Nursing Studies and Pre Nursing PLC Courses

PLC or Further Education Pre-Nursing courses are an ideal pathway into the profession, particularly for Leaving Cert students who may not have secured the CAO points for a direct-entry nursing degree, or for career changers looking to transition into healthcare.

Beyond being a stepping stone, these QQI Level 5 and 6 courses are highly valuable in their own right. They lead directly to employment in various healthcare assistant and social care roles, providing practical, hands-on insight into the caring professions before you commit to a four-year degree.

Student Success: The PLC Healthcare Route
Several Further Education colleges across Ireland offer excellent QQI Level 5 Nursing Studies programmes, such as Moate Business College in Westmeath. A former student, Amy Martin, highlighted the transformative benefits of the course, which ultimately helped her secure a degree placement at the Technological University of the Shannon (TUS) (formerly Athlone Institute of Technology).

Reflecting on her experience, Amy noted: “I was the type where it was an effort for me to go to school, but with the business college, if there was a day I couldn’t go, I was really upset. If you like what you are doing, it makes it easier to put the work in.”

Amy excelled at the college, achieving 8 distinctions. A note on progression: While a minimum of 5 distinctions in specific modules is technically required to be eligible for progression to a nursing degree via the QQI/CAO route, nursing is highly competitive. In reality, applicants typically need to achieve distinctions in all 8 modules to secure a place through the random selection quota system.

Course Structure & QQI Modules
A standard QQI Level 5 Nursing Studies course (Major Award Code: 5M4349) introduces students to a broad range of clinical and theoretical modules. A mandatory work placement element gives students invaluable supervised experience in a healthcare setting of their choice. Furthermore, these programmes prepare students for higher education interviews, CAO and UCAS applications, and often have established progression links with universities in Ireland and the UK.

Typical QQI Level 5 Nursing Studies modules include:

• Care Provision & Practice (5N2705)

• Care of the Older Person (5N2706)

• Palliative Care Support (5N3769)

• Nursing Theory and Practice (5N4325)

• Human Growth & Development (5N1279)

• Anatomy and Physiology (5N0749)

• Social Studies (5N1370)

• Communications (5N0690)

• Work Experience (5N1356)

Workshops & Additional Certifications
To ensure students are fully prepared for clinical placements and employment, colleges often provide supplementary workshops and certifications. These typically include:

• First Aid Response (FAR) (The national standard replacing Occupational First Aid)

• Patient Manual Handling & People Moving

• Palliative Care Support Workshops

• Clinical Skills Workshops facilitated by an RGN (Registered General Nurse)

To view a selection of Nursing Studies and PLC healthcare routes on Findacourse.ie, explore our directory here: Nursing Courses on Findacourse.ie