Graduate Certificate in Primary Care Nursing
Course code: GC-PCN
February, July
AUD $14,000 (2026 indicative first year fee). Commonwealth Supported Places (CSPs) are not available
February, July
AUD $22,000 (2026 indicative first year fee)
IELTS 6.5: with no band less than 6.0
Course structure
Overview
Completing this certificate will provide you with the clinical skills and theoretical knowledge necessary to increase your scope of practice and provide comprehensive and evidence-based patient care.
The core subjects will provide you with a comprehensive coverage of chronic disease management, health promotion and preventative health from the perspective of primary care. Nurses can choose from a wide selection of electives to suit their individual career goals.
Explore this course
Explore the subjects you could choose as part of this certificate.
| Accordion | |
|---|---|
| Chronic Disease Management: Foundations · 12.5 pts |
This subject focuses on the role of the primary care nurse in providing patient centred care to individuals with diabetes, asthma, chronic obstructive airways disease, hypertension and heart failure. The subject content includes the pathophysiology of these common conditions and the common pharmacological agents used in treatment. The Primary Care system in Australia is explained and the systems and evidence based management principles explored with a focus on working within a multidisciplinary framework. |
| Chronic Disease Management: In Practice · 12.5 pts |
This subject focuses on the role of the primary care nurse in providing patient centred care within the context of chronic disease management. The lived experience of patients with chronic conditions is explored alongside the scope of nurse practice in the provision of clinical care, psychosocial support and patient education within a multidisciplinary framework. This subject builds on the knowledge of the pre-requisite subject, NURS90104 Chronic Disease Management: Foundations, and assists nurses in promoting chronic disease self-management based on the chronic care model. Students who wish to complete the Graduate Certificate in Primary Care full time, over 6 months, can complete NURS90104 & NURS90105 concurrently. |
| Preventive Health Care · 12.5 pts |
Students will explore the theory and practice of health promotion and illness prevention in a primary care context. They will discuss the social model of health and recognise that a range of social, cultural and economic factors influence people’s health and well-being. The impact of weight, diet, and exercise on health as well as smoking and other risk behaviours will be explored. In addition, students will develop strategies that promote health through empowerment of the individual and communities. The theoretical and practical knowledge gained in this subject will prepare students to undertake health assessments. |
| Accordion | |
|---|---|
| Ageing in Society · 12.5 pts |
This subject aims to offer students a critical examination of the ways in which ageing is socially constructed. Students will learn about ageing from a range of perspectives, including life course, bio-medical, gender, cross cultural, consumer, historical and self-reflection. The subject will focus on how the prevailing social context shapes ideas, relationships, and practices with specific implications for older people. This subject will critically analyse all forms of ageism and how older people are portrayed in literature, media and government policy using case studies from Australia and other countries around the world. Students will be encouraged to reflect on what ageing means to them, how they would like to age and what the impact of an ageing population might mean for future policy development. |
| Alcohol, Other Drugs and Recovery · 12.5 pts |
This elective subject will introduce the speciality area of substance use and addiction, exploring the interaction between substance use, health and socio-cultural and political systems, and the role of the clinician in working with and supporting consumers, carers and communities. This subject will introduce the types of substances associated with addiction, and evidenced-based approaches to the screening, assessment, formulation, treatment interventions, and associated risks. There will be a focus on recovery principles and cultural competence to support and empower consumers and their families/carers. The subject aims to facilitate the development of knowledge and skills that will help students to become competent and confident to work with individuals with substance use and behaviours of addiction, in a variety of health care settings. |
| 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
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| Body of Ageing · 12.5 pts |
This subject focuses on how the body and its systems are affected by ageing and explores the differences between the natural ageing process and physical changes that develop as a result of illness with older persons. Students will also examine the effects of the environment and lifestyle factors on musculoskeletal, cardiorespiratory and neurological systems that contribute to the experience of ageing and to the individual’s capability to engage with their participation preferences. Understanding the common impairments and physiological changes behind them that occur as part of ageing process provides students with a fundamental base to critically analyse as well as develop strategies for healthy ageing and disease prevention. |
