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HN4.ACN - Graduate Certificate in Health (Acute Care Nursing)
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A73A40E70C244FE0BF9EAB8B48345FFD
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HE PGCW Template
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6
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20270200
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2026-09-10
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2026-09-10
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1.4
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/MK2.2/O3.1
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Program
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Postgraduate Course
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Graduate Certificate in Health (Acute Care Nursing)
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Institute of Health and Wellbeing
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Nursing
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<p>This course will prepare the post-registration nurse for advanced clinical practice within the Emergency, Critical Care/Intensive Care and Medical Surgical Nursing environments. This innovative program has a strong regional focus and prepares the post registration nurse with the theoretical and practical knowledge and skills to work in specialised acute care clinical areas. Delivered part time over one year, this course utilises a blended model of learning with online learning content/activities, on-campus workshop days and industry practical assessments to support nurses to achieve a deeper clinical knowledge and skills relevant to their clinical area of practice. Students will start the degree by completing core units focusing on advanced pathophysiology and health assessment in the first semester and then complete their specialisation units of Emergency, Critical Care or Medical Surgical Nursing in the second semester. Within the chosen speciality units, students will apply their acquired advanced pathophysiological and health assessment knowledge to the care of acute patients through nursing assessment, implementation and management. Students will also utilise advanced critical thinking skills and interpretation of patient data in the analysis and evaluation of therapeutic interventions used to treat complex health conditions. Students will also explore the role of the Registered Nurse in providing quality patient and family centred care, clinical nursing leadership, effective communication, supported by clinical governance frameworks. All speciality units are underpinned by their relevant peak organisational bodies standards (including Registered Nurse Standards of Practice, Australian College of Critical Care Nurses [ACCCN], and The College of Emergency Nursing Australasia [CENA]). Enrolments for this course are open for students who hold current AHPRA registered nurse qualification and are currently working within a relevant acute care nursing area to their stream. Students are required to be working within their clinical area for the duration of the Graduate Certificate in Health (Acute Care Nursing) course at a minimum EFT of 0.6 and submit the Employer Letter of Support on enrolment signed by their designated manager.</p>
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PGCW
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60
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Graduate Certificate
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8 - Bachelor Honours Degree, Graduate Certificate, Graduate Diploma
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0.5 year
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<p>Micheal Barbagallo</p>
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["Part time"]
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["Domestic"]
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3/4 HD and nothing less than a D
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<p>Students that achieve a grade of High Distinction (HD) in at least three quarters of the units they study in a teaching period and receive nothing less than a Distinction (D) in remaining units in that teaching period will receive a letter of commendation.</p>
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Fail any unit in a term
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<p>Students that fail a unit will be contacted via email with advice on required actions and referral to various Federation support services.</p>
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Fail > = 50% in a term OR fail a unit 2 times
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<p>Students who fail in 50 % or more of the units in which they are enrolled in any semester or who have not passed a unit after two attempts will be regarded as having unsatisfactory progress. They will be contacted via email and advised to contact their Course Coordinator to seek advice on how to address the issues that contributed to the result. </p>
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2 consecutive performance (%) unsatisfactory terms OR fail a unit 3 times
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<p>Following unsatisfactory progress in two consecutive semesters or failing a unit for the third time, students will be asked to show cause why they should not be suspended from the course. Unless a satisfactory response is received by the relevant Academic Progress Committee the student may be suspended from the course for a period of up to two years.</p>
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Marginal fail in final unit
