Professional Documents
Culture Documents
Postgraduate Courses
Postgraduate Diploma in Nursing Practice
Commencement:
February/March intake: One year full-time. Students wishing to study the course part-
time over 2 years may apply to do so.
Course Objective:
Overall the Postgraduate 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 Postgraduate Certificate and in acknowledgment of the greater
depth and complexity of knowledge incorporated in the Postgraduate Diploma achieve
the following additional objectives:
The Postgraduate 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 the Nurses Board of Victoria (NBV) and employment is mandated for the
Postgraduate Diploma in Nursing Practice.
Depending on subject selection the award is available as a generic qualification or with
bracketed specialization to acknowledge the nursing specialty that is the focus of the
student’s studies.
The course may be taken full time over 2 semesters or part time over 3 - 4 semesters.
Total
Elective
Po
Mandated Points Poin
in
ts
ts
Specialization streams: 87.5 credit points 12.5 credit 100 credit
poin po
Acute & Critical 75 credit points ts in
Care mandated specialty ts
(anaesthetics, subjects including 50 Chosen from
critical care, credit points of any 4th year Full time -
emergency,
paediatric critical 'foundation' subjects; subjects 50 credit
care, offered points each
perioperative, AND 12.5 credit within or semester.
rural critical care) points comprising external to
Cancer and EITHER 514831 the School of
Palliative Care Evidence for Practice; Nursing.
Mental Health OR an approved
alternative 4th year
Paediatrics research
familiarization subject
Cognate Areas:
o Paediatrics
Course Articulation:
The Postgraduate Diploma in Nursing Practice articulates with the Master of Advanced
Nursing Practice and comprises 50% of that course.
Cognate Areas -
Acute and Critical Care Cognate Area:
Streams:
o Anaesthetics
o Critical Care
o Emergency
o Paediatric Critical Care (Postgraduate Certificate not available)
o Perioperative
o Rural Critical Care
50
100
* or another approved research familiarization subject chosen from the list
provided.
100
100
* or another approved research familiarization subject chosen from the list
provided.
100
* or another approved research familiarization subject chosen from the list
provided.
Subject Name Foundations in Acute & Critical Care 1
Subject Code 514-807
Year 2007
Subject This subject focuses on the appraisal and use of research in clinical
Description practice. Its purpose is to develop practitioners' confidence and skills in
critical consumption of research and evaluation for use in the workplace.
Topics covered include: overview of common research and evaluation
methods and issues; Internet and library search skills to assist in
preparing a literature review; the process of change and strategies for
implementing change in a clinical environment. Students will examine
research and evaluate findings on an issue identified from their own
practice. They will conduct a comprehensive literature review on a clinical
intervention in their own practice, evaluate the evidence on which the
clinical intervention was based and then apply the findings to their own
practice setting.
Generic Skills Students will be expected to be able to:
Gained / identify common research and evaluation methods and practices;
Objectives develop literature search skills;
critically review research reports;
appraise research in relation to its value to clinical practice;
apply research findings to clinical practice;
develop research and evaluation skills;
an understanding of the changing knowledge base in the
specialist area;
a profound respect for truth and intellectual integrity, and for the
ethics of scholarship.
Credit points 12.5
Semester Semester 1, Semester 2
Mode of On campus or online
Delivery
Pre-requisites Nil
Contact Hours 36 hours of lectures and tutorials (on campus) or the equivalent on-line.
Students are expected to devote approximately 6-10 hours per week to
this subject.
Teaching Parkville (on campus)
Location
Assessment 1. Hurdle requirements (pass/fail):
Subject This subject extends nursing knowledge to develop skills beyond those
Description necessary for functioning as a beginning level practitioner in Acute and
Critical Care specialty practice settings. Foundational concepts are
applied to generate understanding of the pathophysiological,
epidemiological, and psycho-social nature of illnesses encountered in
specific Critical Care practice settings. A wide range of abnormalities and
manifestations associated with disease processes are explored. Learners
are encouraged to apply this knowledge to understand medical and
nursing interventions and technologies encountered in Acute and Critical
Care so that they can implement nursing care in specific practice settings
as a proficient level specialty practitioner.
Generic Skills Students will be expected to be able to demonstrate their proficiency in
Gained / specialty nursing practice through:
Objectives an understanding of contemporary trends in medical and nursing
interventions and technologies encountered in Acute and Critical
Care;
the ability to evaluate and synthesise the research and
professional literature to engage in specialty nursing practice that
is based on evidence rather than ritual and tradition;
specialty skills and knowledge required to implement nursing
care proficiently for patients experiencing a wide range of
abnormalities and manifestations associated with disease
processes commonly treated in specific critical care settings;
well-developed problem-solving skills that are demonstrated by
the ability to apply foundational concepts and research based
evidence to identify and act upon assessment data that is
complex in nature and from which a number of differential
diagnosis can be derived;
the capacity to articulate knowledge in a way that demonstrates
integration of theoretical knowledge and practical experiences
and complies with academic standards and conventions for
written work.
an understanding of the changing knowledge base in the
specialist area;
skills and techniques applicable to the discipline;
well-developed problem-solving abilities in the discipline area,
characterised by flexibility of approach;
competencies in areas of professional expertise and/or
scholarship;
Subject This subject extends knowledge to develop skills beyond those necessary
Description for functioning as a beginning level practitioner in a range of paediatric
care settings. Foundational scientific concepts will be applied to support
nursing interventions at a proficient level of specialty practice specifically
in the areas of neonatal care, paediatric fluid and electrolyte balance,
paediatric respiratory function, paediatric nutrition and illnesses arising
from congenital abnormalities. The experiences of paediatric patients and
their families will be explored with a focus on understanding the impact
of hospitalisation on the family unit. A problem-based learning approach
will be utilized in order to link understanding of the pathophysiological
and psychosocial nature of paediatric illness to clinical nursing practice in
specific paediatric practice settings. For example, problem solving
exercises relating to paediatric respiratory function and support will
specifically prepare nurses working in paediatric critical care for
assessing and managing acutely ill paediatric patients admitted during
the winter months.
Generic Skills Students will be expected to be able to demonstrate their proficiency in
Gained / specialty nursing practice through:
Objectives integration of the theoretical content covered within the subject
to develop new knowledge that supports safe and proficient
practice as a specialty nurse in paediatrics;
the ability to integrate knowledge and skills learnt in the subject
to recognise and plan a response to patients experiencing
alterations to health and wellness that occur in a variety of
paediatric care contexts;
the ability to understand and evaluate specialised interventions
as described in the subject content to provide a foundation for
participating in the delivery of care at the proficient level of
paediatric nursing practice;
the capacity to use skills in problem-solving, critical thinking,
rational inquiry and self-directed learning to apply knowledge
learnt in the theoretical component of the subject to functioning
within the clinical context as a proficient level paediatric specialty
nurse;
an advanced understanding of the changing knowledge base in
the specialist area;
an ability to evaluate and synthesize the research and
professional literature in the discipline;
well-developed problem-solving abilities in the discipline area
an appreciation of the ways in which advanced knowledge equips
the student to offer leadership in the specialist area.
Subject This subject provides the opportunity for students to enhance their
Description specialty practice by gaining beginning theoretical knowledge relating to
caring for patients across the lifespan who are acutely or critically ill.