Deakin University
Graduate Diploma of Cardiac Nursing
- Delivery: Online
- Study Level: Postgraduate
- Duration: 24
Develop analytical, practical, communication and leadership skills to graduate prepared for a senior role in various specialized cardiac settings.
Course overview
Cardiovascular diseases cause 27% of deaths in Australia. As a registered nurse, Deakin’s Graduate Diploma of Cardiac Nursing will equip you with the analytical, practical, communication and leadership skills needed to perform a senior role in a multidisciplinary health team across various specialist cardiac settings.
Study with one of Australia’s largest and most established nursing schools ranked #15 worldwide for nursing courses. Your learning will be informed by the latest trends in cardiac nursing practice and cutting-edge research, which is recognised as well above world standard.# Our strong industry connections mean you will be guided by experts in cardiac care nursing as you explore the current and emerging trends, concepts, knowledge and evidence that provide the policy and practice framework around cardiac nursing and interventional cardiology.
Are you ready for a senior position in cardiac care?
Suppose you want to take the next step in your nursing career. In that case, our Graduate Diploma of Cardiac Nursing will prepare you to become a leader and practise effectively in cardiac care settings at an advanced practice level. As a graduate, you will demonstrate ethical, safe, high-quality, expert clinical decision-making abilities within an interdisciplinary team and psychomotor skills commensurate with specialised theoretical knowledge, evidence-based practice and person-centred care.
As a student of Deakin’s Graduate Diploma of Cardiac Nursing, you will be challenged to advance your professional judgement by exploring the current and emerging trends, concepts, knowledge, and evidence that provide the policy and practice framework around cardiac nursing and interventional cardiology.
Second-year elective units allow you to pursue your specific areas of interest and career goals. You can choose from complementary areas of practice to your specialisation or undertake studies that prepare you for education, leadership, or management roles. You can also select a unit from anywhere across the university, further expanding your skill set.
Deakin’s strong industry connections ensure high collaboration and support during your clinical practice. This means that while you study, you can immerse yourself in your specialty practice area with one of our numerous metropolitan, rural and regional health partners across Australia.
Our innovative online program delivers a rich, interactive, empowering learning experience designed for postgraduate nurses. Live-streaming seminars and class discussions will encourage critical thinking, problem-solving, and teamwork skills. Australia’s top-rated tech support and access to our expert teaching staff mean you can learn at your own pace, when and where it suits you, without compromising quality or support.
This course enables you to:
- Evaluate and intervene in response to complex data from patient and technologically-derived sources.
- Develop an advanced understanding of normal physiology and the pathophysiology of illness and injury in critically ill patients.
- Perform focused, systematic and methodical patient assessments.
- Demonstrate advanced clinical judgement leading to autonomous decision-making.
- Assess and manage patients with a variety of complex cardiovascular conditions.
- Understand the risk management and quality nursing care required for cardiac patients undergoing interventional procedures.
- Explore advanced interventional treatment modalities.
- Combine advanced communication skills with professional knowledge to promote safe, high-quality care of patients across a range of specialist cardiac settings.
CSP Subsidised Fees Available
This program has a limited quota of Commonwealth Supported Places (CSP). The indicative CSP price is calculated based on first year fees for EFT. The actual fee may vary if there are choices in electives or majors.
Key facts
What you will study
You must pass eight credit points to complete the Graduate Diploma of Cardiac Nursing. The number of credit points required may vary, depending on your entry point or how much credit you receive as recognition of prior learning (RPL) based on your professional experience and previous qualifications.
An 8-credit-point Graduate Diploma of Cardiac Nursing includes:
- Academic Integrity and Respect at Deakin (0 credit point compulsory unit) in their first study period.
- Six credit points of core units.
- One credit point, of course, is for elective units.
- One credit point of level 7 open elective units.
Year 1 -Semester 1
- Academic Integrity and Respect at Deakin (0 credit points)
- Core Principles of Critical Care Nursing (2 credit points)
Year 1 - Semester 2
- Cardiac Nursing (2 credit points)
Year 2 - Trimester 1
- Inquiry Into Specialty Nursing Practice
Plus, I need one credit point from any level 7 electives from anywhere in the university or two Deakin stackable short courses (0.5 credit points microcredentials).
