Nursing - Advanced Practice Nursing

Course Overview
The aims of the Master of Science in Nursing (Advanced Nursing Practice) programme are to enable experienced registered nurses 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 2 year MSc includes modules pertaining to nurse/midwife Prescribing, research, advanced practice and management. In addition, there are 2 clinical competency assessment modules – 96 hours pertaining to prescribing and 500 hours to advanced practice clinical mentorship.

Year 1 (40 Credits)
Required NU6507: Leadership, Quality Improvement and Governance
Required NU6610: Decision Making and Advanced Practice Professional Roles
Required NU6312: Advanced Health Assessment
Required NU502: Advanced Research Methods
Optional RPL010: Recognised Prior Learning
Optional RPL020: Recognised Prior Learning
Optional RPL030: Recognised Prior Learning

Year 2 (70 Credits)
Required NU010.I: Professional, Ethical & Legal Issues of Nurse and Midwife Prescribing)
Required NU6506: Clinical Practicum
Required NU6515: Research Dissertation
Required NU1191: Pharmacology, Health and Medicinal Prescribing
Optional RPL010: Recognised Prior Learning
Optional RPL020: Recognised Prior Learning
Optional RPL030: Recognised Prior Learning

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 (DON, ADON/Practice Manager) and Clinical (medical consultant or general practitioner) Mentor for 500 hours of clinical mentorship, evidenced by a completed Site Declaration Form

5. Written commitment/memo of understanding or equivalent from the director of nursing/employer to support the student during the clinical practicum and to nominate a suitably qualified practitioner to act as a clinical supervisor during the student's clinical learning experience

6. 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;
- Have support of both a Professional (DON, ADON/Practice Manager) and Clinical (medical consultant or general practitioner) Mentor for 96 hours of clinical mentorship, evidenced by a completed Site Declaration Form.

How to apply
We encourage all applicants to apply as early as possible.

Review/Closing Dates (for Taught Programmes)
For most programmes, University of Galway does not set specific closing dates for receipt of applications. Applications will be accepted on a rolling basis and course quotas will be reviewed continuously throughout the application cycle with the exception of applications for some programmes which are reviewed after the specified closing date. Candidates who do not have their final degree marks available may be made a conditional (provisional) offer.

Online Application
Applications to most postgraduate programmes at University of Galway are made online via www.universityofgalway.ie/apply (see "Application Weblink").

2 years, part-time.

Next start date: September 2024.

Review/Closing Dates (for Taught Programmes)
For most programmes, University of Galway does not set specific closing dates for receipt of applications. Applications will be accepted on a rolling basis and course quotas will be reviewed continuously throughout the application cycle with the exception of applications for some programmes which are reviewed after the specifed closing date*. Candidates who do not have their final degree marks available may be made a conditional (provisional) offer.

Career Opportunities
Graduates will be autonomous practitioners, who are clinically competent and skilled in the delivery of high-quality, direct care to a specific patient/client group. 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. Graduates, equipped with such knowledge and advanced skills will be eligible to apply to the Nursing & Midwifery Board of Ireland (NMBI) for registration as a Registered Advanced Nurse Practitioner (RANP).