1 | UCC School of Nursing and Midwifery

CONTENTS
HEAD OF SCHOOL WELCOME ....................................................................................................................... 3
1. SCHOOL INFORMATION .............................................................................................................................. 4
CONTACT DETAILS ................................................................................................................................................ 4
HISTORY & PHILOSOPHY OF THE SCHOOL ............................................................................................................... 7
2. NURSING AND MIDWIFERY PROGRAMMES ............................................................................................. 8
ORGANISATION OF PROGRAMMES .......................................................................................................................... 8
LAYOUT OF THE ACADEMIC YEAR ........................................................................................................................... 9
COURSE STRUCTURES......................................................................................................................................... 10
ASSESSMENT MAP ............................................................................................................................................. 13
3. STUDENT REQUIREMENTS ...................................................................................................................... 16
UCC STUDENT REGISTRATION ............................................................................................................................. 17
NMBI CANDIDATE REGISTRATION ....................................................................................................................... 17
UCC FITNESS TO PRACTISE ................................................................................................................................ 17
PRACTICE PLACEMENT AGREEMENT (PPA) ......................................................................................................... 17
GARDA VETTING CERTIFICATION .......................................................................................................................... 18
ATTENDANCE...................................................................................................................................................... 19
EXTENSION REQUESTS ........................................................................................................................................ 20
PROGRAMME FEES ............................................................................................................................................. 21
STUDENT RECORDS ............................................................................................................................................ 21
WITHDRAWAL POLICY ......................................................................................................................................... 21
USE OF SOCIAL MEDIA........................................................................................................................................ 22
4. CLINICAL PRACTICE PLACEMENT .......................................................................................................... 23
ALLOCATIONS OFFICE ......................................................................................................................................... 23
ALLOCATION LIAISON OFFICERS (ALOS) ............................................................................................................. 24
PRACTICE MODULE LEADERS .............................................................................................................................. 25
CLINICAL PRACTICE PLACEMENT INFORMATION ................................................................................................... 26
5. CSSRC ...................................................................................................................................................... 29
CLINICAL SKILLS SIMULATION RESOURCE CENTRE .............................................................................................. 29
ECAD/ECAT ...................................................................................................................................................... 31

6. ACADEMIC WRITING ................................................................................................................................ 32

ASSESSMENTS AND EXAMS ................................................................................................................................ 33
REFERENCING .................................................................................................................................................... 34
MARK BANDS & GRADE DESCRIPTORS ................................................................................................................ 37
7. STUDENT SERVICES ................................................................................................................................ 40
FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE ..................................................................................................................................... 40
STUDENT SUPPORTS ........................................................................................................................................... 41
IT SUPPORT........................................................................................................................................................ 46
STUDENT REPRESENTATIVES ............................................................................................................................... 49
USEFUL LINKS .................................................................................................................................................... 49
MAP OF UCC ..................................................................................................................................................... 50

2 | UCC School of Nursing and Midwifery

Head of School Welcome

Dear Student

As incoming Head of School of Nursing and Midwifery I would

like to take this opportunity to welcome you to the School. I
hope that your time at University College Cork and
particularly the school is both challenging to stretch you to
your full potential and enjoyable and fulfilling as you embark
on a career to be the future leaders in healthcare.

We undertake to educate our graduates to rise to the top of

their fields, to be the nurses and midwives that lead with
knowledge, compassion and expertise.

Our nurses and midwives are educated by integrating theory, evidence and practice by translating
curiosity into academic inquiry. We endeavour to promote global reach with international, national
and local impact for patients, communities and populations in our engagements with, research,
teaching and practice.

This handbook has been prepared by the School staff for undergraduate students. A wide range of
information is set out under various chapters but this is not a substitute for the formal details and
regulations set out in the University Calendar and other publications.

This handbook has been designed to be read in conjunction with other publications that are available
on both the School of Nursing & Midwifery website and the UCC website. This will provide details
specific to your programme of study. While the information contained in this book is, in parts, directed
towards those coming to the university for the first time, material relating to all students studying
within the School is included.

The staff of the School will be glad to assist you in relation to clarification of any relevant issues and in
a general way to participate in making your educational experience worthwhile both intellectually and
professionally, this can be arranged by emailing [email protected].

Wishing you a positive experience as you transfer in, to the university, throughout your journey here
and as you transfer out as a proud UCC graduate.

Best wishes

Professor Patricia Leahy-Warren

Head of School of Nursing and Midwifery UCC

3 | UCC School of Nursing and Midwifery

1. School Information

Contact Details

School of Nursing and Midwifery

Scoil an Altranais agus an Chnáimhseachais
Brookfield Health Sciences Complex College Road Cork, Ireland, T12 AK54

[email protected] +353 (0)21 490 2159 School of Nursing & Midwifery

SONM CONTACT DETAILS

Head of the School PROFESSOR PATRICIA LEAHY-WARREN

[email protected] +353 (0)21 490 1461
Director of Undergraduate Education
(Theory) DR CAROLINE DALTON O’CONNOR
[email protected] +353 (0)21 490 1573

Director of Undergraduate Education

(Clinical) DR AILEEN BURTON
[email protected] +353 (0)21 490 1475

School Manager MS REGINA MURPHY

[email protected] +353 (0)21 490 1550

Student Support
Room G03 - Administration Office
Brookfield Health Sciences Complex College Road Cork, Ireland, T12 AK54

Opening hours: Monday – Friday

10am – 1pm, 2:10pm – 4pm

Contact us: [email protected]

4 | UCC School of Nursing and Midwifery

 YEAR CO-ORDINATORS
1st Year Undergraduate DR TERESA WILLS
[email protected] +353 (0)21 490 1472

2nd Year Undergraduate MS CLAIRE HAYES

[email protected] +353 (0)21 490 1464

3rd Year Undergraduate MS MARIA O’SHEA

[email protected] +353 (0)21 490 1484

4th Year Undergraduate DR VALERIA VENDITTI

[email protected] +353 (0)21 490 1456

5th Year Undergraduate DR MARGARET CURTIN

[email protected] +353 (0)21 490 1624

PROGRAMME LEADERS

General Nursing (Clinical) DR EMILY LOCKWOOD

[email protected] +353 (0)21 490 1455

General Nursing (Theory) MS ANN MCAULIFFE

[email protected] +353 (0)21 490 1452

Mental Health DR JOHNNY GOODWIN

[email protected] +353 (0)21 490 1473

Intellectual Disability DR ANNE-MARIE MARTIN

[email protected] +353 (0)21 490 1451

Children’s & General Integrated DR MARGARET CURTIN

[email protected] +353 (0)21 490 1624

Midwifery DR MARGARET MURPHY

[email protected] +353 (0)21 490 1644

Email Etiquette
Students are provided with an UCC email address at the time of registration. All communication
must be made through your UCC email address.

