TCD Nursing

Extrasupervery

I'm hoping to start a nursing course in Dublin in September. I had decided on Trinity for several reasons including location, affiliation with St. James's and the option to maybe sit the schols exams should the desire strike me.

I have since heard that TCD nursing is somewhat behind the times and I'd be better off going to UCD or DCU, but I'm slow to change my mind without further information. I've heard that TCD has a 50% pass rate, a higher drop-out rate and less tolerance for absences. Can anyone confirm or deny..? None of these things turn me off hugely but I'd like to hear from anyone with actual experience, not just hearsay.

Thanks a million.

Hi there,
Unfortunately I have no experience of nursing in TCD or any other college for that matter, but I can offer you my tuppence worth for your query re TCD and their tolerance of absenteeism.

As nursing would be considered a professional degree, as opposed to something like Arts where your study doesn't qualify you for any specific profession, they demand and expect full attendance of students in these types of courses (nursing, teaching, etc.) They send around attendance sheets for you to sign at the beginning of each lecture and if you miss three lectures of a partuicular subject, you will recieve a letter from the department to make an appointment with your tutor (in TCD every undergrad student is assigned a tutor, usually a college lecturer of their course) to explain your absence.

That may seem rather harsh if you're used to hearing about college being a doss and lecturers not caring whether you turn up or not as long as you study and pass your exams, but in the long run it's good preparation for the real world of working with human beings afterwards where reliability for punctuality and good attendance are indeed VERY important.

Extrasupervery

Deleted User wrote: »

Hi there,
Unfortunately I have no experience of nursing in TCD or any other college for that matter, but I can offer you my tuppence worth for your query re TCD and their tolerance of absenteeism.

As nursing would be considered a professional degree, as opposed to something like Arts where your study doesn't qualify you for any specific profession, they demand and expect full attendance of students in these types of courses (nursing, teaching, etc.) They send around attendance sheets for you to sign at the beginning of each lecture and if you miss three lectures of a partuicular subject, you will recieve a letter from the department to make an appointment with your tutor (in TCD every undergrad student is assigned a tutor, usually a college lecturer of their course) to explain your absence.

That may seem rather harsh if you're used to hearing about college being a doss and lecturers not caring whether you turn up or not as long as you study and pass your exams, but in the long run it's good preparation for the real world of working with human beings afterwards where reliability for punctuality and good attendance are indeed VERY important.

Cheers for the reply, and that makes an awful lot of sense to me. My last degree was the complete opposite, hopefully I'll...adjust appropriately. Thank you!

TcdNMPostGrad

Hi there,
Just to answer your queries from someone who works in the Nursing and Midwifery School in Trinity:
Yes, there's a 50% pass mark in Trinity, but the marking criteria allow for this, so doesn't mean it's harder to pass. I don't know the figures, but I'd be surprised if there's actually a higher failure rate than elsewhere.
Yes, the attendance is strict, but this is a stipulation of An Bord Altranais, the regulatory body who accredits the programme. The same attendance is required in any of the Universities. And if your attendance is an issue, you do get plenty of warnings about it before any action is taken.
Other reasons to come to do the programe in Trinity are the unique levels of support for undergraduate students, the strong lnks with the best hospitals in the country, the fact that TCD is the highest ranked university in Ireland and the School of Nursing & Midwifery in TCD is the leading Nursing & Midwifery School. Not that I'm biased or anything!! If you'd like to pop in and talk to someone in the School for further information, just let us know!

ithread

Hi TcdNMPostGrad

Just wondered if you could give me some details on what a typical timetable for a week in general nursing would be in Trinity? Are students in everyday (Mon-fri) and if so is it full-time, i.e 9-5pm?

Any help is appreciated
Thanks

TcdNMPostGrad

The timetable generally looks something like this:
21 theory weeks in first year. Before Christmas, there is a half day on most Wednesdays, with full day (0900-1700) lectures on Monday and Tuesday.
Thursdays and Fridays all year, there are tutorials and practicals. Depending on the group, students will be free some of these days and will not have full days at other times. There are no scheduled classes on Mondays in Hilary Term (after Christmas).
Hope this is useful!

Laydee

Every university has it's pros and cons.

I started in DCU & at the same time 2 of my friends got the same course in UCD and Trinity. From what I've come to know & I wouldn't swap university at all!!

Base your decision on which hospital suits you, no one university has better hospitals than another and you will spend most of your course on placement & since placement starts at 7:30 it would be wise to use this as a basis for your choice.

I am not 100% sure what the pass rate in UCD is but if you should fail a module & again in repeats you can carry this as an extra module in your following year. TCD and DCU don't allow you to progress to the next year & you have to stay back & repeat the module. This will set you back €7,000 + as you'll be repeating.

