Postgraduate: Course rule and topic information

Master of Nursing

(MNg)

Program of Study

INTRODUCTION

The Master of Nursing is a 54-unit program, comprising of six pathways directed towards Coursework, Clinical or Research or a combination of these areas, and is offered by the Faculty of Health Sciences on a Commonwealth Supported basis.

Students undertaking pathways 1-3 will be required to complete 18 units of core topics, elective topics, a nursing practice project, and or streams.

Students opting for pathways 4-6 will need to complete 18 units of core research topics and a research project, thesis and/or stream(s).

Some streams will have a clinical component which will be offered either in conjunction with or as a negotiated placement in a participating hospital or health agency.

The pathway and stream(s) which have been completed as part of the requirements for the degree will be identified on the student's transcript of academic record on completion of the course.

COURSE AIMS

The general aims of the course are to:

• provide advanced studies in nursing which prepare nurses to contribute to the present and future development of health care services and the nursing profession by in-depth knowledge and excellence in nursing practice;
• prepare graduates with the ability to develop advanced roles and excellence in nursing practice;
• prepare graduates who will be able to substantially influence and improve the nature and quality of nursing practice;
• prepare graduates who are able to provide leadership and exert a positive influence on the health of the community;
• prepare graduates who will be able to advance nursing knowledge and practice research.

Students will be provided with the opportunity to:

• develop specialist nursing skills and competencies;
• analyse and critique their practice through application of principles of critical reflection and evidence-based nursing practice;
• analyse and critique delivery of specialist nursing care in the current health care context.

COURSE RULE

ADMISSION REQUIREMENTS

Applicants must hold a nursing degree or an equivalent qualification approved by the Faculty Board, and be registered general nurses and hold a current practising certificate and have had at least two years' post-registration nursing experience.

However, the Board may, under certain circumstances and subject to specific conditions, admit others who can show evidence of fitness for candidature.

Credit may be granted, on application, for appropriate prior studies.

Applicants for the Advanced Continence Nurse Specialist stream must have at least two years' post-registration experience as a continence nurse advisor, must have successfully completed a post-basic continence education course or equivalent and must provide a supporting statement from their employer stating their willingness to facilitate the extended clinical practice components of the course within their workplace.

Applicants for the Critical Care Nursing, Emergency Nursing, and General Practice Nursing streams must provide a supporting statement from their employer stating their willingness to facilitate the extended clinical practice components of the course within their workplace and/or provide evidence that an affiliated health agency will facilitate the clinical practice in a supernumerary capacity.

International applicants undertaking a stream which requires them to be registered general nurses must be eligible to register with the Nurses Board of South Australia, unless otherwise indicated. Registration must be obtained prior to commencing the courses.

PROGRAM OF STUDY [November, 2007]

To qualify for the Master of Nursing, a student must complete 54 units with a grade of Pass or NGP or better in each topic, according to the program of study set out below.

Not all topics and streams are available in any given year.

Enrolment in NURS9615, NURS9613 and NURS9602 must be approved by the course coordinator and will depend upon the presentation of an acceptable research proposal and the availability of appropriate supervision. All students must pursue one pathway unless permission is granted by the Faculty Board, in which case the program of study must be approved by the course coordinator at enrolment each year. A student who fails the clinical component of any topic will receive a Fail (F) grade for the entire topic.

Except with permission of the Faculty Board:

• no topic may be attempted more than twice;
• a student may not include a topic which repeats work previously undertaken;
• the program must be completed full-time within three consecutive semesters or part-time within eight consecutive semesters.

Students must complete one of the following six pathways:

1 Coursework

2 Coursework and Clinical

3 Clinical

4 Coursework and Research

5 Clinical and Research

6 Research

Streams

• Advanced Continence Nurse Specialist*#
• Alcohol and Other Drug Studies #*
• Child, Adolescent and Family Health Nursing*#
• Clinical Forensic Nursing*#
• Continence Nurse Advisor*#
• Correctional Nursing*#
• Critical Care Nursing*
• Diabetes Management and Education
• Emergency Nursing*
• General Practice Nursing*
• Infertility and Assisted Reproduction*# [Not offered in 2008]
• Gerontological Nursing *# §
• Mental Health Nursing*
• Women's Health*# [Not offered in 2008]

*Available to registered general nurses only

# Offered by distance education mode only

§ This stream is under review, changes to Program of Study may occur.

Details of each stream is listed in the entry for the Graduate Certificate in Health.

Not all streams will be available in any given year.

Elective Topics

Not all elective topics will be available in any given year or semester.

NURS8612	Clinical Specialty: Negotiated Study	9
NURS9014	Independent Study	9
NURS9022	Introduction to Clinical Audit	3
NURS9023	Conducting a Clinical Audit	3
NURS9507	Independent Study	3
NURS9508	Independent Study	6
NURS9509	Therapeutic Touch: Complementary Healing Modality in Health and Illness	3
NURS9518	Independent Study	4.5
NURS9611	Epidemiology for Nurses and Midwives	3

In consultation with the course coordinator, other postgraduate level topics offered by the Faculty of Health Sciences may be undertaken as elective topics.