Graduate Certificate in Nursing Practice (Acute and Complex Care)

The Graduate Certificate in Nursing Practice (Acute and Complex Care) is a clinical coursework program designed to advance the knowledge and clinical practice skills of nurses who are specialising in general clinical settings, including medical, surgical or renal.The course is nationally and internationally relevant, providing students with a sound understanding of the scientific knowledge and evidence that underpins knowledge and skill development in nursing practice.

Students will develop the ability to apply knowledge to understand the practice of providing nursing care to individuals experiencing acute alterations in their health status.The Graduate Certificate in Nursing Practice (Acute and Complex Care) provides students with advanced knowledge and skills for advanced nursing practice and provides a pathway for further learning including the Masters of Advanced Nursing Practice.

Course structure

To qualify for the Graduate Certificate in Nursing Practice, students must successfully complete three core compulsory subjects and two core selective subjects from the list below (50 credit points). Students are required to successfully complete Applied Pathophysiology, the pre-requisite subject to Nursing Specialty 1 and Nursing Practice 1. Students must successfully complete Nursing Specialty 1 and Nursing Practice 1 before commencing Nursing Specialty 2 (selective) and Nursing Practice 2 (selective).

Entry requirements

1. In order to be considered for entry, applicants must:

• Have completed a three-year undergraduate degree in the discipline of nursing, or equivalent
• Have at least one (1) year documented evidence of clinical experience as a Registered Nurse working in an acute, sub-acute or community health care service within the preceding five years from the time of application
• Be employed a minimum of 24 hours per week for the Nursing Practice subjects
• Be nominated by their Education Manager or other Health Service representative to undertake the clinical components of the course
• Have unrestricted registration with the Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia (or equivalent for international nurses) for subjects with clinical components only.

Meeting these requirements does not guarantee selection.

1. In ranking applications, the Selection Committee will consider:
2. • prior academic performance; and
3. • the work experience
4. The Selection Committee may seek further information to clarify any aspect of an application in accordance with the Academic Board rules on the use of selection instruments.
5. Applicants are required to satisfy the university’s English language requirements for postgraduate courses. For those applicants seeking to meet these requirements by one of the standard tests approved by the Academic Board, performance band 6.5 is required.

Notes:

Graduates who successfully complete the subjects ‘Applied Pathophysiology’ and ‘Nursing Specialty 1’ are eligible to receive the Specialist Certificate in Nursing Practice as an exit award.

Inherent requirements (core participation requirements)

For the purposes of considering a request for Reasonable Adjustments under the Disability Standards for Education (2005), and Students Experiencing Academic Disadvantage Policy, academic requirements for this subject are articulated in the Subject Description, Subject Objectives, Generic Skills and Assessment Requirements of this entry.The University is dedicated to providingsupport to those with special requirements. Further details on the disability support scheme can be found at the Disability Liaison Unit website. http://www.services.unimelb.edu.au/disability/

Intended learning outcomes

• Specialised theoretical and technical knowledge, including demonstrating the ability to acquire and apply new knowledge and skills in nursing practice;
• Cognitive skills to review, analyse, consolidate and synthesise new and existing knowledge and identify and provide solutions to complex problems in delivering nursing care;
• Cognitive skills to think critically and to generate and evaluate complex ideas in nursing practice;
• Specialised technical and evidence-based skills to inform nursing practice;
• A high level of verbal and written communication skills to demonstrate an understanding of theoretical concepts;
• Effective communication skills when transferring knowledge and ideas to patients, their carers and family;
• The ability to make evidence-based judgements and decisions in a range of technical situations and to inform nursing practice;
• The ability to initiate, plan, implement and evaluate nursing practice; and
• The ability to demonstrate advanced clinical reasoning skills including demonstrating the responsibility and accountability for nursing interventions.