Graduate Certificate
Studying aged care nursing with ACN will provide you with the principles of aged care nursing practice in order to improve your knowledge and skills for the provision and coordination of evidenced based patient centred nursing care for the older person. The aim is to encourage professional and ethical understanding of clinical practice development for the improvement of patient outcomes as highlighted in our white paper. Our course is written by specialist nurses, for nurses. Our students are supported by a team of clinical experts, working within the speciality. Our unique blend of electives allow students to further explore a specific area of interest related to areas such as continence and wound management.
The Graduate Certificate in Aged Care Nursing studies the complex needs of the older person being cared for within diverse health care environments. The aim of this course is to strengthen and develop the knowledge, skills and attitudes of nurses caring for the older adult. The course provides an advanced grounding in methods of research, in addition to developing the theoretical and practical aspects of management, clinical practice and education in aged care nursing. The single units of study in this course draw upon the student’s nursing experience in aged care and combine this experience with theory, current research and best practice guidelines to enhance the student’s specialist knowledge and skills, critical thinking and analysis abilities and clinical decision-making within aged care environments.
Admission to Graduate Certificate courses is based on academic merit and selection. In addition, applicants must satisfy any prerequisites or additional requirements specified for particular courses, including ACN’s general eligibility criteria.
All applicants seeking admission are required to:
*For some Graduate Certificate units of study, consideration may be given for applicants who are not registered nurses on an individual basis.
Clinical placements
Anyone applying for an ACN course that includes a clinical placement must provide evidence of compliance documents at the time of application.
Applications for enrolment will not be progressed until all relevant documentation has been received by Customer Services.
Each Australian state and territory has its own clinical placement documentation requirements. Further details are available on our Clinical Placement Information page, click on the tab for your particular state or territory for information on specific requirements.
Individual placement providers may need additional documentation. If you are required to provide this then you will be contacted by the Clinical Placement Officer following enrolment.
ACN negotiates with health care facilities to secure clinical placements. ACN will make every effort to secure clinical placements within the timeframe indicated in the course outline, however applicants are advised that provision and location of clinical placements is dependent on the availability of placements within the health facility.
As placements are difficult to secure, once confirmed these cannot be negotiated unless there is unforeseen extenuating circumstances. Applicants are not to arrange their own clinical placements with a clinical facility under any circumstances. ACN reserves the right to change clinical placements if necessary.
This course is designed to develop specific learning outcomes. Students will:
Core subjects:
Elective subjects (choose one elective from the following)
*Continence Management (045) requires 40 hours clinical placement.
Disclaimer: Fees vary dependent on subject electives chosen