The Master of Advanced Clinical Nursing, offered by the School of Nursing and Midwifery, prepares nurses for leadership roles in a clinical specialisation. Specialisations include emergency nursing, intensive care nursing, mental health nursing, perioperative nursing and nurse practitioner. Clinical specialisations require concurrent employment as a registered nurse in the area. The course enables development of advanced practice knowledge and leadership in specialist practice including skills to plan, implement, coordinate and evaluate health care, as well as the ability to formulate policy for a diverse and multicultural society. Graduates are employed in a wide range of general and specialist clinical, educational and healthcare environments in senior positions and contribute to the health of individuals, families and communities, in addition to the development of the profession.
The Master of Nurse Practitioner prepares Registered Nurses already working at an 'advanced nursing practice' level within their specialty area, to expand their scope of practice further to that of a Nurse Practitioner (NP). The degree provides the foundation for registered nurses to work autonomously in advanced and extended clinical practice roles in hospitals and community settings in collaboration with other members of the health care team. Graduates from this course will be academically eligible to seek endorsement as a Nurse Practitioner with AHPRA as this degree satisfies the educational requirements for endorsement as a Nurse Practitioner by the Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia under Pathway 1. Details of requirements for endorsement can be obtained at: http://www.nursingmidwiferyboard.gov.au/Registration-and-Endorsement/Endorsements-Notations.aspx
Specialisations
Emergency nursing
Available: Peninsula
This specialisation will provide you with leadership skills in emergency nursing management to plan, implement and coordinate and evaluate health care, as well as formulate policy for a diverse and multicultural society. It is designed using flexible teaching delivery options and provides for a range of individual career pathways, including nursing, education or management positions within the industry, government or independent professional practice. The specialisation can be taken by coursework or a combination of coursework and research.
Intensive care nursing
Available: Clayton
This specialisation will provide you with leadership skills in intensive care nursing management to plan, implement and coordinate and evaluate health care, as well as formulate policy for a diverse and multicultural society. It is designed using flexible teaching delivery options and provides for a range of individual career pathways, including nursing, education or management positions within the industry, government or independent professional practice. The specialisation can be taken by coursework, or a combination of coursework and research.
Mental health nursing
Available: Peninsula
This specialisation will provide you with leadership skills in mental health nursing to plan, implement and coordinate and evaluate health care, as well as formulate policy for a diverse and multicultural society. It is designed using flexible teaching delivery options and provides for a range of individual career pathways, including nursing, education or management positions within industry, government or independent professional practice. The specialisation can be taken by coursework, or a combination of coursework and research.
Nurse practitioner
Available: Clayton
This specialisation will provide you with an advanced understanding of health assessment, diagnostics, pharmacology and clinical decision making in order to provide holistic care to patients within your particular scope of practice. Nurse Practitioners may be involved in, among many other things, making direct referrals of patients to other health care professionals, prescribing medication, and ordering diagnostic investigations. This specialisation is accredited by the Australian Nursing and Midwifery Accreditation Council (ANMAC) for Nurse Practitioner endorsement.
Perioperative nursing
Available: Clayton
This specialisation will provide you with leadership skills in perioperative nursing combining scrub scout and peri-anaesthetic role management to plan, implement and coordinate and evaluate perioperative care, as well as formulate policy for a diverse and multicultural society. It is designed using flexible teaching delivery options and provides for a range of individual career pathways, including nursing, education or management positions within the industry, government or independent professional practice. The specialisation can be taken by coursework or a combination of coursework and research.
Medical surgical nursing
Available: Clayton
The advanced practice general nurse requires a diverse knowledge and skill base to appropriately and effectively assess and manage clients/patients in a hospital environment. These studies enable students to develop proficiency in the holistic management of patients with cardiac, respiratory and renal dysfunction, and shock in the ward environment. Students must be employed in a medical or surgical ward to complete this specialisation.
Clinical expenses: There are no clinical expenses associated with this specialisation as the employer has contracted to cover these costs as part of workforce development.
Paediatric emergency nursing
Available: Clayton
These studies prepare students to deliver care to paediatric patients and their families in emergency departments. The student will develop theoretical and clinical proficiency in assessment, recognition and management of the deteriorating paediatric patient. Skills will include advanced paediatric resuscitation, ventilation, triage, haemodynamic monitoring, trauma, and transportation considerations. Students must be employed in an emergency department that treats paediatric patients to complete this specialisation.
