The course includes the following awards:

Master of Clinical Nursing (Nurse Practitioner) MClinNurs(NursPract)

Course Study Modes and Locations

Master of Clinical Nursing (Nurse Practitioner) (4714CP)

Distance Education - Orange

Availability is subject to change, please verify prior to enrolment.

Normal course duration

Master of Clinical Nursing (Nurse Practitioner)

Full-time 1.5 years (3.0 sessions)

Part-time 3.0 years (6.0 sessions)

This course will be completed full time in 1.5 years utilising 3 sessions in a year or part time in 2 years utilising 3 sessions in a year.

Normal course duration is the effective period of time taken to complete a course when studied Full-time (Full-time Equivalent: FTE). Students are advised to consult the Enrolment Pattern for the actual length of study. Not all courses are offered in Full-time mode.

Admission criteria

CSU Admission Policy

Entry requirements and characteristics of learning outcomes for this course are consistent with the Pathways to Qualifications in the Australian Qualifications Framework (AQF Level 9) Guidelines for Master Degrees.

Applicants must be able to address the following entry criteria:

• Demonstrate current registration as a Registered Nurse with the Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia;
• Hold a minimum of a graduate certificate in nursing from an accredited tertiary educational provider, specialising in Emergency Nursing, Mental Health Nursing, Palliative Care Nursing, Chronic and Complex Care Nursing, or Primary Health Care;
• Demonstrate successful completion, at the postgraduate tertiary level, of at least one subject that is directly related to developing knowledge and skills in pharmacological interventions;
• Show evidence of 10,000 hours recent experience (5 years F/T or equivalent P/T) as a Registered Nurse, including a minimum of 6,000 hours (3 years F/T or equivalent P/T) of nursing experience in one of the five specialty streams comprising the course. In addition, the applicant must show evidence of 2,000 hours experience (1 year F/T or equivalent P/T) at an advanced practice level in the relevant specialty area of practice;
• Be currently employed at least 0.5 FTE in an advanced practice role, with this role continuing for the course duration;
• Provide a letter /statement of support from the applicant’s employer, expressing organisational support for the applicant to complete all the professional experience requirements of the course. This professional experience could occur at the applicant’s place of employment or, where services are restricted, other suitable agencies. It is also anticipated that employers will allow the applicant to utilise the organisation’s technology, if required, to complete all the professional experience requirements. This could include a computer with internet broadband access, Skype, tele-conferencing, video-conferencing and/or tele-health facilities;
• Include a statement by the applicant that explains how, and by whom, they will be provided with a range of professional supervision experiences and ongoing support in the development of their role as a Nurse Practitioner; and
• Provide other relevant information, including: applicant’s curriculum vitae detailing active involvement in professional organisations related to nursing practice, evidence of mentoring and leadership in nursing and personal letters of support.

 

Credit

CSU Credit Policy

Applicants may apply for recognition of prior learning based on the credit regulations of the University. Applicants may be granted credit on the basis of evidence demonstrating successful completion of previous study within 10 years prior to the commencement of the course. The applicant must have completed comparable subject matter in prior studies at the same academic level as the degree in which the student intends to enrol. Credit will not be granted for undergraduate subjects in a postgraduate course.

The credit granted for a postgraduate course shall not exceed 50 percent (48 points) of the total point value (96 points) of the course.
 

Graduation requirements

To graduate students must satisfactorily complete 96 points.

Course Structure

The MCN(NP) will comprise 96 points, in which students will undertake a combination of 8 and 16 point subjects designed to prepare them for advanced practice. These subjects will be presented in a blended and flexible online learning modality. The course can be undertaken full time over 1.5 years or part-time over 2 years (utilising 3 sessions in a year).

Master of Clinical Nursing (Nurse Practitioner) (96 points)

Core Subjects

NRS532 Health Assessment for Advancing Nursing Practice
BMS536 Applied Pharmacology for Nursing Practice
BMS511 Processes of Pathology
NRS531 Critical Inquiry and Evidence Based Practice (16 points)
NRS551 Diagnostic Reasoning 1
NRS552 Diagnostic Reasoning 2
NRS553 Advanced Practice: Clinical and Professional Leadership
NRS554 Advanced Practicum

and an 8 point subject chosen from these Restricted Electives:

NRS421 Chronic and Complex Nursing Practice 1
NRS512 Perspectives in Mental Health Nursing
NRS533 Advancing Emergency Nursing Practice
NRS534 Foundations of Palliative Care Nursing
NRS535 Primary Health Care: A Pathway to Better Health

and students must choose 16 points from this list of Restricted Electives:

