Graduate Certificate in Transfusion Practice

The Graduate Certificate in Transfusion Practice provides students with the skills and the opportunity to extend their nursing knowledge in an area of specialty transfusion practice.

It aims to improve the transfusion safety and appropriate use of blood and blood products within hospitals.

The foundation of the work is the translation of national best practice guidelines into everyday transfusion practice.The Graduate Certificate in Transfusion Practice is a part-time, three subject online program of one years duration administered by the Melbourne School of Professional and Continuing Education.

The course is delivered in partnership with the Australian Red Cross Blood Service under the auspices of the Blood Matters:

better safer transfusion (BeST) program and the Department of Human Services Victoria.The program is conducted by an experienced nurse educator and is the only online Graduate Certificate in Transfusion Practice course in the Southern Hemisphere.

Course structure

To satisfy the requirements of the Graduate Certificate in Transfusion Practice students must successfully complete all three subjects, a total of 50 points.

Entry requirements

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

• a degree in medicine, or an undergraduate degree in an allied health profession or equivalent, or
• at least five years of documented relevant work experience;
• Also applicants must be employed in a relevant area of transfusion practice or blood management.

Meeting these requirements does not guarantee selection.

2. In ranking and/or assessing applications, the Selection Committee will consider:

• prior academic qualification and performance; and/or
• the professional experience.

3. 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.

4. 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.

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

At the completion of the course, students should be able to;

• Identify key factors in the history of transfusion medicine that have influenced clinical practice
• Demonstrate a sound knowledge of basic haematology, pathophysiology of disease, investigation and treatment that influence the appropriate selection of blood and blood products.
• Describe in detail the process of Transfusion: from donation to administration
• Demonstrate a sound understanding of the role of quality systems and principles in blood and blood product management
• Describe and apply the practical aspects of transfusion improvement processes such as audit and data analysis
• Comprehend, at an advanced level, the physiological and clinical responses to transfusion
• Demonstrate a sound knowledge regarding the appropriate indications for blood and blood products in specialised clinical settings
• Demonstrate the ability to influence and inform clinical practice regarding appropriate use of blood and blood products.