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<p>Students who receive an MF grade in their final Semester may apply to the Course Coordinator within 7 days of the publication of results for supplementary assessment if that unit is the only outstanding unit required to complete the degree and the student has not been found guilty of any form of academic misconduct (e.g. plagiarism, contract cheating, collusion) in that Semester. The highest grade attainable will be a Pass grade.</p>
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<p>Successful completion of an Australian Bachelor Degree, or overseas equivalent.</p>
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Academic requirements
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<p>Applicants are requested to provide supplementary information to support their application as listed below.</p>
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<p>This course recognises relevant non-formal and informal prior learning and experiences, as long as you meet the admission eligibility rules and procedures, and any RPL unit exclusions.</p>
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Semester 1 entry course structure
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Credit, pathways, and recognition of prior learning
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Semester
Semester
0200
Year
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2027
Current Year
2026
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Handbook
HN4.ACN - Graduate Certificate in Health (Acute Care Nursing)
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HN4.ACN - Graduate Certificate in Health (Acute Care Nursing)
Breadcrumb Type
Course
Catalogue Term and Year
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Semester
Semester 1
Semester 2
Summer Semester
Year
2027
2026
RDS Holder
Overview
Key information
Entry requirements
Course rules
Course structure
Course learning outcomes
Credit, pathways, and recognition of prior learning
Parent Region
Overview
Course overview
<p>This course will prepare the post-registration nurse for advanced clinical practice within the Emergency, Critical Care/Intensive Care and Medical Surgical Nursing environments. This innovative program has a strong regional focus and prepares the post registration nurse with the theoretical and practical knowledge and skills to work in specialised acute care clinical areas. Delivered part time over one year, this course utilises a blended model of learning with online learning content/activities, on-campus workshop days and industry practical assessments to support nurses to achieve a deeper clinical knowledge and skills relevant to their clinical area of practice. Students will start the degree by completing core units focusing on advanced pathophysiology and health assessment in the first semester and then complete their specialisation units of Emergency, Critical Care or Medical Surgical Nursing in the second semester. Within the chosen speciality units, students will apply their acquired advanced pathophysiological and health assessment knowledge to the care of acute patients through nursing assessment, implementation and management. Students will also utilise advanced critical thinking skills and interpretation of patient data in the analysis and evaluation of therapeutic interventions used to treat complex health conditions. Students will also explore the role of the Registered Nurse in providing quality patient and family centred care, clinical nursing leadership, effective communication, supported by clinical governance frameworks. All speciality units are underpinned by their relevant peak organisational bodies standards (including Registered Nurse Standards of Practice, Australian College of Critical Care Nurses [ACCCN], and The College of Emergency Nursing Australasia [CENA]). Enrolments for this course are open for students who hold current AHPRA registered nurse qualification and are currently working within a relevant acute care nursing area to their stream. Students are required to be working within their clinical area for the duration of the Graduate Certificate in Health (Acute Care Nursing) course at a minimum EFT of 0.6 and submit the Employer Letter of Support on enrolment signed by their designated manager.</p>
Key information
Institute / school:
Institute of Health and Wellbeing
Discipline:
Nursing
Study level:
Postgraduate - Coursework
Study load:
Part time
Credit points:
60
AQF level:
8 - Bachelor Honours Degree, Graduate Certificate, Graduate Diploma
Duration (in full time equivalent):
0.5 year
Domestic students:
<p><strong>Location</strong></p><p>Flexible Delivery - Ballarat (Blended)</p><p>Flexible Delivery - Berwick (Blended)</p><p>Flexible Delivery - Gippsland (Blended)</p>
Course coordinator:
<p>Micheal Barbagallo</p>
Entry requirements
Domestic students
Applicants with higher education study
Academic requirements
<p>Successful completion of an Australian Bachelor Degree, or overseas equivalent.</p>
Additional requirements
Supplementary admission requirements
<p>Applicants are requested to provide supplementary information to support their application as listed below.</p><br /><p class="bold-heading3"></p> <ul><li><p>Applicants must be currently employed at 0.6 EFT in the selected specialty area. </p></li></ul><br /><p class="bold-heading3"></p> <ul><li><p>Applicants must supply current CV. </p></li></ul>
Course rules
Course rules show the number and type of credit points needed to finish your course. They help you understand what you need to complete to graduate. You’re responsible for following the course rules and completing the right units. You’ll find a recommended sequence of units that meets these course rules in the course structure.
