Program Overview

Postgraduate Diploma in Advanced Practice Nursing

The Postgraduate Diploma in Advanced Practice Nursing is designed for experienced registered nurses who already hold a relevant Masters degree that meets the programme requirements. This programme equips you with the advanced clinical knowledge, advanced health assessment, decision-making skills, and competencies needed to practice autonomously and confidently as an advanced nurse practitioner.

Course Overview

• The programme is delivered over 1 year on a part-time basis.
• The average intake is 25 students.
• The course code is 1PNA1.
• The NFQ level is 9, and the award type is a major award.
• The next intake is September 2025.
• The ECTS weighting is 60.

Why Choose This Course?

• Upon successful completion, graduates are eligible to register as a Registered Advanced Nurse Practitioner (RANP) with the Nursing and Midwifery Board of Ireland (NMBI).
• This professional recognition significantly enhances employment opportunities within advanced practice and various roles within healthcare, research, and Higher Education Institutions.

Course Information

• The programme comprises two teaching semesters, Semester 1 (September-December) and Semester 2 (January-May).
• Core modules include:
  • NU6610 Decision Making, and Advanced Practice Professional Roles (Year 1, Semester 1)
  • NU6311 Advanced Health Assessment (Year 1, Semester 1)
  • NU6506 Clinical Practicum (Year 1, Semester 1 and 2)
  • NU010.II Professional, Ethical & Legal Issues of Nurse and Midwife Prescribing (Year 1, Semester 2)
  • NU2192 Pharmacology, Health and Medicinal Prescribing (Year 1, Semester 2)
  • NU012.II Prescribing Competency Assessment (Year 1, Semester 2)

Entry Requirements

• Be registered as a nurse or midwife on the register of the Nursing and Midwifery Board of Ireland (NMBI).
• Have a minimum of an honours primary degree in Nursing or equivalent.
• Be currently employed as a nurse or midwife and in the areas of practice that you plan to undertake your Advance Practice Programme.
• Applicants must have the support of both a professional mentor and a clinical mentor.
• Comply with current minimum entry requirements for admission to the programme of education for nurse prescribing, including:
  • Have a minimum of three years recent post-registration clinical experience in nursing or midwifery (within the last five years).
  • Have equivalent of one year full-time experience in the specific area of clinical practice that you will be prescribing and practicing in.
  • Possess the competencies recognised at Level 8 of the National Framework of Qualifications.
  • Provide evidence of having undertaken continuing professional education.
• If undertaking the postgraduate diploma in Advanced Practice Nursing, applicants will need to possess a Masters degree that meets the programme requirements and is recognised at Level 9 of the National Framework of Qualifications.

Curriculum

• Year 1 (60 Credits)
  • Required modules:
    • NU6506: Clinical Practicum
    • NU6311: Advanced Health Assessment
    • NU6610: Decision Making and Advanced Practice Professional Roles
    • NU012.II: Competency Assessment
    • NU010.II: Professional, Ethical & Legal Issues of Nurse and Midwife Prescribing
    • NU2192: Pharmacology, Health and Medicinal Prescribing

Unique Features

• Dual Support Model: Comprehensive academic and clinical support ensures a strong foundation for applying advanced knowledge and skills in real-world healthcare settings.
• Range of modules: Includes modules in advanced health assessment, pharmacology, the professional, ethical and legal issues on prescribing medicinal products, decision making within advanced practice and supervised clinical hours.
• Leader in patient care: Learn the knowledge and skills to assess, diagnose and treat patients within their clinical setting.
• Strengthen problem-solving abilities: Learn to approach medical and professional challenges critically, using both theoretical and practical perspectives.
• Develop professional expertise: Hone the skills required to succeed in roles, including developing policies, procedures and guidelines, developing referral pathways and collaborating with the multidisciplinary team.
• Enhance Communication Skills: Learn to effectively present and articulate findings to a range of audiences, within healthcare settings and policymakers.

Careers

• The advanced nurse practitioner role is highly sought after in both the Health Service Executive (HSE) and private healthcare settings.
• Registration with the Nursing and Midwifery Board of Ireland (NMBI) as a Registered Advanced Nurse Practitioner (RANP) provides national recognition, improving mobility across healthcare settings and regions.
• ANPs are employed in a variety of specialist areas, including emergency and urgent care, chronic disease management, mental health and psychiatry, women's health and gynaecology, paediatrics and adolescent care, oncology and palliative care, community and primary care settings, and specialist areas such as plastics, gastroenterology, neurology, urology, critical care and other areas.

Work Placement

• Clinical placement: As part of the entry requirements, applicants will be working in the clinical area in which they plan to become an advanced nurse practitioner.
• Applicants will have to complete 500 supervised clinical hours with their designated clinical mentor.
• In addition, applicants will have to complete 96 supervised clinical hours relating to prescribing medicinal products.

Accreditation and Awards

• This programme meets the national standards (NMBI 2017) and is approved by NMBI.
• Following successful completion of this programme, graduates are eligible to register with NMBI as an Advanced Nurse Practitioner.

Who Teaches this Course?

• Dr Lisa Glynn
• Dr Collette Kirwan
• Ms Heather Helen
• Professor John Kelly
• Mr Bernard McCarthy
• Ms Sinead Hahessy
• Ms Naomi Davis

Learning and Assessment

• The Postgraduate Diploma (Advanced Practice Nursing) combines innovative teaching methods with practical, hands-on learning to ensure a comprehensive educational experience.
• You will learn through a mix of interactive lectures, seminars, workshops, patient-based scenario simulations led by expert faculty.
• Group projects and collaborative activities will enhance your teamwork and communication skills, while individual assignments will help you to develop independence and critical thinking.
• Each module is assessed independently, with strategies for assessment including assignments, interactive oral assessment, blogs, multiple choice questions, oral presentations, patient-based scenario simulations, continuous assessment, and clinical competency assessments.

Fees, Costs and Funding

• Fees for Academic Year 2026/27:
  • EU Tuition: 5,860
  • Student Contribution: 0
  • Non-EU Tuition: 14,300
  • Levy: 140
  • Total Fee: 6,000 (EU), 14,440 (Non-EU)

Related Courses

• MSc (Advanced Practice Nursing)
• MSc (Advanced Practice Midwifery)
• PDip (Advanced Practice Midwifery)
• Certificate in Nurse/Midwife Prescribing (September/January intake)