 Identify who you are: Your Name, Student Number, Intake Year, Programme Name

 Address the recipient by their title: Dr / Professor / Ms / Mr / Mx e.g. Dear Professor Smith

 Include an informative subject: The subject should be brief but accurate, e.g. Essay question

GO TO page 48 for full details on email timeframes & etiquette

5 | UCC School of Nursing and Midwifery

 PRACTICE MODULE LEADERS

NU1049 General Nursing Practice DR EMILY LOCKWOOD

[email protected] +353 (0)21 490 1455

NU1051 Intellectual Disability Nursing

Practice MS CAROLINE EGAN
[email protected] +353 (0)21 490 1633

NU1044 Developing Skilled Mental

Health Nursing Practice MX RYAN GOULDING
[email protected] +353 (0)21 490 1518

NU1062 Children’s and General

Nursing Practice MS CORA O’LEARY
[email protected] +353 (0)21 490 1465

NU1056 Midwifery Practice MS AGNES PHELAN

[email protected] +353 (0)21 490 1646

ALLOCATIONS OFFICE

[email protected]

Allocations Officer Mr Sean McCloskey

Assistant Allocations Officer Ms Maureen O’Shea

Assistant Allocations Officer Ms Helen McSweeney

Assistant Allocations Officer Ms Nadia Curran

Senior Executive Assistant Ms Sinead Buckley

Executive Assistant Ms Melanie Lee

CSSRC – CLINICAL SKILLS SIMULATION RESOURCE CENTRE

[email protected]

021 490 1530 / 021 490 1529

[email protected]
2nd Floor, Brookfield Health Sciences Complex

6 | UCC School of Nursing and Midwifery

History of the School THE SCHOOL’S PHILOSOPHY

Located in the Brookfield Health Sciences Mission Statement

Complex University College Cork, The The mission of the school is to advance Nursing
History
Catherine&McAuley
Philosophy of theandSchool
School of Nursing and Midwifery practice and provide leadership
Midwifery is one of the most distinctive and for the profession of Nursing and Midwifery
through the development of innovative
historic buildings amongst the UCC campus. It
professional education programmes; excellence
was Francis Jennings son, Thomas, who built
in clinical practice; promotion of research and
Brookfield in 1898. Thomas was a noted
the development of national and international
athlete and was captain of the University links.
Athletic Club while at Cambridge.
Educational Philosophy
When Thomas Jennings died in 1935 Brookfield We believe that the need and ability to learn
passed to his three daughters Meg, Eithne and persists throughout life. The learning process is
Muirne, but only Meg, who never married, an individual endeavour and the responsibility
remained at home. She wanted company in the
for learning resides in the individual learner.
Learning is influenced by interaction between
house and also some additional income to help
the individual and the environment. Stimulation
meet the outgoings of such a large
of the process is the joint responsibility of
house. George and Eileen Coomber, who had
teacher and learner working together towards
just moved to Cork from Dublin, found in common goals.
Brookfield an ideal home, and they, with their
Nursing and Midwifery
son, Brian, shared it with Meg for some 35
Nursing and Midwifery each hold a distinct body
years until her death. Muirne, with her
of knowledge fundamental to good practice in
husband Bernard Gedge, then returned from clinical, administrative and education areas.
London and remained in Brookfield until she This knowledge is developed through research
moved into a nursing home in the early 1990s. and practice and is continuously advancing.
Nursing and Midwifery have a contribution to
As there were no Jennings children it was the
make to the health of individuals, groups and
wish of the family that Brookfield should be communities at whatever age and in whatever
transferred to the Coombers. Eileen Coomber setting. Nursing and Midwifery are concerned
remained in Brookfield after her husband's with promoting and maintaining health as well as
death until 1998, when she was no longer able caring and helping individuals with particular
to live there alone, and Brookfield then health needs. The maintenance of good
became a part of UCC with the doors opened standards of care is dependent on continuous
professional development.
to the first nursing students in 2004.
Research
In 2019, Professor Geraldine McCarthy and
The School is committed to being actively
Professor Josephine Hegarty, with the help of
involved in research and scholarly
the staff at the School of Nursing and developments in nursing, midwifery and the
Midwifery co-authored a textbook, detailing health services. This is achieved through
how health care and Nurse and Midwifery conducting high quality research for national
education evolved in an Irish context with a and public bodies, including the Health
particular focus on the development in the Services. Staff publish widely in nursing and
Cork region and the formation of a Department
midwifery journals and present papers at
conferences both nationally and internationally.
of Nursing in 1994.

7 | UCC School of Nursing and Midwifery

2. Nursing and Midwifery Programmes

Organisation of Programmes

Here in the Catherine McAuley School of Nursing and Midwifery, there are several programmes
available for undergraduate students. These include:

 BSc General Nursing

 BSc Mental Health Nursing
 BSc Intellectual Disability Nursing
 BSc Children’s and General Integrated Nursing
 BSc Midwifery
 BSc Non–Clinical Exit Route

PROGRAMMES
A Programme Leader is responsible for all matters pertaining to each programme of study. If a student
experiences difficulty that may interfere with their ability to study or complete course work, they
should discuss the matter with their Programme Leader. We will always try to help students overcome
difficulties, so if you are experiencing problems try to consult with your Programme Leader as soon as
possible.

MODULES
Each programme is divided into modules, usually 7 – 10 per year. Some programmes have a
combination of core and optional modules whereas programmes leading to registration generally
consist of compulsory modules (these programmes must meet the requirements of the NMBI). Each
module will have a different credit weighting, but the total credits required each year is 60. Modules
are usually of 5, 10 or 15 credits and assessment is proportionate to this weighting.

Though some modules may have more than one lecturer, each module has a
Module Leader. The Module Leader will normally deal with all aspects of
teaching and assessing the module and will liaise with the module team and
Programme Leader as required. If you have queries in relation to a specific
module, you should contact the Module Leader.

For further information, please visit: Book of Modules.

8 | UCC School of Nursing and Midwifery

Layout of the Academic Year

The Academic Year (2023-2024) is divided into two teaching periods, Semester 1 and Semester 2 and
into Theoretical and Clinical weeks. Please see the course structures on the following pages which will
show you the layout and structure of the Academic Year.

For further information, visit UCC website: Key Semester Dates 2023-24

9 | UCC School of Nursing and Midwifery

Course Structures

2023 COURSE STRUCTURE: GENERAL, INTELLECTUAL DISABILITY, MENTAL HEALTH

10 | UCC School of Nursing and Midwifery

2023 COURSE STRUCTURE: CHILDREN’S AND GENERAL INTEGRATED

11 | UCC School of Nursing and Midwifery

2023 COURSE STRUCTURE: MIDWIFERY

12 | UCC School of Nursing and Midwifery

Assessment Map

1ST YEAR ASSESSMENT MAP – SEMESTER 1 AND 2 (2023-2024)

The Assessment Map outlines the due dates of assessments during Semester 1 & 2.

This includes Core Modules, Shared Modules and Programme Specific Modules.

