C11201v1 Graduate Certificate in Acute Care Nursing

Overview

This course provides students with the knowledge and skills for a specialist role as an advanced Acute Care Nurse. The course helps students to critically evaluate their practice and incorporate research findings and technologies as appropriate. Students study topics that reflect health phenomena that are common across acute care illnesses requiring medical and/or surgical intervention, as well as the principles of managing patients who become acutely ill and unstable.

Students learn to recognise and support the unique characteristics of the acute care patient population and are able to practise safely and competently as acute care nurses. The knowledge, skills and expertise gained enable students to enhance the quality of care for patients and their families. Students also develop skills to actively contribute to the professional development of others and use research in order to make informed decisions about nursing practice.

Career options

Career options include specialty acute care nursing in a wide range of clinical settings.

Articulation

Additional admission requirements

Applicants should have an undergraduate degree in nursing or equivalent tertiary qualification. Registered nurses who do not have an undergraduate diploma or degree but who have recent relevant work experience may also be considered eligible (such applicants must present evidence of a capacity to undertake tertiary study).

Applicants are also expected to have had at least one year's full-time professional employment in nursing and are normally expected to have concurrent employment in their area of specialty.

Course duration and attendance

This course is offered on a one-year, part-time basis.

Course structure

Students are required to complete a total of 24 credit points of study, comprising four specified nursing subjects.

Students who are employees of Northern Sydney Central Coast Health (NSCCH) may undertake a Clinical Accreditation Program (CAP) with NSCCH. This is at no cost to participants. NSCCH students who sucessfully complete the CAP are awarded 6 credit points of exemption from the Specialty Clinical Practice subject.

Course completion requirements

Other information

Further information is available from the Faculty Student Office on: