Nursing & Midwifery - Critical Care Nursing

Prepare to exercise an advanced level of clinical judgment and practice in your specialist area of critical care with the PgDip in Critical Care Nursing from the RCSI School of Nursing and Midwifery.



The role of the nurse as a clinician, patient advocate, researcher, educator and innovator are all developed to meet the multiple and complex needs of the patient with critical illness. Enhance your knowledge, experience and clinical expertise in the challenging and dynamic environment that is critical care, and develop your leadership and research skills in this area.



This programme is delivered part-time over the course of one academic year, with an option to complete the programme over a period of up to three years if necessary.



Please note: you will undertake your studies through a combination of online lectures and classes delivered by RCSI. An alternative hospital-based version of this programme is also offered. It is delivered in partnership with Beaumont Hospital, and is designed only for prospective students who are working in Beaumont Hospital.



The award title for this course is Postgraduate Diploma Nursing (Critical Care).



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



Suitable for

This programme is suitable for nurses working in a critical care setting who wish to advance their knowledge to diploma level in this area.

What you will learn

Advanced Research Methods

Advanced Leadership and Management, Professional and Clinical

Advancing Professional Practice

Principles of Critical Care

Advanced Critical Care 1

Advanced Critical Care 2

Applicants must hold an NFQ Level 8 qualification. However, applicants who do not hold a Level 8 qualification may still be eligible to join the programme through our supported-entry pathway programme. This is subject to an assessment of prior learning and experience.



Must have an active registration with the Nursing and Midwifery Board of Ireland.



Must be working in the specialist practice of the programme for the duration of the programme.



Must provide a clinical learning agreement signed by a director of nursing or designate.



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.



English language requirement exceptions



English language requirements for Postgraduate programmes are published at https://www.rcsi.com/dublin/postgraduate/policies-and-guidelines/english-language-requirements



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.

1 year



Mode of delivery

Hybrid - Part-time

Next start date September 2025

Graduates of this postgraduate diploma who wish to take a further step may enrol onto the Masters programme – the MSc Nursing (Critical Care) – and undertake Year 2 of the full programme, completing a systematic review.