GC-CAHNU v.2 Graduate Certificate in Child and Adolescent Health Nursing

Graduate Certificates prepare students to develop advanced knowledge and skills for professional or highly skilled work and further learning corresponding to AQF level 8 qualifications.

The Graduate Certificate in Child and Adolescent Health Nursing offers effective and specific education for generalist, child and adolescent community health nurses to prepare practitioners capable of fulfilling these diverse practice roles. Community health nursing is modelled on a primary health care framework with the aim of promoting health, preventing disease, implementing early intervention strategies, managing individual cases and working in collaborative partnerships with clients. Embodied in the primary health care approach are the primary, secondary and tertiary levels of prevention that are provided by community health nurses. Given the autonomous work, nurses practising in the community must have professional skills and specialist preparation in these areas of community health nursing. The practice domain includes individuals, families, groups and whole communities. Australia's diverse multicultural society necessitates that community health nurses are able to undertake relevant research and provide relevant evidence-based sociocultural health support to the profession and members of the community throughout their lifespan.

Career Opportunities

Graduates may employment in community health practice in metropolitan, rural and remote area settings.

Additional Course Expenses

Students may be expected to purchase a number of textbooks and other essential study materials.

Graduate Certificates contain a series of units which may include compulsory (core), optional or elective units to cater for student preferences.

This course focuses on the development of leadership, critical thinking and clinical decision making. This course is not available to International Onshore Students on Student Visas.

Course Learning Outcomes

A graduate of this course can:

1. identify and apply principles of primary health care into practice to maintain optimal wellbeing of the individual, family and community

2. assess the environmental, physical and psychosocial aspects of the individual, family and/or community to determine and plan the health care needs within a community practice setting

3. locate, extract and interpret relevant evidence and scientific literature

4. communicate both verbally and written, in a way the individuals, family and professional colleagues can understand

5. use appropriate technologies to practice community health nursing practice

6. demonstrate ability in interdependent and self-directed learning

7. incorporate learning opportunities in nursing practice

8. recognise national and global community health issues and strategic health care directions; relate these to community nursing practice

9. provide culturally aware and respectful health care provision to multicultural groups and Indigenous communities; demonstrate professional and ethical practice in community health nursing; work collaboratively within an interdisciplinary health care team

Duration and Availability

This course can only be undertaken on a part-time basis. It is recommended that students undertake 1-2 units of study per semester. One unit is available internal only with the remaining units available online.

Location and delivery Mode

The information displayed above refers to study periods and locations where the course is available for first time entry. Students are normally only offered or admitted to a course once.

* The course itself may not be available either solely internally or externally but individual units may be offered in either or both of those modes. Prospective students should contact the Course Coordinator for further information.

^ Course and associated units are offered in this mode permitting International Onshore student enrolment.

# Course and associated units are offered in this online only mode and DO NOT permit International Onshore student enrolment.

YEAR 1 SEMESTER 1

YEAR 1 SEMESTER 2

* This course is not available to International Onshore Students on Student Visas. This course is only available on a part-time basis and students should not undertake more than 2 units of study per semester. One unit is available internally with the remaining units available online. Applicants must hold a Bachelor degree and registration as a General Nurse in Division One with the Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia (NMBA).

Applicants for a Graduate Certificate are required to meet University academic and English language entry standards; details are provided at http://study.curtin.edu.au/. Applicants generally require a Bachelor Degree or equivalent credit gained for recognised learning. Any specific course entry and completion requirements must also be met.

Specifically, applicants must hold a bachelor degree and registration as a general nurse in Division One with the Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia (NMBA). Students need to be able to undertake a compulsory five day pre-clinical skills workshop at the Bentley campus prior to their clinical placement. there are no further fees incurred for this workshop but rural students will need to source and fund travel and accommodation expenses. Applicants for this course should refer to the Faculty website for more information on Communicable Diseases and Criminal Record Screening and Clearance.

Credit for Recognised Learning

Applications for credit towards a course are assessed on an individual basis. Credit reduces the amount of learning required to complete the course and may be granted for formal education qualifications, non-formal learning from non-award programs of study and informal learning through work experiences. Further information can be found at http://futurestudents.curtin.edu.au/non-school-leavers/rpl.cfm

Pathway to Further Study

Graduates may qualify for entry to some Graduate Diplomas and Master degrees. For further details, see the University website http://curtin.edu.au.