Course rules
Complete 60 credit points comprising:
60
credit points from
Core Units
Core Units
Complete exactly 60 credit points from the following:
Code
Title
Credit points
HEAAN6602
Advanced Pathophysiology for Acute Care Nursing
15
HEAAN6603
Advanced Health Assessment for Acute Care Nursing
15
EITHER
HEAAN6604
Specialty Emergency Nursing Practice
30
OR
HEAAN6605
Specialty Medical-Surgical Nursing Practice
30
OR
HEAAN6606
Specialty Critical Care Nursing Practice
30
OR
HEAAN6607
Specialty Perioperative Nursing Practice
30
OR
HEAAN6608
Specialty Paediatric Nursing Practice
30
Academic progress regulations
Commendation
<p>Students that achieve a grade of High Distinction (HD) in at least three quarters of the units they study in a teaching period and receive nothing less than a Distinction (D) in remaining units in that teaching period will receive a letter of commendation.</p>
Counselling
<p>Students that fail a unit will be contacted via email with advice on required actions and referral to various Federation support services.</p>
Unsatisfactory
<p>Students who fail in 50 % or more of the units in which they are enrolled in any semester or who have not passed a unit after two attempts will be regarded as having unsatisfactory progress. They will be contacted via email and advised to contact their Course Coordinator to seek advice on how to address the issues that contributed to the result. </p>
Exclusion / suspension
<p>Following unsatisfactory progress in two consecutive semesters or failing a unit for the third time, students will be asked to show cause why they should not be suspended from the course. Unless a satisfactory response is received by the relevant Academic Progress Committee the student may be suspended from the course for a period of up to two years.</p>
Final unit supplementary assessment
<p>Students who receive an MF grade in their final Semester may apply to the Course Coordinator within 7 days of the publication of results for supplementary assessment if that unit is the only outstanding unit required to complete the degree and the student has not been found guilty of any form of academic misconduct (e.g. plagiarism, contract cheating, collusion) in that Semester. The highest grade attainable will be a Pass grade.</p>
Course structure
<p><a target="_blank" href="https://www.federation.edu.au/students/student-essentials/how-to-enrol/what-to-enrol-in/">Course structures</a> set out the recommended sequence of units for enrolment. It's your responsibility to comply with the course rules and confirm unit availability (which you'll find under 'Offering' in the 'Key information' section of each unit outline).</p> <p>Select the semester you started your course in (not the semester you're enrolling for).</p>
Semester 1 entry course structure
Year 1
Semester 1
HEAAN6602
Advanced Pathophysiology for Acute Care Nursing
Core Units
15
HEAAN6603
Advanced Health Assessment for Acute Care Nursing
Core Units
15
Semester 2
HEAAN6607 - Specialty Perioperative Nursing Practice
OR
HEAAN6608 - Specialty Paediatric Nursing Practice
30
Course learning outcomes
Upon successful completion of this course, graduates will be able to:
Course learning outcomes
Ref
Outcome
<p>1</p>
<p>Demonstrate sound knowledge of the pathophysiology and clinical manifestations presenting in an acutely unwell patient</p>
<p>2</p>
<p>Critically evaluates and interprets health assessment data gained from nursing assessments and diagnostic findings to evaluate therapeutic interventions to inform ongoing nursing priorities, interventions and evaluation of care</p>
<p>3</p>
<p>Integrates advanced critical thinking and problem-solving skills in the assessment, management, interpretation and evaluation health interventions and treatments utilised in an unwell patient’s care plan to treat life threatening illness, injury or complication</p>
<p>4 </p>
<p>Demonstrates collegiality, effective leadership, and teamwork within an interdisciplinary team to deliver evidence-based, patient- and family-centered care in acute care settings, while engaging in lifelong learning and reflective practice to stay current with digital and non-digital healthcare advancements </p>
Credit, pathways, and recognition of prior learning
Recognition of prior learning
Recognition of prior learning
<p>This course recognises relevant non-formal and informal prior learning and experiences, as long as you meet the admission eligibility rules and procedures, and any RPL unit exclusions.</p>
Key information
Institute / school:
Institute of Health and Wellbeing
Discipline:
Nursing
Study level:
Postgraduate - Coursework
Study load:
Part time
Credit points:
60
AQF level:
8 - Bachelor Honours Degree, Graduate Certificate, Graduate Diploma
Duration (in full time equivalent):
0.5 year
Domestic students:
<p><strong>Location</strong></p><p>Flexible Delivery - Ballarat (Blended)</p><p>Flexible Delivery - Berwick (Blended)</p><p>Flexible Delivery - Gippsland (Blended)</p>
Course coordinator:
<p>Micheal Barbagallo</p>
Additional information
Add Info Static Text
Internal reference: HN4.ACN - C1.4/MK2.2/O3.1/R2.0