Thomas Kearns

Thomas Kearns, Thomas Kearns, EdD, FFNMRCSI, MEd, BNS, RNT, RGN, RPN, is a Professor of Nursing and the former Executive Director (Executive Dean) of the Faculty of Nursing and Midwifery, at the RCSI, University of Medicine and Health Sciences, Dublin Ireland. He was appointed to this post in April 2014 and retired in April 2023. He was responsible for leading and delivering on the strategic intent and operational activity of the faculty. In May 2023 Thomas was appointed Co-Director of the Global Innovation and Leadership Academy which hosts the Faculty’s WHO collaboration, including the Candidate WHO Collaborating Centre.

Thomas has worked in professional regulation, nursing, and health policy at a national, EU, and global level and in higher education. Thomas’ doctorate is in the area of continuing professional development and the maintenance of professional competence.

From August 2017 to September 2018 Thomas worked as interim CEO of the International Council of Nurses in Geneva. The faculty of nursing, through an MoU, is the academic partner for the European Council of Nurse Regulators (ENC), a relationship that supports evidence and research-based regulation and professional standards and guidance in Europe.

Thomas developed a Centre for Nursing and Midwifery Advancement across the RCSI Hospital Group. He developed and was founding director of a European Centre of Research Excellence (CPD) a Centre with 22 European partners.

He has led a number of research projects within the centre with a range of publications. In April 2021 Thomas was appointed Trustee of the Florence Nightingale International Museum. Thomas is PI leading Global research into the WHO Quality Rights Education programme for nursing and midwifery- a 3-year project. Thomas is leading a Scoping Review on Nursing and Physician Regulation across 5 DG Eastern Enlargement countries within the EU. He is also leading on drafting a Technical Brief on Nursing Regulation for the WHO Euro Region. In February 2025, Thomas was appointed a Knight of the Order of Merit by the President of Romania for his contribution to Nursing and Healthcare services leadership. In September 2025, he was appointed to the Board of Peamount Healthcare in Ireland.