First new nursing school in over 20 years to accept students in Maynooth in September
Applications for Maynooth University's new BSc in General Nursing programme open on August 28th through the CAO 'Available Places' facility.
Advertisement
The first intake of 30 students will commence their undergraduate studies in September.
Founding Head of the new MU School of Nursing, Professor Fintan Sheerin, said student numbers are expected to rise to 100 over the next four years.
'Maynooth University is in a unique position in establishing a wholly new school of nursing. This hasn't been done in an Irish university for about two decades," Prof Sheerin said.
"We are ideally placed to take the lead in tackling challenges and in re-shaping Irish healthcare education and service delivery.
Advertisement
'Our new School of Nursing is at the forefront of a new wave in healthcare education. We are committed to inclusive pathways for diverse learners – that was explicit in our commitment that 50 per cent of our students will come from further education and mature learners.'
Minister for Higher Education, James Lawless, said: 'This new undergraduate nursing programme at Maynooth University marks an important step in expanding healthcare education in one of Ireland's fastest-growing regions. It is a new and exciting direction for Maynooth University.
'I greatly look forward to the impact these graduates will have in addressing workforce needs in our health service, which is a key priority of government.
"Work is underway to expand healthcare programmes and increase supply of graduates to meet acute skills shortages. This new nursing programme is a very welcome addition to achieving that goal.
"The new School of Nursing will ensure that communities across Ireland will benefit from a new generation of highly trained nurses."
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Sun
3 hours ago
- The Sun
I've been left with a gigantic hernia the size of a football – docs said my symptoms were just a ‘bad back'
GRAHAM Shepherd has been left with a hernia the size of a football after doctors dismissed his symptoms as a "bad back". While the 65-year-old has been awarded a payout after suing the NHS, he's said his and his family's lives "will never be the same again". 5 5 5 Graham developed the gigantic bulge - described as the biggest doctors had ever seen - when it ballooned after an aneurysm ruptured. He had visited his GP multiple times and gone to hospital twice complaining of severe back pain as well as weight loss over a nine week period. Graham said a lump on his stomach was also pulsating - but doctors failed to carry out a full examination and sent him home with painkillers. The result of an MRI scan was incorrectly recorded as clear before he was eventually diagnosed with an 11.5cm abdominal aortic aneurysm 64 days later. The dad-of-one was told by doctors he had been a "walking time bomb" and underwent emergency surgery. But he developed complications, including a torn bowel, suspected to have been caused by painkillers he had been advised to take for his back pain. Graham spent more than seven weeks in intensive care and has been left permanently disabled as a result of his ordeal. The former chief foreman is unable to work after being left with a stoma, mobility problems and the large abdominal hernia. Graham's wife, Sarah, 44, has also been forced to give up her job as a healthcare assistant to become his full-time carer. Lawyers have now secured Graham an undisclosed settlement after two doctors and a hospital trust involved in his care denied liability. I lost 14 stone and finally had my loose skin removed, but it was totally botched and I look like I've been left with a permanent hernia Graham, of Stourbrige, West Mids., said: "I was in pain for months. "It started in my back and gradually spread to my abdomen, groin, and down my left leg. "I could barely move and spent most of my time lying on the settee. "I knew something wasn't right and the lump I found in my stomach was pulsating in time with my heartbeat. "When they diagnosed my aneurysm, the doctors told me it was one of the biggest they'd ever seen and I was a walking time bomb. "They believed it had already ruptured several times. "Because it was leaking it had probably relieved some of the pressure and had stopped it fully rupturing and killing me. "I was told that you could probably only fit a cigarette paper between the aneurysm and my spine and that it had worn my spine down." Graham's emergency surgery went well, but afterwards he felt three pops inside of him. It turned out his bowel had perforated. He continued: " I needed another emergency surgery and was told I'd need a stoma. At first, I refused. I was devastated. "Sarah had to convince me it was the only way to save my life. "It wasn't a case of staying in hospital, getting better and going home. "I've been left with permanent nerve damage, muscle wasting in my leg, I can't work and Sarah has had to give up her job to care for me. "My stomach is unsightly and I have a stoma that can't be reversed. I've been told any further surgery on my abdomen would be very risky and complicated. "Our lives will never be the same again. "I just hope that by sharing what happened to me I can help raise awareness so others don't have to suffer." 5 5 Jenna Harris, the lawyer at Irwin Mitchell representing Graham, said: "We firmly believe that those involved in Graham's care failed to conduct appropriate examinations and arrange and report back on a MRI scan in a timely fashion, especially in light of Graham complaining of symptoms associated with an abdominal aortic aneurysm. "If Graham had received the care we say he should, we believe his condition would have been diagnosed sooner and he wouldn't have gone to suffer life-changing complications. "Nothing can make up for Graham's ordeal but we're pleased to have secured this settlement allowing him to access the ongoing support he requires. "An abdominal aortic aneurysm can be life-threatening, especially if they rupture. "Therefore, it's vital people are aware of the possible signs. Early detection and treatment are crucial in managing the condition and preventing potentially fatal complications." What is an abdominal aortic aneurysm? AN abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) is a swelling in the aorta, the artery that carries blood from the heart to the tummy (abdomen). Most aneurysms do not cause any problems, but they can be serious because there's a risk they could burst (rupture). They often have no symptoms, but when they get bigger, you might notice: tummy or back pain a pulsing feeling in your tummy You should see a GP if: you have tummy or back pain that does not go away or keeps coming back you feel a lump in your tummy These symptoms can be caused by lots of things and do not mean you have an abdominal aortic aneurysm, but it's best to get them checked. Call 999 if you or someone else: have sudden, severe pain in your tummy or back are struggling to breathe or have stopped breathing have pale or grey skin (on brown or black skin this may be easier to see on the palms of the hands or soles of the feet) lose consciousness These could be signs of an abdominal aortic aneurysm bursting (rupturing). This is a life-threatening emergency that needs to be treated in hospital as soon as possible. Source: NHS
BreakingNews.ie
3 hours ago
- BreakingNews.ie
Food safety quiz: Should you wash raw chicken? Can you refreeze defrosted food?
