Dept of Nursing & Health Science
Nursing is an interpersonal caring process that acknowledges the uniqueness of the person. The general nursing programme contains the essential elements that facilitate the development of professional knowledge, skills and attitudes necessary to meet the nursing needs of patients who are acutely or chronically ill. General nurses also have an important role in the promotion of health.
The philosophy of the Department of Nursing and Health Science is to deliver informed high quality learning experiences in an environment that exposes students to challenging and engaging teaching, supported by advanced technology and emerging research.
The healthcare services and the work trends of general nurses are changing continuously and the general nurse must be able to respond to the health needs and demands of the Irish population. Nursing practice also involves working with other professions and the general nursing programme aims to develop nurses who will act as effective members of a health care team at various levels of the health care system.
Psychiatric nursing is a specialist nursing discipline. The primary objectives are to facilitate the maximum development of the mental health of the individual who has psychiatric problems and to promote psychiatric nursing. The basis of the work of the psychiatric nurse is the relationship the nurse has with the person and their families who use the mental health services. The manner in which the psychiatric nurse develops this relationship, in partnership with those who use the services and their carers, and the skills the nurse uses within these relationships is the focus of psychiatric nursing.
AIT also offers higher certificate programmes in the growing areas of dental nursing and pharmacy technician; both of which have proven extemely popular with students and with employers since their introduction.
The Department of Nursing and Health Science at AIT has continued to develop courses to meet the expanding requirements of the healthcare industry. The Department now offers a range of pre- and post-registration education programmes to equip nurses with the knowledge and competence to enable them to attain their goals within the profession of nursing. The Department of Nursing and Health Science is accommodated in a state-of-the-art purpose-built building on the East Campus.
In addition to its three undergraduate honours degrees, the department is seeking prospective students from qualified nurses and allied health professionals for new and exciting programmes at NQAI Levels 8 and 9, in areas such as gerontology, palliative care, challenging behaviour and in lactation studies, which will lead to postgraduate certificates, higher diplomas, postgraduate diplomas and Master’s qualifications.
AIT has been a pioneer in nursing and health science research, and currently has 15 Master’s and doctoral students undertaking research in areas as diverse as the development of novel pulse UV light technology for decontaminating cryptosporidium in water; clinical incident reporting in healthcare; blood-borne viruses in haemodialysis units; barriers women encounter accessing breast cancer services in Ireland; food safety – development of novel bio-processing technologies; and diet in the elderly and links with dementia.
Why Choose Nursing and Health Science at AIT?
- Nursing programmes are delivered in a modern state-of-the-art Nursing and Health Science Building.
- As a graduate of AIT your nursing qualification is recognised and respected throughout the world.
- Students benefit from the various areas of expertise available at the three general hospitals in the HSE Midlands area, in Tullamore, Portlaoise, and Mullingar.
- The department is pioneering research in the area of nursing and health science in Irish third level institutions.
- AIT is the only Irish higher education institution participating in a pan-European food technologies and food safety postgraduate initiative.
