Duration
1 Year Part-time
Study mode
Online
Intakes
January & July
FEE-HELP
Available
Studying palliative care nursing with ACN will provide you with the principles of palliative care nursing in order to improve your knowledge and skills for the provision and coordination of evidenced based palliative care. The aim is to encourage professional and ethical understanding of clinical practice development for the improvement of patient outcomes.
Our course is written by specialist nurses, for nurses and students are supported by a team of clinical experts, working within the speciality.
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.
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.
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.
Units of study
| Unit type | Unit name & pricing | Course codes |
|---|---|---|
| Term 1 - Core | Advancing Professional Practice (340), Tier 2 | |
| Term 2 - Core | Principles of Palliative Care Nursing (314), Tier 1 | |
| Term 3 - Core | Therapeutic Communication (317), Tier 1 | |
| Term 4 - Core | Advanced Concepts in Palliative Care Nursing (315), Tier 1 | |
ACN offers two intakes per year in January and July. Important dates including start and census dates can be found here.
Flexible intakes in April and October may be available, please contact our Customer Services team for further details.
Fees
| Tiers | 2024 Member price (10% discount) | 2024 Non-member price | 2025 Member price (10% discount) | 2025 Non-member price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tier 1 | $2,308.50 | $2,565.00 | $2,403.00 | $2,670.00 |
| Tier 2 | $2,632.50 | $2,925.00 | $2,740.50 | $3,045.00 |
| Tier 3 | $3,096.00 | $3,440.00 | $3,539.00 | $3,932.00 |
| Tier 4 | $3,699.00 | $4,110.00 | $4,166.00 | $4,628.50 |
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 Nurses & Midwives Board of Australia (NMBA); 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
Erin Rooney, Nurse Educator – Higher Education
RN, BN, BPharmSc, MNg(GP&Com), MPallC, GCertHELT, GCert Lrdshp & Mgt, GradDipN(Clinical Nursing & Teaching), Cert IV TAE, Phd Candidate
Erin coordinates the Graduate Certificate in Alcohol and Other Drugs and Graduate Certificate in Palliative Care at ACN. With a primary focus on palliative and community nursing, she has extensive experience in diverse rural and remote locations across Australia, providing comprehensive generalist care. Erin’s expertise in palliative and community nursing is the product of over ten years of dedicated experience in these fields.
Erin’s experience enables her to guide and support aspiring nursing professionals effectively. Her commitment to providing culturally safe, evidence-based, and holistic care is the foundation of her work in nursing education and clinical practice. Erin firmly believes in the transformative power of further education for nurses, enabling them to adopt evidence-based practices that lead to positive outcomes for all people within their care.
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.
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Contact us
For general course information:
Customer Services
t: 02 9745 7500
e: customerservices@acn.edu.au
