Nursing: Advanced Practice Nursing (PDip)

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.

For 25/26 entrants, where the course duration is greater than 1 year, there is an inflationary increase approved of 3.4% per annum for continuing years fees.

Postgraduate students in receipt of a SUSI grant – please note an F4 grant is where SUSI will pay €4,000 towards your tuition (2025/26).  You will be liable for the remainder of the total fee.  A P1 grant is where SUSI will pay tuition up to a maximum of €6,270. SUSI will not cover the student levy of €140.

Note to non-EU students: learn about the 24-month Stayback Visa here.