SVH Postgraduate Intensive Care Nursing Program 2025

Venue:

Intensive Care Unit Tutorial Room Xavier Level 5
Seminar Room O’Brien Level 4

Date details:

February to December 2025

Online registration and payment link:

Course overview:

This program aims to prepare graduate nurses to work as Specialist Nurses in Intensive Care. The program provides opportunities for students to expand their knowledge and skills by integrating theory and intensive care nursing practice in order to engage in clinical decision making.

St Vincent’s Hospital, Sydney offers students the opportunity to undertake a structured Intensive Care Nursing program over one year. It incorporates three units of study, delivered in a face to face format, that articulates with ACU University courses.

Speakers:

Rachel Macri and Elizabeth Conquest (Nurse Educators)

Additional speakers – To be advised.

Key topics:

On successful completion of this course, students will have had the opportunity to:
• Experience structured rotations to related critical care areas e.g., cardiothoracic and general intensive care, anaesthetics, emergency department, acute coronary care and paramedics
• Participate in adult learning; complete clinical competencies and undergo performance development reviews
• Visit and tour other relevant critical care areas e.g., air ambulance base at Mascot, NSW; and neonatal intensive care at Royal Hospital for Women, NSW.
• Understand basic airway resuscitation; oxygen transport and delivery devices; humidification; artificial airways and capnography
• Discuss components of a comprehensive patient assessment
• Explore non-invasive and invasive mechanical ventilation methods
• Understand invasive haemodynamic monitoring; cardiac output studies; intra-aortic counterpulsation; and temporary cardiac pacing
• Interpret cardiac arrhythmias, myocardial ischaemia and infarct; and demonstrate basic and advanced life support principles
• Explore acute kidney injury; fluids and electrolytes; and understand the principles and practicalities of continuous renal replacement therapy (CRRT)
• Interpret chest x-rays
• Investigate cerebral dynamics; traumatic brain injury; anti-diuretic hormone imbalances; and intracranial pressure monitoring devices
• Outline and the pathophysiology of shock; sepsis; burns; pancreatitis and diabetic emergencies
• Appreciate the consequences of trauma; immobility, crush related injuries, and spinal injuries
• Explore nutritional requirements of the critically ill; blood glucose control; liver failure and portal hypertension
• Discuss patients living with heart failure; extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO), ventricular assist devices; and organ donor and transplant outcomes (optional)

Who should attend:

To be eligible for the SVH Postgraduate Intensive Care Nursing Program, you must:

• have an undergraduate degree in nursing or equivalent qualification 
• be eligible for registration as a nurse in  Australia
• be a Registered Nurse employed by St. Vincent’s Hospital, Sydney or St. Vincent’s Private Hospital, Sydney in the Intensive Care Unit, working at least 30 hours per week
• have a minimum of 6 months experience in Intensive Care post completion of a new graduate program, by the course commencement date and have a positive appraisal from your current employer

Course enquiries:

Rachel Macri & Elizabeth Conquest, Intensive Care Nurse Educators
Email: ICUnurseeducator@svha.org.au or Tel: 02 8382 2609

For general enquiries please contact the Manager of Nurse Education Tel: 02 8382 2322

Course Pre-requisites:

Pre-requisite academic skills:

Academic writing skills: all applicants should be aware of the expectation that the unit requires them to complete written assignments at the level expected of post graduate students. Academic writing refers not just to the written component of an assessment, but also to the level of critical thinking required and the attention to accurate attribution of sources and referencing. It is appreciated that applicants will have varying levels of experience in academic writing. Guidance and some assistance is provided to enable participants to develop these skills.

Search skills: access to academic literature and critique is an important skill to have. This unit requires that participants use sources appropriate to their discipline, from recognised sources. Literature search and review skills are required. Local site librarians can assist participants in the acquisition of these skills.

Computer literacy: Communication between study days, submission of assessments and literature searches require a good level of literacy in electronic communication.

Willingness to be an active and engaged learner

Registration type:

1. Intensive Care Nursing 1 (payable by 21st February 2025)

2. Intensive Care Nursing 2 (payable 25th July 2025)

Full fee attendance:

Intensive Care Nursing 1 - $990 (inc. GST)

Intensive Care Nursing 2 - $990 (inc. GST 

St Vincent’s Hospital Sydney does not accept responsibility for any act or omission on the part of the Seminar/Conference/Event organiser/presenters. No liability is accepted for inaccuracy, misdescription, delay, damage, personal injury or death.

St Vincent’s Hospital Sydney collects personal information provided on this registration form for the intended purpose of processing your seminar/event registration.