The Graduate Certificate in Critical Care Nursing is designed for registered nurses seeking to advance their knowledge and clinical skills in critical care environments. As patient care becomes increasingly complex, this course equips nurses with the specialised expertise required to manage critically ill patients using evidence-based, person-centred approaches.

This course is developed and delivered by experienced critical care nurses and educators. This course addresses the need for formal postgraduate education in critical care, recognising the growing acuity of patients and the complexity of interventions now common in settings such as intensive care, emergency departments, and cardiac units. Students will engage in contemporary learning that reflects current healthcare challenges, technological advancements, and national practice standards. This course is structured around three critical care streams—Cardiac, Emergency, and Intensive Care Nursing—reflecting the diversity and complexity of contemporary critical care settings.

Graduate certificate in Critical Care Nursing is approved by TEQSA at AQF level 8 and is aligned to Australian Critical Care College of Nursing practice standards. On completion of the course, the students are able to achieve graduate outcomes which will inform their professional practice as well as their nationally and internationally recognised post graduate qualifications.

This course is designed for registered nurses wishing to further their education in the practice of critical care nursing. It enables students to:

• Develop a sound theoretical base for specialist nursing practice in a dynamic, complex and demanding critical care environment
• Apply specialist level of clinical skills and abilities to optimise person-centred care delivery for critical ill people
• Analyse complex clinical problems using critical thinking, evolved reasoning informed by national and international best practice guidelines
• Discuss legal, ethical and cultural concepts related to providing holistic healthcare in a safe and cohesive critical care environment
• Evaluate critical care leadership and mentoring processes which enable dissemination of knowledge, enhancement of skills and participation in collaborative research and lifelong learning
• Critically analyse own role in fostering reflective practice and effective communication for continuous improvement of standards and quality in critical care

This course is offered in three critical care streams: cardiac, emergency and intensive care nursing. It is informed by and structured to meet industry needs in the field of Critical Care nursing. Students are guided through advanced clinical knowledge that moves them beyond fundamental techniques in the provision of care within the critical care environment. Course design allows students to gain in depth understanding of critical care nursing and the role a specialist nurse plays in caring for critically ill people. Learning content in this course enables students to collaborate in comprehensive clinical care as a member of a multidisciplinary team responsible for managing complex life-threatening conditions. Critical thinking and problem solving is emphasized throughout the course enabling students to prioritise urgent health needs and to implement nursing interventions which optimise health outcomes for people in their care. On completion of the course the nurse is equipped with professional attitude, encompassing legal and ethical evidence-based practice, cultural sensitivity and commitment to lifelong learning.

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
• have a minimum of one year of postgraduate experience; and
• be currently employed in the clinical area of specialisation