Duration
1 Year Part-time
Study mode
Online
Intakes
January
FEE-HELP
Available
Arthritis and other musculoskeletal conditions affect an estimated 6.1 million Australians (approximately 28% of the total population) across all ages. Due to their diverse nature, there is considerable variation in the prevalence, treatment and management, and quality of life of people with these conditions across various life stages. (AIHW, 2014).
A Graduate Certificate in Orthopaedic Nursing 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.
Course overview
The Graduate Certificate in Orthopaedic Nursing is designed for registered nurses working in a variety of orthopaedic environments. This course aims to cultivate excellence in the delivery of nursing care through the exploration and integration of theoretical knowledge, evidence-based practice and clinical nursing.
Content includes exploration of the impact of acute and chronic illness, differentiation of the range of musculoskeletal dysfunction associated with trauma and emphasises assessment and management strategies within both the adult and paediatric setting.
Participants have an opportunity to expand their professional development and improve their research skills through online forums and discussion of professional and clinical issues. This online course uses a variety of learning modes including case studies, multimedia and discussion forums in a virtual classroom.
Graduates of this course will be better prepared to implement evidence-based practice and contemporary research to improve person outcomes.
Career outcomes
A Graduate Certificate in Orthopaedic Nursing is an investment in your future and will provide you with the knowledge and skills needed to ensure better outcomes for the individuals under your care and progress your career, leading to opportunities in clinical education, management and specialist nursing roles.
This course is designed to develop specific learning outcomes. Students will:
- apply specialist knowledge of physiology, pathophysiology of diseases and trauma to the nursing assessment and management of people undergoing orthopaedic procedures
- explore the legal, ethical and cultural issues in relation to the nursing care of people undergoing orthopaedic procedures
- demonstrate specialist knowledge, comprehensive assessment skills and evidence-based practice to improve orthopaedic nursing care
- evaluate complex clinical problems demonstrating a specialist approach to practice across the lifespan
- critically reflect on current practice and learning experiences to promote leadership, knowledge sharing and development of a philosophy of lifelong learning
- develop advanced communication skills in order to establish therapeutic relationships with stakeholders, support systems and the multidisciplinary team for a holistic approach to nursing care.
The Graduate Certificate in Orthopaedic Nursing is a one year course, consisting of four 10-week terms.
Students will need to complete 4 units – 3 core and 1 elective. One unit is studied per term.
Approximate hours of study are 12 – 15 hours per week.
Units of study
| Unit type | Unit name & pricing | Course codes |
|---|---|---|
| Term 1 - Core | Advancing Professional Practice (340), Tier 1 | |
| Term 2 - Core | Principles of Orthopaedic Nursing (042), Tier 1 | |
| Term 3 - Elective | Choose one elective from the following: |
|
| Term 4 - Core | Clinical Practice in Orthopaedic Nursing (922), Tier 1 | |
ACN offers one intake per year in January. Important dates including start and census dates can be found here.
Fees
| Tiers | 2023 Member price (10% discount) | 2023 Non-member price | 2024 Member price (10% discount) | 2024 Non-member price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tier 1 | $2,196.00 | $2,440.00 | $2,308.50 | $2,565.00 |
| Tier 2 | $2,506.50 | $2,785.00 | $2,632.50 | $2,925.00 |
| Tier 3 | $2,947.50 | $3,275.00 | $3,096.00 | $3,440.00 |
| Tier 4 | $3,523.50 | $3,915.00 | $3,699.00 | $4,110.00 |
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. Further information can be found here.
Want to save on course fees?
Being a part of the ACN community allows nurses to be the best they can be and strengthen the voice of nursing through a range of invaluable benefits, including 10% off graduate certificates and other education offerings, exclusive networking events, access to support and advice on ACN’s online engagement platform neo, free online CPD courses and opportunities to be involved in shaping health care policy. Find out more and join our tribe today!
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
- hold current registration with the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (AHPRA); or the equivalent registering authority in your country of origin
- meet the Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia English language skills registration standard (nursing and midwifery) – please refer to the AHPRA website to download the standard
- have a minimum of one year of postgraduate experience; and
- be currently employed in the clinical area of specialisation*
*For some GC units of study, consideration may be given for applicants who are not registered nurses on an individual basis.
*The below courses contain a compulsory clinical placement component and do not require applicants to be employed in the clinical area of specialisation:
- Graduate Certificate in Child and Family Health
- Graduate Certificate in Stomal Therapy Nursing
- Graduate Certificate in Dermatology Nursing
Kirsten Masters, Nurse Educator – Higher Education
RN, BN, MN (Critical Care), Cert IV TAE
e: kirsten.masters@acn.edu.au
Kirsten has been nursing for 10 years and has experience working in critical care settings, as well as experience as a nurse educator within other educational providers. You can see Kirsten on the TV show Kings Cross ER!
She is passionate about delivering quality education that will empower nurses to provide care that is of the highest standard.
Please ensure you read all course information and make sure you meet entry requirements prior to commencing the application form.
Applications for enrolment will not be progressed until all relevant documentation has been received by Customer Services.
We strongly encourage applications from Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health care professionals to study this course. If you are an Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander person we encourage you to let us know in your application. If you require assistance with completing your application or support during the course, please don’t hesitate to let us know.
Application form will open in a new window. Your privacy is very important to us. To better serve you, the form information you enter is recorded in real time.
Contact us
For general course information:
Customer Services
t: 02 9745 7500
e: customerservices@acn.edu.au