Attendance is set out by an bord altranais but in DCU we are not required to swipe in. This saves time getting in & out of lectures. I know of some people in my class who never attended lectures such as chemistry (as they had covered it in their LC) & instead spent their time in the library (or in bed) This is good for those who do want to be there as people who are bored & are feeling forced to attend will inevitably chat & distract others.

The pass rate in DCU is 40% and some modules have a 30% continued assessment or 20% in unit test. DCU count your clinical placement as a credit in your degree which the other colleges don't , resulting in one less module!

The support in UCD & DCU seems to be better than TCD. Feedback is given after results from each lecturer who goes through your exam or assignment with you in depth. My friend from TCD asked for feedback & got told that it's not the done thing & written feedback will be posted. It was very impersonal & my friend never actually got the 1:1 feedback that they asked for.

You say that the affiliation with James' is something that draws you to TCD. Unfortunately, with any of the universities the hospital that is your first choice may not be the one that you end up placed in.

UCD and DCU both have clinical education centers on campus with dummies to practice on. TCD does not have this on campus but instead they have them in the education centers in their affiliated hospitals. This means a trip to James or Tallaght for those classes.

TCD, DCU and UCD all have a half day on Weds. It's when all clubs and societies have their classes.

We all compared timetables and they are all more or less the same. I had an easy timetable in semester one & was swamped in semester 2. My friend had the opposite.

Trinity have James', Tallaght Adelaide & Meath for general & the national children's hospital (which is one floor of the hospital) for the paeds course.

UCD have the Mater, Vincent's and St. Michael's for the general course and Crumlin (by far the hospital offering the most experience for paeds) for the paeds course.

DCU have Beaumont, Connolly hospital in Blanch and the Mater for general and Temple street for the paeds course.

DCU got university of the year 2010!!! Not that I'm biased or anything!

JC2009

TcdNMPostGrad wrote: »

The timetable generally looks something like this:
21 theory weeks in first year. Before Christmas, there is a half day on most Wednesdays, with full day (0900-1700) lectures on Monday and Tuesday.
Thursdays and Fridays all year, there are tutorials and practicals. Depending on the group, students will be free some of these days and will not have full days at other times. There are no scheduled classes on Mondays in Hilary Term (after Christmas).
Hope this is useful!

Hi TcdNMPostGrad
Just tring to get an idea of timetable for Gen Nursing (starting in Sept) as I'm sending out CV's for p/t work. So going by the above, is it safe to say that working Thurs & Fri from 5pm on could possibly be an option for me. I'm hoping to start waitressing so it will be evenings frm 5pm & wknds. Good to know also that Wed is half day (if same as last year)!

CavanCrew

Cant fully remember the first year timetable for TCD, It is pretty much 9-5 from what I remember.

Attendance to lectures is strict with the swipe in system and 100% attendance for placement, If you miss a day you repay it in the summer or at the discretion of your superior you can repay the day(s) on your off day.

Its tough not going to lie, but I think Trinity has set a standard, friends of mine go to DCU and UCD. Make a choice that you think is best for you.

TcdNMPostGrad

Hi there,
Yes you should be finished by 5. You'd obviously need to allow time to get to the job.
Attendance is a requirement of ABA (the Irish Nursing Board), so will be a requirement regardless of where you do your degree in Ireland.

JC2009

Hi guys

Thanks for the info. Have a place in Trinity already but need to get some form of p/t work to pay the bills an erm eat for the next few years so eve work, waitressing in particular seemed the best option. Is the week made up of a mixture of lectures in D'Olier St and practicals in St James until your 1st placement in Jan? Sorry about all the questions it's just that I've had no info yet from Trinty and am trying to work out how many hours it's feasible to work. Good thing is that I live 5 mins from college and 1 minute from new job :-)

CavanCrew

Tutorials are usually only one day a week or one day every couple of weeks in first year. you get your infection control, manual handling,bls training etc.

Also those tutorials never go on past 5pm. You wont be starting placement until after christmas.. so holding down the job shouldnt be a problem !
Congrats on the trinity offer by the way

JC2009

Thanks CavanCrew SUPER excited, just cannot wait to get going! Teeny bit nervous as am on the more mature end of mature student lol but to be honest I was so wild at 18 I never would have stuck it out had I gotten in first time so am ready now just took the scenic route to get here

CavanCrew

Ah delighted for you, heard from many friends of mine the mature route to get into is very difficult with the interview, so that is brilliant.

Im sure you will love it !
If you have any other questions dont hesitate

JC2009

Aw thanks a mil I def will Interview was the stuff of nightmares, still scarred lol

Midnight organ

Hey guys i was just wondering if anyone could help me. Im almost finished psyc in trinity and i want to go onto general apparently Scotland is the place to go but i am having trouble finding any good info at the moment im wondering if anyone can help me here?
Cheers!

EternalGeek

Can't help with your query Midnight, but have just finished Nursing in TCD.

Am happy to answer any questions I can, just PM me