Graduate Diploma in Nursing Practice (Mental Health)

The Graduate Diploma in Nursing Practice is a 100 point 4th year coursework program offered with clinical field practice competency requirements.

Workplace accredited clinical competency achievement in the context of full unrestricted registration with AHPRA and employment is mandated for the Graduate Diploma in Nursing Practice.

Course structure

The Graduate Certificate in Nursing Practice (Mental Health) is a 100 credit point course consisting of seven 12.5cp core specialty subjects and one 12.5cp elective subject.

Entry requirements

Admission requirements for all specialty and advanced practice courses:

• a Bachelor of Nursing (or equivalent training)
• at least one year of clinical experience as a registered nurse within the five years prior to applying for the course
• current unrestricted registration with AHPRA
• current employment and clinical support in mental health specialty area
• meet the University of Melbourne's English language requirements

You must provide evidence of current clinical employment and support by submitting a completed Confirmation of Clinical Employment and Support Form with your application.

Inherent requirements (core participation requirements)

For the purposes of considering request for Reasonable Adjustments under the Disability Standards for Education (Cwth 2005), and Student Support and Engagement Policy, academic requirements for this subject are articulated in the Subject Overview, Learning Outcomes, Assessment and Generic Skills sections of this entry.

It is University policy to take all reasonable steps to minimise the impact of disability upon academic study, and reasonable adjustments will be made to enhance a student's participation in the University's programs. Students who feel their disability may impact on meeting the requirements of this subject are encouraged to discuss this matter with a Faculty Student Adviser and Student Equity and Disability Support: http://services.unimelb.edu.au/disability

Intended learning outcomes

Overall the Graduate Diploma in Nursing Practice aims to provide the opportunity for nurses to extend their nursing knowledge into an area of specialty nursing to develop a level of clinical competence considered to be consistent with proficient specialty practice. Upon completion of the course it is therefore expected that students will have the attributes described for the Graduate Certificate and in acknowledgment of the greater depth and complexity of knowledge incorporated in the Graduate Diploma achieve the following additional objectives:

• the ability to apply theoretical knowledge to understand the practice of providing holistic nursing care to individuals experiencing a complex range of disturbances to health and well-being that require complex specialty nursing interventions;
• an understanding of the professional issues impacting upon specialty nursing and the wider nursing profession;
• a beginning understanding of the international context and sensitivities of the specialty area;
• a capacity to engage where appropriate with issues in contemporary society that impact on and are impacted by specialty nursing practice;
• an appreciation of the ways in which evidence based practice guides specialty practice and how specialty knowledge equips the student to offer leadership in the specialty area;
• an appreciation of the design, conduct and reporting of research as it relates to the development of evidence based practice;
• a critical reader of nursing literature and a capacity to articulate knowledge and understanding of specialty practice in oral and written presentations;
• a capacity to manage competing demands on time, including self-directed project work; and
• demonstrated clinical competencies in a workplace environment assessed by clinical experts to be at a proficient level as benchmarked against Australian specialty practice competencies.