University of Sydney Handbooks - 2016 Archive

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Intensive Care Nursing

Sydney Nursing School offers the following courses in intensive care nursing:

  • Graduate Certificate in Intensive Care Nursing
  • Graduate Diploma in Intensive Care Nursing
  • Master of Intensive Care Nursing

Graduate Certificate in Intensive Care Nursing

At the graduate certificate level students will be equipped to explore the complexity and uncertainty in nursing practice within a recognised specialist area. While developing discipline-specific knowledge and skills, students will also build capacity for clinical judgement and practice.

Course overview

The Graduate Certificate in Intensive Care Nursing consists of two semesters of part-time study. Students are required to complete 24 credit points or four units of study as prescribed in the unit of study table related to this program.

Students may articulate from a graduate certificate into a master’s degree. Units studied at the graduate certificate level are, in most cases, credited towards the higher qualification.

Workload

The Graduate Certificate in Intensive Care Nursing may only be studied by local students in the part-time mode. Students generally undertake two units of study per semester. All units are offered in the intensive on-campus mode with students required to attend study days and undertake e-learning and independent study. Assessment consists of written assignments, clinical assessments and examinations.

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Graduate Diploma in Intensive Care Nursing

At the graduate diploma level, students will be able to recognise and accommodate the impact of organisational factors and the wider clinical context on clinical judgement. Students will also be able to foster collaborative inquiry as a means of developing skills, knowledge and conceptual ability to deal with ambiguity within the complexity of practice. While developing discipline-specific knowledge and skills, students will also extend their capacity for clinical judgement and practice.

Course overview

The Graduate Diploma in Intensive Care Nursing may be completed in one year of full-time study or two years part-time study. The graduate diploma consists of 48 credit points or eight units of study as prescribed in the unit of study table related to this program.

Workload

Students generally undertake two units of study per semester. All units are offered in the intensive on-campus mode with students required to attend study days and undertake e-learning and independent study. Assessment consists of written assignments, clinical assessments and examinations.

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Master of Intensive Care Nursing

At the master's level, students will be able to perform as autonomous learners capable of integrating prior learning while exploring professional contexts and the sociopolitical climate. Students will also be able to advance their capacity for clinical judgement by engaging with the complexities of practice and discipline knowledge.

Course overview

The Master of Intensive Care Nursing consists of 60 credit points or nine units of study as prescribed in the unit of study table related to this program. This may be taken over 18 months of full-time study, or two and a half years of part-time study.

Students who have completed master's level courses, except Nurse Practitioner and Clinical Trials, may meet the requirements for entry into PhD if they complete NURS5069 Research in Nursing and Healthcare and an approved research elective. In addition, students need to complete NURS5080 Capstone (Research). Prospective students interested in PhD should consult with the Director for advice about course structure.

Workload

Students generally undertake four units of study per semester full time. Students studying part time will undertake two units of study per semester. In the final semester students will undertake a 12 credit point unit of study and will study part time. All units are offered in intensive on-campus mode with students required to attend study days and undertake e-learning and independent study. Assessment consists of written assignments, clinical assessments and examinations.

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Course rules

 

Graduate Certificate in Intensive Care Nursing

Graduate Diploma in Intensive Care Nursing

Master of Intensive Care Nursing


These resolutions must be read in conjunction with applicable University By-laws, Rules and policies including (but not limited to) the University of Sydney (Coursework) Rule 2014 (the 'Coursework Rule'), the Coursework Policy 2014, the Resolutions of the Faculty, the University of Sydney (Student Appeals against Academic Decisions) Rule 2006 (as amended) and the Academic Board policies on Academic Dishonesty and Plagiarism. Up to date versions of all such documents are available from the Policy Register: http://www.sydney.edu.au/policies.

Course resolutions

1 Course codes

Code

Course title

GCINCNUR-02

Graduate Certificate in Intensive Care Nursing

GNINCNUR-02

Graduate Diploma in Intensive Care Nursing

MAINCNUR-02

Master of Intensive Care Nursing

 

2 Attendance pattern

The attendance pattern for this course is full time or part time according to candidate choice, except for the Graduate Certificate which is part time only.

3 Master's type

The master's degree in these resolutions is an advanced learning master's course, as defined by the Coursework Rule.

4 Embedded courses in this sequence

(1)
The embedded courses in this sequence are:
(a)
the Graduate Certificate in Intensive Care Nursing
(b)
the Graduate Diploma in Intensive Care Nursing
(c)
the Master of Intensive Care Nursing
(2)
Providing candidates satisfy the admission requirements for each stage, a candidate may progress to the award of any of the courses in this sequence. Only the longest award completed will be conferred.