Clinical expenses: There are no clinical expenses associated with this specialisation as the employer has contracted to cover these costs as part of workforce development.
Paediatric intensive care nursing
Available: Clayton
These studies prepare students to deliver care to paediatric patients and their families in the intensive care unit. The student will develop theoretical and clinical proficiency in the management of critically ill paediatric patients with respiratory, cardiac, and renal conditions and shock. This stream will also prepare students to manage mechanical ventilation and advanced haemodynamic monitoring in the paediatric population. Students must be employed in an intensive care unit that treats paediatric patients to complete this specialisation.
Clinical expenses: There are no clinical expenses associated with this specialisation as the employer has contracted to cover these costs as part of workforce development.
Paediatric nursing
Available: Clayton
These studies provide a foundation for any nurse working with children. This stream prepares students for the management of ill paediatric patients. The student will develop theoretical and clinical proficiency in the therapeutic interventions essential to care for paediatric patients and their families. The principles and practices taught throughout the course can be applied to all areas of paediatric nursing. Students must be employed in a paediatric ward to complete this stream.
Clinical expenses: There are no clinical expenses associated with this specialisation as the employer has contracted to cover these costs as part of workforce development.
These course outcomes are aligned with the Australian Qualifications Framework level 9 and Monash Graduate AttributesAustralian Qualifications Framework level 9 and Monash Graduate Attributes (http://www.monash.edu.au/pubs/handbooks/alignmentofoutcomes.html).
Upon successful completion of this course it is expected that you will be able to:
- employ creative approaches and advanced skills to address complex nursing and health-related issues
- support the development of evidence-based nursing interventions
- initiate, manage and sustain changes which positively affect health outcomes
- evaluate the impact of care delivery on health outcomes
- provide professional leadership
- contribute to the development of nursing knowledge and practice through education, research, scholarly debate, presentation and publication
- generate and apply advanced knowledge and skills in a selected area of clinical nursing practice.
The nurse practitioner specialisation is accredited by the Australian Nursing and Midwifery Accreditation Council (ANMAC).
The course is structured in two parts: Part A Specialist nursing practice studies, Part B Research and advanced scholarly practice. You must complete Parts A and B. Depending upon prior qualifications, you may receive credit for Part A or Part B or a combination of the two.
Note: If you are eligible for credit for prior studies may elect not to receive the credit and complete the higher credit-point option.
Part A. Specialist nursing practice studies
These studies provide options for registered nurses seeking leadership roles to take a clinical specialisation appropriate for individual career aspirations. The studies draw on best practices within the nursing specialisations for the development of advanced knowledge and skills.
Part B. Research and advanced scholarly practice
The focus of these studies is professional or scholarly work that can contribute to a portfolio of professional development. You have two options:
- a 24 or 36 point research program. If you wish to use this master's course as a pathway to a higher degree by research you should take this option.
- a program of coursework study where you select the units to suit your own interests.
The course comprises 72 points structured into two parts: Part A. Specialist nursing practice studies, and Part B. Research and advanced scholarly practice.
- If you are admitted at Entry level 1 you complete 72 points
- If you are admitted at Entry level 2 you complete 48 points
Note: Depending upon prior qualifications, you may receive credit for Part A or Part B or a combination of the two. Credit is usually awarded for specialty or elective units and will be assessed individually. If you are eligible for credit for prior studies you may elect not to receive the credit and complete the higher credit-point option.
The course progression mapcourse progression map (http://www.monash.edu.au/pubs/2019handbooks/maps/map-m6031.pdf) provides guidance on unit enrolment for each semester of study.
Units are 12 credit points unless otherwise stated.
