Postgraduate Diploma (Advanced Practice Nursing)

Course Overview

The aims of the Postgraduate Diploma (Advanced Nursing Practice programme are to enable experienced registered nurses, who have a related MSc in nursing, to develop an expert knowledge base, complex decision-making skills, and clinical competencies for an expanded autonomous scope of practice. The finite characteristics are shaped by the: context in which the individual practices the needs of patients/clients and the challenges and developments within the health services.
The programme is designed to prepare the students as autonomous practitioners, who are clinically competent and skilled in the delivery of high quality direct care to a specific patient /client group. In particular, the Advanced Nurse Practitioner will be empowered to promote wellness, offer healthcare interventions and advocate healthy lifestyle choices for patients/clients, their families and carers in a wide variety of settings in collaboration with other healthcare professionals, according to agreed scope of practice guidelines.

The programme further aims to support the students to develop their role as autonomous members of the multidisciplinary healthcare team within the healthcare organisation and professional leaders in their field of specialist practice. The graduates, equipped with such knowledge and advanced skills will be eligible to apply to the Nursing and Midwifery Board of Ireland (NMBI for registration as a Registered Advanced Nurse Practitioner (RANP.

This broad based 1 year post graduate programme for students who already have a Masters in Nursing related to the advanced nurse/midwife clinical practice area.

The diploma includes modules pertaining to nurse/midwife prescribing, research and the advanced practice role. In addition, there are 2 clinical competency assessment modules – 96 hours pertaining to prescribing and 500 hours of advanced practice clinical mentorship.

Please note to be eligible to apply you need to be:

1. Be registered as a nurse or midwife on the register of the Nursing and Midwifery Board of Ireland (NMBI);
2. Have a minimum of an honours primary degree in Nursing or equivalent
3. Be currently employed as a nurse or midwife and in the areas of practice that you plan to undertake you Advance Practice Programme
4. Have support of both a Professional (Director of Nursing, Assistant Director of Nursing/Practice Manager) and Clinical (medical consultant or general practitioner) Mentor for 500 hours of clinical mentorship and 96 hours for prescribing mentorship, evidenced by a completed Site Declaration Form
   
5. Comply with current minimum entry requirements for admission to the programme of education for nurse prescribing. This includes:
   

• 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.

6. If undertaking the postgraduate diploma in Advanced Practice Nursing, candidates will need to possess a Master’s degree recognised at Level 9 of the National Framework of Qualifications.

Provide evidence of support from an employer and completed Site Declaration Forms containing confirmation of a clinical supervisor who will provide supervision, support and learning opportunities, including shadowing opportunities to gain the required competencies and clinical competence to practice at an advanced level in midwifery (including midwife prescribing).

Students who successfully complete this programme are eligible to register as an Advanced Nurse Practitioner (RANP) with NMBI.