Assessment Map continued on the next page…

13 | UCC School of Nursing and Midwifery

14 | UCC School of Nursing and Midwifery
1ST YEAR SIMPLIFIED ASSESSMENT MAP (SEMESTER 1 ONLY)
The Simplified Assessment Map provides a summary of programme specific assessment due dates:
Semester 1 Only

GENERAL NU1040 MCQ 1: Monday 23 October 2023 17.30pm - 18.30pm

MCQ 2: Tuesday 31 October 2023 17.30pm - 18.30pm
Essay (750 words): Tuesday 9 January 2024 at 12:00pm
NU1026 Part A Essay: Monday 13 November 2023 12.00pm
Part B Webquest: Monday 13 November 2023 12.00pm

NU1067 E-tivity: Monday 23 October 2023

Essay (1,500 words): Monday 20 November 2023 12.00pm

SS1008 Essay (1,500 words): Friday 1 December 2023 at 12.00pm

INTELLECTUAL NU1040 MCQ 1: Monday 23 October 2023 17.30pm - 18.30pm

DISABILITY MCQ 2: Tuesday 31 October 2023 17.30pm - 18.30pm
Essay (750 words): Tuesday 9 January 2024 at 12:00pm

NU1026 Part A Essay: Monday 13 November 2023 12.00pm

Part B Webquest: Monday 13 November 2023 12.00pm
NU1066 Essay (3,000 words): Tuesday 5 December 2023

MENTAL NU1040 MCQ 1: Monday 23 October 2023 17.30pm - 18.30pm

HEALTH MCQ 2: Tuesday 31 October 2023 17.30pm - 18.30pm
Essay (750 words): Tuesday 9 January 2024 at 12:00pm

NU1026 Part A Essay: Monday 13 November 2023 12.00pm

Part B Webquest: Monday 13 November 2023 12.00pm

NU1043 Part 1 Essay (1,500 words): Monday 20 November 2023

Part 2 Essay (1,500 words): Monday 4 December 2023

CHILDREN’S NU1040 MCQ 1: Monday 23 October 2023 17.30pm - 18.30pm

& GENERAL MCQ 2: Tuesday 31 October 2023 17.30pm - 18.30pm
INTEGRATED Essay (750 words): Tuesday 9 January 2024 at 12:00pm
NU1026 Part A Essay: Monday 13 November 2023 12.00pm
Part B Webquest: Monday 13 November 2023 12.00pm
SS1008 Essay (1,500 words): Friday 1 December 2023 at 12.00pm

MIDWIFERY NU1040 MCQ 1: Monday 23 October 2023 17.30pm - 18.30pm

MCQ 2: Tuesday 31 October 2023 17.30pm - 18.30pm
Essay (750 words): Tuesday 9 January 2024 at 12:00pm
NU1064 Essay (50 Marks): Friday 13 October 2023
Group Presentation: Thursday 9 November 2023
Essay (100 Marks): Tuesday 24 November 2023
NU1053 Assignment (Academic Writing): Friday 20 October 2023
Assignment (1,500 words): Friday 1 December 2023

15 | UCC School of Nursing and Midwifery

3. Student Requirements

Prior to undertaking clinical practice placement as a BSc Nursing & Midwifery student, there are
compulsory elements, mandatory and essential skills that all students must complete in order to
attend and participate in clinical nursing and midwifery practice. This is to ensure the continuity of
good quality and safe nursing and midwifery practice in all healthcare settings for students,
patients/clients and others.

The SONM and the HSPs must be satisfied that students have completed the following:

 UCC Student Registration

 NMBI Candidate Registration
 UCC Fitness to Practice
 Practice Placement Agreement (PPA)
 Garda Vetting Certification

Additionally, as a student of the SONM and of the University, you will be required to adhere to the
following School requirements:

 Attendance
 Programme Fees
 Student Records
 Withdrawal from the programme
 Use of Social Media

For further information on each of these requirements, please read below.

16 | UCC School of Nursing and Midwifery

UCC Student Registration

Registration is when you enrol online on your degree programme, pay your fees and upload your
Personal Identity documentation. These are your first steps to becoming a UCC student.

For further information, visit the Student Records & Examination Office (SREO):
Registering for your Programme | UCC

NMBI Candidate Registration

The Nursing and Midwifery Board of Ireland (NMBI) is a regulatory board and they require BSc Nursing
& Midwifery student to register with them.

For further information on NMBI Candidate Registry, visit NMBI:

NMBI - NMBI

UCC Fitness to Practise

All students commencing their first year with the SONM in UCC, will be required to comply with the
Fitness to Practise Policy and meet the relevant Fitness to Practise.

For further information review:

Fitness to Practise Policy

Practice Placement Agreement (PPA)

A copy of the Practice Placement Agreement (PPA) will be provided to you by your Clinical Module
Leader before you start your clinical placement. You be required to signed it and return it.

17 | UCC School of Nursing and Midwifery

Garda Vetting Certification

You are required to undergo Garda Vetting as part of your programme at University College Cork as
you will be working with children and/or vulnerable adults (through placement, research and/or other
UCC related activity).

For further information visit: UCC's Student Vetting Policy & Procedure

GARDA VETTING PROCESS

Please action the below in order to receive your Garda Vetting Certification:

1. Complete: Student Garda Vetting Invitation Form

2. Verification required:

Photographic ID via one of:

1. Passport
2. Irish NDLS Driving Licence (new credit card format only)
AND
Proof of current address, via one of:
1. Letter of offer for course/programme
2. Bank Statement
3. Utility bill
4. Lease for rented accommodation

Once all this is received and verified, you will receive an email from the National Vetting Bureau within
approximately 5 working days, inviting you to complete the next part of the vetting online.
Please engage with this as soon as possible as it will expire after 30 days.

Please note, if you have resided outside Ireland for a period of 6 months or more, from the age of 16
years, you must also furnish a Police Clearance Certificate from the country or countries of residence.
This Certificate should state that you had no convictions recorded against you while residing there. As
this certificate can take some time to get, you shouldn't delay commencing the process. If it applies in
your case, please proceed with the Irish Vetting and you can follow on with the Police Certificate.

As soon as you have your Police Clearance Certificate available, please upload it on the Student
Garda Vetting Invitation Form and send it to [email protected]

18 | UCC School of Nursing and Midwifery

Attendance

RECORDING ATTENDANCE
Attendance at all lectures and clinical placements is obligatory.

Attendance at lectures, tutorials, seminars and practical sessions will be recorded and monitored by
an electronic proximity barcode reader located on entrance to each classroom within the School of
Nursing and Midwifery.

Any abuse of the mechanism for monitoring attendance will be deemed to be a serious disciplinary
matter and will be dealt with in line with the School of Nursing and Midwifery Disciplinary Procedures.

Some BSc Nursing and BSc Midwifery lectures and tutorials are taught in groups of 50. At the beginning
of the course each student is assigned to a group. It is important that you stay with your group for all
lecturers and tutorials to ensure that you do not miss out on any content pertinent to the course and
that you receive all lectures in a logical sequence.

RECORDING ABSENCES
If you are required to be absent from a lecture or clinical placement you must provide reasonable
explanation for your absence to the relevant Undergraduate BSc Nursing / Midwifery Year Co-
ordinator or relevant Clinical personnel. Please make every effort to give notice of absences and where
it interferes with course work or clinical placements.

Absences from lectures and clinical placements without explanation may interfere with you
completing a course or sitting for exams, and disciplinary proceedings may be initiated. Absence due
to extenuating circumstances will be treated according to University policy.

Please read the following policies for further information:

School of Nursing and Midwifery Disciplinary Procedures Policy 2021:

JointDisciplinaryPolicy.pdf (ucc.ie)

School of Nursing and Midwifery attendance, recording and disciplinary policy 2021:
Attendance Recording Policies

19 | UCC School of Nursing and Midwifery

Extension Requests

As per the Extension Request Policy, students must submit their extension forms before 12(noon) on
the assignment submission date.

Please be advised that it will take 3-5 working days to receive a decision on your request, and if
your request is denied then your submission will be subject to the School’s Late Submission Policy.

For further information on Extension Requests, visit: Useful Forms for All Students

EXTENSION REQUEST PROCEDURE

Please ensure you follow these steps below when applying for an Extension Request:

 Email your request to [email protected]

 Complete and attach the Extension Request Form to your email

 Include an informative subject. The subject should be brief but accurate:

e.g. Extension Request Module NU1067 - 2nd Year Student

 Identify who you are:

Your Name, Student Number, Intake Year, Programme Name, Module Leader's name

 All communication must be made through your student UCC email address. The use of a personal
email address will not be tolerated as a form of contact to academic and professional support
staff.

