.

• Level 5/6 QQI-FET
  
• Mature Entry Route
• DARE Entry Route
  
• HEAR Entry Route
  

UCD Nursing, Midwifery & Health Systems Programme Office
Health Sciences Centre
Belfield, Dublin 4

Tel: +353 1 716 6407/6569
Contact: nmhs.ucd/contact-us