Graduate Certificate in Perioperative Nursing

What you will study

To complete the Graduate Certificate in Perioperative Nursing, a student must fulfil four units.

Core unit

• Perioperative Nursing Practice

Specialty Elective

Choose one specialty elective from the following:

• Anaesthesia Nursing
• Instrument/Circulating Nursing
• Post-anaesthetic Care Unit Nursing

Entry requirements

Admission to a graduate certificate course is based on academic merit and selection. 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 graduate certificate units of study, individual consideration may be given to applicants who are not registered nurses.

Outcomes

Learning outcomes

On completion of the course, students will be able to:

• Formulate an advanced knowledge base to promote the safe provision and coordination of evidence-based care within the perioperative environment.
• Apply critical thinking to the assessment process, linking specialist theory to holistic nursing practice.
• Critically analyse current literature and nursing practice to provide evidence-based contemporary care for persons in the perioperative environment.
• Model the skills and abilities that provide a foundation for future leadership roles, including reflective practice, knowledge sharing and a commitment to life-long learning.
• Develop advanced communication skills to establish and maintain therapeutic relationships with people receiving care, their significant others and multidisciplinary team members.

Fees and FEE-HELP

Estimated total 2025 member price (10% discount): $9,612 (domestic full-fee paying place)

Estimated total 2025 non-member price: $10,680 (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.