Mﾄ》anga Tapuhi Nurse Practitioner training is delivered as an option within Part Two of the Master of Nursing.
Structure of the Mﾄ》anga Tapuhi Nurse Practitioner Training Programme/Practicum
Following completion of Part One of the Master of Nursing, the Mﾄ》anga Tapuhi Nurse Practitioner Training Programme/Practicum comprises two 30-credit courses that must both be completed within Part Two of your Master of Nursing:
- 168870 Prescribing and Advanced Practice for Nurse Practitioners 1 (30 credits) and
- 168871 Prescribing and Advanced Practice for Nurse Practitioners 2 (30 credits)
These 2 courses may also be completed as a Certificate of Proficiency if you have already been awarded an eligible and equivalent master窶冱 degree.
Entry requirements
You will be a Registered Nurse with practising certificate, and:
- Minimum 3 years窶 clinical experience
- Relevant postgraduate preparation
- Employer support.
Academic entry requirements
In addition to the standard Master of Nursing Part Two prerequisites, the Mﾄ》anga Tapuhi Nurse Practitioner Training Programme/Practicum has the following academic requirements:
- 168733 Physiology and Pathophysiology (with at least a 'B' grade; see notes) and
- 168734 Clinical Pharmacology (with at least a 'B' grade) ｲｹｲﾔｻ衫
- 168711 Health Research Design and Methods (or equivalent) and either
Notes
- If you completed the required courses more than 5 years ago, or did not achieve the required grades, please send your transcript and CV to nursing@massey.ac.nz to discuss your options.
- If you did not achieve at least a 'B' grade in 168733, you may still apply if you achieve a 'B' grade or higher in 168750.
- The Professional/Clinical Experience, Practicum and funding entry requirements are likely to change for 2027 applicants. Please review the following sources for up-to-date details:
- website, section
- for funding application information and criteria
- 168870 Prescribing and Advanced Practice for Nurse Practitioners 1 course webpage.
Professional/Clinical experience requirementsﾂ(2026)
Applicants must:
- Be a Registered Nurse with a current practising certificate from the Nursing Council of New Zealand.
- Intend to practise as a Nurse Practitioner in a role and setting that is aligned with the Nurse Practitioner scope of practice.
- Have at least 3 years (0.8 FTE) of relevant clinical experience in a patient-facing role aligned with your intended NP scope of practice.
- Relevant to intended area of practice
- Preferably at a senior/advanced level
- At least 1 year in NZ or a comparable health system
- Have at least 1 of the 3 years窶 clinical experience in New Zealand or a similar healthcare context.
- Have a clearly defined proposed Nurse Practitioner role (population-based, broad range of presentations that are relevant to the regulatory framework for Nurse Practitioners).
Practicum requirements
The employer must agree to:
- Provide and support a practicum placement. This includes clinical release to complete:
- 500 hours of supervised clinical practice managing complete patient encounters (assessment, diagnosis, treatment and follow-up)
- At least 80 hours in a secondary placement.
- Support mandatory attendance at 12 on-campus study/block days (in addition to practicum hours).
- Provide a named Clinical Supervisor (senior medical or Mﾄ》anga Tapuhi Nurse Practitioner) to provide informal (clinical oversight) and formal (case reviews/teaching) supervision as well as to review submitted assignments, and to validate completion of the Mﾄ》anga Tapuhi Nurse Practitioner competencies.
- Support access to a Mﾄ》anga Tapuhi Nurse Practitioner mentor if your Clinical Supervisor is not a Mﾄ》anga Tapuhi Nurse Practitioner.
- Support independent professional supervision (during and after the practicum).
- Provide access to a medical or Mﾄ》anga Tapuhi Nurse Practitioner during supervised clinical practice, at all times. This role can be delegated to other senior medical or Mﾄ》anga Tapuhi Nurse Practitioners.
- Ensure you have access to pertinent clinical resources and can request investigations/diagnostic tests. Sign-off should be double-checked until you are an Mﾄ》anga Tapuhi Nurse Practitioner.
- Ensure you have access to read and write clinical records (alongside medical notes).
Funding requirements (2026)
The Mﾄ》anga Tapuhi Nurse Practitioner Training Programme/Practicum is funded nationally by the Nurse Practitioner Training Support Scheme (NPTSS).ﾂPlease review their webpage for current criteria and funding application information.
Application process
Prospective candidates must apply for entry to BOTH the Mﾄ》anga Tapuhi Nurse Practitioner Training Programme/Practicum AND for funding; they are separate applications.
Academic applications usually open in the second half of the year for study the following year. Please contact nursing@massey.ac.nz to ensure you receive updates and application information/dates.
All applicants will be interviewed for eligibility, readiness and suitability.
