Graduate Certificate in Paediatric Nursing
Course code: GC-PAEN
January, June
AUD $14,000 (2026 indicative first year fee). Commonwealth Supported Places (CSPs) are not available
January, June
AUD $22,000 (2026 indicative first year fee)
IELTS 6.5: with no band less than 6.0
Course structure
Overview
As a student of this course, you will:
Examine core pathophysiological concepts
Explore the underlying pathophysiology of paediatric diseases and develop knowledge and skills required to prioritise care of paediatric patients.
Extend your knowledge of patient assessment and management
Broaden your knowledge and theory of paediatrics and learn how to assess infants, children and adolescents. Develop specialist knowledge in the principles of growth and development, nutritional requirements, fluid and electrolyte management, paediatric respiratory illnesses, and other common paediatric conditions including management of paediatric surgical patients.
Apply your new knowledge in the clinical setting
You will receive supervised training in your employing hospital, undertake accurate assessment of paediatric patients, and provide age and developmentally appropriate nursing care, demonstrating that you can integrate theoretical knowledge with technical skill.
Course structure
The Graduate Certificate in Paediatric Nursing is a 50-point program designed to be undertaken part time over 12 months, including supervised clinical practice at your employing hospital. You must complete:
- One core online subject, worth 12.5 points
- Three core clinical specialty subjects including one practice subject at your employing hospital, each worth 12.5 points
Please note: if you commence study in the winter intake you will have a 6 month break after completing the first subject Applied Pathophysiology and recommence in the year after. Consequently, starting this course in the winter intake will take 1.5 years to complete.
Workload
On average, it is estimated that students will be required to allocate 15-19 hours per week for ‘study’ time for each subject. However, the time commitment required can vary based on individual task management and planning skills, familiarity with the material, reading style and speed.
Explore this course
Explore the subjects you could choose as part of this degree.
Students must successfully complete the following four core subjects
| Accordion | |
|---|---|
| Applied Pathophysiology · 12.5 pts |
This subject provides a foundation for understanding the pathologic basis of disease across the lifespan. It equips learners with the knowledge and skills required to explain assessment data and prioritise patient care in a specialty area of practice based on scientific principles. Core pathophysiological concepts covered will include: cellular responses to stress; adaptation, injury and death; acute and chronic inflammation; tissue renewal and repair; infection; neoplasia; haemodynamic, genetic and immune system disorders and genetic predisposition to disease. Using a case study based approach, learners will be provided with opportunities to apply their knowledge
|
| Foundations in Paediatric Nursing · 12.5 pts |
Foundations in Paediatric Nursing is designed to promote an understanding of the theoretical foundations of Paediatric nursing to support safe practice when caring for paediatric patients. Students will explore growth and development principles from newborn to the adolescent and explore assessment and management of the paediatric patient. The impact of hospitalisation on the child and family unit will also be examined. Interventions initiated by nurses at a beginning level of specialist paediatric practice will be explored, including the technical and scientific knowledge that is a pre-requisite for skill development. The evidence base underpinning practice will be evaluated. |
| Paediatric Nursing · 12.5 pts |
Paediatric Nursing is designed to consolidate and extend the understanding of the theoretical aspects of paediatric nursing. It builds on the knowledge and skills learnt in Foundations in Paediatrics and expands the student’s knowledge regarding a range of patients encountered in paediatric practice settings. Students will build on assessment skills and theoretical knowledge to include assessment and management of complex respiratory, cardiac, neurological, renal, metabolic, and surgical conditions. There is a continued emphasis on scientific principles and research evidence underpinning practice. Skills in problem-solving, critical thinking, rational inquiry and self-directed learning will be utilised to guide management of patient and family problems in specialty paediatric practice. |
| Paediatric Nursing Practice · 12.5 pts |
This subject provides students with the opportunity to integrate knowledge gained in the theoretical subjects with clinical practice in the paediatric setting. The subject provides a comprehensive approach to paediatric nursing care through understanding principles of illness/health management relating to the infant, child, adolescent and family. The students develop skills of assessment and management principles which enable them to progress to a more advanced level of practice. Students are given the opportunity to plan and coordinate care for patients with a wide variety of problems. There is a continued emphasis on scientific principles and research evidence underpinning practice and further developing of skills in problem-solving, critical thinking, rational inquiry and self-directed learning to solve patient management problems in specialty practice. The practical component is in the form of a learning contract whereby students address learning objectives. Learning objectives focus on undertaking accurate assessment of the paediatric patient and relating the underlying physiological and pathophysiological processes to assessment data; applying theoretical knowledge to technical skill development; developing evidence-based evaluations to the practice of caring for patients in the paediatric setting and developing skills in sharing knowledge with peers. |