Nurse Practitioner Pathway
Information about Nurse Practitioners, or Mātanga tapuhi (NP), the highly skilled healthcare providers with advanced education, clinical training, and authority to practice independently.
Nurse Practitioners | Mātanga tapuhi (NP) are highly skilled health practitioners with advanced education (a minimum of a Masters degree), clinical training and experience. They have demonstrated clinical competence and have the legal authority to practice as an independent healthcare provider.
Registered nurses who enrol in the Master of Health Science with the University of Waikato may choose to pursue registration as a Nurse Practitioner. This is professionally accredited pathway leads to eligibility to apply for registration with the Nursing Council of New Zealand in addition to an academic qualification. Visit the NPNZ website for more information on Nurse Practitioners and their role advancing NP practice and enabling high quality integrated and accessible healthcare throughout New Zealand.
Pathways
Nurse Practitioners (NPs) are required to have completed a masters degree in nursing through a Nursing Council of New Zealand (NCNZ) approved pathway at an approved tertiary education provider. There are two funding streams for nurse practitioner training.
1. The Nurse Practitioner Training Programme (NPTP)
The NPTP is a national programme that includes the final year of preparation for NP registration funded by Te Whatu Ora. Nurse Practitioner training is provided through a coordinated programme between the partner universities. Nurses will apply to the programme of their choice from the approved providers to complete the NPTP.
To apply
You will be directed to the University of Auckland website. You can then select which university you wish to apply with in the form. Please ensure your application is fully completed, including selecting the university of your choice.
All applications are to be submitted to the University of Auckland to the via the online form by 4th September 2023.
2. Postgraduate Nursing Funding
Nurses may complete masters courses to register as NPs delivered through other tertiary education providers. Students attending these programmes are eligible to access Postgraduate Nursing Funding (Health Workforce Directorate funding) through their local district health board (DHB) under the direction of the Director of Nursing and their postgraduate education coordinator.
Non-NPTP applications for the UoW NP program close 17th November 2023.