Nurse / Midwife Prescribing

Course Outline

Our Certificate in Nursing - Nurse/Midwife Prescribing will give you the theoretical and practical knowledge to be competent in medication management. This NFQ Level 8 Special Purpose Award complies with the statutory, professional and interdisciplinary framework for the development of expertise in the area of prescriptive authority.



The course is first and foremost about making a difference, and has provided the opportunity for nurses and midwives to expand their roles to meet the needs of patients and service users within their area of expertise. The course will also enhance your professional capacity so that services are more patient-focused, thereby delivering better outcomes.



The Certificate is a six-month full-time course consisting of 11 days of theory and a practical element of 96 hours achieved through mentorship in the clinical setting. The clinical element of the course is provided in your specific clinical practice area with instruction and supervision from a dedicated medical practitioner who will act as your mentor.



Course Practicalities

This course is student-centred. Methods of teaching range from online activities to lectures, tutorials and laboratory work. The course will develop self-directed learning through assignment writing, case-study presentation and observed structured long examination record examination (OSLER).

Students take 30 credits as follows:

GP5000: Systematic Assessment and Evaluation in Patient Care

NU5048: Professional, Ethical and Legal Practice, Communication Aspects of Prescribing and Clinical Practicum

PF5011: Holistic Approach to Prescribing Medicinal Products and Clinical Practicum



For further information see the UCC Postgraduate Calendar (Certificate in Nursing - Nurse/Midwife Prescribing).

Entry Requirements

• Registration as a nurse or midwife on the live register of the Nursing and Midwifery Board of Ireland (NMBI).

• Minimum of 3 years post-registration clinical experience (the required clinical practice experience must have been gained within the past 5 years with at least one year in the area in which prescribing is proposed and excludes time spent undertaking further post-registration programmes).

• Possession of up-to-date competencies recognised at Level 8 of the NQAI framework.

• Demonstration of continuous professional development and ability to study at Level 8.

• Support from employer and completed Site Declaration Form, signed by the Director of Nursing/Midwifery/Public Health.

• Nomination and confirmation of a designated medical practitioner mentor (completed Site Self-Declaration Form, signed by the Medical Practitioner/Mentor) who will provide the student with supervision, support, and opportunities including shadowing opportunities.



The nurse or midwife must contact the Director of Nursing/Midwifery/Public Health to discuss the identified need for nurse and midwife prescribing in their area/organisation. In addition, consideration needs to be given to developing the nurse and midwife prescribing initiative in relation to a number of issues including, legislative and professional practice requirements and standards, clinical governance structures, the scope of practice, clinical competency, mentoring arrangements, multidisciplinary partnership and the individual's ability to undertake the education programme and capability to meet the requirements of the new role and the capacity to drive and develop the new initiative safely.



The nurse or midwife must seek the approval of their Director of Nursing/Midwifery/Public Health to apply for the education programme. A nurse or midwife must satisfy the criteria as determined by the Higher Education Institution and the Implementation Group on Nurse/Midwife Prescribing as set out in the entry requirements.



For Applicants with Qualifications Completed Outside of Ireland

Applicants must meet the required entry academic grade, equivalent to Irish requirements. For more information see our Qualification Comparison page.



International/Non-EU Applicants

For full details of the non-EU application procedure visit our how to apply pages for international students.

• In UCC, we use the term programme and course interchangeably to describe what a person has registered to study in UCC and its constituent colleges, schools, and departments.

• Note that not all courses are open to international/non-EU applicants, please check the fact file above. For more information contact the International Office.



English Language Requirements

Applicants who are non-native speakers of the English language must meet the university-approved English language requirements.

Closing Date

Open until all places have been filled or no later than 30 June. Early application is advised.



Non-EU Closing Date

Open until all places have been filled or no later than 15 June. Early application is advised.

6 months full-time.

Start Date: 8 September 2025

Skills and Careers Information

Nurse/Midwife Prescribing offers the opportunity to develop critical thinking skills and a knowledge base to inform evidence-based practice.