| Digital Transformation of Health · 12.5 pts |
Healthcare is information intensive. Health data are generated, shared, consumed, and stored in a variety of partially overlapping complex networks. Healthcare lags behind many other sectors, despite efforts to use digital technologies to shape and improve health data and information processes since the middle of the 20th Century. The need for digital transformation of health is driven by socio-economic concerns (making healthcare more accessible and affordable) and patient safety (reducing medical errors, and redundant and ineffective interventions). This subject introduces the background, current state, and future opportunities of digital health. It provides a basic understanding of health and disease and how individuals experience both. It explores the nature of biomedical data, information, and knowledge - and how digital technologies are shaping the way these are used. Digital health technologies are examined from ethical, historical, technological, and psycho-social perspectives, considering positive and negative impacts. |
| Domestic and Family Violence · 12.5 pts |
This provides foundational knowledge in understanding domestic and family violence (DFV) and the intervention for workers in the human services sector. An analysis which draws from an ecological and a public health framing of the cultural, structural, relational and individual understandings of DFV informs the content of the course. An approach which recognises the gendered patterns of DFV and which also recognises the impact on children of living with violence and abuse provides the parameters of the subject. Issues of diversity will be woven throughout the subject. Specific topics that will be covered include: prevalence and incidence of DFV and what this tells us about children, gender and intersectionality; risk assessment and risk management; accountability for men who use violence; strengthening the mother-child relationship in the aftermath of violence; supporting collaborative inter-agency practice; specific issues for child protection workers; the prevention agenda and strategies for earlier intervention. |
| Engaging and Assessing Young People · 12.5 pts |
This subject examines some of the key foundations of youth mental health clinical practice, including assessment, engagement and case formulation. It explores a variety of frameworks and provides an overview of the concept of youth friendliness, which is pervasive throughout all youth mental health clinical practice and service level delivery. The content includes:
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| Rehabilitation Activity and Exercise · 12.5 pts |
This subject will enable students to integrate and extend prior knowledge on lifestyle and wellness behaviours to effectively and safely support optimal health of individuals, groups and specific populations across the lifespan and along the health and impairment continuum. Students will draw critically on the evidence for lifestyle behaviours needed for good health with an emphasis on the recommendations for physical activity and exercise. Students will also explore health risks due to sedentary behaviour and other lifestyle choices (such as poor diet, sleep hygiene and stress), and investigate current options for delivery and evaluation of programs to manage these risks and incorporate evidence informed behavioural interventions to promote optimal health. Students will build on their clinical reasoning skills to theorise the mechanism of an individuals' health deficits from an holistic, patient-centred, biopsychosocial perspective, and design a plan that includes a physical activity program plus other lifestyle changes to meet the goals of optimal health outcomes for an individual. Students will be expected to be critical in their analysis and evaluations of new and emerging evidence base around lifestyle choices. All students will complete a Foundational module (Weeks 1-3) that will explore the pathophysiological and psychosocial theory of rehabilitation and evidence–based health outcomes of lifestyle and wellness behaviours with an emphasis on physical activity but also including other healthy lifestyle choices. A biopsychosocial framework will emphasise the biological, mechanical, social, psychological and cultural elements that influence health and health-enhancing behaviour. Students will then choose three from five modules that best meets their learning interests and/or practice needs. These modules are:
The final integration module will be completed by all students. Students will consider their role, in terms of their health profession and practice context, in facilitating healthier lifestyles and improved wellbeing of their patients/clients. The final module (Week 8) will also focus on the design and evaluation of an holistic lifestyle intervention to meet the needs of an individual or a group with common impairments or health needs. Students will apply a model of rehabilitation best practice and using an ICF informed framework, in the execution of this task. In this subject, students will also reflect on their personal attitudes to lifestyle choices and the privilege of their background and opportunities. They will concisely and effectively communicate their understanding of the range of options their patients/clients, in their particular practice context(s), have to improve their health and wellbeing. |
