The school of nursing in DCU has become Ireland’s first school to be accredited as a nursing research and developmental centre.
The school, now one of thirteen centres globally, received its accreditation from the International Council of Nurses in January 2016. Other nursing research and developmental centres include Germany, Italy, Iran and Korea.
Dr. Pamela Hussey, director of the DCU International Classification for Nursing Practice (INCP), was the leading force behind the school of Nursing’s application to the Nursing council. When asked what she felt the accreditation meant for the school, Dr. Hussey said “it positions the university and the School of Nursing informatics in conjunction with both national and international eHealth agendas”.
One of the main aims of the research school in DCU is to foster a national standardised language of nursing. The development of a standardised nursing language is essential in allowing a better system of communication amongst nurses, as well as with other health care providers, in improving patient care, and accurately assessing a nurses competency.
The accreditation is not just good news for the college but also for the student nurses. “For students it provides a robust research framework to study and advance theory testing and develop standardisation of nursing language to optimise person centred health and wellbeing”.
Dr. Hussey concluded that the DCU INCP can “ultimately influence future models of health care delivery in Ireland”.
The work produced by the DCU INCP will be available through its partner organisations, the National Nursing Association and the World of Irish Nursing and Midwifery journal, as well as in peer reviewed publications.
Tara Nic An Sparain
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