Congratulations to UCD Assistant Professor Tracey McDonagh and Participants of the Inaugural Higher Diploma in Mental Health Nursing Great Debate

The UCD School of Nursing and Midwifery extends its heartfelt congratulations to Tracey McDonagh, Assistant Professor and Programme Director for UCD’s Higher Diploma in Mental Health Nursing, and all those involved in the successful inaugural Higher Diploma in Mental Health Nursing Great Debate held on 16^th April.

This dynamic event showcased the exceptional skills and knowledge of our students as they passionately debated a variety of contemporary mental health topics. Their arguments highlighted not only their understanding of the complexities surrounding mental health but also their readiness to enter the nursing workforce as enthusiastic, well-informed, and evidence-based practitioners.

A special thanks goes to UCD colleagues Corina Murphy and Timmy Frawley for their invaluable contributions, and to our esteemed judges Roisin Reilly from Trinity College Dublin, Madeline Gleeson from The Empowerment Coach, and Chair Aishlinn Strahan. The panel faced a challenging task in evaluating the impressive performances of our students.

We also appreciate the support of the UCD Literary and Historical Society for facilitating the debate training, ensuring our students were well-prepared for this exciting event.

This successful debate marks a significant milestone in our commitment to fostering excellence in mental health nursing education at UCD.

We look forward to further installations of this event which has all the potential to become an annual feature on the School’s calendar.