Graduate Diploma of Perianaesthesia Nursing
2025 Deakin University Handbook
| Year | 2025 course information |
|---|---|
| Award granted | Graduate Diploma of Perianaesthesia Nursing |
| Deakin course code | H669 |
| Faculty | Faculty of Health |
| Campus | This course is only offered Online |
| Duration | 2 years part-time study |
| Course Map - enrolment planning tool | This course map is for new students commencing from Semester 1 2025 Course maps for commencement in previous years are available on the Course Maps webpage or please contact a Student Adviser in Student Central. |
| Australian Qualifications Framework (AQF) recognition | The award conferred upon completion is recognised in the Australian Qualifications Framework at Level 8 |
Course sub-headings
- Course overview
- Indicative student workload
- Professional recognition
- Career opportunities
- Participation requirements
- Pathways
- Alternative exits
- Course Learning Outcomes
- Course rules
- Course structure
- Fees and charges
Course overview
Every year, 2.8 million hospitalisations in Australia result in surgical interventions*. Integral to these interventions are the perianaesthesia nurses providing care and support before, during and after the administration of anaesthesia. The advanced specialist skills required for this pivotal role in a multidisciplinary perioperative team are in high demand, in one of the strongest growth areas of the health sector~. Deakin’s Graduate Diploma of Perianaesthesia prepares you to meet that demand.
Ranked #16 in the world^, our School of Nursing and Midwifery is one of Australia’s largest and most established schools. You’ll be learning from the best with the School’s cutting-edge research recognised as well above world standard#. Our strong industry connections mean you will be guided by experts in critical care and perioperative nursing as you explore the current and emerging trends, concepts, knowledge and evidence that provides the policy and practice framework in which perianaesthesia nursing takes place.
Are you ready to play a pivotal role in a multidisciplinary perioperative team by advancing your skills in perianaesthesia nursing?
If you want to take the next step in your nursing career, our Graduate Diploma of Perianaesthesia prepares you to practise effectively at an advanced practice level. As a graduate you will demonstrate ethical, safe, high quality, expert clinical decision-making abilities within a multidisciplinary team, and psychomotor skills commensurate with specialised theoretical knowledge, evidence-based practice and person-centred care.
Deakin’s strong industry connections ensure a high level of collaboration and support during your clinical practice. This means that while you study you can immerse yourself in your speciality nursing practice area with one of our numerous metropolitan, rural and regional health partners across Australia.
This course enables you to:
- critically assess and apply the concepts and principles of anaesthetic management and postoperative care
- develop an advanced understanding of pharmacological therapies, including anaesthetic agents, adjunct therapies and pain management therapies
- perform patient assessment and monitoring of neurological, cardiovascular, respiratory and haemodynamic states
- manage complex and special populations to identify risk and inform decisions that deliver safe, high-quality nursing care to promote optimal patient outcomes
- assess and manage anaesthetic requirements for complex patients and emergency presentations
- demonstrate skills in advanced monitoring and postoperative anaesthesia care following complex and specialty surgery
- develop greater decision-making autonomy, critical thinking and leadership skills, advanced clinical judgement, and enhanced professionalism.
Elective units available from your first year enable you to pursue specific areas of interest aligned to your career goals. You can choose from complementary areas of practice to perianaesthesia, or undertake studies preparing you for roles in education, leadership or management. You’ll also have the opportunity to select a unit from anywhere across the university, further expanding your skill set.
Our innovative online program delivers a rich, interactive and empowering learning experience that is designed for postgraduate nursing students. Live-streaming seminars and class discussions encourage critical thinking, problem-solving and teamwork skills. Australia’s top-rated tech support and access to our expert teaching staff means you can learn at your own pace, when and where it suits you, without compromising quality or support.
With job growth of 12.2% projected for registered nurses and 12.1% for nurse managers by 2028~, there is an industry demand for nurses with sophisticated specialty skills. Perianaesthesia nurses are in strong demand as they are an integral part of the multidisciplinary teams that support patients through their surgical experience.
* Australia’s hospitals at a glance 2022 – Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (AIHW) Australian Government (2022)
^ 2023 ShanghaiRankings Ranking of Academic Subjects.
# Excellence in Research Australia (ERA) 2018.
~ Jobs and Skills Australia Employment Projections
Indicative student workload
As an online student in the Faculty of Health you will be expected to spend 11-13 hours every week studying, interacting online and completing assessment tasks for each unit in your course. Refer to the individual unit details in the course structure for more information.
Professional recognition
Nurses employed under the Victorian public hospital award receive a higher duties allowance for postgraduate qualifications relevant to their practice.
Career opportunities
With job growth of 12.2% projected for registered nurses and 12.1% for nurse managers by 2028~, there is an industry demand for nurses with sophisticated specialty skills. Our Graduate Diploma of Perianaesthesia Nursing will allow you to meet that demand in a variety of roles across advanced practice, leadership and management.
~ Jobs and Skills Australia Employment Projections
Participation requirements
Reasonable adjustments to participation and other course requirements will be made for students with a disability. More information available at Disability support services.
Pathways
Alternative exits
| Graduate Certificate of Perianaesthesia Nursing (H569) |
Clinical practice
To undertake this course you must independently secure employment of at least 24 hours per week in a perianaesthesia care setting within a collaborating hospital in Australia.
Clinical requirement
Clinical practice with perianesthesia speciality areas (anaesthesia and Post Anaesthesia Care Unit) per semester.
Enrolment in a clinical intraoperative unit HNN740 as an elective (semester 1 only) requires additional clinical practice in intraoperative nursing roles (instrument/circulating nurse).
Core clinical certificate units in this course are semester based. Students are expected to attend synchronous seminars on Wednesdays throughout the semester.
