Intellectual Disability Nursing

Entry Requirements

Mandatory Training

Students will be required to undertake mandatory training as outlined by the course schedule. This is required prior to students going on placement.

Practice Placement

Practice placement is an integral part of the course. The aim of the placement is to provide learners with an opportunity to gain skills, experience and competence. Practice placements are normally 35/39 hours per week and you may be required to work nights, long shifts and weekends. Travel and accommodation are the responsibility of the learner.

Health Declaration

Applicants wishing to pursue this programme must complete a Health Declaration. Applicants must be deemed fit to practice in order to continue on the programme

Garda Vetting

Non-Eu candidates will not be considered for this course unless there are still places available after all eligible EU candidates have been considered. Offerees are subject to garda vetting. Registration is temporary until garda vetting is successfully completed. Students who cannot complete garda vetting may be unable to go out on necessary placement or to fulfil course requirements. In such cases, students will be ineligible to complete registration & will be required to leave the course.

Student Experience

-- Theresa Gallagher I am delighted to have achieved a goal of graduating with my honours degree in Intellectual disability nursing. It was definitely a journey with many turns going back to study whilst being a mammy and working part-time. However the door was always open for any questions, advice and support from the team of lecturers in the nursing department and for that I am extremely grateful. I would highly recommend LYIT and its nursing department to any student as the hands on experience and work placement on the course really prepares you for the working world. I am now proud to say that I work in Ard Griene Court, Stranorlar and can truly say that my experience at LYIT stands to me every day in my job.

Career Pathways

The main employers are:

• Clinical Nursing
• Education
• Nurse Management

Graduate Careers

Graduate careers typically include:

• Community Nurse
• Intellectual Nurse
• Public Health Nurse

Employer Testimonials

-- Jacinta Lyons, Manager Disability Services HSE, Donegal HSE Intellectual Disability Services Donegal have worked in partnership with the Department of Nursing and Health Studies, LYIT since 2002. Donegal Intellectual Disability Services have provided practice placement sites for student nurses of all disciplines from LYIT since then and we have found the Department provides a high standard of education, and the staff have always been collaborative and flexible. The nursing students have been caring, compassionate and competent. Since 2002, approximately 182 nurse students in Intellectual Disability Nursing have successfully graduated from the undergraduate programme. Thirty nine percent of these nurse graduates have been employed by Donegal Intellectual Disability Services. We would have no hesitation in recommending recruiting LYIT nurse graduates to other employers.