Food safety has been a central theme in the news for the past week or so, after a Listeria outbreak resulted in the death of one person and saw hundreds of products pulled from the shelves of popular supermarkets. Ready meals made by Ballymaguire Foods were taken off the shelves in the likes of Tesco, Supervalu, and Centra last week, while another Listeria outbreak in salad leaves manufactured by McCormack Family Farms meant several more products were missing from shop aisles this week. Advertisement How can we ensure that the food we prepare for ourselves, our families, and our friends is safe to eat? What is the Food Safety Authority of Ireland's advice? Take our quiz to see how much you know about food safety!
The Independent
4 hours ago
- The Independent
Trump administration planning to roll back abortion access for veterans
Donald Trump's administration has plans to impose one of the most severe anti-abortion policies nationwide, critics fear. The proposal would eliminate access to abortion care and counseling for U.S. military veterans through the federal government's health system, even in instances of rape, incest or to protect the health of the patient — coverage that has been available to veterans and their beneficiaries for nearly three years. The rule change would apply to all veterans receiving care through the Department of Veterans Affairs, even those living in more than a dozen states where abortion care is legally protected and a constitutional right. A statement accompanying the proposal says the rule change is designed to ensure the VA 'provides only needed medical services to our nation's heroes and their families.' Three months after the Supreme Court revoked a constitutional right to abortion care in 2022 by overturning the landmark ruling in Roe v Wade, then-President Joe Biden allowed the VA to provide abortion services for veterans and beneficiaries on federal property, even in states where abortion was outlawed. Advocates hailed the move as a lifeline for coverage. The rule also allowed VA physicians to discuss abortion options or referrals with patients for the first time. However, VA officials under the Trump administration now argue that the Biden-era rule was politically motivated and 'contradicted decades of federal policy against forced taxpayer funding for abortion.' The administration claims that the rule change will not prevent physicians from providing life-saving abortion care in cases of ectopic pregnancies or miscarriages, since other provisions within the law already mandate those protections. But the proposal also states that 'claims in the prior administration's rule that abortions throughout pregnancy are needed to save the lives of pregnant women' are 'incorrect.' The Trump administration also claims there isn't any demand for abortion care. Roughly 100 veterans and 40 beneficiaries received abortion care through VA medical centers since the policy change, according to government data. But the top Democrat on the Senate Veterans' Affairs Committee noted that 500,000 women veterans of reproductive age are enrolled in VA health care, with more than half of them living in states with abortion restrictions. 'We cannot let VA stop providing this care to veterans by ripping away this narrow, targeted protection,' Sen. Richard Blumenthal said in a statement. There are at least 2 million women veterans in the United States, the fastest-growing group of veterans, according to the VA. As of 2024, more than half of women veterans of reproductive age lived in states that banned abortion or faced severe restrictions, according to the National Partnership for Women and Families. Last year, enrollment of women veterans in VA health care increased in every state, including significant increases in Texas, Florida, Georgia and North Carolina — states where abortion is effectively outlawed. The new Trump administration proposal must first go through a public comment period before becoming policy. That period is open until September 5. Abortion rights advocates and Democratic lawmakers blasted the move as an attack on abortion access for veterans and their families. "After veterans put their lives on the line to protect our freedoms, the Trump administration is trying to rob them of their own freedoms and putting their health at risk,' according to Nancy Northup, president of the Center for Reproductive Rights, which has led several high-profile legal battles defending access to abortion care. 'This administration is sending a clear message to veterans — that their health and dignity aren't worth defending,' she added. 'To devalue veterans in this way and take away life-changing health care would be unconscionable. This shows you just how extreme this administration's anti-abortion stance is — they would rather a veteran suffer severely than receive an abortion.' Skye Perryman, president of legal advocacy group Democracy Forward and a former general counsel for the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, called the rule change a 'smack in the face to those who have served our country and their loved ones, stripping pregnant women of their bodily autonomy and restricting their access to abortion.' Washington Sen. Patty Murray, a member of the Senate Veterans' Affairs Committee, said that 'Republicans don't care if your health is in danger, if you're a veteran, or if you've been raped — they want abortion outlawed everywhere, in every circumstance, for everyone.' 'This administration has shown nothing but callous disregard for veterans' lives, their health care, and their livelihoods — especially when those veterans happen to be women,' she added. Republican lawmakers accused the Biden administration of overreach and defended the Trump administration's move to 'stand up for the sanctity of life.' 'Taxpayers do not want their hard-earned money spent on paying for abortions and VA's sole focus should always be providing service-connected health care and benefits to the veterans they serve,' according to a statement from a group of House Republicans led by House Veterans' Affairs Committee chair Mike Bost.
