Postgraduate: Course rule and topic information

Graduate Certificate in Paediatric Palliative Care

(GradCertPaedPallCare)

Program of Study

INTRODUCTION

The Graduate Certificate in Paediatric Palliative Care is an 18-unit program offered by the Faculty of Health Sciences on a Commonwealth Supported basis. The program can be undertaken part-time in two to four consecutive semesters.

COURSE AIMS

The Graduate Certificate in Paediatric Palliative Care aims to meet the development needs of practitioners involved in policy, planning or delivery of palliative care services to children and adolescents as well as their families. It seeks to introduce students to the principles of paediatric palliative care by providing an opportunity to explore multidisciplinary assessment and management approaches which may be applicable in a variety of settings.

Specifically, the course aims to:

• introduce the core concepts of death, dying, palliative care and paediatrics and the implications of these concepts for professional practice;
• introduce concepts of child development and dying in a global context;
• model an interdisciplinary approach to addressing problem-solving, assessment and management within professional practice;
• examine the legislative and ethical issues pertaining to the provision of palliative care in paediatric care settings;
• introduce the students to knowledge and skills required to assess and critique paediatric and palliative care research;
• provide opportunities for students to access and develop skills in continuing online learning and web-based research in relation to professional practice and continuing professional education.

COURSE RULE

ADMISSION REQUIREMENTS

Applicants must normally hold an approved degree or equivalent qualification from an approved tertiary institution in an area related to palliative care or paediatrics. The Faculty Board may, under certain circumstances and subject to specific conditions, admit others who can show evidence of fitness for candidature.

PROGRAM OF STUDY [November, 2007]

To qualify for the Graduate Certificate in Paediatric Palliative Care, a student must complete 18 units with a grade of P or NGP or better in each topic, according to the program of study below:

PALL8406	Paediatric Palliative Care	6
PALL8411	Palliative Clinical Management A	3
PALL8413	Communication at the End of Life A	3
NURS8101	Development of the Child, Adolescent and Family	6

Except with permission of the Faculty Board

• the program must be completed part-time within four consecutive semesters. A lesser period may be set for students granted credit for previous studies; and
• no topic may be attempted more than twice.

The award of a grade of Fail (F) in 18 units or more topics, or the award of a grade of Fail (F) in the same topic on more than one occasion, may constitute prima facie evidence of unsatisfactory progress for the purposes of the University's Policy on Student Progress.