20 | UCC School of Nursing and Midwifery

Programme Fees

Students will not be registered for their programme until fees are paid. It is the student’s responsibility
to address any fees issues immediately. Failure to do so may result in examination results not being
issued and denied access to services such as Canvas, The Mardyke Arena and the Library.

To find out more information on Programme Fees, visit the Fees Office:
Website: Fees Office
Address: North Wing, Main Quadrangle, University College Cork
Phone: +353 (021) 490 2365

Student Records

From time to time, you will receive correspondence from both the School and the University, thus it
is important that any change of address you make is notified. Failure to notify changes can cause
problems as it may lead to you not receiving details of lecture changes, examination details or delays
in receiving examination results.

Change of address notification forms are available from the Student Records & Examinations Office
(SREO). If you need to make a change to your records, please inform:
 School of Nursing and Midwifery (Main Office G.03)
 Allocations
 Allocations Liaison Officer
 UCC SREO (located upstairs in the West Wing).

For more information visit: Student Records & Examinations Office

Withdrawal Policy

If a student withdraws from a programme this must be notified in writing to the Programme Leader
and the Student Records & Examinations Office (SREO). Failure to do so may cause difficulties if the
student subsequently wishes to re-enter a programme of study at UCC.

If you are considering withdrawing from your programme, please take the opportunity to discuss this
first with your Programme Leader.

For more information visit: UCC Undergraduate Withdrawal Policy

21 | UCC School of Nursing and Midwifery

Use of Social Media

Social media and social networking are

important communication and information
resources; providing an instant means of
communicating with colleagues;
exchanging information; and a mechanism
of finding answers to questions.

The misuse of social media is an increasing

problem in a global and university
context. We ask that:
 You keep a strict divide between your personal and professional use of Social Media and, in
particular, remember to always respect patient/client confidentiality in any online
communication.
 Remember that when you share information (text, photos, videos) on Facebook, Twitter,
YouTube, Instagram, TikTok etc., your message could ultimately be seen by thousands of
people if your message goes viral.
 Postings which relate to programme related experiences should be professional in both
presentation and content. Students need to remember that they are ambassadors for
themselves, the professions of nursing and midwifery, their clinical placement areas, the
school of nursing and midwifery and the university.

Please familiarise yourself with the following Social Media policies:

Guidance to Nurses and Midwives on Social Media and Social Networking

UCC Web and Social Media Policy

If you have an issue with any of your programme’s theoretical or clinical components/experiences,
please make contact with your Programme Leader
in the first instance to discuss the issue rather than taking to Social Media.

22 | UCC School of Nursing and Midwifery

4. Clinical Practice Placement

Allocations Office

The Allocations Office, located at the School and Nursing and Midwifery, is responsible for organising
clinical practice placements for students, as well as recording and updating records of each student’s
placement hours.

They work in conjunction with the Allocation Liaison Officers (ALOs), who are located at the
participating Health Service Providers (HSPs) and other relevant agencies.

As we welcome you into 1st Year, the allocation of your clinical practice placement location and HSPs
will have been pre-organised by the Director of Undergraduate Education (Clinical Practice) and the
1st Year Admin Support in the School of Nursing and Midwifery.

CONTACT INFORMATION

All emails should be directed to [email protected]

For urgent matters requiring immediate attention, please mark the subject line as "URGENT".

It is essential to maintain professionalism and adhere to email etiquette when communicating through
the centralised email address. Please ensure you provide the following details on your email
correspondence to the Allocations Office:
 Your Name
 Student Number
 Intake Year (e.g. 2023)
 Programme Name

ALLOCATIONS OFFICE

[email protected]

Allocations Officer Mr Sean McCloskey

Assistant Allocations Officer Ms Maureen O’Shea

Assistant Allocations Officer Ms Helen McSweeney

Assistant Allocations Officer Ms Nadia Curran

Senior Executive Assistant Ms Sinead Buckley

Executive Assistant Ms Melanie Lee

For further contact information, visit: Contact Allocations Personnel

23 | UCC School of Nursing and Midwifery

Allocation Liaison Officers (ALOs)

The Allocation Liaison Officers (ALOs) plan and co-ordinate clinical practice placements for students in
partnership with the School of Nursing and Midwifery UCC.

ALLOCATION LIAISON OFFICERS (ALOs) & HEALTH SERVICE PROVIDERS (HSPs)

PROGRAMME NAME ALLOCATION LIAISON OFFICERS (ALOs) HSPs

BSc General Nursing ANNE MARIE DALY [email protected] MUH

BRÍD DESMOND [email protected] CUH

TRACEY FRAHER [email protected] CUH

MAJELLA MURPHY [email protected] BONS

MAIRE HEALY [email protected] SIVUH

BSc Intellectual SINEAD CULLINANE [email protected] COPE

Disability Nursing

BSc Mental Health JOAN MCSWEENEY [email protected] MHS

Nursing

BSc Integrated BÉBHINN O’SULLIVAN [email protected] CUH

Children’s & General ROSE HAYES [email protected] CUH
Nursing

BSc Midwifery CLARE (HEALY) FOX [email protected] CUMH

Non-Cork HSP HEATHER POWER [email protected] TUH

24 | UCC School of Nursing and Midwifery

Practice Module Leaders

PRACTICE MODULE LEADERS

NU1049 General Nursing Practice DR EMILY LOCKWOOD

[email protected] +353 (0)21 490 1455

NU1051 Intellectual Disability Nursing

Practice MS CAROLINE EGAN
[email protected] +353 (0)21 490 1633

NU1044 Developing Skilled Mental

Health Nursing Practice MX RYAN GOULDING
[email protected] +353 (0)21 490 1518

NU1062 Children’s and General

Nursing Practice MS CORA O’LEARY
[email protected] +353 (0)21 490 1465

NU1056 Midwifery Practice MS AGNES PHELAN

[email protected] +353 (0)21 490 1646

25 | UCC School of Nursing and Midwifery

Clinical Practice Placement Information

CLINICAL PRACTICE PLACEMENT GUIDELINES

This is a guide to help you as a student navigate some key practical

aspects pertaining to placement and clarify any questions you may have
pertaining to the practicalities of clinical placement and clinical time
management. The guide and checklist are only meant to supplement
and not replace the vast array of information available to you on both
the UCC and the School of Nursing and Midwifery’s website.

Prior to commencing clinical practice placement, it is very important

that you read the Clinical Practice Placement Guidelines:
Clinical Practice Placement Guidelines UCC

MUST DO’S BEFORE YOUR FIRST PLACEMENT

Before starting your first clinical placement, you must complete the following:
 UCC student registration
 Garda Vetting Certification
 UCC Fitness to Practice
 NMBI Candidate Registration
 All scheduled mandatory skills
 Sign a Practice Placement Agreement (PPA)
 Read Clinical Practice Placement Guidelines

TRAVELLING TO PLACEMENTS
Both the diversity of placement requirements and the geographical spread of placement sites will
mean that regardless of where you live, or which programme you are registered on, travelling to
Clinical Placement areas will be required at various stages of your Nursing or Midwifery
programme. This is to ensure students meet the required clinical instruction, set out by the NMBI
(Nursing and Midwifery Board of Ireland).

