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Nursing: Advanced Practice with Prescribing (PDip)

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Course Overview

Important: This course is NOT on offer for Entry 2021. 

Please see new Postgraduate Diploma (Advanced Practice Nursing) instead, which should be of interest.

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The programme will equip you with the knowledge and skills to pursue accreditation as an Advanced Nurse/Midwife Practitioner. The programme also leads to registration as a nurse prescriber. The outcomes of the programme include development of a portfolio of advanced practice competencies required for registration as a Registered Advanced Nurse Practitioner (RANP) or Registered Advanced Midwife Practitioner (RAMP) with the Nursing and Midwifery Board of Ireland (NMBI). Modules include ones that prepare students for advanced practice in their specialist area, for instance, physical assessment skills and clinical decision-making. 

Scholarships available
Find out about our Postgraduate Scholarships here.

Applications and Selections

Applications are made online via the NUI Galway Postgraduate Applications System. 

The programme team's decision is based on the applicant meeting all the entry criteria and on their written application, to include written evidence of support for the applicant from their Director of Nursing. This written support should include agreement to facilitate the applicants development of core and specific advanced practice competencies and written evidence of support for the applicant from an appropriate clinical supervisor.

Who Teaches this Course

Full staff list here.

Requirements and Assessment

Modules are assessed using a combination of coursework, objective-structured clinical examination, and clinical assessment.

Key Facts

Entry Requirements

All applicants must meet the following entry requirements: 

  1. Have attained a master’s degree in Nursing, or its equivalent;
  2. Be a registered nurse on the General, Midwifery, Mental Health, or Learning Disability Nurse divisions of the register maintained by the NMBI;
  3. Have practised as a nurse or midwife for a minimum of six years post-registration, four of which include experience in the chosen area of expertise (exclusive of post-registration educational programmes);
  4. Provide written evidence of support for the applicant from their Director of Nursing and written evidence of support for the applicant from an appropriate clinical supervisor.

Additional Requirements

Duration

1 year, full-time

Next start date

This course is not on offer for Entry 2021.

A Level Grades ()

Average intake

10 places (minimum)

QQI/FET FETAC Entry Routes

Closing Date

This course is not on offer for Entry 2021. 

NFQ level

Mode of study

ECTS weighting

60

Award

CAO

Course code

1PMA1

Course Outline

The programme will equip you with the knowledge and skills to pursue accreditation as an Advanced Nurse/Midwife Practitioner. The programme also leads to registration as a nurse prescriber. The outcomes of the programme include development of a portfolio of advanced practice competentices required for registration as a RANP with An Bord Altranais agus Cnáimhseachais na hÉireann.

The course is approved by The Nursing and Midwifery Board of Ireland and has a clinical focus, offering opportunities to develop specialist skills.

Blended learning is an innovative and flexible approach to learning, making it possible to combine working full-time with studying.

Modules include ones that prepare students for advanced practice in their specialist area, for instance, physical assessment skills and clinical decision making. Students also prepare a portfolio of advancing.

Curriculum Information

Curriculum information relates to the current academic year (in most cases).
Course and module offerings and details may be subject to change.

Glossary of Terms

Credits
You must earn a defined number of credits (aka ECTS) to complete each year of your course. You do this by taking all of its required modules as well as the correct number of optional modules to obtain that year's total number of credits.
Module
An examinable portion of a subject or course, for which you attend lectures and/or tutorials and carry out assignments. E.g. Algebra and Calculus could be modules within the subject Mathematics. Each module has a unique module code eg. MA140.
Optional
A module you may choose to study.
Required
A module that you must study if you choose this course (or subject).
Semester
Most courses have 2 semesters (aka terms) per year.

Year 1 (0 Credits)

Required NU6508: Decision Making, Nursing and Advanced Practice Professional Roles


Semester 1 | Credits: 10

Content covered will include case management; clinical decision-making; standards of care; ethics; cultural competence; person centred care. Advanced Practice role development; professional issues; theoretical perspectives informing advanced practice roles; and self-management (time and stress management). Contemporary issues in health care; the future of health service delivery. Opportunities will be provided to explore issues related to case management, major pathophysiologic disease processes as applied to clinical decision-making, and standards of care, ethics and role development. Research related to these topics will be used to highlight the changing nature of heath care. Analysis of the role of the advanced nurse practitioner will be emphasised. Within the clinical environment, candidates will expand clinical decision-making abilities and practice advanced, complex, case management under the supervision of a designated clinical supervisor. The theoretical component of this module is applied in clinical practice.
(Language of instruction: English)

Learning Outcomes
  1. Design case management algorithms combining quality assurance standards, evidence based practice, and clinical guidelines to support decision analysis.
  2. Integrate advanced pathology and pathophysiology in diagnostic reasoning and case management.
  3. Apply advanced health assessment and communication techniques in decision-making processes.
  4. Evaluate external stimuli that determine direction of the advanced nurse practitioner role in the delivery of quality patient care.
  5. Explore the use of an evidence-based evaluation framework in the context of the advanced nurse practitioner role.
  6. Appraise the professional role of the advanced nurse practitioner combining a nursing framework with standards of practice.
Assessments

This module's usual assessment procedures, outlined below, may be affected by COVID-19 countermeasures. Current students should check Blackboard for up-to-date assessment information.

  • Continuous Assessment (100%)
Module Director
Lecturers / Tutors
The above information outlines module NU6508: "Decision Making, Nursing and Advanced Practice Professional Roles" and is valid from 2018 onwards.
Note: Module offerings and details may be subject to change.

Required NU631.I: Physical Assessment Skills


Semester 1 | Credits: 10

This module aims to provide students with the necessary knowledge and skills to obtain a comprehensive health history and complete a physical assessment on a patient in the clinical setting.
(Language of instruction: English)

Learning Outcomes
  1. Demonstrate the ability to review a patient’s health history
  2. Demonstrate clinical competence in physical assessment skills
  3. Critically analyse patient data and prioritise patient problems
  4. Explicate nursing interventions that meet the individual patient’s needs
  5. Integrate appropriate consultation skills with the patient and the multidisciplinary team for effective case management
Assessments

This module's usual assessment procedures, outlined below, may be affected by COVID-19 countermeasures. Current students should check Blackboard for up-to-date assessment information.

  • Continuous Assessment (100%)
Module Director
Lecturers / Tutors
The above information outlines module NU631.I: "Physical Assessment Skills" and is valid from 2018 onwards.
Note: Module offerings and details may be subject to change.

Required NU6506: Clinical Practicum


Semester 1 and Semester 2 | Credits: 20

Knowledge, competencies and clinical skills for advanced practice in nursing relevant to the specific practice area of the student. Specific knowledge and skills requirements will be negotiated on an individual practice area basis with the student their clinical supervisor and their employer/nurse manager within the framework and structure of the course record and assessment booklet. The major element of the programme will be substantial hours on clinical placement with supervision (as agreed under the site declaration form).Students practice hours focus on developing expertise in defined areas/pathways for example: 1) Chronic disease management 2) Oncology 3) Older person care 4) Unscheduled care 5) Women's health 6) Mental health 7) Intellectual disability 8) Primary healthcare 9) Acute healthcare 10) Children's services 11) Dermatology.
(Language of instruction: English)

Learning Outcomes
  1. Integrate relevant knowledge and skills in the conduction of a comprehensive holistic assessment of patients/clients, and manage identified issues/needs at an advanced level within their practice area (or identified scope of practice).
  2. Use evidence based frameworks, to synthesise and interpret assessment information to identify normal, subnormal and at risk states of health.
  3. Determine the timely use of diagnostic investigations to inform clinical decision making when planning, delivering and evaluating person centred care
  4. Actively consider access, cost, clinical effectiveness when planning, delivering and evaluating care.
  5. Apply knowledge of therapeutic interventions including pharmacological and non-pharmacological nursing interventions relevant to their advanced practice area
  6. Critically reflect on their own and others' learning and practice.
  7. Maximise opportunities to educate, mentor, role model and facilitate clinical supervision, on-going reflection, and engagement in continuous professional development.
  8. Incorporate effective leadership and communication skills when interacting with interprofessional health care teams in the development, implementation and evaluation of care and services in their area of practice.
  9. Evaluate the provision of care and services pertaining to their area of practice and reflect on feedback received to identify gaps in provision of care and services pertaining to area of practice
Assessments

This module's usual assessment procedures, outlined below, may be affected by COVID-19 countermeasures. Current students should check Blackboard for up-to-date assessment information.

  • Continuous Assessment (100%)
Module Director
Lecturers / Tutors
The above information outlines module NU6506: "Clinical Practicum " and is valid from 2018 onwards.
Note: Module offerings and details may be subject to change.

Required NU011.II: Drugs, Patients and Illness


Semester 2 | Credits: 10

Welcome to this module entitled “Drugs, Patients and Illnesses”. As the title suggests, this module will focus on the pharmacological treatment of patients. It will take you from the basic principles of how drugs work and how the body deals with drugs, through to the application of these principles to commonly encountered drugs used in a range of clinical applications. Moreover, the challenges of patient variability in drug response, polypharmacy and risk and cost benefit assessments will be explored. The module provides opportunities for you to be able to apply knowledge to your own clinical setting.
(Language of instruction: English)

Learning Outcomes
  1. Possess a firm understanding of the fundamental concepts of Pharmacology.
  2. Use the autonomic nervous system to illustrate the mechanisms of drug action.
  3. Identify the composite features of the “pharmacology” of a drug, and apply these in their work setting.
  4. Describe the pharmacological approach to a range of diseases and conditions.
  5. Be aware of the issues surrounding the pharmacological treatment of individual patients and their illness.
Assessments

This module's usual assessment procedures, outlined below, may be affected by COVID-19 countermeasures. Current students should check Blackboard for up-to-date assessment information.

