Graduate Certificate in Community and Primary Health Care Nursing

Course overview

The Graduate Certificate in Community and Primary Health Care Nursing is designed for nurses working in a variety of community, primary health and general practice settings. The course will enhance the nurse’s knowledge and skills in prevention, early intervention and management of a range of often complex illnesses. Continuity of care and the facilitation of self-management is emphasized across the transition from acute to sub-acute and community care. The structure of the course recognises the evolving specialist primary health nursing role in practice nursing, community nursing and chronic disease management.

Career outcomes

A Graduate Certificate in Community and Primary Health Care 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 education, management, rural and remote nursing as well as specialist nursing roles.

Learning Outcomes

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

• critically examine the relationship between social determinants of health, health outcomes and the context of specialist nursing practice
• examine the economic and political factors influencing determinants of health and health outcomes
• evaluate evidence based research to enhance clinical decision making skills and client intervention
• rationalise their professional, ethical and social responsibilities commensurate to the context of nursing practice
• analyse contemporary models of care that meet the specialised needs of the individual to optimise health outcomes
• promote an effective learning environment through the development, dissemination and fostering of specialist knowledge and skills
• evaluate available services and resources that support the management of a client with diverse health care needs.

Course Structure

The Graduate Certificate in Community and Primary Health Care Nursing is a one year course, consisting of four 10-week terms. Approximate hours of study are 12 – 15 hours per week.