Nursing - Advanced Practice Nursing

Year 1 (60 Credits)

RequiredNU6506: Clinical Practicum

RequiredNU6311: Advanced Health Assessment

RequiredNU6610: Decision Making and Advanced Practice Professional Roles

RequiredNU012.II: Competency Assessment

RequiredNU010.II: Professional, Ethical & Legal Issues of Nurse and Midwife Prescribing)

RequiredNU2192: Pharmacology, Health and Medicinal Prescribing

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



Be registered as a nurse or midwife on the register of the Nursing and Midwifery Board of Ireland (NMBI).



Have a minimum of an honour’s 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 you Advance Practice Programme.



Applicants must have the support of both a professional mentor (such as a Director of Nursing, Assistant Director of Nursing, or Practice Manager) and a clinical mentor (such as a medical consultant, general practitioner, or Registered Advanced Nurse Practitioner).This includes a commitment to provide 500 hours of clinical mentorship and 96 hours of prescribing mentorship, as confirmed on the completed *Site Declaration Form.



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.



If undertaking the postgraduate diploma in Advanced Practice Nursing, applicants will need to possess a Master’s degree that meets the programme requirements and is recognised at Level 9 of the National Framework of Qualifications.



*The completed Site Declaration Form provides confirmation by the professional and clinical mentor 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.

1 Year Full Time

Next start date September 2025



Closing Date

No set closing date. Offers are made on a continuous basis.

The advanced nurse practitioner role is highly sought after in both the Health Service Executive (HSE) and private healthcare settings. These roles are expanding in response to healthcare system needs, particularly in rural and community-based services. 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. The advanced nurse practitioner role typically offers a competitive salary in comparison to other clinical nurse roles.



ANPs are employed in a variety of specialist areas, including:



Emergency and urgent care

Chronic disease management (e.g., diabetes, COPD, heart failure)

Mental health and psychiatry

Women’s health and gynaecology

Paediatrics and adolescent care

Oncology and palliative care

Community and primary care settings

Specialist areas such as plastics, gastroenterology, neurology, urology, critical care and other areas.

With national recognition through RANP registration, graduates also gain access to:



Policy and advisory roles in healthcare organisations

Multidisciplinary leadership positions

International career opportunities in advanced practice nursing

Graduates of the Postgraduate Diploma in Advanced Nursing Practice are well-positioned for a wide range of advanced roles within the healthcare system. Many go on to become leaders in clinical practice, education, and research. Also, some Advanced Nurse Practitioners, having already completed a Master’s degree, have progressed to doctoral-level study (PhD) and secured roles as lecturers, researchers, and academic leaders within third-level institutions.