Graduate Certificate in Palliative Care

Course overview

The Graduate Certificate in Palliative Care is designed for registered nurses who are looking to extend their palliative care capabilities to become future palliative care experts in their field.

The course aims to prepare students for advanced practice as registered nurses with skills in palliative care clinical performance capabilities, critical decision-making and leadership skills.

Career outcomes

A Graduate Certificate in Palliative Care is an investment in your future and will provide you with the knowledge and skills needed to ensure better outcomes for your patients and progress your career, leading to opportunities in clinical education, management and specialist nursing roles.

Learning outcomes

At successful completion of the course students should be able to:

• demonstrate the advanced knowledge, skills and attitudes required in the assessment and management of palliative care patients
• develop advanced communication skills in order to maintain positive therapeutic relationships with patients, significant others, and the multidisciplinary team
• model leadership behaviours within the speciality of palliative care nursing, providing mentorship, education and positive contribution to the multidisciplinary team
• critically analyse contemporary literature and industry endorsed practice guidelines to provide the foundation for evidence based palliative care nursing practice
• evaluate the impact of personal and professional values on palliative care nursing, and reflect on the cultural and ethical issues related to caring for patients at the end of life.

Course structure and fees

The Graduate Certificate in Palliative Care is a one year course, consisting of four 10-week terms.

Students will need to complete 4 core units. One unit is studied per term.

Approximate hours of study are 12 – 15 hours per week.

Fees

Fees are subject to change without notice.

ACN offers a flexible payment option allowing students to pay their fees on a term-by-term basis. Each term’s fees are due upfront, prior to term commencement.

FEE-HELP is also available for eligible students.

Entry requirements

Admission to GC 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:

• hold a Bachelor of Nursing or registered nurse* equivalent qualification
• be currently registered with the Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia (NMBA) or the equivalent registering authority in your country of origin
• have a minimum of one year postgraduate experience
• be currently employed in an appropriate clinical setting.

*For some GC units of study, consideration may be given for applicants who are not registered nurses on an individual basis.

Meet your Nurse Educator

Ashley Page MACN, Nurse Educator – Higher Education

RN, MHLM, Grad Cert Educ (Leadership), DipProfPract, CertIVTAE

Ashley coordinates and tutors for our Graduate Certificates in Palliative Care and Leadership and Management. With 5 years of experience in nurse education and previous roles in emergency nursing (15+ years) and management, Ashley is passionate about her role which provides the opportunity to interact with nurses at different stages of their career and help them put theory into practice.