Higher Diploma in Children's Nursing

Programme Structure

This Higher Diploma in Children’s Nursing programme is delivered in partnership with Children’s Health Ireland and Saolta University Health Care Group. 

The course consists of both classroom and practice learning over one full year (52 weeks) commencing in September. 

• Theory: 12 weeks (online and face-to-face, divided over three semesters)
• Practice: 40 weeks (clinical practice experience that spans medical / surgical nursing, high dependency, specialist nursing and community experience. 

For the duration of the course, you will be an employee of either Children's Health Ireland or Saolta University Health Care Group, and a registered student at Trinity College Dublin. 

Course Structure

The purpose of the course is to enable students to develop essential nursing knowledge, skills and values necessary to care for and support children, young people and their families to the highest professional standards across the health care continuum in all healthcare settings.

Three theory modules are as follows:

• Fundamental Principles of Children’s Nursing and Evidence Based Care for Children and Families
• Evidence Based Practice in Health and Altered Health in Children’s Nursing
• Contemporary Issues in Child and Family Centred Nursing

Three clinical modules are as follows:

• Practice Module One - Medical Nursing
• Practice Module Two - Surgical Nursing
• Practice Module Three - Specialist Nursing

The School of Nursing and Midwifery has teaching facilities in D’Olier Street, Dublin, The Trinity Centre for Health Sciences, St. James’s Hospital. Children’s specific clinical skills classes are taught in the clinical laboratories in the Trinity Centre for Health Sciences, St. James’s Hospital. Classes are also delivered in The Centre for Learning and Development in Tallaght Hospital. Clinical practice placements take place throughout the year in varying sites that include National Children’s Hospital, Tallaght and Temple Street Children's University Hospital in addition to diverse community settings.

The programme is assessed by a variety of methods including academic essays, assignments, coursework, a poster and oral presentation requiring the student to demonstrate application of module content children’s nursing, examinations and a literature review. Practice placements are assessed throughout the year.

Careers and Development

Higher Diploma Children’s Nursing graduates can work and specialise in a number of areas such as Neonatal Nursing, Intensive Care, Theatre, Emergency Department Nursing. Postgraduate specialist programmes that children’s nurses can pursue include a Master's in Nursing - Advancing Child Health and Wellbeing.

It is anticipated that the new children’s hospital will develop many new opportunities for children’s nurses to progress in their career pathways.

Children’s Health Ireland and Saolta University Health Care Group advertise separately for nursing students. You must have secured a place in one of the two partnership organisations before applying to Trinity.

✅ 2nd class honours (2:1) degree minimum in nursing or a related discipline. In exceptional circumstances clinical experience and continuing professional development may be taken into consideration. 

✅ Registered as a Nurse (RGN/RNID/RCN/RPN) on the professional register maintained by the NMBI. An up-to-date NMBI professional registration certificate is required.

✅ 6 months of full-time, post-registration clinical nursing experience 

✅ Have Garda Clearance for working with children and adolescents.

You will be required to submit the following documents ONLY with your application:

• Detailed Copy of CV
• NMBI Pin No - All potential candidates must be registered with NMBI to apply for course.
• Parchments - Certified copies of your educational awards.
• Transcripts - Certified copies of your educational transcripts.
• Personal Statement
• 1 Academic reference
• 2 Clinical references

Note: Official academic transcripts can take weeks to receive, particularly if sent from overseas.

All applicants whose first language is not English and who have not been educated through the medium of English must meet Trinity College's Postgraduate English Language Requirements. 

Please note the School of Nursing & Midwifery requires applicants presenting IELTS (Academic version) and IELTS Indicator to have achieved: Grade 6.5 overall with a minimum of grade of 6 in each category.

English language requirements will be waived for applicants whose first language is not English and who are currently registered as nurses with the Nursing and Midwifery Board of Ireland (NMBI) where that registration with the NMBI was based on the applicant’s IELTS score and they have evidence of continued engagement in a high intensity English language environment. 