5 Admission to candidature

(1)
Available places will be offered to qualified applicants in the order in which complete applications are received, according to the following admission criteria.
(2)
Admission to each course requires the applicant to be registered to practise nursing in an Australian state or territory, or country in which they reside, and satisfy the English language proficiency requirements detailed in the faculty resolutions. In addition to these requirements, domestic applicants are required to be working in intensive care nursing and provide a statement of support from their supervisor or Nursing Unit Manager in order to undertake the required clinical assessments. International applicants are required to have a minimum of one year's experience in Intensive Care Nursing and provide a statement of support from a relevant clinical area in order to undertake the required clinical assessments. Specific admission criteria for each course are below.
(3)
Admission to the Graduate Certificate in Intensive Care Nursing requires:
(a)
a pre-registration nursing degree from the University of Sydney or equivalent qualification; or
(b)
a minimum of five years experience as a registered nurse.
(c)
In exceptional circumstances the dean may admit applicants without these qualifications who, in the opinion of the faculty, have qualifications and evidence of experience and achievement sufficient to successfully undertake the award.
(4)
Admission to the Graduate Diploma in Intensive Care Nursing requires:
(a)
a pre-registration nursing degree from the University of Sydney or equivalent qualification; or
(b)
a minimum of five years experience as a registered nurse; or
(c)
completion of the requirements of the embedded graduate certificate in this discipline from the University of Sydney, or equivalent qualification.
(d)
In exceptional circumstances the dean may admit applicants without these qualifications who, in the opinion of the faculty, have qualifications and evidence of experience and achievement sufficient to successfully undertake the award.
(5)
Admission to the Master of Intensive Care Nursing requires:
(a)
a pre-registration nursing degree from the University of Sydney or equivalent qualification with a credit average; or
(b)
a graduate diploma in a nursing discipline from the University of Sydney or equivalent qualification; or
(c)
completion of the requirements of the embedded graduate certificate or graduate diploma without graduating in this discipline from the University of Sydney, or equivalent qualification.
(6)
Qualifications used as the basis of admission must have been completed less than ten years prior to application. Qualifications older than ten years will be considered subject to the applicant providing further information substantiating appropriate continuing education and development. In these cases, admission will be at the discretion of the dean.

6 Requirements for award

(1)
The units of study that may be taken for the courses are set out in the Units of Study table for Intensive Care Nursing.
(2)
To qualify for the award of the Graduate Certificate in Intensive Care Nursing a candidate must complete 24 credit points of core units of study.
(3)
To qualify for the award of the Graduate Diploma in Intensive Care Nursing a candidate must complete 48 credit points of core units of study, including:
(a)
36 credit points of core units of study; and
(b)
12 credit points of elective units of study.
(4)
To qualify for the award of the Master of Intensive Care Nursing a candidate must complete 60 credit points, including:
(a)
36 credit points of core units of study; and
(b)
12 credit points of elective units of study; and
(c)
a 12 credit point capstone core unit of study.
(5)
Candidates are required to complete clinical assessments as prescribed in order to successfully meet the requirements for passing the unit of study. Where appropriate, the faculty may require individual candidates to undertake further or remedial theoretical, clinical or practical study in addition to the above requirements.

7 Time limits

(1)
A candidate must complete all the requirements for the Graduate Certificate within three calendar years of first enrolment, excluding periods of suspension.
(2)
A candidate must complete all the requirements for the Graduate Diploma within four calendar years of first enrolment, excluding periods of suspension.
(3)
A candidate must complete all the requirements for the Master's degree within six calendar years of first enrolment, excluding periods of suspension.

8 Course transfer

A candidate for the master's degree or graduate diploma may elect to discontinue study and graduate with a shorter award from this embedded sequence, with the approval of the Dean, and provided the requirements of the shorter award have been met.

9 Transitional provisions

(1)
These resolutions apply to students who commenced their candidature after 1 January, 2016 and students who commenced their candidature prior to 1 January, 2016 who elect to proceed under these resolutions.
(2)
Candidates who commenced prior to 1 January, 2016 may complete the requirements in accordance with the resolutions in force at the time of their commencement, provided that requirements are completed by 1 January, 2021. The faculty may specify a later date for completion or specify alternative requirements for completion of candidatures that extend beyond this time.