Part A. Specialist nursing practice studies (24 or 36 points)
You must complete:
Emergency nursing (24 points)
Intensive care nursing (24 points)
Mental health nursing (36 points)
- NUR5228 Theories and philosophies of mental health nursing (6 points)
- NUR5229 Challenges and controversies in mental health nursing practice (6 points)
- NUR5215 Mental health nursing concepts and practice
- NUR5008 Contemporary psychotherapies for nurses or NUR5227 Integrated mental health care
Master of Nurse Practitioner (36 points)
- NUR5208 Therapeutic medication management
- NUR5218 Advanced clinical decision making
- NUR5411 Advanced clinical assessment and diagnostic reasoning
- NUR5600 Nurse practitioner essentials (0 points)
Perioperative nursing (24 points)
- NUR5325 Clinical leadership in nursing (6 points)
- NUR5703 Pathophysiology for advanced clinical nursing (6 points)
- NUR5705 Perioperative nursing 1 (6 points)
- NUR5706 Perioperative nursing 2 (6 points)
Medical surgical nursing (24 points)
- NUR5703 Pathophysiology for advanced clinical nursing (6 points)
- NUR5708Not offered in 2019 Specialist nursing practice (12 points)
- NUR5325 Clinical Leadership in nursing (6 points)
Paediatric emergency nursing (24 points)
- NUR5704Not offered in 2019 Pathophysiology for advanced paediatric nursing (6 points)
- NUR5708Not offered in 2019 Specialist nursing practice (12 points)
- NUR5325 Clinical Leadership in nursing (6 points
Paediatric intensive care nursing (24 points)
- NUR5704Not offered in 2019 Pathophysiology for advanced paediatric nursing (6 points)
- NUR5708Not offered in 2019 Specialist nursing practice (12 points)
- NUR5325 Clinical Leadership in nursing (6 points
Paediatric nursing (24 points)
- NUR5704Not offered in 2019 Pathophysiology for advanced paediatric nursing (6 points)
- NUR5708Not offered in 2019 Specialist nursing practice (12 points)
- NUR5325 Clinical Leadership in nursing (6 points
Part B. Research and advanced scholarly practice
You must complete:
- GHS5841 research and evidence for practice
You must complete either a. the research stream or b. the coursework stream as detailed below.
Note: If you are completing the nurse practitioner specialisation you must complete the coursework pathway.
a. Research (24 or 36 points)
You must complete either Option 1 - Minor thesis or Option 2 - Research project.
Option 1 - Minor thesis (36 points) (not available to mental health specialisation)
You must complete:
- MAP5000 Research in advanced health professional practice
- MAP5001 Preparatory minor thesis
- MAP5002 Minor thesis
Option 2 - Research project (24 points plus 12 points elective where required)
You must complete:
- MAP5000 Research in advanced health professional practice
- MAP5010 Advanced health practice research project
- 12 points of elective units (except for students completing the mental health specialisation)
b. Coursework (24 or 36 points)
If you are in the following specialisations you must complete additional elective units to take the total to 72 points:
- Emergency nursing - 36 points of electives
- Intensive care nursing - 36 points of electives
- Mental health nursing - 24 points of electives
- Nurse practitioner - 24 points of electives
- Perioperative nursing - 36 points of electives
- Medical surgical nursing - 36 points of electives
- Paediatric emergency nursing - 36 points of electives
- Paediatric intensive care nursing - 36 points of electives
- Paediatric nursing - 36 points of electives
Elective list
- NUR5202 Nursing informatics
- NUR5203 Palliative care practice
- NUR5204 Education in health care practice
- NUR5208 Therapeutic medication management
- NUR5209 Education program development
- NUR5210 Disaster and emergency nursing management
- NUR5214 Advanced therapeutic interaction in nursing
- NUR5325 Clinical leadership in nursing (6 points)
- NUR5326 Leading improvement and innovation in the quality and safety of nursing and health care (6 points) or MPH5268 Financial issues in health care management (6 points)
- NUR5327 Management and Leadership of professional nursing practice
- NUR5703 Pathophysiology for advanced clinical nursing
- NUR5704Not offered in 2019 Pathophysiology for advanced paediatric clinical nursing
- NUR5833 Refugee health and wellbeing
- NUR5844 Population health and health promotion
- NUR5850Not offered in 2019 Working cross culturally in contemporary health care (6 points)
- NUR5860Not offered in 2019 Health education theory and practice (6 points)
- NUR5870Not offered in 2019 End of life care in nursing contexts
You may exit this course early and apply to graduate with one of the following awards, provided you have satisfied the requirements for that award during your enrolment in this master's course:
- Graduate Diploma of Advanced Clinical Nursing after successful completion of 48 points, with a minimum of 36 credit points at level 4 or above. If you complete 24 points from a particular specialisation in Part A you will have the name of the specialisation on your transcript.
- Graduate Certificate of Advanced Clinical Nursing after successful completion of 24 points, with a minimum of 18 points at level 4 or above. If you complete 24 points from a particular specialisation in Part A you will have the name of the specialisation on your transcript.
Successful completion of the research stream may provide a pathway to a higher degree by research.
