What You Need to Know About Nursing in Ireland

Find out what qualifications and skills you need if you want to become a Nurse in Ireland

This is a brief guide to why you might want to consider a Nursing career, and how to become a Nurse in Ireland.

Pursuing a Nursing career in Ireland will undoubtedly be an excellent employment opportunity.

As you will be helping people regain their health, this is the type of work that will provide you with an enormous sense of fulfilment.

Topics Covered In This Article

Why Choose A Career In Nursing?

What Does A Nursing Career Offer?

How To Apply For A Nursing Programme In Ireland

For Non-Irish Nurses Wanting To Work In Ireland

Personal Attributes

Conclusion

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Why Choose A Career In Nursing?

There are various reasons why you may want to become a Nurse, such as:

● You have a passion for helping others

● You want to make a difference

● You like the challenges and rewards of being a Nurse

People who want to know about Nursing In Ireland, realised that it’s a career of continuous learning.

There are lots of opportunities to learn new healthcare skills and specialisations.

These abilities will in turn enable you to assess people’s health problems and provide them with high-quality care.

What Does A Nursing Career Offer?

You should think of Nursing as a vocation where you will obtain job satisfaction by caring for patients.

The knowledge and skills you learn will help you improve people’s health and wellbeing.

As a Nurse, you will have the chance to:

● Improve your communication and caregiving skills

● Take advantage of various career-enhancing opportunities, such as training, seminars and workshops

● Work abroad or choose flexible working hours

● Learn and implement new skills

You should also be aware that there are four Nursing branches in Ireland, namely:

● General

● Intellectual Disability

● Children and General (Integrated)

● Psychiatry

Besides being a Staff Nurse, there are other possible roles you could fill.

For example, why not consider a position in research or education?

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How To Apply For A Nursing Programme In Ireland

If you want to apply to be a Nurse in Ireland, there is some essential information you need to know.

A. As A Standard Applicant

You will need to successfully pass an examination, but first you must satisfy the educational requirements set by:

● The Nursing and Midwifery Board of Ireland (NMBI)

● The Higher Education Institution (HEI)

The NMBI requirements include:

1. Leaving Certificate with a minimum grade of H5 in at least two higher-level papers.

2. At least four ordinary or higher-level papers with a minimum grade of O6/H7. The subjects should include:

● English or Irish

● Maths

● Science, such as biology, chemistry, physics or agricultural sciences

● Three other subjects of your own choosing.

3. The equivalent minimum educational requirements to numbers 1 and 2 above subject to the conditions set by the HEI.

4. The HEI’s minimum education prerequisite. However, these standards should not be lower than those set out in numbers 1 and 2 above.

If there are other details you want to know about Nursing in Ireland, visit the NMBI website.

Quality and Qualifications Ireland (QQI)

This is another academic route to becoming a Nurse.

You will need to achieve a level 5 or level 6 in the following further education and training certificates:

● Community and Health Services

● Healthcare Support

● Nursing Studies

Furthermore, you should also obtain distinctions in at least five units, such as:

● Anatomy and Physiology

● Biology

● Human Growth and Development

● Nursing Theory and Practice

However, meeting the eligibility requirements does not automatically mean that you will find a Nursing position.

Remember, the available slots are limited.

Furthermore, the Central Applications Office (CAO) runs a random selection system. It is important to note that QQI has replaced the FETAC, HETAC and NQAI.

B. As A Mature Applicant

You will be considered a mature applicant if you are over the age of 23 in the January of the year of your application.

In addition, you will be applying based on your mature years rather than your test results.

Nevertheless, as a mature student, some of your undergraduate programmes can be used as credits.

These include the following areas and the required proportions:

● Intellectual Disability – 35%

● Psychiatric Care – 35%

● Midwifery – 20%

● Children and General Integrated – 15%

● General – 15%

As a mature applicant, you need to pass during the year you successfully took the assessment test.

However, once again, passing the examination does not mean that you will find a position.

You can only include the results of your application to CAO.

The assessment consists of three tests:

● Literacy

● Numeracy

● Job simulation

For Non-Irish Nurses Wanting To Work In Ireland

If you are from overseas and want to work as a Nurse in Ireland, you first need to register with the NMBI.

This is a five-step process:

● Fill out the Overseas Registration Application Request Form

● Read through the application pack

● Make sure that the appropriate authorities fill out your forms and return them to the NMBI

● Assess your application

● Wait for the outcome of your assessment

Remember, you cannot legally work as a Nurse in Ireland until you receive a favourable decision.

If you are from outside the EU or the EEA, you will need to present an employment permit.

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Personal Attributes

Besides your academic achievements, you will also need to possess some personal skills, such as:

● The ability to listen to patients’ problems and pick up on issues they cannot or will not openly express. This approach will enable you to find the best solutions.

● The ability to communicate and interact with not only your patients, but also other Nurses and healthcare professionals.

Conclusion

In order to work as a Nurse in Ireland, you will need academic qualifications, relevant experience and the required skills.

From an academic perspective, you must pass the requirements set by various agencies, including the NMBI, HEI, QQI and CAO.

If you apply as a standard applicant, you need to successfully pass an examination.

However, if you are a mature applicant, you can receive academic credits.

Even if you are from overseas, you can still apply for a Nursing position in Ireland.