HSM409 Evidence Based Health Care Delivery
NRS408 Psychosocial Interventions in Mental Health Nursing 1
NRS409 Psychosocial Interventions in Mental Health Nursing 2
NRS420 Perspectives in Managing Chronic and Complex Conditions
NRS421 Chronic and Complex Nursing Practice 1
NRS422 Chronic and Complex Nursing Practice 2
NRS423 Advanced Chronic Care Nursing Practice
NRS512 Perspectives in Mental Health Nursing
NRS533 Advancing Emergency Nursing Practice
NRS534 Foundations of Palliative Care
NRS535 Primary Health Care: A Pathway to Better Health
NRS537 Leadership and Management for the Nurse 1 (16 points)
NRS538 Leadership and Management for the Nurse 2 (16 points)
NRS543 Clinical Management in Palliative Care (16 points)
NRS544 Cultural Competence in Indigenous Health: Implications for Nursing Practice
NRS546 Clinical Management of Older People (16 points)
NRS547 Applied Emergency Nursing in the Rural and Remote Setting
NRS548 High Dependency Nursing
NRS549 Introduction to Child and Family Health Practice
NRS550 Clinical Perspectives in Child and Family Health Practice

Enrolment Pattern

Full-time Progression

Year 1

Session 2 (60)

BMS511 Processes of Pathology
BMS536 Applied Pharmacology for Nursing Practice
NRS532 Health Assessment for Advancing Nursing Practice

Plus an 8 point Restricted Elective chosen from:

NRS421 Chronic and Complex Nursing Practice 1
NRS512 Perspectives in Mental Health Nursing
NRS533 Advancing Emergency Nursing Practice
NRS534 Foundations of Palliative Care Nursing
NRS535 Primary Health Care: A Pathway to Better Health

Session 3 (90)

NRS531 Critical Inquiry and Evidence Based Practice (16 points)
[Restricted Elective/s (16 points)]

Year 2

Session 1 (30)

NRS551 Diagnostic Reasoning 1
NRS552 Diagnostic Reasoning 2

Session 2 (60)

NRS553 Advanced Practice: Clinical and Professional Leadership
NRS554 Advanced Clinical Practicum

Part -time Progression

Year 1

Session 2 (60)

BMS511 Processes of Pathology
Plus an 8 point Restricted Elective chosen from:

NRS421 Chronic and Complex Nursing Practice 1
NRS512 Perspectives in Mental Health Nursing
NRS533 Advancing Emergency Nursing Practice
NRS534 Foundations of Palliative Care Nursing
NRS535 Primary Health Care: A Pathway to Better Health

Session 3 (90)

BMS536 Applied Pharmacology for Nursing Practice
NRS532 Health Assessment for Advancing Nursing Practice

Year 2

Session 1 (30)

NRS531 Critical Inquiry and Evidence Based Practice (16 points)

Session 2 (60)

[Restricted Elective/s (16 points)]

Session 3 (90)

NRS551 Diagnostic Reasoning 1
NRS552 Diagnostic Reasoning 2

Year 3

Session 1 (30)

NRS553 Advanced Practice: Clinical and Professional Leadership
NRS554 Advanced Clinical Practicum

Workplace learning

Please note that the following subjects may contain a Workplace Learning component.

NRS421 Chronic and Complex Nursing Practice 1
NRS512 Perspectives in Mental Health Nursing
NRS532 Health Assessment for Advancing Nursing Practice
NRS533 Advancing Emergency Care Nursing Practice
NRS534 Foundations of Palliative Care Nursing
NRS535 Primary Health Care: A Pathway to Better Health
NRS546 Clinical Management of Older People
NRS547 Applied Emergency Nursing in the Rural and Remote Setting
NRS548 High Dependency Nursing
NRS551 Diagnostic Reasoning 1
NRS552 Diagnostic Reasoning 2
NRS554 Advanced Clinical Practicum

Residential School

Please note that the following subjects may have a residential school component.

NRS532 Health Assessment for Advancing Nursing Practice
NRS546 Clinical Management of Older People
NRS547 Applied Emergency Nursing in the Rural and Remote Setting
NRS548 High Dependency Nursing
NRS551 Diagnostic Reasoning 1
NRS552 Diagnostic Reasoning 2

Enrolled students can find further information about CSU residential schools via the About Residential School page.

Accreditation

The MCN(NP) has been accredited by the Australian Nursing and Midwifery Accreditation Council (ANMAC) which will lead to the graduate making application for endorsement as a Nurse Practitioner with the Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia (NMBA) and the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (AHPRA).
This approval starts from the 8th September 2015 until the 8th September 2020.