| Mental Ill-health in Young People 1 · 12.5 pts |
This subject provides a comprehensive overview of the major non-psychotic disorders, including mood, anxiety, substance use and eating disorders. Each lecture will focus on the epidemiology, aetiology and typical features of the disorder, its impact on health and functioning, and evidenced-based interventions. Subject content includes:
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| Health Behaviour Change · 12.5 pts |
This wholly online subject will introduce students to key theories, concepts and frameworks underlying contemporary approaches to health behaviour change in individuals across the health-illness spectrum, for health practitioners providing care to patients, and at the population level. The subject will enable students to develop skills in the design and evaluation of health behaviour change interventions that are evidence informed and tailored to clinical practice across the lifespan, health care services and community contexts. The subject is divided into modules to allow flexibility for students to choose areas of health behaviour change to focus on that best match their disciplinary interests or work context. All students will complete four modules within this subject. A foundational module will be completed by all students and introduces some key theoretical models underpinning health behaviour and health behaviour change, core concepts in health care that relate to effective health behaviour change facilitation, and a framework for development of interventions to support positive change will be applied. Students will develop skills in the integration of theory into behaviour change intervention development including behavioural analysis, and will explore a wide range of behaviour change techniques including conversational methodologies for changing behaviour (such as motivational interviewing), the role of patient education and therapeutic alliance, and the use of technology to support change. Students will then choose two from three modules that best meet their learning interests and/or practice or discipline interests. These modules are: 1. One-to-one interactions In this stream we will apply health behaviour change theory and principles to case scenarios to see how these concepts might look in a clinical individual interaction setting. 2. Clinicians and health services. In this stream we will apply a step-by-step approach to developing behaviour change interventions with the goal of changing clinician behaviours or redesigning health service delivery in order to improve the health of our patients. 3. Populations and communities In this module, we will look at some behaviour change techniques for influencing the behaviour of communities or populations. We will more deeply examine the role of behaviour change at a public health level. The final module will be completed by all students and promotes reflection and discussion on the integration and application of evidence-informed health behaviour change practices. This module will also provide students with an opportunity to extend their thinking into the ethics and societal challenges of evidence-informed health behaviour change interventions for individuals and groups. Throughout the subject students will develop their skills to critically review and synthesise the literature supporting health behaviour change interventions. Students will gather existing evidence on topics related to their discipline, context and interests, critically evaluate the quality of evidence to support health behaviour change interventions, and interpret the clinical application of these approaches. |
| Supportive Care and Palliative Care · 12.5 pts |
With the rapidly increasing volume of patients with a diagnosis of cancer there are an increasing number of patients having to deal with the consequences of cancer. This subject will provide an evidenced-based, best practice approach to both palliative care and survivorship care. It will address the physical, emotional and spiritual consequences of diagnosis, treatment and the supportive care services that address those. Students will also develop a detailed understanding of palliative care, its goals, techniques and limitations. In doing so, students will also explore the role of the multidisciplinary teams in various health care delivery models and how that influences patient centred care. |
| Nurse Immuniser · 12.5 pts |
This subject has been assessed by Health Education Services Australia (HESA) as meeting the curriculum content requirements of the National Immunisation Education Framework for Health Professionals (National Framework). Nurses who complete this subject can practice as nurse immunisers in all states subject to local legislation. Nurses are advised to check with their local state or territory health department or public health unit before working as an immuniser as conditions relating to the authorisation to immunise independent of a medical order vary. The subject is structured around the four domains described in the National Framework.
