Trinity Nursing

jackg101

Hey so I'm a 6th year student from Cork and I really want to do Mental Health Nursing. I was looking at going to Trinity and was wondering if anyone could tell me what student life is like, what are the facilities like and is it a good college overall?

eoinb1314

@jackg101 I am currently in my 4th year general nursing student. having completed most of the program i think i could answer your question. Firstly, Trinity school of nursing is renowned as the top school of nursing in the country. the degree you get will stand to you at home and abroad. A large amount of the course over the 4 years is outside of main campus as you will be on practice placement. however when in lectures and tutorials you will be in the city center at the heart of it all. theirs always something going on inside and outside of the collage.

That's what was the biggest draw for me is that everything is a stone throw away. I would encourage you to get involved in the Student union and societies. I never did but looking back its my one big regret. the sports facilities are really good too. for 70 euro you get full access gym and pool membership. including sauna and steam rooms etc. the library in trinity is world famous. its the largest in the country. loads of famous films were shot their because of how nice it is. and the main campus also is very easy on the eye.

If your wondering about the hole stereotype snobbishness that some people like to brand trinity students and graduates over the years, my response to that would be you don't see any of that in the school of nursing, and that is were you will spend most of your time. I cant speak for anywhere or any other schools but the school of health science not at all. i'm their 4 years and im yet to come across it to be honest. and i'm from Kildare, not D4 so I would be very quick to pick up on it.

Overall, it would be a smart choice to do mental health in trinity, I didn't that particular course so i couldn't comment on the content and weather its difficult or not, but as a collage and a student body, their is no better in Ireland.

Extrasupervery

I'm also in the general programme in Trinity, and the school there is fantastic. I don't know if I could say it's the best in Ireland as I have friends in similar programmes in UCD and UCC and they seem to be getting a top class education too. Nursing degrees are very closely regulated by An Bord Altranais, I have yet hear of one college actually being sub-par. In Trinity for mental health you will be partnered with St Pats hospital. I did my two weeks psych there and it's a great place to learn.

I hope you are aware that a nursing degree isn't like most other course in the schools of science and arts and stuff, it's very much full time, you will be working 35 hours a week on placement, including bank holidays and reading weeks. We start back early than most courses and finish later. It's a big commitment and a lot of responsibility. Once this doesn't deter you you're good to go! Check out the Health Science Education forum, there's more discussion on this over there

eoinb1314

@Extrasuperery
I also know people in UCD and DCU, and to pass a module in both universities nursing courses are 40%. As I'm sure you know Trinity is 50%. Family members of mine have graduated from our school of nursing in trinity and have told me on numerous of occasions that when in interviews this is noted. the interviewee being aware that the trinity degree is harder achieved with the 50% pass grade. Not in any way saying every were else is getting sub par education, and i do apologize if it came across that way. However, trinity is one of the founding schools of nursing in Ireland and its partner hospitals in all its disciplines are all centers of excellence in their own respected areas. In terms of psychiatric nursing and trinity i know st. pats receive all patients but do work closely on eating disorders and schizophrenia.
In addition, when applying for jobs overseas, any one who has visited Dublin would have surely visited trinity (especially Americans ;P). I believe its a great Ice breaker in an interview.

Extrasupervery

I did forget about our 50% pass rate, I'm just so used to it now...

cuckoo

Ah, c'mon - "I just scraped a pass, but it was 51% not 41% like those other colleges" isn't much to be talking up, especially as other graduates interviewing for jobs might have 1sts or 2.1s.

(UCD nursing student sticking my nose in :P)

jackg101 - each college has different strengths and weaknesses, but when considering nursing a very practical factor is travel time to hospital placement, v early morning starts.

I like UCD and I liked TCD when I did a few years of a different undergrad there a while back. A lot of the 'college experience' depends on the people you meet, and i've never met anyone studying nursing anywhere that i've found disagreeable. It's a good thing eveyone's nice - because the hours are loooooong.

Re. interviews - nearly everywhere for any role uses competency based interviewing techniques, so the focus will be on demonstrating the domains of competency using examples from your own experience. If anything there's almost an anti-intellectualism in nursing - the assumption is that you have understand the theory, and the focus is on seeing it put into practice.

jackg101

@eoinb1314 Thanks, Just wondering, How much does it cost for accommodation?