Programme Review Process

Background 2002 – 2008

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

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

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 2013. 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

Table 2: Membership of the Programme Directors Group

Jill Atkinson Head of Section of Midwifery,

Acting Head of Department of Nursing, Midwifery and Health Studies (September 2012- February 2013)

Ann Everitt–Reynolds Programme Director for BSc. (Hons) in General Nursing Programme School September 2012 – February 2013).

Kevin McKenna Programme Director for BSc. (Hons) in Psychiatric Nursing Programme

Kathleen Nallen Programme Director for BSc. (Hons) in Midwifery and the Higher Diploma in Midwifery Programmes

Joe Treacy Programme Director for BSc. (Hons) in Intellectual Disability Nursing Programme

Table 3: Membership of the General Nursing Programme Development Group

Brid Delahunt Lecturer in Nursing

Ann Everitt –Reynolds Programme Director for BSc. (Hons) in General Nursing Programme

Ailish Mc Ardle Lecturer in Nursing Geraldine Mc Daid Lecturer in Nursing

Gerry Mc Taggart Senior Lecturer in Nursing Geraldine O’ Connor Lecturer in Nursing

Kathleen Rooney Lecturer in Nursing

Table 4: Contributors to the Programme Development

Ms. Margaret Cotter Lecturer in Nursing Mr. Mark Cunningham Lecturer in Nursing Ms. Attracta Digney Lecturer in Nursing

Ms. Geraldine Killeen Nursing Allocations Officer, DkIT Ms. Patricia Larkin Lecturer in Nursing

Ms Brid Maloney Lecturer in Biochemistry Ms. Moira Maguire Lecturer in Psychology Ms. Lorraine Mc

Geough

Lecturer in Nursing Mr. Frankie Waters Lecturer in Law

Table 5: Membership of the Clinical Documentation Partnership Group

Lorraine Clarke General Clinical Placement Co-ordinator

Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital, Drogheda

Ann Everitt -Reynolds Programme Director for BSc.

(Hons) in General Nursing Programme

DkIT

Catriona Mc Caughey General Clinical Placement Co-ordinator

Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital, Drogheda

Geraldine O’ Connor Lecturer in Nursing DkIT

Table 6: Contributors to the Clinical Documentation Partnership Group

Mr. Darren Behan General Clinical Placement Co-ordinator

Our Lady’s Hospital, Navan

Mr. Raymond Boyle General Clinical Placement Co-ordinator

Cavan General Hospital

Ms. Sonia Carr General Clinical Placement Co-ordinator

Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital, Drogheda Ms. Karen Clarke General Clinical Placement

Co-ordinator

Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital, Drogheda Ms. Brid Delahunt Lecturer in Nursing DkIT

Ms. Geraldine Killeen

Nursing Allocations Officer, DkIT Ms. Ailish Mc Ardle Lecturer in Nursing DkIT Ms. AnnMarie Ms. Colette Patton General Clinical Placement

Co-ordinator

Cavan General Hospital

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 year-long 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: