Part Time option suitable for:

Domestic(EEA) applicants: Yes
International (Non EEA) applicants currently residing outside of the EEA Region. No

This programme is for any nurse or midwife who feels the extension of the authority to prescribe will enhance their role and improve the quality and standard of patient care. This extended role must be discussed and approved in advance with your Director of Nursing/Midwifery/Public Health.

This programme is for any General, Psychiatric, Children's, Intellectual Disability Registered Nurse or Midwife or Registered Public Health Nurse, who has three years post registration clinical experience (within the past five years) with the equivalent of one year full time experience in the specific area of practice in which they wish to prescribe.

The purpose of the Professional Diploma in Prescription of Medication with Health Assessment programme, is to prepare nurses/midwives who have not previously undertaken a module in health assessment,  to promote health, wellbeing and dignity across the lifespan through skilled, ethical and careful practice based on the best evidence and professional judgement . This is achieved though the development of lifelong learning skills for the personal and professional development of knowledge, skills/competencies and attitudes over the duration of the programme, leading to level  8 award and professional registration with the Nursing and Midwifery Board of Ireland. Programmes facilitate the learner to be active, reflexive, autonomous, and motivated by engagement in innovative teaching and learning activities throughout the duration of the student experience. Curricula are student-focused, research-led and research informed, with a scholarly approach to programme design, aimed at inspiring a passion and excellence in the learner’s discipline by forming identity, integrity, commitment and curiosity for the provision of holistic, safe, ethical, compassionate evidence based nursing/midwifery care. Curricula are developed with stakeholder involvement to ensure they meet the current and future needs of learners, and a complex and evolving healthcare system . The prescribing programmes are designed with the learner at the centre. A wide variety of pedagogical approaches to teaching, learning and assessment enhance the student experience, encouraging the incremental development of learning. Learning takes place in multiple environments across the university and clinical practice environments. The partnership with our professional and allied health professional clinical partners across the healthcare sector in programme design and delivery is a major strength. Learning is facilitated by the use of a variety of innovative pedagogies and technologies to meet emerging student, professional and health system needs. This commitment to curricular innovation ensures that there is alignment of programme learning outcomes, teaching and learning activities and assessment, in addition to enhancing the learner experience. Programmes are delivered by experts in the fields of education, practice discipline and professional standing, ensuring that learners experience a coherent, cumulative, research-based educational programme that meets all academic and professional regulations, standards and requirements.

At the end of this programme candidates will be able to:

• Demonstrate a systematic understanding of the regulatory framework associated with prescribing, including legislation and professional guidelines, supporting safe prescribing
• Critically utilise evidence based knowledge and skill of patient/client assessment and consultation to achieve a holistic approach to patient/client care in the prescribing of medicinal products
• Apply expert skills in clinical decision making in relation to prescribing medicinal products
• Demonstrate a critical understanding of pharmacotherapeutics, pharmacodynamics and pharmacokinetics
• Demonstrate knowledge of the role of the multi-disciplinary team and effective communication processes involved in safe medication management

View All Modules Here

Programme Structure

NMHS32170 Pharmacology: Nurse-Midwife Prescribing  (January to May)

NMHS33140 Prescribing Practice Context  (January to May)

NMHS43980 Advanced Health Assessment (January to May)

NMHS33150 Clinical Practicum Prescribing  (January to August)

Teaching and Learning

Theoretical lectures are delivered using a blended approach.  All online lectures are live and recorded. All face-to-face lectures are delivered on Wednesdays in UCD Belfield campus.  Online learning requires a high level of personal motivation, self-discipline, and an aptitude for self-directed learning.  Brightspace (a web-based virtual learning environment) is used extensively.  Access to broadband and proficiency in computer skills are essential.  

Clinical learning is comprised of 26 weeks clinical exposure in the area in which you currently work. A designated medical practitioner mentor will provide 96 hours clinical instruction. Students must complete 10 medicinal product prescribing case studies under the supervision of the medical practitioner as a demonstration of competence.

Timetable

Click here to see X644 Provisional Prescribing Master Timetable January - July 2024. Please note this timetable is provisional and subject to change. 

ProfDip Prescription of Medication with Health Assessment (X644) Part Time
EU/NONEU    fee per year - € 3000

***Fees are subject to change

Funded Students: Employees of the Health Services Executive  

If your Director of Nursing/Director of Midwifery supports your application, and if you are an employee of the Health Services Executive Voluntary and Statutory Services, then the HSE will fund you to undertake this education programme. For information on who can apply and how to apply for HSE funding please click here.  Funding must be approved prior to applying to UCD. Please note, HSE funded applicants must pay the €60 application fee. Your application cannot be processed fully unless the application fee has been paid.

Funding:

If the fees for your programme are being paid by a third party (full or partial), please ensure your funding organisation/sponsor/hospital contacts student.payments@ucd.ie. Please note this is not a student facing email address.

Student Queries:

If you have any queries about your fees, please contact the Student Desk:

www.ucd.ie/askus

https://www.ucd.ie/students/studentdesk/

Application Fee:

Please note that all applicants are required to pay the €60 application fee. Your application cannot be processed fully unless the application fee has been paid.

More information about fees is available on the UCD website at the link below:

• General information about UCD Fees

Entry Requirments

You must:

• Be registered as a nurse or midwife on the liver register with the NMBI
• Be currently employed as a nurse or midwife
• Have a minimium of 3 years post-registration clinical experience (within the past 5 years) with at least one year in the area in which prescribing is proposed
• Have completed an NFQ Level 8 degree or international equivalent 
• Possess IT competencies

Documents Required

• Validated copies of Certificate/Diploma/Degree awards in Nursing
• Original transcript(s) including date and grading of degree award (non UCD Graduates only) & notarised English translations where relevant
• A photocopy of current NMBI registration
• A copy of your birth certificate or personal page of passport
• Evidence of proficiency in English language (applicants whose first language is not English)
• Site Declaration Form (Only up to date fully complete Site Declaration Forms will be accepted)
• If HSE funded, copy of email verifying approval of funding

Please note:  Failure to submit the required documentation or parts thereof prior to the application closing date will result in your application being rejected.

We have many wonderful graduates of the Prof. Dip programme and some have shared their stories with us. Please have a read of some of the inspiring alumni stories linked below:

Clare Kennedy (BSc General Nursing 2007, HDip Midwifery 2011, Prof Dip Prescription of Medication with Health Assessment 2016, Prof Dip Obstetric Ultrasound 2018, Prof Cert Examination of the Newborn 2019)

For the January 2025 start, the application system is open from 1st October 2024 to 15th November 2024.

Apply online

Failure to submit the required documentation or parts thereof prior to the application closing date will result in your application being rejected.  Please note, the application system may close early if capacity is reached.

Does this programme have an official conferring ceremony?

Please note there is no online or in-person conferring ceremony for this programme. Your parchment will be posted to you by UCD Conferring.