ObjectivesThe course aims to provide students with the opportunity to enhance their knowledge and skills in one of a selected range of practice-based streams and to extend their general theoretical preparation in nursing knowledge and research. Learning outcomes Graduates of this course are expected to be able to: * apply evidence based nursing practice in their clinical or specialised area; * demonstrate the application of theory to nursing practice; * evaluate nursing care using reflexive and critical thinking processes; * articulate primary health care and population health as applied to nursing practice or specialty area; * demonstrate leadership skills in the area of nursing practice, education and research; * demonstrate advanced skills and knowledge in the relevant nursing practice or specialised area.
Entry requirementsApplicants must hold an undergraduate or postgraduate nursing degree or equivalent qualification and be registered general nurses and holding a current practising certificate. However, the Board may, under certain circumstances and subject to specific conditions, admit others who can show evidence of fitness for candidature. Applicants for the Advanced Continence Nurse Specialist stream must have at least two years' post-registration experience as a continence nurse advisor, must have successfully completed a post-basic continence education course or equivalent and must provide a supporting statement from their employer stating their willingness to facilitate the extended clinical practice components of the course within their workplace. Applicants for the Critical Care Nursing and Emergency Nursing streams must have a minimum of one year post-registration experience (6 months of which should be in relevant clinical area) and must provide a supporting statement from their employer stating their willingness to facilitate the extended clinical practice components of the course within their workplace and/or providence evidence that an affiliated health agency will facilitate the clinical practice in a supernumerary capacity. International applicants undertaking a stream which requires them to be registered general nurses must be eligible to register with the Nurses Board of South Australia, unless otherwise indicated. Registration must be obtained prior to commencing the courses. The Coursework stream requires international applicants to be currently registered in their country of residence. They therefore do not have to be eligible to register with the NBSA to undertake this stream. Coursework stream students will not become eligible to register with the NBSA upon completion of the course.
Academic titleGraduate Diploma in Nursing
Course descriptionTo qualify for the Graduate Diploma in Nursing, a student must complete 36 units with a grade of Pass or NGP or better in each topic, according to the program of study below.
A student who fails the clinical component of any topic will receive a Fail grade for the entire topic.
The award of a grade of Fail (F) in the same topic on more than one occasion or in 12 units or more, or failure to complete the course within three consecutive years may constitute prima facie evidence of unsatisfactory progress for the purpose of the University's Policy on Student Progress.
Except with permission of the Faculty Board:
* no topic may be attempted more than twice;
* a student may not include a topic which repeats work previously undertaken;
* the program must be completed full-time in two consecutive semesters or part-time in six consecutive semesters.
Core Topics
NURS9020
Evidence-Based Clinical Practice
6
NURS9025
Population Health
6
NURS9026
Leadership in Health Studies
6
Course streams
18 units of topics as set out in the program for one of the streams listed above. Details of each stream are listed in the entry for the Graduate Certificate in Health.
As the Coursework stream is NOT offered in the Graduate Certificate in Health, details are provided below.
Coursework stream
Students must select a minimum of 6 units of study from the following:
NURS8101A
Development of the Child, Adolescent and Family 1
3
NURS8101B
Development of the Child, Adolescent and Family 2
3
NURS8302
Responding to People with Alcohol and Other Drug Problems
6
NURS8305
Foundations in Alcohol and Drug Issues
6
NURS8701
Continence Across the Human Lifespan
9
NURS8901
Contemporary Issues in Forensic Nursing
4.5
NURS8902
Nursing Care of Forensic Populations
4.5
NURS8905
Prisons: Systems, Populations and Health Care
6
NURS9022
Introduction to Clinical Audit
3
NURS9507
Independent Study
3
NURS9508
Independent Study
6
NURS9509
Complementary Therapies and Integrative Nursing
6
NURS9518
Independent Study
4.5
NURS9523
Primary Health Care for Mental Health
6
NURS9611
Epidemiology for Nurses and Midwives
3
NURS9707
Policy and Political Context of Health and Ageing
4.5
NURS9708
Social Context of Health and Ageing
4.5
NURS9709
Advanced Aged Care Nursing Assessment
4.5
NURS9710
The 3D's: Dementia, Delirium and Depression
4.5
Subject to approval from the Course Coordinator and/or relevant Topic Coordinators, students in this stream may select a maximum of 12 units of study from other postgraduate level topics offered by the Faculty of Health Sciences.