The Master’s Degree in Nursing Care in Intensive and Emergency Settings provides the skills required for the nursing management of critical situations in both adult and pediatric patients in hospital and out-of-hospital contexts.
Classroom activities aim to develop advanced transversal competencies, including the identification, planning, implementation, and evaluation of advanced nursing care interventions in emergency and urgent care settings, as well as communication, teamwork, and management skills related to clinical risk and infection control.
The diversified internship pathways are designed to develop advanced, specific competencies in the management of: airways, hemodynamic monitoring, polytrauma and patients with neurological injuries, renal replacement therapy, critically ill pediatric patients, and strategies for the prevention and control of Healthcare-Associated Infections (HAIs).
The training activities include 400 hours of classroom-based teaching and 100 hours of laboratory and simulation activities. Classroom sessions are held at Aula Istar (Technical Services Building, University Hospital of Padua, 2nd floor – Via Vincenzo Gallucci 13, Padua), while laboratory activities take place at various locations, including Aula Istar, classrooms of the University Hospital of Padua (Via Giustiniani 2, Padua), and the Skill Lab of the University of Padua.
Clinical internship activities consist of 300 hours in critical care units at the University Hospital of Padua.
The Master’s program is intended for all nursing professionals holding a Bachelor’s degree or an equivalent qualification; students who are expected to graduate in the November–December 2026 session may also apply conditionally.
Nurses who complete the Master’s program become specialist professionals capable of applying the advanced skills acquired in specific settings such as general or specialized intensive and sub-intensive care units in hub centers, emergency departments, SUEM (Emergency Medical Service) dispatch centers, and operating rooms.
The Master’s degree is a required qualification to access functional roles as a specialist professional, as regulated by Law no. 43/2006, incorporated into the latest National Collective Labor Agreements (CCNL), and implemented by numerous healthcare organizations and facilities through internal regulations or resolutions.
The teaching activities are divided into three macro-areas, each including several modules. Each module is structured according to functions and/or body systems typical of the ABCDE assessment and is delivered by faculty from various professional backgrounds: physicians, experienced and specialist nurses, cardiovascular perfusion technicians, neurophysiology technicians, physiotherapists, and dietitians.
CARDIO-RESPIRATORY AREA
• Out-of-hospital emergency care and Emergency Department care
• Monitoring and support of respiratory function
• Monitoring and support of hemodynamic function
SPECIALIST AREA
• Monitoring and support of neurological function and pain management
• Monitoring and support of metabolic function
• Monitoring and support of renal function
• Monitoring and support of critically ill pediatric patients
• Wound care in critical care settings
• Management of clinical and infection risk in critical care
LAW AND RESEARCH
• Research and teamwork
• Law and bioethics
Included in the tuition fee, the Master’s program offers courses in Basic Life Support (BLSD) and Advanced Cardiovascular Life Support (ACLS) with instructors certified by the American Heart Association (AHA), as well as Prehospital Trauma Life Support (PHTLS) with NAEMT-certified instructors.
It also guarantees a Safety Training course for Specific Risk (High Risk) in accordance with Legislative Decree 81/08, and offers the Pediatric Advanced Life Support (PALS) course at a discounted rate, delivered by American Heart Association (AHA) certified instructors.
The Master’s program is structured over two years, meaning the course is divided into two academic years.
Teaching: 500 hours divided between lectures, laboratories, and practical sessions, held from November 2026 to May 2027 and from November 2027 to May 2028, approximately one week per month. Teaching days are intensive, including both morning and afternoon sessions.
100 hours of teaching consist of practical laboratories and exercises on topics such as: airway management, FAST ultrasound (eco-FAST), intraosseous access, ultrasound-guided peripheral vascular access, suturing techniques, Basic Life Support (BLSD) certified course, Advanced Cardiovascular Life Support (ACLS) certified course, Prehospital Trauma Life Support (PHTLS) certified course, and the possibility to attend the Pediatric Advanced Life Support (PALS) certified course.
Internship: includes two pathways of 150 hours each, covering areas such as emergency and trauma care, invasive ventilation, non-invasive ventilation, advanced hemodynamics, renal replacement therapy, patients with neurological injuries, healthcare-associated infections, and critically ill pediatric patients. Depending on the chosen pathway, training will take place in critical care units of the University Hospital of Padua. The first internship takes place from June to September 2027, and the second from June 2028 to October 2028, with the possibility of organizing it in a flexible, part-time schedule suitable for working students and those living away from home.
Overall attendance of at least 70% is required for all teaching activities, while 100% attendance is mandatory for clinical internship activities. The course is delivered in person.
The selection exam is an oral test on the fundamental topics of nursing care in critical care settings.
After the pre-enrollment period closes, the Master’s Office will send candidates an email with the schedule of the selection exam, including the date and location.
The general ranking of merit for the academic year 2026/27 e 28 will be published on the Italian page of this First-level short specialisation degree according to the timing provided in the Call.
Information
FAQ
The Master’s program has a limited number of places. The selection process is score-based, taking into account qualifications and years of professional experience as indicated in the CV submitted during the pre-enrollment phase. This score is combined with the result of the oral exam, which focuses on fundamental topics of nursing care in critical care settings.
Working students may, upon request to their employer, apply for annual study leave of up to 150 hours in order to attend teaching or internship activities. The Master’s Office facilitates and provides any additional documentation that the employer may require from the student.
The course includes the following ongoing assessments: an individual paper on topics of bioethics and professional responsibility, a group project on clinical risk, and a multidisciplinary multiple-choice test on the core subjects of the program.
Students are required to prepare and present a concise project work at the end of the program, consisting of a literature review on topics related to intensive care or emergency settings, or a quality improvement project to be implemented in their own Unit or internship site.