Previous learning expectations
Applicants are expected to demonstrate:
- Advanced clinical assessment skills
- Comprehensive physical and mental health assessment
- Accurate identification of normal and abnormal findings.
- Applied science knowledge
- Physiology and pathophysiology relevant to practice
- Pharmacology principles (including safe prescribing and monitoring).
- Clinical reasoning
- Structured and reflective decision-making
- Awareness of cognitive bias.
- Professional practice
- Practice aligned with NCNZ competencies and the 6 Pou.
The Mﾄ》anga Tapuhi Nurse Practitioner role and scope of practice
Mﾄ》anga Tapuhi Nurse Practitioners (NPs) in Aotearoa New Zealand have completed a clinical master's degree in advanced clinical/nursing practice, accredited by the Nursing Council of New Zealand (NCNZ),窶ｯand have demonstrated competence to gain registration as a Nurse Practitioner.
The Mﾄ》anga Tapuhi Nurse Practitioners are authorised to independently assess, diagnose, investigate, prescribe/treat and arrange follow-up for patients across many health settings (including general, specialty, community/primary, secondary, tertiary and private health care settings).
Mﾄ》anga Tapuhi Nurse Practitioners may lead/deliver health care for the entire population or a subset of the population, (such as neonates, older adults, women窶冱 health, or children and young people) within their area of practice.
Mﾄ》anga Tapuhi Nurse Practitioners may:
- Work independently or within teams
- Lead healthcare delivery
- Prescribe medicines with the same legal authority as medical practitioners.
Nurse Practitioner practice is grounded in nursing values, including:
- Holistic care
- Cultural safety
- Equity and social justice.
Mﾄ｛ri experience significant health inequities, including higher rates of chronic disease and reduced life expectancy. Mﾄ》anga Tapuhi Nurse Practitioner practise must actively address these inequities through culturally safe, equity-focused care. Advanced nursing practice must reflect the , including:
- kawa whakaruruhau (cultural safety from the Mﾄ｛ri world viewpoint)
- cultural safety (Mﾄ｛ri must feel culturally safe).
And being respectful of:
- Te ao Mﾄ｛ri; the Mﾄ｛ri world view
- Te Reo; Mﾄ｛ri language
- Tikanga; Mﾄ｛ri foundational beliefs about issues/actions/customs that are tapu (sacred, restricted, prohibited).
Advanced nursing practice
The Mﾄ》anga Tapuhi Nurse Practitioner scope of practice embodies all 4 pillars of advanced nursing practice:
- clinical excellence
- leadership
- education
- scholarship.
1, Clinical excellence
Mﾄ》anga Tapuhi Nurse Practitioners are expert clinicians who combine advanced clinical skills, critical thinking and strong clinical reasoning to deliver safe, effective care.
They use current evidence and established frameworks to assess, diagnose and manage patient care, improving outcomes for patients and their whﾄ］au.
Mﾄ》anga Tapuhi Nurse Practitioners provide holistic, person- and whﾄ］au-centred care. This includes:
- Building therapeutic relationships
- Understanding patient needs, beliefs and goals
- Supporting shared decision-making.
They consider factors such as health literacy, access to care, risks and available supports to deliver comprehensive and responsive care.
Mﾄ》anga Tapuhi Nurse Practitioners also contribute to improving clinical practice within their teams, services, and wider health system.
2, Clinical leadership
Mﾄ》anga Tapuhi Nurse Practitioners lead by example in clinical practice, demonstrating sound decision-making, professionalism and culturally safe, equity-focused care.
They work in partnership with Mﾄ｛ri, in accordance with Te Tiriti o Waitangi, to address health inequities and support better health outcomes. This includes engaging with Mﾄ｛ri to understand their needs, experiences and priorities and co-designing responsive services.
Mﾄ》anga Tapuhi Nurse Practitioners also recognise and respond to inequities affecting Pacific peoples and other communities who experience barriers to care, including those impacted by poverty, isolation or other social determinants of health.
Through leadership, partnership and advocacy, Mﾄ》anga Tapuhi Nurse Practitioners help shape more equitable and accessible health services.
3, Education/teaching
Mﾄ》anga Tapuhi Nurse Practitioners are educators and role models who teach across a range of settings. This includes:
- Educating patients and whﾄ］au
- Supporting colleagues and learners in clinical practice
- Providing clinical supervision
- Contributing to tertiary teaching and workforce development.
They also support understanding of advanced nursing practice, professional pathways and service development.
4, Scholarship, including research
Mﾄ》anga Tapuhi Nurse Practitioners are life-long learners who engage in ongoing professional development, research and knowledge sharing.
They contribute to improving practice by:
- Applying and integrating evidence into care
- Participating in or leading research
- Sharing knowledge through teaching, presentations and collaboration.
Mﾄ》anga Tapuhi Nurse Practitioners support innovation and continuous improvement in healthcare at local, national and international levels.