Typically travel will be within the Munster region. Some of our clinical partners include, but are not
limited to, Mallow General Hospital (MGH), University Hospital Kerry (UHK), University Hospital
Waterford (UHW) and Tipperary University Hospital (TUH). There are also several elective placement
opportunities in Dublin and with our Erasmus partners throughout Europe.

26 | UCC School of Nursing and Midwifery

TIMESHEETS
 You must complete your electronic time sheet on a weekly basis.
 You will receive instruction and guidelines regarding entering time sheets in the TMS system in
Semester 1 of your 1st Year.
 Failure to submit your timesheets on time will result in you being marked absent and students
may also be subjected to action under the SONM’s Disciplinary Policy which will in turn impact on
pass and progression (as outlined in Practice Placement Guidelines).
 If you are absent from placement, never attempt to make up time without specific
permission/direction from the Allocations Office. Please email: [email protected]

PLACEMENT REQUIREMENTS
 All clinical time must be completed to meet NMBI (Nursing and Midwifery Board of Ireland)
requirements and the pass and progression requirements for each year of your BSc. Programme.
 A typical supernumerary placement week consists of 30 clinical contact hours. However, assigned
shift patterns/hours can vary slightly in some services. For example, 24-hours placement on week
one and then 36-hours placement on week two. The average amount of placement hours remains
at 30hrs per week over the two weeks.
 Students are not permitted to swap placements.
 Students are not permitted to arrange/book holidays during clinical placement blocks. Please
inform your family or any close relatives that you cannot go on holidays during scheduled
placements, repeat placements or making up time placements.
 Clinical supernumerary placement time (scheduled, repeat or making up time) can never be
condensed over shorter periods. For example, a five-week placement block of 30-hours per week
cannot be completed over four weeks by completing extra hours each week.
 Clinical allocations are made available to students approximately six weeks prior to the
commencement of placement blocks. Please note that making up time placements during the
summer may have a shorter notification period.

EMAILS AND QUERIES

The Allocations Office do their best to respond quickly to queries but students should not expect an
instant response. Please be courteous and professional when emailing and do not email multiple
members of the Allocations Office regarding the same queries (unless you receive an out of office
response).

Please email Ms Sinead Buckley as your first point of contact for queries relating to Allocations:
[email protected]

27 | UCC School of Nursing and Midwifery

CLINICAL PLACEMENT ABSENCES

Clinical time must be completed prior to completion of the programme and the receiving of the award
e.g. diploma/ degree/ postgraduate diploma. For programmes leading to registration as a Nurse or
Midwife, clinical hours are determined by the NMBI in line with EU directives and must be met prior
to the student applying for entry to the appropriate division of the Register.

SICK LEAVE
Please refer to the ARC information regarding report absences for the area you have been allocated
to, with regard to any absences from placement. Please submit a sick certificate where applicable to
Allocations Office.

MATERNITY LEAVE
Where maternity leave is likely to interrupt clinical placements or lecture attendance; please discuss
this as soon as possible with your Programme Leader so that alternative arrangements can be made.
Where Maternity Leave interferes with a student’s ability to undertake assessments/examinations this
should be discussed as soon as possible with the relevant Programme Leader.

EXTENUATING CIRCUMSTANCES
In the University support is available from a variety of areas, please inform your Programme Leader
as soon as possible of any difficulties you are experiencing. Confidentiality is assured unless you give
your permission to discuss the issue with others. Where possible individual difficulties or extenuating
circumstances are taken into consideration.

DISCIPLINARY POLICY (FOR STUDENTS ON PRACTICE PLACEMENTS)

The Disciplinary Policy is designed to be followed closely by those involved in Disciplinary procedures
relating to the attendance, work or conduct of Undergraduate Nursing and Midwifery students when
undertaking practice placements as part of their programme. It has been jointly agreed by the School
of Nursing & Midwifery, UCC and the participating Health Service Providers. To read more about the
UCC disciplinary Policy, Please visit; Disciplinary Policy for students on Practice Placements

28 | UCC School of Nursing and Midwifery

5. CSSRC

Clinical Skills Simulation Resource Centre

The Clinical Skills Simulation Resource Centre (CSSRC)

supports students in developing clinical Nursing and
Midwifery skills.

Our low, mid and high-fidelity simulation mannequins and

state of the art IT and AV resources, enhance and
compliment the teaching and learning experience for both
students and staff.

The wide-ranging skills and simulation resources provided

by the CSSRC, delivers to students the vital and necessary
tools and skills set, that will help them excel and learn in a
clinical practice setting.

CSSRC PROTOCOL
All students are required to sign a code of conduct before their first
practical within the CSSRC and this must be adhered to at all CSSRC
sessions.

A small bag and coat are permitted within the CSSRC, but they must
be hung on hooks provided.

CSSRC CONTACT INFORMATION

All emails should be directed to Ms Rebecca McNamara at: [email protected]

CSSRC – CLINICAL SKILLS SIMULATION RESOURCE CENTRE

[email protected]

021 490 1530 / 021 490 1529

[email protected]
2nd Floor, Brookfield Health Sciences Complex

29 | UCC School of Nursing and Midwifery

CSSRC PRESENTATION

30 | UCC School of Nursing and Midwifery

eCAD/eCAT

Over the course of your undergraduate degree in Nursing and

Midwifery, each student must complete a Competency Assessment
Document or Tool (CAD/ CAT) while out at clinical placement. These
booklets are used throughout the year and the information
gathered from them is shared with your preceptor throughout your
studies.

They provide students with the ability to ensure records of

achievement while out on clinical practice, can be completed
regularly. It also offers students the basis of regular discussion on
learning needs and the ability to achieve effective learning
opportunities while out on placement.

INTRODUCTION OF IPADS
It is recommended that all incoming 1st Year BSc Nursing and Midwifery undergraduate students
commencing in September 2023, acquire an Apple device (iPad or iPad mini) and an Apple pen (or
other compatible stylus).

However, we would advise all incoming students to wait to acquire a device until after your 1st Year
Orientation (18th September 2023) with School staff, who will be able to provide more information
on all your requirements for your programme. Further advice will also be given in relation IT device
and financial supports available from the University and the School of Nursing and Midwifery.
Furthermore, information will be provided on student discounts available with HEAnet, an online store
that provides a wide range of educational discounts on ICT hardware, software and other services for
students.

The School of Nursing and Midwifery is committed to supporting students, and we look forward to
seeing you in September. Should you have any questions, please reach out to us at:
[email protected]

Please note:
- The permissible Apple devices are either an iPad or an iPad mini, and
an Apple pen (or other compatible stylus).
- An Apple phone is not permissible for this work.
- The Apple device will require a plain protective case (preferably
without ridges) to allow for easy decontamination.
- The School recommends that students obtain insurance for the device
purchased or owned.
- If students have their own Apple device, it must have an operating
system iOS 12 or higher. Please click on the following link to check
compatibility: https://support.apple.com/en-ie/HT211029

31 | UCC School of Nursing and Midwifery

IPAD ECAD/ECAT EDUCATIONAL SESSIONS: 1ST YEARS ONLY
IPAD ECAD/ECAT EDUCATIONAL SESSIONS
1ST YEAR STUDENTS ONLY

Please join Dr Brendan Noonan

for three educational sessions on
how to use an eCAD/eCAT with an iPad

Attendance is compulsory at each session

Session 1: Wednesday 1 November 2023, 17.00 -18.00

Session 2: Wednesday 8 November 2023, 17.00 -18.00

Session 3: Monday 13 November 2023, 13.00 – 14.00

Room: G.05
Western Gateway
Building
Western Road
Mardyke
Cork T12 XF62

Remember to bring your iPad with you!

