Conference Proceedings - School of Nursing & Midwifery - Trinity ...

School of Nursing & Midwifery, Trinity College Dublin: 8 th Annual Interdisciplinary Research Conference
Transforming Healthcare Through Research, Education & Technology: 7 th – 9 th November 2007
Conference Proceedings
Back to contents page
Title A specialist practice post-graduates’ evaluation survey
to establish progression interest to a Master’s Degree
programme.
Ms Louise McBride MSc, PGDip CHSE, RGN, RNT
Continuing Nurse Education Facilitator
Department of Nursing and Health Studies
Letterkenny Institute of Technology
Letterkenny
Co Donegal
Ireland
+ 353 74 9186383
louise.mcbride@lyit.ie
The purpose of this study was to evaluate the Higher Diploma in
Specialist Practice programmes offered at a Department of Nursing
located in an Irish regional third level college and identify interest (if
any) in post-graduates progressing to a Master’s Degree
programme if available. Currently post-graduates are required to
travel to other third level colleges outside the region to access and
progress to a Master Degree level programme.
The aim of the study was two-fold: to evaluate the existing
specialist programmes and identify interest to justify development
of a Master’s degree programme for the future.
All nurses who had successfully graduated with a Higher Diploma
Award were deemed eligible to participate and were contacted on
that basis. A self-completion questionnaire comprised of open and
closed questions was administered to 30 post graduate nurses
(n=30). Twenty-two (22) post graduate nurses completed the
survey (response rate 75%). The questionnaire comprised of five
different sections. Questions were divided into various categories
covering a range of aspects pertaining to demographic details of
graduates and their overall evaluation relating to the academic and
clinical components of the Higher Diploma specialist programme
completed. Nurses were also asked to indicate progression interest
in participating on a Master’s Degree programme if available at the
college.
Quantitative analysis using parametric and non-parametric tests
was carried out on the data. Content analysis was used to analysis
the open-ended questions.
Main findings suggest that completion of a specialist practice
programme favourably affected clinical knowledge and skills. Study
- 511 -