Program Overview

Overview of the Specialist Practice - Perioperative Program

The Specialist Practice - Perioperative program is designed for nurses working in clinical practice who wish to develop their knowledge and competency in perioperative nursing. This program requires specialist knowledge, clinical and technical expertise, and interpersonal skills to provide comprehensive, physical, emotional, and spiritual support to patients during surgical intervention.

Course Details

• NFQ Level: 9
• Duration: 2 years part-time
• Next Intake: September 2025
• Course Coordinator: Dr. Eleanor Hollywood
• Closing Date: 30th June 2025

Admission Requirements

To be eligible for the Specialist Practice - Perioperative program, applicants must meet the following criteria:

• Current registration on the appropriate nursing division of the Nursing and Midwifery Board of Ireland Active Register
• Two years post-registration clinical experience since first registration
• Twelve months experience (within the last two years) in the specialty in Ireland at the time of application
• An honours degree in nursing or a related discipline or equivalent professional and academic qualification
• Each student will be engaged in specific practice settings in Ireland relevant to each individual strand for the duration of the programme of study
• Additional criteria may be required by individual Health Service Providers
• Students will be required to undergo Garda Vetting

English Language Requirements

All applicants to Trinity are required to provide official evidence of proficiency in the English language. Applicants to this course are required to meet Band B (Standard Entry) English language requirements.

Course Structure

The course is offered on a two-year part-time basis. Year One starts with a full week of studying in September and continues thereafter one day per week for the remainder of the year. Year Two consists of workshops throughout the academic year. Each module will be assessed by the successful completion of an academic assignment. The assessment of clinical competence will focus on the acquisition of specialist competencies and the clinical assessments will be carried out throughout the clinical placements.

Career Opportunities

This course prepares the perioperative nurse to function as a competent, effective, and caring specialist nurse. It is designed to enable registered nurses to increase their knowledge, experience, and clinical skills within this chosen specialty.

Course Content

As part of this course, students will be facilitated to undertake one of the following advanced strands: Surgical; Anaesthetic/Recovery; Paediatric (please note that the paediatric strand is only available in conjunction with AMNCH). To undertake these strands, applicants must specifically have experience in the chosen strand e.g., paediatric, theatre/surgical, or anaesthetic/recovery in the past two years. Each student who successfully achieves the academic and clinical requirements in Year One will be awarded a P.Grad.Dip. in Specialist Nursing (Perioperative), and students who continue into and successfully complete year two will be awarded a M.Sc. in Specialist Nursing.

Fees

For a full list of postgraduate fees, please refer to the relevant section of the university's website.

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