No need to RSVP

If you have any questions, please contact:

Dr Brendan Noonan: [email protected]

32 | UCC School of Nursing and Midwifery

6. Academic Writing

Assessments and Exams

WHAT TO EXPECT
Inevitably, assessment of learning is part of the University experience and most programmes provide
a balance between course work and end of year examinations, which are distributed throughout the
year.

Module Leaders will discuss the assessment and examination requirements and provide other
information through Canvas (Learning Management System used throughout the School) for their
individual module at the commencement of the course.

In addition, refer to the Book of Modules for assessment details.

PLAGIARISM POLICY
Plagiarism is the presentation of someone else’s words or ideas as your own work. Whether done
deliberately or in error, it is a form of cheating and a breach of academic integrity.

Plagiarism includes:
1. Copying sentences, paragraphs, phrases without appropriate attribution (using quotation
marks and crediting the author in a citation) from published or unpublished sources.
2. Presenting other’s work (i.e. sentences, paragraphs, phrases) with only slight changes as
your own work.
3. Presenting someone else’s ideas or arguments as if they were your own.
4. Self-plagiarism: Submitting work for assessment which you have already submitted, partially
or in full, to fulfil the requirements of another seminar/lecture course or examination.
5. Collusion: Allowing someone else to copy your work; both parties will be penalised.

Plagiarism can occur in take-home assignments, in-class tests, class presentations or examinations.
In every case, it will be penalised according to the UCC Plagiarism Policy

33 | UCC School of Nursing and Midwifery

Referencing

Please use the link below to find the necessary information regarding the requirements of the School
of Nursing & Midwifery (SONM) in relation to academic writing and referencing:

UCC SONM Assignments and Exams for all students

Referencing acknowledges the articles, books, websites and any other material used in the writing of
an academic paper, essay, assignment or thesis. Referencing is providing information on the sources
that you used in your research.

To ensure that your research has integrity, your sources must be credible. The original information
must be easy to find to verify your statements and conclusions. It allows the reader to locate the
sources used and it ensures that plagiarism is avoided. When using literature to support written work
ensure that this is done correctly and appropriately referenced.

GUIDE TO ACADEMIC REFERENCING

For details on UCC’s 4 step guide to academic assignments,
visit: UCC Assignment Essentials Guide

HARVARD REFERENCING STYLE

You must cite the sources you use in your work within the text of your paper.
This brief citation refers the reader to the exact place in you reference list
where you will provide the extended details of the source. The Harvard
Referencing Style is the standard choice of referencing styles used in the
School of Nursing and Midwifery and students must reference according to
it. There are variations and interpretations within the Harvard Referencing
Style however, students must conform to a style that is consistent through
their work and be guided by resources available from UCC Library.

Refer to the National College of Ireland (NCI) Library Referencing Guide 5th
edition to learn how to reference using the Harvard Referencing Style:
NCI Library Referencing Guide

34 | UCC School of Nursing and Midwifery

 ACADEMIC WRITING – KEY POINTS

These are key points to be considered as you develop your academic writing skills:

 Use a Cover
ACADMEIC Page and
WRITING a Table
– KEY of Contents page.
POINTS
 Use double spacing.
 Use size 12 font either Calibri, Cambria or Arial, not times New Roman.
 Number pages (in the ‘Footer’, bottom centre of the page) from the introduction onwards.
 Be concise: Check each sentence, edit as appropriate and avoid using long sentences.
 Arrange the points you wish to make in a logical order - build paragraphs around themes, avoid
using small paragraphs and have one theme per paragraph.
 Avoid generalisations unless you support the generalisation with adequate evidence (i.e.
support with references).
 Be aware of your own prejudices and ensure you make a well balanced argument.
 Quote correctly: enclose direct quotations in a quotation marks with the page number
from which the quotation is taken - maximum 2 short quotes in this essay (if required).
 Be consistent and accurate in the use of punctuation: full stops and capitalisation. Make sure
your English is grammatically correct. Do not use slang and avoid clichés or flowery language.
 When using abbreviations, write the complete words the first time you use it with
the abbreviation thereafter e.g. World Health Organisation (WHO):
On every occasion following, you may use the abbreviated version in your essay (WHO).
 Give exact references both in text and the reference list as per the National College of Ireland
(NCI) Library Referencing Guide.
 Ensure that the reference list is in alphabetical order, using the Harvard referencing style (do
not use number references).
 Ensure the facts presented are correct and current and whenever possible make use of recent
findings from databases e.g. CINHAL, PubMed (preferably within the last 5 years but on occasion
within the last 10 years).
 Submit essay through Turnitin to check for similarity.
 Do not plagiarise.
 Do not use secondary sources as primary sources.
 Do not underline points or use italics.
 Proof read your work prior to submission.
 Link with UCC Skills Centre for information available to support you with academic writing. The
Skills centre enhances the students experience through the provision of customised workshops,
sessions and online resources: https://www.ucc.ie/en/skillscentre/

35 | UCC School of Nursing and Midwifery

ASSIGNMENT COVER PAGE AND TABLE OF CONTENTS - EXAMPLES
For further information and examples, refer to: UCC Assignments and Exams for All Students

ASSIGNMENT COVER PAGE – EXAMPLE

TABLE OF CONTENTS – EXAMPLES

36 | UCC School of Nursing and Midwifery

Mark Bands & Grade Descriptors

For further information on Mark Bands and Descriptors visit: NUI Marks Bands

MARK BANDS
1st Class Honours 70% and above

2nd Class Honours (Grade 1) 60% and above but less than 70%

2nd Class Honours (Grade 2) 55% and above but less than 60%

Pass 50% and above but less than 55%

*Pass by compensation 45% and above but less than 50%

*Pass by compensation is only applied in specific contexts. See Grade Descriptors below for further information.

37 | UCC School of Nursing and Midwifery

 Grade Descriptors for Classification of Primary Degrees adopted by the School of
Nursing &Midwifery and School of Therapies
Marks
GRADE GRADE DESCRIPTORS
Range
%

1st 90-100 Supreme performance, engaging profoundly, systematically and

CLASS comprehensivelywith question set, brilliantly demonstrating
HONS • a superlative mastery of the subject matter, richly supported by
evidence andcitation, reflecting deep and broad knowledge and
understanding as well as extensive reading
 an outstanding ability to organise, analyse and express ideas and
argumentsin an original, sophisticated and discriminating manner
 an optimal capacity for critical analysis
 the display of rare penetrative insight, originality and creativity
80 and Exceptional performance, engaging deeply and systematically with the
above questionset, with consistently impressive demonstration of
butless  a comprehensive mastery of the subject matter; amply supported by
than 90 evidenceand citation,
 reflecting deep and broad knowledge and critical insight as well as
extensivereading
 an exceptional ability to organise, analyse and present arguments
fluently andlucidly with a high level of critical analysis
 a highly-developed capacity for original, creative and logical thinking;
70 and
Excellent performance, engaging closely and systematically with the
above
question set,with consistently strong evidence of
butless
 a comprehensive mastery of the subject matter, ably supported by
than 80
evidenceand relevant citation
 excellent ability to organise, analyse and express arguments
fluently andlucidly with a high level of critical analysis
 a highly-developed capacity for original, creative and logical thinking

