Laying the foundations for the new School of Nursing
9 October 2002

The foundation stone for Ireland's first designated third-level school of nursing was laid at Dublin City University on Thursday 3 October. With funding of €25 million from the Department of Health and Children, the building will be completed in October 2003. It will cater for over 1,000 student nurses engaging in nursing studies at third level. Mr Ivor Callely, td, Minister of State for Services for Older People officiated at the ceremony.

The new school will provide a range of teaching facilities built to specifications drawn up by academic nursing staff. This includes a simulated 'ward', which mimics the healthcare setting as closely as possible to allow students to develop and refine their nursing skills in a controlled environment. This applies to general nursing, intellectual disability and psychiatric nursing skills.

"Dublin City University recognises that nurses are dynamic professionals whose expertise will have an increasing impact on the health care system, not only in terms of practical care but in the contribution to the development of new health care policies", said Professor Ferdinand von Prondzynski, president of DCU. "The Commission on Nursing report of 1998 recommended that nursing be integrated within the higher education sector, and this university is wholeheartedly committed to implementing these recommendations".

The school of nursing was established in 1995 and currently has 50 academic staff and 800 students. The programmes are provided in partnership with:

• Beaumont Hospita/
• James Connolly Memorial Hospital, Blanchardstown
• St Vincent's Hospital, Fairview
• Daughters of Charity, St Joseph's Intellectual Disability Services, Clonsilla
• Northern Area Health Board
• St Ita's Hospital, Portrane

This week the first group of 212 degree students who applied under the CAO system began their studies. The degrees include BScs in general nursing, psychiatric nursing and mental handicap nursing. At postgraduate level, DCU has students taking MSc/Graduate Diplomas in a range of specialist nursing areas such as child and adolescent mental health, renal nursing, older people with mental health difficulties, addictions and substance related difficulties, and age-related care.

The contents of all courses meet An Bord Altranais 'requirements for practice' which allow graduating nurses to be admitted to the professional register.

According to Professor Anne Scott, Head of the Nursing School at DCU, "This is a challenging and demanding time for nurses who form the largest group of health care professionals. Our main focus is on producing nurses who provide excellent patient care. The nursing degree is 50% based on campus and 50% in clinical practice. The combination of strong academic theory and knowledge supports our nurses' work in the clinical area as they are increasingly required to use their analytical, critical and practical abilities".

The architects for the nursing building are Maloney & O'Beirne and building contractor is John Paul Construction.