Nursing & Midwifery - Orthopaedic Nursing

Advance your theoretical knowledge and develop a critical and questioning approach as you explore professional and clinical issues related to the care of the patient requiring a planned orthopaedic procedure.



Enhance your clinical practice by developing an in-depth knowledge of conditions requiring planned orthopaedic procedures with RCSI School of Nursing and Midwifery. Improve your knowledge of evaluating approaches to planning and implementing health education, interventions, polices and strategies. Please note that this programme is delivered in partnership with the National Orthopaedic Hospital, Cappagh. If you are interested in Orthopaedic Trauma Nursing, the RCSI strand may be more appropriate for you.



This programme is delivered part-time via an active blended learning approach including self-directed learning and live online classes approximately once every week in Semester 1, with in-person teaching in Semester 2.



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



The award title for this course is Postgraduate Certificate Nursing (Orthopaedic Nursing).



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



Suitable for

This programme is designed for registered nurses with an interest in caring for individuals requiring planned orthopaedic procedures.

What you will learn

Principles of Orthopaedic Trauma Nursing

Core Concepts of Trauma Care

Consolidating and Advancing practice in Trauma Care Nursing

To be eligible for the programme you 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.



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



Must be working in the National Orthopaedic Hospital, Cappagh or other site which has been audit approved for the duration of the programme.



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, students can progress to a postgraduate diploma.