  • Continuous Assessment (100%)
Module Director
Lecturers / Tutors
The above information outlines module NU011.II: "Drugs, Patients and Illness" and is valid from 2018 onwards.
Note: Module offerings and details may be subject to change.

Required NU010.II: Professional, Ethical & Legal Issues of Nurse and Midwife Prescribing)


Semester 2 | Credits: 10

This module aims to provide nurses and midwives with the knowledge and skills to be competent, safe and effective prescribers within their own area of competence. This module addresses professional, ethical and legal issues associated with prescribing and provides the foundation for the other modules in this programme.

Learning Outcomes
  1. Understand and comply with the regulatory framework associated with medicinal product prescribing.
  2. Use evidence based knowledge to support their prescribing practice.
  3. Apply ethical principles and concepts in their prescribing practice.
  4. Analyse and form judgements on how to respond to ethical issues that may arise in practice.
  5. Undertake effective consultation with clients including appropriate history taking and assessment to inform diagnosis and prescribing practice.
  6. Demonstrate a client centred approach in their practice, emphasising personal choice and responsibility in line with best practice.
  7. Analyse and respond effectively to the factors that influence clients’ decision-making in respect to treatment regimes.
  8. Establish a support network, for example pharmacists, consultants or others, to support their prescribing practice.
Assessments

This module's usual assessment procedures, outlined below, may be affected by COVID-19 countermeasures. Current students should check Blackboard for up-to-date assessment information.

  • Continuous Assessment (100%)
Module Director
Lecturers / Tutors
The above information outlines module NU010.II: "Professional, Ethical & Legal Issues of Nurse and Midwife Prescribing)" and is valid from 2018 onwards.
Note: Module offerings and details may be subject to change.

Optional NU530: The Contexts and Issues Related to Advanced Practice


Semester 1 | Credits: 10

Assessments

This module's usual assessment procedures, outlined below, may be affected by COVID-19 countermeasures. Current students should check Blackboard for up-to-date assessment information.

  • Continuous Assessment (100%)
Module Director
Lecturers / Tutors
The above information outlines module NU530: "The Contexts and Issues Related to Advanced Practice" and is valid from 2014 onwards.
Note: Module offerings and details may be subject to change.

Optional RPL010: Recognised Prior Learning


Semester 1 and Semester 2 | Credits: 10

Assessments

This module's usual assessment procedures, outlined below, may be affected by COVID-19 countermeasures. Current students should check Blackboard for up-to-date assessment information.

  • Continuous Assessment (100%)
Module Director
The above information outlines module RPL010: "Recognised Prior Learning " and is valid from 2020 onwards.
Note: Module offerings and details may be subject to change.

Optional RPL020: Recognised Prior Learning


Semester 1 and Semester 2 | Credits: 20

Assessments

This module's usual assessment procedures, outlined below, may be affected by COVID-19 countermeasures. Current students should check Blackboard for up-to-date assessment information.

  • Continuous Assessment (100%)
Module Director
The above information outlines module RPL020: "Recognised Prior Learning " and is valid from 2020 onwards.
Note: Module offerings and details may be subject to change.

Optional RPL030: Recognised Prior Learning


Semester 1 and Semester 2 | Credits: 30

Assessments

This module's usual assessment procedures, outlined below, may be affected by COVID-19 countermeasures. Current students should check Blackboard for up-to-date assessment information.

  • Continuous Assessment (100%)
Module Director
The above information outlines module RPL030: "Recognised Prior Learning " and is valid from 2020 onwards.
Note: Module offerings and details may be subject to change.

Why Choose This Course?

Career Opportunities

Graduates have found employment in the health services, and can pursue accreditation with An Bord Altranais agus Cnáimhseachais na hÉireann to register as an Advanced Nurse or Midwife Practitioner.

Who’s Suited to This Course

Learning Outcomes

 

Work Placement

Study Abroad

Related Student Organisations

Course Fees

Fees: EU

€4,240 p.a. 2021/22

Fees: Tuition

€4,016 p.a. 2021/22

Fees: Student levy

€224 p.a. 2021/22

Fees: Non EU

€13,250 p.a. 2021/22

Find out More

Catherine Meagher
T: + 353 91 492 829
E: catherine.meagher@nuigalway.ie

Downloads

  • Postgraduate Taught Prospectus 2021

    Postgraduate Taught Prospectus 2021 PDF (11.3MB)