Partnership with Naas General Hospital adds nursing placements

Posted on: 19 June 2024

Naas General Hospital (NGH) has been designated as an Academic Nurse Teaching Hospital in partnership with Trinity College Dublin, serving as one of the primary clinical bases and parent hospitals for the Bachelor of Science in General Nursing programme.

From this September, 12 nursing students will have the opportunity to complete their clinical placements at Naas General Hospital. These placements will include rotations in various healthcare settings across Kildare and West Wicklow, offering a broad and diverse clinical experience. This expansion is a result of a new academic partnership, building on an existing collaboration with the School of Nursing & Midwifery at Trinity.

Upon completion, nursing students will graduate as registered general nurses from both Trinity and Naas General Hospital. This partnership not only provides local training for nursing students but also fosters a pathway for them to begin their professional careers at NGH once they are qualified.

Nursing students will work alongside and be supported by both experienced nursing and clinical staff, Clinical Placement Coordinators, a Student Allocation Liaison Officer and a Nurse Practice Development Coordinator at Naas General Hospital.

Lectures and clinical skills training will be provided at Trinity and in the Trinity Centre for Health Sciences on the St. James's Hospital campus.

Director of Undergraduate Teaching & Learning at the School of Nursing & Midwifery, Trinity College Dublin, Dr Aileen Lynch said: “Our new full academic partnership with Naas General Hospital offers valuable opportunities for nursing students from Kildare and surrounding areas to complete the clinical practice element of the General Nursing programme, closer to home. Experience in clinical practice is a key component of the undergraduate curriculum. It ensures students acquire the necessary knowledge, professional competencies, and skills while receiving support and guidance within the clinical learning environment. Our longstanding relationship with Naas General Hospital has been instrumental in developing this initiative. We are proud to work collaboratively with Naas General Hospital colleagues and our other valued health service providers to continue providing exceptional education and clinical training for the nurses of tomorrow.”

Chief Director of Nursing and Midwifery, Dublin Midlands Hospital Group, Eileen Whelan said: “This exciting partnership between Trinity and Naas General Hospital offers undergraduate nursing students the opportunity to engage in clinical placements across a diverse range of general and specialist areas. Nursing is an amazing career and offers many career pathways for students, with 48 nursing students on site once the programme is fully operational, this initiative is a significant and welcome development for Naas General Hospital. It is also a key step in achieving the ambition of Sláintecare by increasing access to undergraduate training and once qualified thus increasing access to care in the community.”

Director of Nursing, Naas General Hospital, Anne Murphy said: “We are thrilled about our collaboration with Trinity College Dublin. Naas General Hospital has a strong relationship with Trinity, providing clinical placements for nursing students from other undergraduate programmes for many years. Nursing students have consistently reported very positive experiences at NGH, so having our own students is a significant benefit for the hospital. This nursing programme will enable students to train and work locally. Achieving this milestone has been challenging and would not have been possible without the support of Chief Director of Nursing and Midwifery, Ms. Eileen Whelan, the dedicated team at Trinity and the Senior Management Team at NGH, both past and present."

Nurse Practice Development Coordinator (Assistant Director of Nursing), Naas General Hospital, Elaine Harris added: “We are delighted at Naas General Hospital to become a Full Academic Partner Hospital for undergraduate nursing students with Trinity. We are looking forward to welcoming the first cohort of nursing students in September 2024. These nursing students will spend 50% of their time completing academic study with Trinity, and the remaining 50% learning in a clinical setting right here in Naas. Naas General Hospital supports a positive learning culture, which is reflected in the numerous nursing development opportunities in nursing management and leadership, nursing education and specialist nursing posts in Naas General Hospital.“

When students receive their course offer through the CAO, they will be asked to indicate their preferred hospital. Placements will be allocated on a first-come, first-served basis.

Naas General Hospital offers a comprehensive range of medical and surgical placements, including both general and specialist areas. These include specialised placements in the Emergency Department, Operating Theatre and care for the elderly services. Additionally, Naas General Hospital features a Coronary Care Unit, Intensive Care Unit, High Dependency Unit, Day Care Services including Oncology, Haematology, Day Hospital (focused on care of the older adult), Discharge Lounge, and Outpatients Department.

Picture caption

Above from left to right: Eimear Foy, Clinical Placement Coordinator, NGH, Elaine Harris, NGH, Lynn Muldowney, Clinical Placement Coordinator, Naas General Hospital, Pádraig Dunne, Clinical Allocations Officer, School of Nursing & Midwifery, Trinity College Dublin, Dr Frances O’Brien, Head of the General Nursing Discipline, Associate Professor, School of Nursing & Midwifery, Trinity College Dublin, Fiona Hennessey, Clinical Placement Coordinator, NGH, Anne Murphy, Director of Nursing, NGH and Dr Aileen Lynch, Director of Undergraduate Teaching & Learning at the School of Nursing & Midwifery, Trinity College Dublin.

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