Postgraduate Correctional Health Nursing Course

The course provides opportunities for current nurses working in Correctional Health to expand their knowledge and skills by integrating theory and correctional health nursing practice in order to engage in clinical decision making. At the completion of this course you will obtain a Graduate Certificate in Clinical Nursing.

Course structure

The graduate Certificate in Clinical Nursing consists of four subjects:

1. NRSG524 Advanced Pathophysiology for specialty nursing practice facilitated by ACU
2. NRSG526 Correctional Health: Mental Health Care facilitated by ACU
3. Correctional Health Nursing Unit 1 facilitated by SVH
4. Correctional Health Nursing Unit 2 facilitated by SVH

SVH Correctional Health Nursing Unit 1 

The aim of this unit is to prepare students to provide holistic care in correctional health nursing. Students will examine and apply knowledge and skills for safe, competent, person and family centred care relevant to the correctional health setting nursing. The unit focuses on enabling students to perform a comprehensive health assessment and prioritise, implement and evaluate appropriate nursing care. 

This unit is conducted in the first semester and includes five (5) study days (40 hours). 

It is preferable that students wishing to enrol in the subject should have completed or be concurrently enrolled in NRSG524 Advanced Pathophysiology for Specialty Nursing practice, offered online by ACU. 

SVH Correctional Health Nursing Unit 2 

This unit builds on and extends the knowledge and understanding acquired in previous units. The aim is to prepare students to develop further their skills in providing holistic care, including person and family-centred health promotion in correctional health care. The focus of this unit is on enhancing skills to work within the collaborative team on planning care for people and their families experiencing complex health problems. The students’ ability to articulate the evidence base for clinical decisions will be facilitated. 
This unit is conducted in the second semester and includes five (5) study days (40 hours). 

It is preferable that students wishing to enrol in the subject should have completed SVHNS Correctional Health Nursing Unit 1 and ACU NRSG524 Advanced Pathophysiology for specialty nursing practice, AND be concurrently enrolled in NRSG526 Correctional Health: Mental Health Care, offered online by ACU. 

Course Duration 

The SVHNS Correctional Health Nursing Units 1 and 2 and structured clinical rotations commence in February and conclude in December; units are undertaken sequentially throughout the year. All lectures are delivered in a face to face format. 
Affiliated ACU subjects (NRSG524 and NRSG526) must be completed either concurrently with the SVH Postgraduate Correctional Health Nursing Course or within 18 months from the acceptance into the Correctional Health Nursing Course.
Affiliation with Australian Catholic University (ACU).

To complete a Graduate Certificate in Clinical Nursing offered by ACU (requiring 40 credit points), students must undertake a total of four (4) units:

  • Two online theory units though ACU; NRSG524 Advanced Pathophysiology for specialty nursing practice and NRSG526 Correctional Health: Mental Health Care (10 credit points per unit); and 
  • Two St Vincent’s Health Network Sydney units; SVHNS Correctional Health Nursing Unit 1 and SVHNS Correctional Health Nursing Unit 2, which attract 10 credit points per unit.
Features of the Course 

The features of the SVH Postgraduate Correctional Health Nursing Course are: 

  • Structured Clinical Rotations: students may gain clinical exposure to the following areas: Parklea Correctional Health facility, Emergency Department, Psychiatric Emergency Care Centre (PECC), Psychiatric, Alcohol and Non-Prescription Drug Assessment Unit (PANDA), Drug & Alcohol Service, Homeless Health Service, Hospital in the Home Service, and Clinical Nurse Consultant/Nurse Practitioner shadowing. Students will gain a minimum of 1520 hours clinical experience.
  • Educational and Clinical Support: Emphasis is placed on adult learning principles, which encourage individuals to take accountability and responsibility for personal and professional development. The Nurse Educator’s responsibility is in teaching participants effective learning strategies such as independent and/or self-directed learning. This type of learning contributes to personal and professional growth, promotes lifelong learning and enables the individual to pursue excellence in patient care. 
  • Assessments: Student progress throughout the SVHNS Clinical Units is assessed on an individual basis utilising a variety of assessment methods and tools. Assessments include specialty clinical competencies; standardised learning contracts for clinical rotations, presentations and written assessments. 
  • Study Days: 10 study days are allocated for clinically focused learning across both units. Content of these Study Days is designed to complement the theoretical content of tertiary programs. Teaching and learning strategies may include lectures and tutorials, clinical visits, literature appraisal, discussions, assessments, workshops, self-directed learning opportunities and presentations. 
Nomenclature of Award 

On successful completion of the one year St Vincent’s Health Network Sydney Postgraduate Correctional Health Nursing Course (incorporating two units and rotations), a SVHNS Certificate of Clinical Nursing Practice is awarded by St Vincent’s Health Network Sydney. 

Student Selection Criteria

The selection process for SVH Postgraduate Correctional Health Nursing Course students is based on academic and employment suitability, following online application, recommendation from the current line manager?  and successful interview with the Nurse Educator Correctional Health post graduate course coordinator at St Vincent’s Health Network, Sydney. 

Essential criteria

To be eligible for enrolment in this course, Registered Nurses must:

  • have an undergraduate degree in nursing or equivalent qualification
  • be currently registered as a Registered Nurse (Division 1) with the Australian Health Professionals Regulation Agency
  • have a minimum of 6 months Correctional Health nursing experience (excluding Transition Program Rotations) at the course commencement date.
  • Recent (<1 year) appraisal completed by the current line manager

Full-time permanent employment within St Vincent’s Correctional Health of St Vincent’s Health Network Sydney. Part-time employees may apply if clinical experience hours can be met; applications will be considered on an individual basis.

Cost 

Fees apply for NRSG524 Advanced Pathophysiology for specialty nursing practice and NRSG526 Correctional Health: Mental Health Care. ACU offer a Faculty of Health Sciences Postgraduate Alumni Rebate - a 10% rebate on course fees is offered to previous ACU graduates. Students may also be eligible for FEE-HELP, a student loan initiative from the Australian Government www.studyassist.gov.au. 

Fee-reduced Commonwealth Supported Places are also available in the Graduate Certificate in Clinical Nursing (Correctional Health) at ACU.

There are no fees for SVHNS Correctional Health Specialty Nursing Units 1 and 2 when undertaken concurrently within the St Vincent’s Hospital Postgraduate Correctional Health Nursing Course 

Scholarships 

To financially assist students, St Vincent’s Hospital Division of Nursing offers a defined number of scholarships in an endeavour to support nurses to undertake tertiary based Post-Graduate study that relates to clinical specialties at St Vincent’s Hospital. 
Scholarships are also available through various other organisations, such as the NSW Department of Health and the NSW Nurses and Midwives Association. 

Applications

Applications for the SVHNS Correctional Health Nursing Course are accepted twice per year, closing: 

  • Monday 10th June 2024 at midnight for early entry to ACU Online unit NRSG526 in ACU Online Term 3 2024, 18-month Graduate Certificate in Clinical Nursing pathway;
  • Monday 21st October 2024 at midnight for a 12-month Graduate Certificate in Clinical Nursing pathway.

Applicants are required to complete an online application form via https://forms.office.com/r/62e9Ug2St9

Applications for the online subjects offered by ACU: NRSG524 and NRSG526 close in early-February (Semester 1 commencement) and early-July (Semester 2 commencement) each year. Applications for these units must be made online via the ACU website https://www.acu.edu.au/study-at-acu/how-to-apply/postgraduate-students 

For further enquires please contact: 

Fan Yang | Nurse Educator Correctional Health post graduate course coordinator
T +612 8382 2602
M 0416 143 747
E fan.yang@svha.org.au