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Deakin University

Master of Advanced Clinical Nursing

2023 Deakin University Handbook

Note: You are seeing the 2023 view of this course information. These details may no longer be current. [Go to the current version]

Year	2023 course information
Award granted	Master of Advanced Clinical Nursing
Course Map	These course maps are for new students commencing from Trimester 1 2023: Coursework Stream Thesis Stream These course maps are for new students commencing from Trimester 2 2023: Coursework Stream Thesis Stream Course maps for commencement in previous years are available on the Course Maps webpage or please contact a Student Adviser in Student Central.
Campus	This course is only offered Online
Online	Yes
Duration	3 years part-time Note this course is only available part-time
Deakin course code	H771
Approval status	This course is approved by the University under the Higher Education Standards Framework.
Australian Qualifications Framework (AQF) recognition	The award conferred upon completion is recognised in the Australian Qualifications Framework at Level 9.
Please note changes to the unit values in the Critical Care specialisations from 2023 onwards - refer to individual unit details in the course structure for more information. Please contact Student Central for further clarification.

Course sub-headings

Course overview

Take your nursing career to the next level by specialising in an area of advanced clinical nursing practice. Our Master of Advanced Clinical Nursing is a customisable specialist degree that will enhance your clinical decision-making skills to bolster health service delivery and improve patient outcomes.

Ranked 20th in the world,* our School of Nursing and Midwifery is one of Australia’s largest and most established. You will learn from the best with the school’s cutting-edge research recognised as well above world standard.^

Are you looking for a flexible clinical nursing degree where you can choose your specialisation and take a step forward in your nursing career?

You will enter this course with support from your health service to specialise in your chosen area of practice. This flexible degree enables you to pursue your chosen career pathway; whether you want to support patients through their surgical journey as a perioperative nurse or play a leading role advancing the care of the critically ill as an intensive care nurse. You can select from seven areas of advanced clinical nursing, which will be your focus for the first year of your course:

cardiac (including interventional cardiology)
critical care
emergency
intensive care
intraoperative
perianaesthesia
perioperative.

No matter your specialty area, you will further your essential skills in navigating patient care, communicating with patient’s families and working efficiently in a multidisciplinary care team. As an experienced registered nurse you will be challenged to advance your professional judgement, leadership and professionalism within modern healthcare practice.

You will explore and analyse ethical, transcultural and psychosocial concepts in the context of complicated grief, critical incident stresses and brain death.
Our course curriculum is shaped by industry insights and research from Deakin’s Centre for Quality and Patient Safety Research (QPS). QPS is a leader in clinical research, quality and risk management, and has researchers within six of Victoria’s major health services. This means the course material is evidence-based, patient-focused and informed by academics, researchers and clinical experts who are leaders in their fields.

You will be in control of your learning, and have the opportunity to complement your specialty area with either a thesis stream or coursework stream.
The coursework stream allows you to customise your degree to match your career aspirations. You can choose from a mix of course and postgraduate electives from across the university.

The thesis stream sets you up to pursue a research pathway upon graduation, with four dedicated thesis units and two electives. Supported by a research supervision team and our expert staff you will create an individual research thesis in an area of specialty nursing practice.

Want to further your career in a shorter time? We offer graduate diplomas and graduate certificates for all specialty areas. If you wish to pursue a shorter qualification please enrol in them directly.

Alternatively, if you are seeking a non-specialised postgraduate nursing qualification to advance into a senior position, our Master of Advanced Nursing prepares you to step up into nursing leadership, management or education without the need to specialise in a clinical specialty area. It is also a highly customisable course with a range of electives and the option of a thesis or coursework stream.

*2022 ShanghaiRankings Ranking of Academic Subjects.

^Excellence in Research Australia (ERA) 2018.

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.

Graduates of this course may be eligible to seek endorsement as a nurse practitioner via Pathway 2 as outlined on the Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia (NMBA) website..

Career opportunities

With job growth of 13.9% projected for registered nurses and 23.1% for nurse managers by 2026,# there is strong industry demand for nurses with sophisticated specialty skills. Graduates of our Master of Advanced Clinical Nursing will be well placed to take advantage of this demand.

Depending on the units you have completed, your expertise will allow you to pursue a range of roles, such as:

clinical nurse educator
clinical nurse specialist
associate or unit manager
research roles
anaesthetic nurse
cardiac care nurse
circulating nurse
critical care nurse
emergency care nurse
ICU nurse
instrument nurse
intensive care nurse
perioperative nurse

#2021 Employment Outlook – for the five years to November 2026, Australian Government National Skills Commission.

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

This course can provide a pathway option to higher degree by research courses.

We offer Graduate Certificates and Graduate Diplomas in the following nursing specialty areas: intensive care, critical care, cardiac, emergency, perioperative, intraoperative and perianaesthesia. We recommend if you are commencing your nursing specialty qualifications you enter into one of these course offerings, as there are no alternative exits from the Master of Advanced Clinical Nursing

Alternatively, if you are seeking a non-specialised postgraduate nursing qualification to advance into a senior position, our Master of Advanced Nursing prepares you to step up into nursing leadership, management or education without the need to specialise in a clinical specialty area. It is also a highly customisable course with a range of electives and the option of a thesis or coursework stream.