Optional clinical placement Students who require clinical practice in providing immunisations to adults, children and infants may elect to complete a clinical placement with a suitable preceptor. This placement may be in the student’s workplace (providing assessment requirements can be met) or a community venue such as a municipal council where nurses will complete the placement as a volunteer. During the placement, students have the opportunity to complete a logbook and undertake a competency assessment. It is recommended that students check the likely availability of placements with the subject coordinator before enrolling in this subject. |
| Clinical Sexual & Reproductive Health · 12.5 pts |
This is a public health and clinical subject for health professionals working or hoping to work in the area of sexual and reproductive health (SRH). The subject is focused on the clinical and practical aspects of providing sexual and reproductive health clinical services within the Australian health care setting. It introduces clinicians to the concept that the design and management of these clinical services is crucial in maximising the public health of their community and explores this theme through case examples of those most at risk of poor SRH. This includes CALD communities, young people, LGBTQI, Indigenous Australians and those affected by sexual violence amongst others. It specifically explores how to set up cervical cancer screening, STI screening and HIV screening and equips practitioners with requisite knowledge and skills in sensitive communication in order to provide accessible services. In addition, it invites critique on policies that support such practices and highlights the importance of establishing such policies in one’s own workplace. The subject is divided into 5 themes:
Students who are Division 1 nurses and have current registration in Australia and who complete this subject successfully are able to undertake additional training to become accredited as nurse cervical screening providers and accredited HIV and Hep C test advisors. This clinical accreditation is not part of the subject but can only be undertaken when this subject has been completed. This additional training is run by Melbourne Sexual Health Centre, Alfred Health, not the University of Melbourne. |
| Adolescent Sexuality and Sexual Health · 12.5 pts |
This subject explores two main themes: |
| Young People in Context · 12.5 pts |
This subject introduces and critiques the concepts ‘adolescence’ and ‘health’, and examines various frameworks for understanding the phenomenon of adolescent development. The diversity of adolescent experience is explored, and the impact of various socio-environmental contexts of adolescence on young people’s health and well-being is identified. |
| Foundations of Mental Health Nursing · 12.5 pts |
This subject is designed to provide the theoretical foundation for entry into specialist mental health nursing practice. Students will explore the legal, policy and ethical frameworks, within which mental health care is provided. Students will extend their understanding of bio-psycho-social factors, related to mental health and illness and to the nosology within diagnostic structures of psychiatry. |
| Assessment in Mental Health Nursing · 12.5 pts |
This subject is designed to develop assessment skills for beginning specialist mental health nursing practice. Skills from Mental Health Nursing 1 will be incorporated with specialist communication skills. Consumer and family perspectives of needs, health and illness will be integrated in the processes of assessment and the investigation of models of care in multi-disciplinary settings. This specialist knowledge will be applied to nursing assessment and care planning, relevant to the range of high- and low-prevalence diagnostic groupings. |
| Quality and Safety in Healthcare · 12.5 pts |
This subject enables students to examine factors influencing safety and quality of the healthcare system and the role of clinical governance frameworks. Students will examine trends in critical incidents in healthcare that result in adverse outcomes for patients and will learn how to assess clinical risk. The subject will also introduce students to quality improvement strategies that seek to improve the safety and quality of patient care and to consider how nurses lead these efforts at a clinical and organisational level. Students will consider how to evaluate care and monitor improvement in the quality and safety of care in their health services. |
| Sexual and Reproductive Health · 12.5 pts |
This subject provides an introduction to the fundamentals of sexual and reproductive health (SRH) from a public health perspective. Globally minded but locally focused, this subject examines the burden of disease associated with SRH and critically analyses significant factors of influence on SRH at the community and broader societal levels, including sexuality, violence, gender and sexual rights. Topics such as unmet need for contraception, fertility control, sex work and female cutting will also be covered. The development, implementation and evaluation of effective public health programs aimed at improving the SRH of communities will also be explored in the subject. |
| Prevention and Control of STIs and HIV · 12.5 pts |
This subject provides an introduction to the fundamental concepts of HIV and STI prevention and control. The basic epidemiology of STIs and HIV is considered along with some of the relevant clinical characteristics of these infections. The subject also introduces the concept of core groups and its importance to transmission dynamics, explores the factors that influence STI and HIV control and examines the public health consequences of these infections. It also provides examples of interventions and programmes to prevent and control HIV and STIs and critically examines and analyses such programmes.
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