Last year, seven new Children’s Nursing Specialists graduated from an innovative postgraduate programme developed by Saolta.
The newly qualified specialist nurses are based in Galway University Hospitals, Portiuncula University Hospital, Letterkenny University Hospital, Sligo University Hospital, and Mayo University Hospital.
This programme is unique in that it delivers a blended learning model with remote and in-person lectures.
It is also the only pathway which allows post-registration nurses to pursue a Higher Diploma in Children’s Nursing without undertaking a course based in Dublin.
Children’s healthcare services are facing ever-increasing demands due to the evolving profile of children’s healthcare needs.
The number of Children’s Nurses qualifying is low in comparison with other disciplines and this programme was born from a need to ensure Saolta’s nursing teams continue to have the highest level of skill, qualification and training to care for our younger population.
Siobhán Horkan, Director of Paediatric Nursing for the Saolta Group who led the project, explains, “The provision and resourcing of effective child healthcare services are critical in both preventing and managing illness and chronic disease in childhood.”
“For this, we need an adaptable, knowledgeable and skilled children’s nursing workforce. It’s crucial we continue to train Registered Children’s Nurses in a way that works for students.”
“Throughout the hybrid programme students attended lectures online and in person, had clinical placements in hospitals across Saolta, CHI at Crumlin, CAMHS, Neonatal Intensive Care Units, Emergency Departments as well as clinical placements in the community.”
The blended learning model means students can undertake placements closer to home and are not required to be based in Dublin, this is a huge selling point.”
Paul Hooton, Chief Director of Nursing and Midwifery for the Saolta Group added, “This programme is a milestone in the training of Children’s Nurses in Ireland and also a brilliant example of nursing innovation in action.”
“The Saolta Hybrid Post Registration Nursing Programme is a proven, successful education model which will positively impact both our capacity to deliver specialist nursing care, and the health and wellbeing of the children and young people who use our services well into the future.”
The programme will be open to new applications shortly, email the programme coordinator Karen Grennan (Karen.Grennan2@hse.ie) for more information.
