Nursing & Midwifery - Orthopaedic Nursing - Cappagh Hospital

Enhance your knowledge of professional, clinical, leadership and managerial issues related to the care of patients presenting for planned orthopaedic care and develop key research skills. This course is delivered by the RCSI School of Nursing and Midwifery.



The award title for this course is Postgraduate Diploma 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 working in planned orthopaedic procedure settings at the National Orthopaedic Hospital Cappagh or affiliated sites.

What you will learn

Advanced Research Methods

Advanced Leadership and Management – Clinical and Professional

Advancing Professional Practice

Principles of Orthopaedic Nursing

Management of conditions impacting on the Musculoskeletal System from a Nursing Perspective

Nursing the Patient Undergoing Planned Orthopaedic Surgery

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.



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



Be working in the National Maternity Hospital, The Coombe Women & Infants University Hospital, Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital, the Rotunda Hospital or in another site which has been audit approved for the duration of the programme.



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 requirements 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

Fees and funding

•Total fees: Fees are currently being reviewed for 2020/21 and will be released shortly.


Please note

•Your annual fees include the €45 NUI fee.

•There is a non-refundable online application fee of €50.

•Fees can be paid by bank transfer, cheque (made payable to 'RCSI') or bank giro. Full details on fee payment will be emailed to you shortly before the commencement of your programme.

•You can pay your fees in three instalments – one payment of 40% is due before you commence the programme, while the remaining payments can be paid in two 30% instalments in November and February of your year of study.

•If you meet the criteria for a Non-EU student please contact us for more information on fee payments

Next start date September 2025

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