Nursing & Midwifery - Care of the Surgical Patient

Advance your theoretical knowledge and develop a critical and questioning approach as you explore professional, clinical and managerial issues relevant to care of the surgical patient with RCSI School of Nursing and Midwifery.



Enhance your clinical practice by developing an in-depth knowledge of the principles of surgical care choosing between the perioperative strand or the preoperative/postoperative strand. You will explore evidence supporting safer patient care in these settings and emerging trends in these areas. This programme is delivered online via an active blended learning approach including self-directed learning and live online classes approximately once every week.



Further support is provided by the module lead, programme director and through regular online drop-in sessions.



The award title for this course is Postgraduate Certificate Nursing (Care of the Surgical Patient).



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



Suitable for

This programme is suitable for nurses with an interest in the care of the surgical patient.

What you will learn



General

Principles of Surgical Practice



Strand A

Anaesthetic and Recovery Room Nursing



Strand B

Enhanced Nursing Care of the Postoperative Patient



Strand A

Nursing Care of the Patient in the Operating Room



Strand B

Enhanced Nursing Care of the Preoperative Patient

To be eligible for this programme you must:



Hold an NFQ Level 8 qualification. However, if you do not hold a Level 8 qualification you 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.



Have an active registration with the Nursing and Midwifery Board of Ireland or other registration in a country in which they are practicing if international students.



Recognition of prior learning (RPL)

If you do not meet the minimum academic requirements above, you may still be eligible to apply through recognition of prior learning (RPL). RPL is the assessment of knowledge, skills and competence previously acquired.



Learning occurs in many contexts which include work, involvement in social and community activities, or learning through life experience generally. RPL does not give credit for experience as such; rather it considers the learning that was acquired as a result of the experience.



RPL may be used to gain:



Admission to courses/programmes where a person may not have obtained the standard entry requirements.

Exemptions from course modules which duplicate the learning outcomes an individual has already demonstrably acquired through prior learning.



English language requirement exceptions

English language requirements for RCSI 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.

6 months



Mode of delivery

Online - Part-time

Next start date January 2026

Upon the successful completion of this programme, you can progress to a postgraduate diploma.