The Masters (MSc) in Human Factors in Patient Safety is a unique Masters programme for healthcare professionals who are responsible for the care of acute hospital patients. The programme is relevant to all healthcare professionals including, Surgeons, Emergency Medicine Physicians, Anaesthetists, Obstetricians, Radiologists, Acute Care Nurses, Pharmacists, Physiotherapists, Radiographers, Social Workers, Dietitians, Occupational Therapists, other allied health care professionals, quality managers and others with responsibility for patient safety. You can see HERE testimonials from past candidates who have completed this Masters.

Improve the safety and quality of patient care

Accredited by the National University of Ireland (NUI) and the Nursing and Midwifery Board of Ireland (NMBI), this qualification is positioned at Level 9 on the National Framework of Qualifications. The MSc is designed to expand participants’ knowledge of error, risk and safety in healthcare, to advance their personal and interpersonal skills and to develop their practical skills and expertise to drive safety initiatives and quality improvement in the acute hospital setting. Using state-of-the-art training and simulation facilities participants will enhance their professional profile with a programme that is unique and extremely relevant to healthcare in the 21st century.

Course content

The programme is designed to suit the busy schedules of all health professionals. It is delivered over two-years and is a part-time programme of study. The programme is offered using blended learning modalities – online plus face-to-face. Students attend RCSI for face-to-face teaching for three days per module, structured as one full day per month. This is supplemented with online content and individual/ group-based learning activities. The Research Methods module, offered in Year 2, involves a 5 day workshop plus online content.

There are five taught modules which are delivered by experts in human factors in patient safety plus a research dissertation. Taught modules are:

1. Error & Safety in Surgical Healthcare
2. Personal Effectiveness & Non-Technical Skills
3. Leadership of Process & Quality Improvement
4. Professionalism & Advanced Communication
5. Research Methods

Participants can exit with a Postgraduate Certificate following the successful completion of 30 credits, and with a Postgraduate Diploma following the successful completion of 60 credits.The Masters programme is 90 credits.

Formative assessment will include participation in classroom activities and group work. Summative assessment will involve:

• A 2,000 word written assignment per module.
• Particiaption in a group project & presentation, per module.
• A 300 word submission to a weekly discussion forum, (6-8) per module.

For those progressing to the Masters programme, a publication-ready research article accompanied by an extended literature review will be submitted for assessment.

Fees

Places on this programme are strictly limited to a maximum number of 20 students. Fees for the academic year 2019/2020 are as follows:

• Students: €5,000 for Year 1 + €7,500 for Year 2
• Non-EU Students: €10,000 for Year 1 + €15,000 for Year 2
• All students will also have to pay a €45 annual fee for NUI

Entry criteria and application

This is an inter-professional programme. The course is open to healthcare professionals involved in the care of acute patients in a hospital setting. This includes: Surgeons, Emergency Medicine Physicians, Anaesthetists, Obstetricians, Radiologists, Acute Care Nurses, Pharmacists, Physiotherapists, Radiographers, Social Workers, Dietitians, Occupational Therapists, other allied health care professionals and quality managers.

Candidates must hold either:

1. An MB and be registered with the Irish Medical Council or the General Medical Council in the UK, or;
2. A primary degree in a health sciences field with a qualification achieved at the level of 2.2 Honours.

All candidates must have evidence of four years’ work experience in acute hospital care and must be currently working in the acute hospital setting and involved in the care of surgical patients.

Programme website: rcsi.ie/pghumanfactors

Any queries regarding the MSc in Human Factors in Patient Safety should be addressed to the following:
Emer Pyke, Surgical Affairs
RCSI
121 St Stephen’s Green
Dublin 2
Ireland
Email: emerpyke@rcsi.ie

For more information please click HERE