Graduate Certificate in Alcohol and Other Drugs Nursing

What you will study

A student must complete four units of study to complete the Graduate Certificate in Alcohol and Other Drugs Nursing.

Core units

• Foundational Concepts in Alcohol and Other Drugs Nursing
• Advancing Professional Practice
• Clinical Approaches in Alcohol and Other Drugs Nursing
• Health Promotion and Harm Reduction in Alcohol and Other Drugs Nursing

Entry requirements

Applicants for the Graduate Certificate in Alcohol and Other Drugs Nursing must have at least one year’s work experience in alcohol and other drug nursing or a related field.

In addition, applicants must satisfy any prerequisites or additional requirements specified for particular courses, including ACN’s general eligibility criteria. All applicants seeking admission are required to:

• Hold a Bachelor of Nursing or registered nurse equivalent qualification.
• Hold current registration with the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (AHPRA) or the equivalent registering authority in your country of origin.
• Meet the Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia English language skills registration standard (nursing and midwifery) - please refer to the AHPRA website to download the standard.
• Have a minimum of one year of postgraduate experience.
• Be currently employed in the clinical area of specialisation.

*For some GC units of study, individual consideration may be given to applicants who are not registered nurses.

Outcomes

Learning outcomes

At successful completion of the course, students should be able to:

• Apply critical thinking/clinical reasoning skills to the assessment of the person living with alcohol and other drug issues, linking specialist theory to holistic clinical practice.
• Demonstrate specialist knowledge in the use of pharmacotherapies and psychosocial interventions for the treatment of persons in the context of alcohol and other drugs nursing practice.
• Apply current evidence-based research, including government policy and strategy, to enhance clinical decision-making skills and care planning in the context of alcohol and other drugs nursing practice.
• Develop advanced communication skills in order to establish therapeutic relationships with persons, their support network and the interdisciplinary team to promote a holistic approach to alcohol and other drugs in nursing care.
• Develop leadership, mentoring, and educational skills to contribute to high-standard alcohol and other drug nursing practices and facilitate quality improvement in this area.
• Critically reflect on the role of personal values and ethics as central to the development of culturally safe practice in alcohol and other drugs nursing practice.

Fees and FEE-HELP

Estimated total 2025 member price (10% discount): $9,949.5 (domestic full-fee paying place)

Estimated total 2025 non-member price: $11,055 (domestic full-fee paying place)

Being a part of the ACN community allows nurses to be the best they can be and strengthens the voice of nursing through various invaluable benefits, including 10% off graduate certificates.

Estimated fees are based on four units of study.

A student’s annual fee may vary per:

• The number of units studied.
• Choice of courses.
• Credit from previous study or work experience.
• Eligibility for government-funded loans.

Student fees shown are subject to change. Contact the university directly to confirm.

FEE-HELP loans are available to assist eligible full-fee-paying domestic students with the cost of a university course.