• When you receive a conditional offer of a place on a course (Conditional Offer) you will also receive a list of outstanding documents which you must upload to your application.
• Where a ‘parchment’ is required please upload a copy of the certificate you received at graduation.
• Where a transcript is required please upload a full complete transcript which details your results for all years of the course you completed.
• All undergraduate qualifications are crosschecked against the NARIC.co.uk system to confirm their equivalence and if they meet the grade required to qualify for the course. If your undergraduate qualification does not appear on the NARIC.co.uk system you will be contacted via email. If this occurs and you have mitigating circumstances (you undertook your studies in the traditional hospital setting) or other evidence to support your application (years of service) a request to wave this requirement may be made to the Dean of Graduate Studies. To make this request, please contact the Course Coordinator of the course you are applying to.
• You must accept your Conditional Offer within 21 calendar days. You may request additional time to accept your place, this is considered on a case by case basis by the Dean of Graduate Studies. To request addition time please contact the Course Coordinator of the course you are applying to.
• You are required to submit all application documentation and meet the course requirements.
• When you have uploaded the additional requested documents they will be reviewed by the course team, and if you have met the requirements you will be given an Unconditional offer of a place on a course.
• You must accept your Unconditional Offer and pay the registration fee within 21 calendar days. You may request additional time to accept your place, this is considered on a case by case basis by the Dean of Graduate Studies. To request addition time please contact the Course Coordinator of the course you are applying to.
• Once you have accepted a place on the course you should receive an invitation to register to the email address you included on your application form.
  Garda Vetting - All students undertaking course with a clinical component must be Garda Vetted by Trinity College Dublin.
• Applicants will be emailed the Garda Vetting form upon receipt of a conditional offer by the School of Nursing and Midwifery. The form will be emailed to the email address included in the application.
• Applicants are advised to gather their required documentation while they are preparing to submit their application.

• All students undertaking course with a clinical component must be Garda Vetted by Trinity College Dublin. - Applicants will be emailed the Garda Vetting form upon receipt of a conditional offer by the School of Nursing and Midwifery.
  The form will be emailed to the email address included in the application.
• Applicants are advised to gather their required documentation while they are preparing to submit their application.
• The Garda Vetting forms and original documentation must be submitted in person or via post to the Academic Registry. Copies of your original documentation will then be taken by Academic Registry and you will receive your original documentation back for future use.
• Documentation you will need:
• Identification – Driving licence or passport o Proof of address dated within the last 3-4 months o If you have changed your name you are required to upload a marriage certificate.

  Your name must be the same on all documentation included in your Garda Vetting application
  Police clearance certificate from all countries you have lived in.

The Higher Diploma in Children’s Nursing in Trinity College was the most enjoyable year of both academia and clinical practice that I have completed. The lecturers in TCD School of Nursing & Midwifery were extremely supportive and knowledgeable. Due to the small class size, the lectures were interactive and engaging. The clinical skills tutorials prepared me for the clinical setting, including the use of simulation classes. I felt supported throughout the completion of assessments, in particular the literature review, with meetings with a facilitator leading up to its submission. The clinical aspect of the course in the National Children’s Hospital Tallaght was also a fantastic learning experience. The staff within the NCH were great at teaching students and were always approachable. The range of placements was varied and provided a great insight into children’s nursing. I’m delighted I chose to complete my Higher Diploma in TCD. 

Niamh Gunning, Higher Diploma in Children's Nursing Student. Sept 2017-2018

From doing the higher diploma in Children's nursing I have achieve my goal of becoming a competent, hard-working and caring children's nurse. This came with the help of a comprehensive course, and a diligent team of lecturers in the nursing department of Trinity College. Under the guidance of the lecturers, the course helped me develop many different skills and expand my knowledge to a higher level to previous. The expert lecturers gave me a better understanding of how to be a conscientious nurse with evidence base knowledge, and how to research for the most update evidence. This higher diploma changed my outlook and understanding as a nurse and a person. I would highly recommend any nurse to undertake this course as not everyone gains self-worth when doing the daily job. I feel privileged to be a children's nurse.

Michelle Dillon, Higher Diploma in Children's Nursing Student, 2012-2013

I completed my Higher Diploma in Children’s Nursing in 2008/2009. Prior to that I had worked as an RGN specialising in renal nursing for 6 years. Whilst my previous experience in adult nursing stood to me, you have to forget everything you think you know about nursing children and their families, be prepared to learn a completely new approach to nursing care and take advantage of every opportunity to learn and participate, both in the classroom and on clinical placement. Children's nursing was completely new territory for me but by the end of my HDip year, I couldn’t imagine doing anything else, and still can’t. It is such a privilege to care for children and their families at a very worrying time in their lives and to feel that you are making a difference and helping them. I thoroughly enjoyed my HDip year, I made friends for life in my classmates and although starting a completely new discipline was daunting at the beginning, the training and support I received from TCD, my course co-ordinator and all the lecturers was invaluable in helping prepare myself and my classmates for the reality of life as a children's nurse.

Blaize Whelan, Higher Diploma in Children's Nursing Student, Sept 2008-2009

I think that all the lecturers at TCD and staff in the National Childrens Hospital prepared and guided me to competently care for children. The course helped me to expand my knowledge and skills in nursing to care for children and their families. The mentoring during placement was excellent and really assisted me to develop new skills with a string focus on family centred care. It is a really quick 52 weeks but the course layout is manageable and the support from staff is excellent. I really enjoyed this course it prepared very well for children's nursing and assisted me to develop my career further.'

Sorcha Hannify, Higher Diploma in Children’s Nursing Student, Sept 2008-2009