Nursing - Cancer Nursing (Adult, Breast, Children)

The Graduate Diploma in Cancer Nursing is an academic and clinically based programme designed for students who wish to deepen and broaden their knowledge and expertise in cancer care in order to provide safe, effective and holistic care to people with cancer.

Applicants for this programme must be registered nurses. Normally, applicants will have a primary degree in nursing. Nurses who do not have a degree may apply for recognition of prior experiential learning (RPEL). Criteria to be used in assessment of the RPEL application includes number of years of experience, and evidence of recent and ongoing professional development. Please see below for more information on RPL. Applicants must be entered onto the appropriate division of the Nurses Register maintained by the Nursing and Midwifery Board of Ireland (NMBI) (be registered as a registered general nurse (RGN)/ registered children's nurse (RCN).

• Applicants must have at least one year’s experience in nursing in their specialist area at the time of commencing the programme. Applicants for the Adult Cancer Nursing and Children's Cancer Nursing strands who have at least one years experience in Cancer Nursing, at least 9 months of this experience will need to be in the oncology/haematology setting (if currently or previously based in surgical oncology).
• Applicants for the Adult and Children’s Cancer Nursing strands will be required to demonstrate competency in the administration of systemic anti-cancer treatments and will therefore normally be based on oncology/haematology wards and/or oncology/haematology day wards (preferably rotating across both settings) prior to and for the duration of the programme. Applicants for the Adult and Children’s Cancer Nursing strands who are caring for patients with cancer but who are not based in the aforementioned settings will require a letter of support from their Assistant Director of Nursing undertaking to facilitate a placement in oncology/haematology for at least 6 weeks over the course of the programme.
• Applicants for the Breast Care Nursing strand must be employed in a unit caring for patients with breast cancer, respectively prior to commencing and for the duration of the programme.
• All applicants must have identified a clinical assessor who is willing to undertake their clinical assessments over the duration of the programme. The clinical assessor must have the experience and qualifications relevant to the speciality. Documents Required Please Note - The official closing date is July 31st, however, as places on the programme are subject to clinical placements which are limited, you are advised to have all of the required documentation submitted by July 1st.
• Original transcript(s) including date and grading of degree award (non UCD Graduates only) & notarised English translations where relevant
• Applicants: A current photocopy of NMBI registration
• Copy of Birth Certificate or Personal Page of Passport
• Signed Declaration Form from Employer (original form)
• Completed Professional Reference Form (original form)
• Applicants: Completed Clinical Competence Assessor Nomination Form signed by the nominee
• Evidence of proficiency in English language (applicants whose first language is not English)
• Completed accreditation RPL Application Form (if no degree)
• Letter of support (to facilitate placement in oncology/haematology ward/day ward) from ADON for applicants to the Adult Cancer Nursing and Children’s Cancer Nursing strands if not normally based in an oncology/haematology ward/day ward. You may be eligible for Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL), as UCD recognises formal, informal, and/or experiential learning. RPL may be awarded to gain Admission and/or credit exemptions on a programme. Please visit the UCD Registry RPL web page for further information at: https://www.ucd.ie/registry/prospectivestudents/admissions/rpl/ Any exceptions are also listed on this webpage.