The private healthcare sector in Ireland is growing rapidly and the expanding range of Operating Departments and theatres is creating a demand for graduates of Operating Department Practice. Operating Department Practitioners (ODP’s) provide high standards of patient care working alongside medical and nursing colleagues as an integral part of the healthcare team during a patient’s perioperative journey. The role involves the practice of a variety of clinical skills in addition to the provision of specialist technical support. The ODP works as an integral part of the multi-disciplinary theatre team and acts as a link between the surgical team and other parts of the operating theatre and hospital and therefore requires a broad knowledge and skills base in addition to core clinical skills and technical competence.

A number of externally accredited parallel awards including Emergency Medical training are provided as part of the programme. These include Cardiac First Responder-Advanced (CFR-A), Emergency First Responder (EFR), Advanced Cardiac Life Support (ACLS) and Paediatric Advanced Life Support (PALS).

A key feature of the programme is the inclusion of more than 1 Year and 4 months clinical placement in hospitals where clinical skills and competencies are developed in a structured and comprehensive manner.