Clinical Practice

To undertake this course you must provide evidence of 24 months clinical experience in specialty practice in Australia and provide evidence of employment in a relevant specialty practice area or equivalent.

Fees and charges

Fees and charges vary depending on your course, the type of fee place you hold, your commencement year, the units you choose and your study load.

Use the Fee estimator to see course and unit fees applicable to your course and type of place. Further information regarding tuition fees, other fees and charges, invoice due dates, withdrawal dates, payment methods is available on our Current students fees website.

Course Learning Outcomes

Graduate Learning Outcomes	Course Learning Outcomes
Discipline-specific knowledge and capabilities	Demonstrate expert specialty clinical practice commensurate with nursing theoretical knowledge, evidence-based practice, and person-centred care.
Communication	Demonstrate expert communication skills to ensure the delivery of high quality, safe nursing care to patients in the specialty practice setting.
Digital literacy	Evaluate complex information using digital technologies to effectively disseminate relevant specialty care information to patients and/or the multidisciplinary team.
Critical thinking	Analyse, evaluate and critique complex data from multiple sources to inform clinical decision making in a specialty practice setting.
Problem solving	Apply expert nursing knowledge to complex problems in specialty practice to optimise patient outcomes.
Self-management	Demonstrate professionalism, accountability, reflection, and personal autonomy as an expert specialist nurse.
Teamwork	Establish, maintain, and lead inclusive, collaborative professional relationships with all members of the multidisciplinary team.
Global citizenship	Demonstrate accountability for, and expert professional judgement in behaviours that uphold ethical principles of practice within diverse social, cultural, and environmental contexts.

Course rules

To complete the Master of Advanced Clinical Nursing students must attain 12 credit points, chosen from a suite of units. Students may choose to complete the Master of Advanced Clinical Nursing by coursework or include a thesis.

Students completing the coursework stream must complete a 4 credit point specialisation, 3 core units (compulsory) and 5 credit points of electives units, of which 3 credit points must be from the course electives. The remaining 2 credit points of electives units can be taken from anywhere in the University*.

Students completing the thesis stream must complete a 4 credit point specialisation, 2 core units, 4 credit points of thesis units and a further 2 credit points of electives of which 1 must from course electives units from the course electives. The remaining 1 credit point of elective unit can be taken from anywhere in the University*. Entry to the thesis is offered where academic requirements have been met.

The core nursing specialisation units are completed in year one of the course and are semester-based delivery.

*must be postgraduate level 7 units.

NOTE:
To qualify for a specialisation in Intraoperative or Perianaesthesia, students must have completed or be completing course electives HNN730 Advanced Health Assessment and Diagnostic Reasoning and HNN749 Patient Safety and Risk Management to form their specialisation.

All commencing Faculty of Health course work students are required to complete HAI010 Academic Integrity in their first trimester of study (0 credit point compulsory unit).

Students are required to meet the University's academic progress and conduct requirements.

Failure of a compulsory clinical component in a unit will normally lead to exclusion.

Course structure

Coursework Pathway

1 unit set in a specialisation - comprising of 4 credit points

PLUS

Inquiry Into Specialty Nursing Practice

Research in Nursing and Midwifery

Advanced Concepts in Specialty Nursing Practice

PLUS 3 course elective units and 2 level 7 elective units from anywhere in the University

Thesis Pathway

1 unit set in a specialisation - comprising of 4 credit points

PLUS

Inquiry Into Specialty Nursing Practice

Advanced Concepts in Specialty Nursing Practice

Nursing Research Thesis A

Nursing Research Thesis B

Nursing Research Thesis C

Nursing Research Thesis D

PLUS 1 course elective unit and 1 level 7 elective unit from anywhere in the University

Course Electives

Pathophysiology of Diabetes

Management of Diabetes

Contemporary Approaches to Diabetes Education

Diabetes in Social and Psychological Contexts

Ethical Dimensions in Nursing

Leadership and Management in Nursing

Advanced Health Assessment and Diagnostic Reasoning

Patient Safety and Risk Management

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples' History, Culture and Health

Facilitating Clinical Learning

Healthcare in Low Resource/Complex Environments

Healthcare Management of Vulnerable Populations

Quality and Safety in Medication Management

Therapeutic Medication Management

Work experience

For those students commencing with a specialisation, success is contingent on the student having access to a suitable workplace in which to consolidate learning, enhance understanding, demonstrate skills and undertake assessments.

Prior to entry to the course, each applicant’s workplace is considered in terms of its suitability and capacity to provide students with the necessary supports. Ongoing support for educators in the workplace is also provided by Deakin staff

Details of specialisations

Cardiac

Unit set code

SP-H000008

Overview

Cardiac nurses provide nursing care for patients experiencing cardiovascular disease or other heart-related issues across a range of specialist cardiac settings, including interventional procedures.

