Postgraduate Nursing and Midwifery (By Coursework)

The School of Nursing and Midwifery offers several postgraduate coursework programs in the area of Nursing and Midwifery for Registered Nurses who wish to take their career to the next level. These programs are offered via the University's online learning system, www.gradschool.com.au and flexible delivery is utilised wherever possible.

• Nursing (Advanced Practice)
• Mental Health Nursing
• Nursing (Nurse Practitioner)
• Midwifery
• Applied Management in Nursing

Nursing (Advanced Practice)

The Master of Nursing (Advanced Practice) is intended for graduate nurses who wish to further their knowledge and advance their skills in a particular field of nursing practice. These courses will be of interest to nurses working in, or planning to move into clinical nurse specialist, clinical nurse consultant, clinical educator or clinical nurse manager positions.

Nursing (Advanced Practice) will also meet the needs of nurses who wish to develop their clinical practice, reflective and analytical skills, and become better informed clinicians. Nurses have the opportunity to advance their clinical practice skills and to develop leadership potential. Courses in the program are taught by nurse academics and specialty experts.

Mental Health Nursing

The Master of Mental Health Nursing is intended for Registered Nurses wishing to undertake a specialist qualification in Mental Health Nursing. The main focus of the program is on clinical practice in an area of mental health service provision. In addition to providing foundational studies in Mental Health Nursing, the program also provides opportunities to study issues and topics of particular interest such as dual diagnosis, psycho-social and psycho-educational interventions, mental health care for older people, illness management and recovery and mental health in primary care.

Qualified mental health nurses are in very short supply in Australia and many other countries at a time in which innovative models of care are being introduced in public and private health services. The career development prospects for this exciting specialist field of nursing are thus excellent. In line with these new developments in mental health care, the main focus of the Master of Mental Health Nursing is on clinical practice in an area of mental health service provision. In addition to providing foundational studies in Mental Health Nursing, the program also provides opportunities to study issues and topics of particular interest such as dual diagnosis, psycho-social and psycho-educational interventions, mental health care for older people, illness management and recovery and mental health in primary care. The intention is to produce graduates who will be able to work effectively as mental health nurses in any health care location.

Nursing (Nurse Practitioner)

The Master of Nursing (Nurse Practitioner) program requires the successful completion of 120 units of study. The program is intended for registered nurses who wish to apply for authorisation by the Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia to work as a nurse practitioner, or who may wish to present the qualification to authorities in other countries. The program includes a minimum of 600 hours of embedded clinical practice in the student's speciality area of nursing, under the guidance of approved academic mentors and clinical supervisors (approved by the Program Convenor). This clinical practice is undertaken in the student's normal place of work. It is expected that the student's employment is accredited with the ACHS or similar.

Midwifery

The Master of Midwifery Studies program is designed for practising midwives, educators and midwifery managers. Pathways within the Masters of Midwifery allow students to develop particular strengths in the areas of clinical practice, midwifery management or preparation to conduct research. All graduates will have advanced knowledge and skills in midwifery, critical thinking, academic writing and evaluation of research as it informs practice.

Registered Midwives may also wish to consider a Masters by Research (Master of Philosophy in Midwifery: M.Phil (Midwifery). Registered Midwives with an Honours Degree or a Masters' with research courses may be eligible to apply for a Doctor of Philosophy in Midwifery: PhD(Midwifery). For more details see the Research section of the School's webpage.

Applied Management in Nursing

The Master of Applied Management (Nursing) is intended for graduate nurses who wish to further their knowledge and advance their skills in management.

As well as benefiting nurses working in, or planning to move into, management positions in nursing, study in this area will also assist students to develop their management practices, and reflective and analytical skills.