Nursing & Midwifery - Advanced Practice Nursing

This RCSI School of Nursing and Midwifery programme is suitable for nurses/midwives who have already completed a relevant MSc and the Medicinal Product Prescribing Programme.



It will enhance your knowledge in the domains of competence to become safe, caring, competent autonomous decision-makers who are willing to accept personal and professional accountability for evidence-based expert nursing care at an advanced practice level. This programme is delivered part-time.



This course is a Level 9 award on the Irish National Framework of Qualifications



Suitable for

This programme is suitable for nurses/midwives who have already completed a relevant MSc and the Medicinal Product Prescribing programme.



Accreditation and recognition

All postgraduate diploma programmes offered by the School of Nursing and Midwifery are accredited by RCSI, the National University of Ireland and the Nursing and Midwifery Board of Ireland. Recognition by bodies in other jurisdictions must be determined by individual applicants.

Advanced Practice Clinical Practicum I

Advanced Professional Accountability, Clinical Governance and Decision Making

Advanced Systematic Assessment and Case Management

Advanced Practice Chronic Illness/Long-Term Conditions

Advanced Practice Clinical Practicum II

To be eligible for the programme you must:

1. Have a minimum of an MSc in nursing or equivalent.



2. Hold active registration on a division of the professional register maintained by the Nursing and Midwifery Board of Ireland.



3. Have three years’ recent post-registration clinical experience in nursing/midwifery (within the past five years) with the equivalent of one-year full-time experience in the specific area of practice.



4. Have evidence of support from your employer and a completed Site Declaration Form, signed by the Director of Nursing/Public Health/authorised nurse manager. This must contain confirmation of a designated medical practitioner mentor and/or RANP mentor.



Recognition of prior learning (RPL)

Learning occurs in many contexts including work, involvement in social and community activities, and learning through life experience generally.



Recognition of prior learning (RPL) does not give credit for experience as such – rather, it considers learning that was acquired as a result of the experience. RPL may be used to gain admission to programmes where you may not have obtained the standard entry requirements. This is considered on a case-by-case basis.



Exemptions from programme modules that duplicate learning already demonstrably acquired through prior learning may also be considered on a case-by-case basis.



For more information, please contact the School of Nursing and Midwifery:

Tel: +353 1 402 2445

Email: nursing@rcsi.ie



English language requirements exceptions

English language requirements for RCSI Postgraduate programmes are published here. If you have completed undergraduate/postgraduate full-time studies in the medium of the English language (three or more years cumulatively) or are registered with the NMBI, you are exempt from these requirements.

2 years. Mode of delivery Hybrid - Part-time.

Next start date: September 2026.

Progression options

On successful completion of the programme, the student will qualify with a Postgraduate Certificate in Advanced Practice Nursing (Level 9, 50 ECTS, Major Award) and be eligible for registration as an Advanced Nurse Practitioner (ANP) with the Nursing & Midwifery Board of Ireland (NMBI).