Working closely with medical professionals, your specialised knowledge and skills will allow you to assess and manage patients with a variety of complex cardiovascular conditions, including the use of heart monitoring and cardiac devices such as pacemakers and defibrillators. You will also play a key role in educating your patients and their families on treatment plans following emergency or interventional procedures.

Units

Advanced Physiology and Patient Assessment

Core Principles of Care for the Critically Ill Patient

Unit description is currently unavailable

Unit description is currently unavailable

From 2023

Core Principles of Critical Care Nursing (2 credit points)

;

Cardiac Nursing (2 credit points)

Critical Care

Unit set code

SP-H000009

Overview

Critical care nurses look after patients who are in a critical condition or recovering from a serious medical condition in some of the most complex health environments across emergency departments, intensive care units and other high dependency units.

You’ll play a pivotal role in your patient’s care, whether it is during initial assessment or by providing ongoing care for those who are critically ill.

As a critical care nurse you will collaboratively assess and provide care for a range of patient groups including paediatrics, trauma, gynaecological, obstetric, oncology, older persons and those presenting with cardiovascular, renal, neurological and respiratory dysfunction.

Units

Advanced Physiology and Patient Assessment

Core Principles of Care for the Critically Ill Patient

Unit description is currently unavailable

Unit description is currently unavailable

From 2023

Core Principles of Critical Care Nursing (2 credit points)

Critical Care Nursing (2 credit points)

Emergency

Unit set code

SP-H000010

Overview

Emergency nurses work in an emergency department and encounter a wide variety of patients who often require immediate medical attention. You will need to think critically, quickly and calmly as part of a multidisciplinary team operating in a fast-paced environment.

As an emergency nurse you will assess, prioritise and manage patients across paediatrics, major and minor trauma, mental health, gynaecological, obstetric, oncology and older persons.

Units

Advanced Physiology and Patient Assessment

Core Principles of Care for the Critically Ill Patient

Unit description is currently unavailable

Unit description is currently unavailable

From 2023

Core Principles of Critical Care Nursing (2 credit points)

Emergency Nursing (2 credit points)

Intensive Care

Unit set code

SP-H000011

Overview

Intensive care nurses care for patients with life-threatening conditions and complex healthcare problems, typically within the intensive care unit of a hospital. Your specialised skills will allow you to anticipate and rapidly respond to changes in your patient’s condition.

As an intensive care nurse you will perform focused, systematic and methodical assessments. You will draw on data from patient and technologically-derived sources in order to provide time-critical interventions to patients requiring complex care for life-threatening illnesses or conditions.

Units

Advanced Physiology and Patient Assessment

Core Principles of Care for the Critically Ill Patient

Unit description is currently unavailable

Unit description is currently unavailable

From 2023

Core Principles of Critical Care Nursing (2 credit points)

Intensive Care Nursing (2 credit points)

Perioperative

Unit set code

SP-H000012

Overview

Perioperative nurses care and support patients in pre-operative, intraoperative and post-operative environments. A perioperative nurse assists patients in preparing both physically and mentally before surgery, monitors the patient along with the surgical team during the procedure, and provides care and monitoring during recovery.

As a perioperative nurse you will critically assess and manage elective and emergency patients undergoing complex and specialty surgical procedures. You may work as a circulating nurse, instrument nurse or as a pre-admission or day surgery nurse. An advanced understanding of pharmacological therapies, monitoring and post-operative anesthesia care also prepares you for work as an anesthetic nurse or in a post anesthesia care unit (PACU).

Units

Core Principles of Perianaesthesia Nursing Care

Core Principles of Intraoperative Nursing Care

Principles of Complex Perianaesthesia Nursing Care

Principles of Complex Intraoperative Nursing Care

Intraoperative

Unit set code

SP-H000014

Overview

An intraoperative nurse cares for a patient during surgery and until they are transferred to a post anaesthesia care unit (PACU). Your specialised skills will allow you to implement risk management strategies in the intraoperative context and promote optimal patient outcomes.

As an intraoperative nurse you will likely play one of two pivotal roles: circulating nurse or instrument nurse. Circulating nurses manage conditions within the surgical space as well as ensuring equipment is functioning safely; while monitoring the patient throughout the procedure. As an instrument nurse you will assist the surgeon throughout the procedure by anticipating and providing the required instruments.

Units

Advanced Health Assessment and Diagnostic Reasoning

Core Principles of Intraoperative Nursing Care

Principles of Complex Intraoperative Nursing Care

Patient Safety and Risk Management

Perianaesthesia

Unit set code

SP-H000015

Overview

A perianaesthesia nurse supports a patient immediately prior to, during, and while recovering from, the administration of anaesthesia.

As part of a multidisciplinary team, you will use your advanced knowledge of pharmacological therapies to assess and manage the anaesthetic requirements of your patient during surgery. You will monitor their neurological, cardiovascular, respiratory and haemodynamic states throughout the procedure and provide high-quality post-operative anesthesia care.

Units

Advanced Health Assessment and Diagnostic Reasoning

Principles of Complex Perianaesthesia Nursing Care

Patient Safety and Risk Management

Core Principles of Perianaesthesia Nursing Care

Course duration - additional information

Course duration may be affected by delays in accessing or undertaking 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