Katie Murphy

I decided to study the Pre-nursing after completing my leaving cert. I felt this was the right decision for me as I was not ready to attend a university or college. I feel completing this course gave me a wide range of knowledge when it comes to nursing, it also made me a more confident individual.

I thoroughly loved my experience in Monaghan Institute as I got great support from all my teachers in the many modules I completed. I also got to experience what it is like to work in a care setting as part of completing this course, this gave me a great insight to nursing and made me want to pursue nursing as a carer even more.

I am now studying adult nursing at Ulster University in Magee. Monaghan Institute gave me the confidence and knowledge to get me to where I am today.

Course Studied: Level 5 Nursing Studies

Megan Mc Ardle

I decided to attend Monaghan Institute to study the QQI Level 5 Nursing course after completing my Leaving Certificate. I believe that making the decision to attend Monaghan Institute for the year, really benefited me in many ways, allowing me to gain experience and confidence in my career choice. Throughout my time at MI I developed numerous skills, both practical and academic. I really enjoyed each module in the Nursing Studies course as I feel they will be extremely valuable to me as I pursue this career. I had the opportunity to gain Work Experience in a local Nursing home, which strengthened my decision to study Nursing. I am now studying Mental Health Nursing in The Robert Gordan University in Aberdeen, Scotland. Monaghan Institute gave me the courage to flourish and get to where I am today.

Course Studied: Level 5 Nursing Studies

Megan Westbury

I wanted to pursue a career in Nursing, but wasn’t 100% certain about it. So I decided to do the Nursing Studies course at Monaghan Institute to make sure of my career choice, and I am extremely happy that I did. On the course we studied many of the core subjects that I am now pursuing as part my third level Nursing Degree programme, which gave me a great foundation for progression.

The Nursing Studies course content was interesting and the practical skills learned in the superb practical room gave us all great insight for work experience and were always so much fun. Learners had a choice of where to go for work placement. This gave me a real opportunity to work out for sure that Nursing was the career path that I wanted to follow and placement was a great insight to the world of work.

I made friends easily at Monaghan Institute, and I have remained in contact with them since. The staff were very approachable and were open and available to discuss any problems or difficulties that I or any other student had. I would definitely recommend that learners consider coming to Monaghan Institute to study, as the friendly environment and the encouragement from all the staff allows you to work to the best of your ability.

The Nursing Studies course helped me to develop my skills and qualities throughout the year, and enabled me to move on to general nurse training at University. I had a wonderful experience in Monaghan Institute and am grateful to all the staff who helped me develop confidence and expand my knowledge as I progress my career to the next level.

Chloe Hamill

I began the Nursing Studies course in Monaghan Institute in September 2016, having just completed my Leaving Certificate. I hoped to pursue a career in Nursing but I was still unsure. I took the opportunity to do this course to see if it was the right career choice for me, rather than beginning a degree course and discovering it wasn’t something I was happy doing.

The modules studied throughout the year gave a brilliant insight into the theory of Nursing. Some modules studied are very similar to those studied in the degree course, such as Anatomy and Physiology, Human Growth and Development and Nursing Theory and Practice. You develop practical skills in the modules, with opportunities to practice the skills in the nursing practical room in Monaghan Institute. This helps you become familiar with the environment, so when you go on work placement, it is routine, but it is also part of the assessment for the award. During work experience you practice the skills developed with clients, this time is very valuable. If you have a good work ethic, you may be offered work in the workplace after the experience. I was fortunate enough to be offered a job which was a great help financially, but also giving me experiences to talk about in interviews.

You can apply to many colleges and universities in Ireland and the UK through the CAO and UCAS systems. There is a lot of work needed to prepare the applications, it can be a very stressful time with a lot of big decisions to be made. There is plenty of help, advice and guidance on offer, but you do have to do the work yourself. I received a lot of support when preparing my applications and preparing for interviews. You are helped through each stage of the application process. There are dedicated classes for interview preparation which were a huge help. I believe that if it wasn’t for the support from the lecturers and the Guidance Counsellor in Monaghan Institute I wouldn’t be heading to Liverpool John Moore’s University to complete my Nursing degree. I was fortunate to receive invitations for interviews from every college that I applied for, with offers from three Universities.

The lecturers are brilliant. I always knew that if I was struggling with anything that I could always go to them and they would try their hardest to help. They are very approachable and supportive. This course also helps with the development of skills such as assignment writing and referencing. Something that I had no experience of coming from the Leaving Certificate. This will be of great benefit to me as I begin my degree. I also believe that this course has boosted my confidence greatly, I am sure now that Nursing is the career for me. Looking back, deciding to do this course at MI was the best decision for me. I look forward with confidence and enthusiasm to the next phase of my education.

Course Studied: Level 5 Nursing Studies