University Systems for Nursing Students

Axia is a regular attendee of the annual RCSI’s Faculty of Nursing and Midwifery Nursing conference in Dublin. The conference is now in its 43rd year and, in 2021, was held online due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The presentations included one by Dr Ian Donaldson from Bournemouth University who described how they had introduced an online portfolio for all student nurses and midwives. One of the people who attended the session was Dr. Louise McBride, Head of Nursing at the then Letterkenny Institute of Technology. Following a series of visits and meetings, the decision was made to develop and introduce a digital version of the National Competency Assessment Document (NCAD) for nurses. The result is MyCad.ie.

In May 2023, an online seminar was held which attracted delegates from across Ireland. A recording of that event is available here, as well as a video which captures the experience of those that have used the site.


Benefits of MyCad:

  • Today’s students expect to be provided with the best technology to assist them with their learning journey. MyCad enables Universities to do this, enhancing the student experience.
  • MyCad allows for constant access to a student’s portfolio for the student and those supporting them. This removes the need to wait for paper copies to be transferred before a student’s progress can be reviewed. Additionally, any changes made to the portfolio are instant.
  • The system automatically presents the correct placement document to students based on their course, type of placement, and its duration. This prevents student from accidentally using the wrong documentation.
  • Tutors, Year Leads, and CPCs can easily view the progress of students using specialised reports, making it easy to keep track of students.
  • Digital systems are better for the environment as they don’t produce waste in the way that paper-based systems do.
  • Digital portfolios cannot be lost or destroyed in the same way which paper-based portfolios can, making the student’s work more protected.


more about MyCad

27 years of experience

Fully flexible systems

1.3m Users worldwide

Improved Feedback Using Digital Systems

There is evidence that adopting a digital approach enhances the quality of feedback that students receive. The Department of Nursing at Bournemouth University compared the assessment information that was entered into a paper portfolio and that which was added to the digital portfolio which they had just adopted. Their findings were published in an article in the ‘Nursing Times’.

It was discovered that the average word-count for feedback more than doubled using the digital portfolio. Additionally, over twice as many mentors highlighted areas for future learning. This shows that the digital system makes it easier to provide feedback to students, therefore easing the feedback process and helping students to improve.

At Bournemouth University, all 15 health courses are assessed using a digital document. We hope that Universities across Ireland will adopt a similar approach.

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