Master of Nursing (Critical Care Nursing)

Degree Level Postgraduate

Years

Australian students

Start Date
February

Campus
City East

Duration
1.5 year(s) full-time

Program Code
IMNI

SATAC Code
4CM057 (Internal)

Study as
Full-time or part-time

Fees
Commonwealth Supported

Entry requirements
Applicants are required to:
- hold a Bachelor degree in Nursing or equivalent from a recognised higher education institution; OR
- have completed hospital based training as a Registered Nurse; OR
- have successfully completed the nested Graduate Diploma in Nursing (Critical Care Nursing) or nested Graduate Certificate in Nursing (Critical Care Nursing) offered by UniSA, or an equivalent qualification from another Australian university.
In addition, all applicants must:
- hold a Current Practising Certifcate as a Registered Nurse with the Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia; AND
- have completed a minimum of one year of clinical experience as a Registered Nurse; AND
- have current employment in the area of high dependency, intensive care or emergency nursing.
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Aim

The program provides Registered Nurses with qualifications in the professional field of Critical Care Nursing, advances their knowledge of professional issues, and develops their ability to independently undertake projects or research.

Content & Structure

The program consists of 54 units of study offered over 1.5 years of full-time or part-time equivalent. Students undertake 18 units of study in the specialty area of Critical Care Nursing, 13.5 units of core courses, a 4.5 unit course chosen from the options available, and 18 units of minor thesis or project.

Courses in the specialty area of Critical Care Nursing have been developed specifically to enable Registered Nurses to extend knowledge and skills to confidently and competently manage the nursing of critically ill patients across the lifespan. Core courses allow students to identify policy and practice issues in nursing, and explore health team collaboration in their field of study. Emphasis is also placed on understanding research methods and how they relate to practice and processes within the health care sector. Students will have the benefit of integrating research findings into their practice. Option courses provide students with the skills to be lifelong learners and to be able to extend their competence and knowledge through critical analysis and reflection. The project or thesis provides students with the opportunity to be involved in research or project work which explores evidence that substantiates their practice.

What courses you'll study

Course name	Area and cat no.	Units	Reference
FIRST YEAR
Core Courses (13.5 units)
Collaborative Approaches to Health	HLTH 5136	9
Applying Research to Nursing and Midwifery Practice	NURS 5124	4.5
Critical Care Nursing Courses (18 units)
Critical Care Nursing 1	NURS 5117	9
Critical Care Nursing 2	NURS 5118	9
PLUS one 4.5 Optional Course chosen from the following:			Note(s): 4
Accounting for Management M	ACCT 5011	4.5
Complex Health Problems in Rural Settings	HLTH 5152	4.5
Facilitating Practice-Based Learning in the Health Environment	HLTH 5137	4.5
Frameworks for Practice in the Care of Older People	NURS 5129	4.5
Ageing with Chronic and Complex Conditions	NURS 5131	4.5
Health Economics	BUSS 5185	4.5
Mathematics Student Exchange Project	MATH 3014	18
Introductory Epidemiology	HLTH 5131	4.5
Introductory Statistics	HLTH 5129	4.5
Issues in Indigenous Health	HLTH 5121	4.5
Leadership and Management in Health 1	NURS 5111	4.5
Introduction to Human Resource Management	BUSS 5307	4.5
Nursing Curricula Development	NURS 5120	4.5
Pharmacology for Health Professionals	PHAR 5041	4.5
Qualitative Methods	HLTH 5124	4.5
SECOND YEAR
Project 1	NURS 5103	9		Rule(s): 4
OR
Minor Thesis 1 (Nur)	NURS 5003	9	Note(s): 5	Rule(s): 4
Project 2	NURS 5070	9		Rule(s): 4
OR
Minor Thesis 2 (Nur)	NURS 5004	9	Note(s): 5	Rule(s): 4

Rules & notes

Rules

1. Credit for previous studies or in recognition of prior learning may be granted in accordance with University policy. Maximum credit allowed is normally one-third of the total units of the program.

2. Students who have completed the nested Graduate Diploma in Nursing (Critical Care Nursing) at the University of South Australia will be awarded a total of 36 units of credit in the Master of Nursing (Critical Care Nursing).

3. Students holding a post-registration hospital specialist certificate in Emergency or Intensive Care of between 6 and 12 months in length may be granted a maximum of one-third credit (ie 18 units of credit) towards the Master of Nursing (Critical Care Nursing), provided that the qualification has been completed no more than 10 years prior to an individual student's application.

4. Students must complete 18 units of either Minor Thesis 1 and 2 or Project 1 and 2 as the final two courses of their program.

Notes

1. The Master of Nursing (Critical Care Nursing) may not be offered every year and may also be subject to demand.

2. Students required to complete a practical component should be physically healthy and ensure that immunisation requirements of the proposed venue(s) are adhered to before commencing the course.

3. Core courses (13.5 units) comprise Collaborative Approaches to Health (9 units) and Applying Research to Nursing and Midwifery Practice (4.5 units).

4. Not all courses will be offered in each half of the year and may be subject to demand. Other optional courses may be negotiated, but must be approved by the Program Director in advance of enrolment.

5. Students undertaking a minor thesis of study will be assigned a supervisor and contract their study by negotiation in accordance with the University's guidelines on research.