Nursing - Critical Care Nursing - Children

A Graduate Diploma Critical Care Nursing (Children) will build on your existing knowledge and skills in caring for infants, children and young people within the paediatric intensive care setting. Possessing this advanced knowledge will enable you to utilise a range of therapeutic interventions, and enhance your ability to review differing approaches and trends in the care and treatment of infants, children, young people and their families in the paediatric critical care setting.



The Graduate Diploma Critical Care Nursing (Children) programme aims to build upon and advance the registered practitioner’s repertoire of knowledge, skills, attitudes and professional values, in order to prepare to assume the role of a specialist in this area of care. The programme aims to develop the practitioner’s capacities for caring and competent practice in paediatric intensive care , in order to provide a patient-centred service within health care.



On successful completion of the programme, you will receive a Graduate Diploma in Critical Care Nursing (Children) from the UCD School of Nursing, Midwifery and Health Systems. The programme is recognised nationally and internationally.



What Will I Learn?

The Graduate Diploma Critical Care Nursing (Children) course aims to build upon and advance the registered nurse’s repertoire of knowledge, skills, attitudes and professional values, in order to prepare the nurse to assume the role of a nurse specialist in this area of care. The course aims to develop the practitioner’s capacities for caring and competent practice in paediatric intensive care nursing, in order to prepare the nurse to provide a patient-centred service within health care.



Programme strengths

• Students will undertake placements in clinical sites in the PICU in either the Children’s Health Ireland at Temple Street, or Children’s Health Ireland at Crumlin. You will rotate on occasion between both hospitals to experience nursing care of a wide spectrum of specialities which includes care of neonates, care of the child with a thermal injury, cardiac care, care of child post renal transplantation, care of child with a neurological disorder.

• Lectures are both clinical and university-based and are delivered by a wide range of members of the multidisciplinay team.

• There is a strong emphasis on continuous progression of clinical ability and clinical effectiveness through continuous assessment, clinical examinations, and case presentations

• The delivery of specialist modules designed to scaffold learning, commencing with fundamental concepts in children’s critical care, then advanced children’s critical care, and finally specialist concepts in children’s critical care .

• Flexible pathway – may be undertaken over 1 year full-time or 2 years part-time

• Extensive use of IT in supporting the teaching environment of the programme

• Access to excellent facilities for lectures



Programme Structure:

The course may be taken over 1 year full-time or 2 years part-time. Core modules will be delivered in UCD through blended learning, while specialist and clinical modules will be delivered through theory blocks usually at clinical sites. Clinical learning outcomes are completed with a designated clinical assessor during the programme.



The specific aims of the course are:

• To build upon and advance the student’s repertoire of knowledge, skills, attitudes and professional values that were developed during the course of his/her basic training and arising out of his/her experiences in clinical practice

• To provide the student with the requisite knowledge, skills, attitudes and professional values for the advancement of his/her role in the care of infants,children, young people and their families in critical care, including critical analysis, creative thinking, decision making and communication

• To develop a greater understanding of the theory which underpins critical care practice, including theory in the social and behavioural sciences, and theory in the biomedical sciences

• To provide learning experiences that advance the student’s professional development and personal growth and experiences that affirm the student’s capacity to be a self-directed learner

• To advance the student’s sense of professional awareness, and commitment and a sense of professional responsibility and accountability in paediatric critical care

• To enable the student to value learning as a continuous process and as a necessary process in the context of his/her professional role in paediatric critical care.



This programme is designed to meet the professional development needs of Registered Nurses who wish to specialise in Paediatric Critical Care Nursing. Specifically applicants should be registered as an RCN, RCN/RGN with a minimum of one year’s experience in Paediatric Intensive Care. Applicants registered as an RGN with a minimum of 2 years experience in Paediatric Nursing may be considered for the programme. Applicants should be employed in either the Intensive Care Unit of Children’s Health Ireland at Crumlin, or Children’s Health Ireland at Temple Street. Places are allocated on the programme subject to availability and place on waiting list.



NFQ Level: 9 (60 credits)

Level: Graduate Taught

Award: Graduate Diploma

Stage 1 Core Modules

NMHS43720: Adv Children's Crit Care

NMHS43270: ResMethodsAppliedtoHealthcare

NMHS43700: Fund Concpts Children CritCare

NMHS43140: Developing Leadership Competency

NMHS43730: Spec Consid Children Crit Care

NMHS42460: Clinical Practicum

Entry Requirements

• Applicants should be registered as an RCN, RCN/RGN with a minimum of one year's experience in Paediatric Intensive Care

• Applicants registered as an RGN with a minimum of two year's experience in Paediatric Intensive Care may be considered for the programme



Documents Required

• Transcript(s) including date and grading of degree award (non UCD Graduates only) & notarised English translations where relevant

• Nurse applicants: A current photocopy of NMBI registration

• Copy of Birth Certificate or Personal Page of Passport

• Signed Declaration Form from Employer (original form)

• Completed Professional Reference Form (original form)

• Completed Clinical Competence Assessor Nomination Form signed by the nominee

• Evidence of proficiency in English language (applicants whose first language is not English)



Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL)

RPL may be granted in respect of individual modules if applicants can demonstrate that the modules' learning outcomes have been achieved through prior credentialled or experiential learning. In some cases, where an applicant does not meet the prerequisites for entry to a programme, an RPL application may be considered.



You may be eligible for Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL), as UCD recognises formal, informal, and/or experiential learning. RPL may be awarded to gain Admission and/or credit exemptions on a programme.



Please visit the UCD Registry RPL web page (https://tinyurl.com/2ae2ffax) for further information. Any exceptions are also listed on this webpage.

Delivery: On Campus

X617: 1 year full-time

X748: 2 years part-time.

X617: Graduate Diploma Critical Care Nursing (Children)

Full-Time: Commencing September 2025



X748: Critical Care Nursing (Children)

Part-Time: Commencing September 2025



Graduate Taught

Career & Graduate Study Opportunities

The Graduate Diploma in Critical Care Nursing (Children) provides you with the comprehensive knowledge and extensive skills required for caring for infants and children in the critical care setting, thereby equipping you to work nationally or internationally. Academically there are opportunities to continue to Masters / PhD level, and clinically you may choose to further your expertise to facilitate critical care education, to take a position as a Clinical Nurse Manager or Clinical Nurse Specialist or to study for the role of Advanced Nurse Practitioner. Completion of the programmes facilitates progression to advanced practice roles such as CVVH, IPATs and ECLS.