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Nursing is a healthcare profession that holistically combines the art of caring with scientific training and skills in the protection and promotion of a patient’s health and abilities. The disciplines of nursing include: general, children s, midwifery, intellectual disability, and psychiatric.

Nurses provide care for people of all ages and backgrounds. They can be present both at births and deaths, and they may attend to all manner of illnesses in between. To this end they must not only be well trained, but also be mentally strong as they are regularly required to assess, plan and implement care using their clinical judgement. Also, because the health services must continuously and rapidly respond to technological, social and economic changes both domestically and internationally nurses must be prepared to evolve and advance their skills in order to provide the most effective care possible to patients. Those who enter the profession can therefore expect a lifelong career full of challenges and rewards.

What does nursing involve

And it is because of these challenges that nurses require such a high level of training (to become a registered nurse in Ireland, you will need to undertake a Nursing degree). The benefit of many part-time Nursing programmes is that they can give students a good base to work from.

Introductory Nursing courses or FETAC Level 5 Nursing Studies programmes are both ideal starting points for anyone wishing to pursue a career as a healthcare assistant or within the health sector as they will cover a range of theoretical and practical elements that will help students prepare for the requisite academic programmes. Those who may not be able to attend classroom-based classes can also avail of online programmes. Students taking this option will spend time learning about the history and development of the nursing profession, the structures and functions of the health services in Ireland, the models of care, and the importance of effective communication.

Because the nursing profession is so varied, enrolling on a course in a related area can also be of huge benefit. A certificate course in Gerontology (FETAC Level 6) will enhance your professional qualifications by equipping you with the insights and strategies required for the professional care of the elderly, while a part-time programme in Anatomy and Physiology will provide knowledge of the structure and function of the human body along with an understanding of the interrelationships between the various systems of the body.

Another area that those in nursing or health provision may have to face at some point in their careers is palliative care. Part-time Palliative Care classes enable learners to care for patients that have been diagnosed with a life-limiting illness. Some of the topics covered include: Working with a Palliative Care Approach; Communication Skills; Issues during Death and Dying; and Bereavement Care training in which will allow learners to provide the proper care in the last days of a person s life and to support the patient s family in a dignified and holistic way.

Why do it

Those who enjoy providing comfort and care to people in their time of need will find the perfect home for their natural compassion in the nursing profession. Part-time Nursing courses will provide the training to make the most of your willingness to help others.

What comes next

While the profession remains popular in Ireland, opportunities are somewhat limited. However, Irish nurses enjoy an excellent international reputation and so working abroad will always be a good option for those with the mobility to take it. With that said, training as a nursing will also enable you to work in a diverse range of settings including hospitals, community centres, general practices, prisons, and residential settings. In short, the care that a trained nurse can provide will always be welcome somewhere.