2nd CLASS 60 and Very Good performance, engaging substantially with the question set,
HONS above demonstrating
but
(Grade 1) less than  strong grasp of the subject matter
70  well supported by evidence and relevant citation
 well-developed capacity to analyse issues, organise material,
 very clear and cogent presentation of arguments
 very good original insights and capacity for creative and logical thinking

2nd CLASS 55 and Good performance - intellectually competent answer (i.e. factually
HONS above sound) withevidence of a reasonable familiarity with the relevant
but literature and techniques
(Grade 2) less than • acceptable grasp of the subject material
60
• ideas require greater development and support by evidence and
relevantcitation
• writing of sufficient quality to convey meaning but some lack of
fluency andcommand of suitable vocabulary
• omission of parts of the subject in question or the appearance of several
minorerrors
• good critical awareness and analytical qualities
 good evidence of capacity for original and logical thinking

38 | UCC School of Nursing and Midwifery

 PASS 50 and Satisfactory performance – intellectually adequate answer with evidence of
above somefamiliarity with the relevant literature and techniques
butless • basic grasp of subject matter, but
than 55 somewhatlacking in focus and
structure
• main points covered in answer, but
lackingdetail
• some effort to engage, but only a
basicunderstanding of the topic
portrayed
• some development of argument
• limited critical awareness displayed
• limited evidence or relevant citation supplied
• appearance of several minor errors
or onemajor error
• limited evidence of capacity for
original andlogical thinking
45 and Unacceptable performance, with
above • limited understanding of question displayed
butless • failure to address the question resulting in a largely incomplete,
than 50 irrelevant orunderdeveloped answer
• answer not planned sufficiently or
structureleft somewhat incomplete
for lack of time
• a display of some knowledge of material relative to the question
posed, butwith very serious omissions / errors and/or major
inaccuracies included in answer
• poor analytical skills, with an absence of argument
• random and undisciplined
development –limited structure
• lack of clarity, poor spelling/syntax
• material of marginal
relevancePredominating
See note on ‘Pass by Compensation’ below
FAIL Less Wholly unacceptable performance, with
than45
• deficient understanding of the question displayed
• complete failure to address the
questionresulting in an irrelevant
answer
• inadequate knowledge displayed
relative tothe question posed
• or answer left incomplete for lack of time
• very poor analytical skills, with an absence of argument
• random and undisciplined
development –poorly structured
answer
• confused expression, poor spelling/syntax
• irrelevant material predominating

Note on Fail * - ‘Pass by Compensation’

Traditionally, under Marks and Standards, provision has been made for a student failing in one or more
subjects in an examination, to pass the examination by compensation, where he/she has double the
deficiency of marks available in another subject or in other subjects. It is recommended that provision for
‘pass by compensation’ be continued, in accordance with such conditions as may be set out in Marks and
Standards by Faculties. The application of the provision should be facilitated by the above descriptions
with particular reference to the Descriptor for the *Fail (45-49) Marks Band (College of Medicine and
Health).

39 | UCC School of Nursing and Midwifery

7. Student Services

Financial Assistance

STUDENT FINANCIAL SUPPORTS ADVICE

There are a number of financial supports available to students in
UCC, depending on your financial circumstance. Here in UCC, our
aim is to provide students with the support and advice they need
to carry out their third level educational needs.

The Student Budgetary Advisor provides advice and guidance on

all aspects of student finance including assisting students in the
completion of your grant, scholarship and Student Assistance
Fund applications.

For further information, go to: Student Financial Supports Advice

Email the Student Assistance Fund Team directly: [email protected]

Email the Student Budgeting Team directly: [email protected]

SUSI
Student Universal Support Ireland (SUSI) is Ireland's national awarding
authority for all further and higher education grants. SUSI offers funding to
eligible students, from school leavers to mature students returning to
education, in approved full time third level courses.

To be eligible for SUSI, students must meet certain criteria which have been set out in detail, in line
with the legislation: Student Support Act 2011, the Student Support Scheme and the Student Support
Regulations.

For further information, go to: SUSI website

All new applications for SUSI must be made online through their website: Student Finance

40 | UCC School of Nursing and Midwifery

Student Supports

DSS – DISABILITY SUPPORT SERVICE

The Disability Support Service (DSS) in UCC provides supports for
Contact: students who have a disability, specific learning difficulty, or who
Disability Support Service entered through the DARE scheme. Students studying in UCC can
E: [email protected] register with the DSS in order to receive the educational supports and
needs throughout the course of their time in UCC.
Visit:
1st Floor – The Hub Building
UCC Main Campus Please review the Disability Support Service presentation which
College Road outlines the support registered DSS students can avail of in college
Cork and on clinical placements. It is centred on the principle of reasonable
accommodations that can be put in place to support students.

Please feel free to contact Ms Caroline O Connor - SONM Student Disability Support Officer
(who links very closely with clinical placements): [email protected]

CRISES CONTACT LIST

Emergency Services Call 999 or 112

Crisis Text Line Text UCC to 50808

(chat anonymously with a trained volunteer 24/7)
Samaritans Freephone 116 123

Pieta House Freephone 1800 247 247

Aware Freephone 1800 804 848

If you consider yourself at risk of self-harm, please contact your GP or your nearest A&E department:
 HSE list of out-of-hours health centres in your area or county
 Anglesea St. Garda HQ (Open 24 hours): +353 (0)21 452 2000
 CUH Accident and Emergency (Open 24 hours): +353 (0)21 492 0230
 South Doc (Evenings and Weekends): 1850 335 999

STUDENT COUNSELLING AND DEVELOPMENT

Student Counselling offers free individual student counselling sessions and useful on-line support
programmes.

For further information, go to: UCC Student Counselling

Email the Student Counselling Team directly: [email protected]

41 | UCC School of Nursing and Midwifery

STUDENT HEALTH AND WELLBEING
Student Health and Wellbeing provides health and health promotion services complementary to the
services available to you through your General Practitioner.

Try the 'Student Health Matters' app which enables Irish students to access safe, evidence-based and
reliable health information instantly at the touch of a button – all in one place.

For further information, go to: UCC Student Health

Telephone the Student Health and Wellbeing Team directly: 021 4902311

CHAPLAINCY
The Chaplaincy offers an inclusive space for community, conversation, support, guidance, and
enrichment for students and staff, regardless of gender, age, ethnicity, disability, family status, sexual
orientation, marital status, religious/non-religious background, or spirituality.

For further information, go to: UCC Chaplaincy

Email the Chaplain Team directly: [email protected]

CAREERS SERVICE
Careers Service provides advice and information for students and graduates on CVs, interview
preparation, work placement, career planning and job vacancies. Graduates can continue to avail of
the services we offer for one year after graduation. Students can log in for information on part-time
employment options.

For further information, go to: UCC Career Services

Email the Careers Team directly: [email protected]

ACCOMMODATION AND COMMUNITY LIFE

Accommodation & Community Life is an advocacy service for any current UCC Student who may have
an issue with their accommodation as well as advice for current and prospective students about
available accommodation in the wider Cork area.

For further information, go to: UCC Accommodation

Email the Accommodation Team directly: [email protected]

42 | UCC School of Nursing and Midwifery

INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS OFFICE
International Students Office welcomes over 3,000 international students from 104 countries to UCC
and supporting them throughout their programme.

