GD-CAHNU v.2 Graduate Diploma in Child and Adolescent Health Nursing

Graduate Diplomas 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 Diploma 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. Students will also develop effective health research skills and learn to critically evaluate research findings and incorporate evidence-based knowledge into their community health nursing practice.

Professional Recognition

Graduates will be eligible to apply for positions in child and adolescent health (child health, school health or general community health).

Career Opportunities

Potential employment for graduates may exist in child and adolescent 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 Diplomas contain a series of units which may include compulsory (core), optional or elective units to cater for student preferences. They may contain a range of majors/streams for students to choose from to pursue learning in a specialised area of study.

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. analyse psychosocial determinants to effectively integrate principles of primary health care into practice to maintain optimal wellbeing of the individual, family and community

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

3. locate, extract and interpret relevant evidence and scientific literature; evaluate and synthesise the evidence to inform decision making in community health nursing practice

4. demonstrate quality written, oral and interpersonal communication skills in academic, professional and community health care contexts; promote nursing health care within the community in the context of public health policy.

5. use appropriate technologies to practice child and adolescent health nursing practice; collect and manage information ethically and effectively.

6. demonstrate ability in interdependent and self-directed learning; identify the use of lifelong learning skills and ability to incorporate learning opportunities in nursing practice

7. recognise national and global child and adolescent health issues and strategic health care directions; relate these to child and adolescent health nursing practice; integrate international evidence based practice into community health nursing practice

8. provide culturally aware and respectful health care provision to multicultural groups and Indigenous communities; integrate principles of cultural security, advocacy and social justice into the care of all clients

9. analyse impacting sociocultural environments to demonstrate professional and ethical practice in child and adolescent 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.

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Applicants for a Graduate Diploma 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 Graduate Certificate. Any specific course entry and completion requirements must also be met.

Specifically, applicants must hold a Graduate Certificate in Child and Adolescent Health Nursing (Graduate Certificate with a course weighted average of 70 or above) or equivalent and registration as a general nurse in Division One with the Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia (NMBA). 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 Master degrees. For further details, see the University website http://curtin.edu.au.