Course Learning Outcomes
| Deakin Graduate Learning Outcomes | Course Learning Outcomes |
|---|---|
| Discipline-specific knowledge and capabilities | Demonstrate advanced clinical practice commensurate with perianaesthesia nursing theoretical knowledge, evidence-based practice and person-centred care. |
| Communication | Demonstrate advanced communication skills to ensure the delivery of high quality, safe nursing care to patients in the perianaesthesia care setting. |
| Digital literacy | Evaluate information using digital technologies to effectively disseminate relevant perianaesthesia care information to patients and/or the multidisciplinary team. |
| Critical thinking | Identify, analyse and evaluate complex data from multiple sources to inform clinical decision making in the perianaesthesia care setting. |
| Problem solving | Apply advanced nursing knowledge to complex problems in the perianaesthesia care setting to optimise patient outcomes. |
| Self-management | Demonstrate professionalism, accountability, reflection and personal autonomy as a perianaesthesia care nurse. |
| Teamwork | Establish and maintain inclusive, collaborative professional relationships with all members of the multidisciplinary team. |
| Global citizenship | Demonstrate accountability for, and sound professional judgement in behaviours that uphold ethical principles of practice within diverse social, cultural and environmental contexts. |
Course rules
To complete the Graduate Diploma of Perianaesthesia Nursing students must pass 8 credit points and meet the following course rules to be eligible to graduate:
- DAI001 Academic Integrity and Respect at Deakin (0-credit-point compulsory unit) in their first study period
- 4 credit points of core units
- 3 credit points of course electives
- 1 credit point of level 7 open electives
Students are required to meet the University's academic progress and conduct requirements. See the enrolment codes and terminology to help make sense of the University’s vocabulary.
Note:
- This course is part-time only.
- The perianaesthesia nursing specialisation units (HNN755 Core Principles of Perianaesthesia Nursing Care and HNN742 Principles of Complex Perianaesthesia Nursing Care) are completed in year 1 of the course and are semester-based delivery.
- Both the theoretical and clinical components of the assessment for each unit must be passed in order to successfully gain an overall pass in this course. Compulsory clinical hurdles form part of the assessment of this course. Recognition of the importance of clinical assessments is calculated in the overall student workload.
- Failure of a compulsory clinical component in a unit will normally lead to exclusion.
- Students wishing to complete a thesis at the masters level, must complete HNN730 Advanced Health Assessment and Diagnostic Reasoning and HNN749 Patient and Risk Management during their Graduate Certificate or Graduate Diploma in order to gain the Perianaesthesia Nursing Specialisation at the masters level.
Course structure
Core units
Year 1 - Semester 1
| DAI001 | Academic Integrity and Respect at Deakin (0 credit points) |
| HNN755 | Core Principles of Perianaesthesia Nursing Care |
Plus 1 credit point course elective or specialisation unit
Year 1 - Semester 2
| HNN742 | Principles of Complex Perianaesthesia Nursing Care |
Plus 1 credit point course elective or specialisation unit
Year 2 - Trimester 1
| HNN750 | Inquiry Into Specialty Nursing Practice |
Plus 1 credit point course elective or specialisation unit
Year 2 - Trimester 2
| HNN788 | Advanced Concepts in Specialty Nursing Practice |
Plus 1 credit point from any level 7 electives from anywhere in the university or two Deakin stackable short courses (0.5cp microcredentials).
Perianaesthesia Specialisation
| HNN730 | Advanced Health Assessment and Diagnostic Reasoning |
| HNN749 | Patient Safety and Risk Management |
Course Electives
| HND701 | Pathophysiology of Diabetes |
| HND702 | Management of Diabetes |
| HND731 | Contemporary Approaches to Diabetes Education |
| HND732 | Diabetes in Social and Psychological Contexts |
| HNN714 | Ethical Dimensions in Nursing |
| HNN715 | Leadership and Management in Nursing |
| HNN740 | Core Principles of Intraoperative Nursing Care |
| HNN754 | Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples' History, Culture and Health |
| HNN761 | Biopsychosocialspiritual Mental Health Nursing Assessment |
| HNN762 | Person-Centred Approaches to Engagement in Mental Health Nursing |
| HNN771 | Facilitating Clinical Learning |
| HNN772 | Healthcare in Low Resource/Complex Environments |
| HNN773 | Healthcare Management of Vulnerable Populations |
| HNN778 | Research in Nursing and Midwifery |
| HNN780 | Quality and Safety in Medication Management |
| HNN781 | Therapeutic Medication Management |
| HNN782 | Recognising and Understanding Mental Illness |
| HNN783 | Therapeutic Interventions in Mental Health Nursing |
| HNN789 | The Physical Health Needs of Persons with Mental Illness |
| HNN790 | Sustaining the Mental Health Nursing Workforce |
Stackable short courses
Mix and match Deakin stackable short courses (0.5 cp microcredentials) to earn up to 1 credit point of open electives, subject to eligibility. Any stacking must add up to a whole number to be used for credit. See more information on Deakin stackable short course options.
Course duration
Course duration may be affected by delays in completing course requirements, such as failing of units or accessing or completing clinical requirements.
Further information
Student Central can help you with course planning, choosing the right units and explaining course rules and requirements.
- Contact Student Central
Fees and charges
Fees and charges vary depending on the type of fee place you hold, your course, your commencement year, the units you choose to study, and their study discipline or your study load.
Tuition fees increase at the beginning of each calendar year and all fees quoted are in Australian dollars ($AUD). Tuition fees do not include textbooks, computer equipment or software, other equipment or costs such as mandatory checks, travel and stationery.
For further information regarding tuition fees, other fees and charges, invoice due dates, withdrawal dates, payment methods visit our Current students website.