For further information, go to: UCC International Office

Email the International Students Office directly: [email protected]

ACCESS UCC
Access UCC provides students with information and assistance on queries regarding entry routes to
UCC and the accessibility and availability of support services across campus.

Access UCC also welcomes queries from students about HEAR and DARE schemes, mature student
routes, QQI/FET admissions, financial assistance and technology supports.

For further information, go to: Access UCC

Visit Access UCC in person at: First floor, The Hub, Main Campus UCC, T12 YF78

STUDENTS UNION
The Students Union is elected by students and provides academic assistance to students, supporting
students in need, lobbying the University and the government on issues affecting students, and
organising events.

For further information, go to: UCC Student Union

Email the Union directly: [email protected]

43 | UCC School of Nursing and Midwifery

SKILLS CENTRE

The Skills Centre provides a

dedicated, responsive and active
learning space for the CORE LEARNING is strengthened through
enhancement of study skills and the delivery of study strategies and by
providing the scaffolding and the building
is committed to further
blocks for independent, critical thinking.
contributing to a positive and
You might find that you are a little lost and
successful student experience that you would like some further support.
here in UCC. Watch the below recordings to learn more
about the Skills Centre:
The Skills Centre enhances the DR TERESA WILLS' EXPERIENCE
student experience through the
STUDENT TESTIMONIALS
provision of customised
INTERACTIVE VIEW OF THE SKILLS CENTRE
workshops and sessions. These
sessions will help develop and
enhance students' skills.

A free and friendly place is

offered for all UCC students to
improve their study skills, Q–1 Boole Library
writing technique and
[email protected]
presentation skills.
https://www.ucc.ie/en/skillscentre
A number of skill sessions and /

workshops are available for + 353 21 490 3839

booking for UCC students, which

can be found using the links:

Transitioning into College life

Developing your academic writing
Writing in Disciplines
Refining your Academic Writing

44 | UCC School of Nursing and Midwifery

UCC SUPPORT TREE
The UCC support tree provides students with information regarding student services.

For more a more in-depth view of what is available, scan the barcode using your phone or visit:

UCC Student Experience & Supports

45 | UCC School of Nursing and Midwifery

IT Support

IT FACILITIES
Open access IT facilities are available across campus for all students. These provide Internet access, e-
mail, access to databases and word processing.

Students are encouraged to make full use of the IT facilities during their course of study both for
accessing information and for preparing work for submission.

COMPUTER LABS:
 School of Nursing and Midwifery students have access to a dedicated computer lab:
Room 1.03
First Floor
Brookfield Health Sciences Complex.
 Additional designated computers for students are available in the Medical Library (CUH).
Pre-booking may be required.
 All students are required to adhere to the computer lab guidelines in order to use the facilities.

DATABASES & JOURNALS:

 Access to a range of databases including CINAHL and Medline are available through library
services.
 Full text of many journals are available through Science Direct, Wiley Interscience and Swetswise.
 These can be accessed from any of the computers available to students on Campus. Remote access
is also available.

SUCCESS ZONE
The UCC Success Zone is a virtual learning
environment that has been designed to help students
entering the new academic term, whether in person
on on-line.

Described as a ‘one-stop shop’, the UCC success zone is a virtual learning space on CANVAS that will
provide students with resources and user-friendly videos, to assist in getting started or prepared for a
blended learning environment.
Each student will be automatically enrolled in the UCC success zone on canvas, which can be
conveniently accessed from any place, at any time and from any device.

For further information visit: Success Zone

46 | UCC School of Nursing and Midwifery

CANVAS
Canvas is an online learning environment which is available to all staff and
students across UCC. Here you will access all of your module information and will
be able to submit both assignments and exams. Lecturers will often use Canvas
as a communication tool, so it is vital you keep a close eye on any notifications.

To access your Canvas account, go to IT Services for Students:

 Click on the Canvas icon
 Username: Student Umail address
 Password: Student IT Account password

For help submitting assignments on Canvas, please watch the videos below by CTRL clicking the Titles:

Submitting a Written Assignment (2022- 2023)

Understanding your Turnitin Report

Video Assignment Panopto

Uploading a video file to a Panopto Assignment

CANVAS PLAGIARISM DETECTION:

UCC's online plagiarism prevention service uses 'Turnitin' (see Plagiarism Policy) and is integrated with
UCC Canvas. It operates by checking submitted work against online internet sources and previously
submitted work.

For further information on UCC’s plagiarism policy visit: UCC Plagiarism Policy

47 | UCC School of Nursing and Midwifery

EMAIL GUIDELINES
Students are provided with an UCC email address at the time of registration. All communication must
be made through your UCC email address. The use of a personal email address will not be tolerated
as a form of contact to academic and professional support staff.

Email and Canvas are used as the main sources of communication. Students are advised to check their
emails and Canvas site regularly to ensure important information is not missed.

Please do not send multiple emails with the same query. Please be assured that a member of staff will
respond to you.

TIMEFRAMES:

Please allow an adequate timeframe for a response:

Student Support [email protected]

 General queries, submitting extension request forms, exemptions, medical certificates
 Allow a minimum of 48 hours for a response

Academic Staff
 Allow a full working week for a response

Email Etiquette
It is essential to maintain professionalism and to adhere to email etiquette when
communicating through email to academic and professional support staff.

How to write an email…

 Identify who you are: Your Name

Student Number
Intake Year (e.g. 2023)
Programme Name

 Address the recipient by their title: Dr / Professor / Ms / Mr / Mx

e.g. Dear Professor Smith

 Include an informative subject: The subject should be brief but accurate

e.g. Essay question

48 | UCC School of Nursing and Midwifery

Student Representatives

At the beginning of your programme, the Programme Leader will ask your group to nominate 1 or 2
Student Representatives. The role of the Student Representative is to voice the opinions of the group
and raise issues of concern. The Student Representative can approach a Module Leader, or your
Programme Leader as required. The Director of Undergraduate Education, Dr Caroline Dalton
O’Connor will meet with Student Representatives during the year or as necessary. This mechanism
serves as a communication point for both the school and students. Student Representatives will be
asked to consult with their class members and disseminate information as required.

On request from a Student Representative, lecturers will make time available for brief student
meetings at either the start or end of class.

Useful links

UCC Website: https://www.ucc.ie/en/

SONM Website: https://www.ucc.ie/en/nursingmidwifery/

Book of Modules: https://ucc-ie-public.courseleaf.com/modules/

College Calendar: https://www.ucc.ie/en/student-records/key-dates/

Disability Support: https://www.ucc.ie/en/dss/

UCC PLUS+: https://www.ucc.ie/en/uccplus/

Mature Students: https://www.ucc.ie/en/mature/

Student Financial Supports: https://www.ucc.ie/en/sfsa/

EmployAbility Programme: https://www.ucc.ie/en/accessforall/employabilityprogramme/

Traveller Mentoring Programme: https://www.ucc.ie/en/uccplus/schools/travellermentoring/

Autism Initiative: https://www.ucc.ie/en/autismfriendly/

49 | UCC School of Nursing and Midwifery

Map of UCC

Located on the western side of Cork City, UCC main campus is located less than 1km from the city
centre.

There are a number of ways to access UCC campus. These can be viewed in more detail by visiting:
How to Get to UCC

Brookfield Health and Science complex is about a 5-10 minute walk from UCC main campus. Its
location on the map is indicated by the X.

X = Brookfield

For more detailed and location specific Maps of UCC campus visit:

Maps of the UCC Campus

50 | UCC School of Nursing and Midwifery