Year 2 - Trimester 2
- Advanced Concepts in Specialty Nursing Practice
One credit point for an elective course is on the list below.
Entry requirements
Selection is based on a holistic consideration of your academic merit, work experience, likelihood of success, availability of places, participation requirements, regulatory requirements and individual circumstances. You must meet the minimum academic and English language proficiency requirements to be considered for selection, but this does not guarantee admission.
Please note that this course has limited places and entry is competitive. Applicants are strongly encouraged to submit an application as soon as possible. If all places are filled, applications for this course may close prior to the published closing date.
Academic requirements
To be considered for admission to this degree, you will need to meet all the following criteria:
- Registration as a registered nurse with the Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia (NMBA) with no conditions or restrictions
- Evidence of secure, ongoing employment of at least 24 hours per week in a collaborating hospital within Australia, working in a relevant speciality practice area with appropriate clinical supervision.
English language proficiency requirements
To meet the English language proficiency requirements of this course, you will need to demonstrate at least one of the following:
- Bachelor's degree from a recognised English-speaking country
- IELTS overall score of 6.5 (with no band score less than 6.0) in each component of the test
- Other evidence of English language proficiency (learn more about other ways to satisfy the requirements)
Non-academic requirements
As the specialisation pathways courses are offered collaboratively between the University and a range of partnership/collaborating hospitals, student selection into the course is a joint process. Students must independently apply for and seek permanent employment within a collaborating hospital to support and provide a sound clinical learning environment for the clinical program requirements of the course.
Applicants are required to complete an Applicant Declaration form to be uploaded with their application.
Outcomes
Career outcomes
With job growth of 12.2% projected for registered nurses by 2028, there is an industry demand for nurses with sophisticated specialty skills. Our Graduate Diploma of Cardiac Nursing will allow you to meet that demand in a senior role in advanced practice, leadership, management and education across a range of settings, including:
- Acute Cardiac Units
- Cardiac Rehabilitation and Community Care
- Cardiac Catheter Laboratories
- Coronary Care Units
- Clinical Nurse Educator
Learning outcomes
- Demonstrate advanced clinical practice commensurate with cardiac care nursing theoretical knowledge, evidence-based practice and person-centred care.
- I'd like you to demonstrate advanced communication skills to ensure high-quality, safe nursing care for patients in the cardiac care setting.
- Evaluate information using digital technologies to effectively disseminate relevant cardiac care information to patients and/or the multidisciplinary team.
- Identify, analyse and evaluate complex data from multiple sources to inform clinical decision-making in the cardiac care setting.
- Apply advanced nursing knowledge to complex problems in the cardiac care setting to optimise patient outcomes.
- Demonstrate professionalism, accountability, reflection and personal autonomy as a cardiac nurse.
- Establish and maintain inclusive, collaborative professional relationships with all multidisciplinary team members.
- Demonstrate accountability for and sound professional judgement in behaviours that uphold ethical principles of practice within diverse social, cultural and environmental contexts.
Fees and CSP
Indicative first-year tuition fee in 2025: $4,627 (Commonwealth Supported Place)
The indicative first-year fee is the approximate cost of enrolling in this course for one academic year, depending on the type of place you are offered, for example, a Commonwealth Supported Place (CSP) or full-fee paying (FFP) place. For a graduate certificate, this is usually four units studied full-time over one term or part-time over two terms.
A student’s annual fee may vary by:
- The number of units studied per term.
- The choice of major or specialisation.
- Choice of units.
- Credit from previous study or work experience.
- Eligibility for government-funded loans.
Student fees shown are subject to change. Could you contact the university directly to confirm?
Commonwealth Supported Places
The Australian Government allocates a certain number of CSPS to the universities each year, which are then distributed to students based on merit.
If you're a Commonwealth Supported Student (CSS), you only need to pay some of your tuition fees. The student contribution amount is the balance once the government subsidy is applied. This means your costs are much lower.
Limited CSP spaces are offered to students enrolled in selected postgraduate courses.
Your student contribution amount is:
- Calculated per unit you're enrolled in.
- Depending on the study areas they relate to.
- Reviewed and adjusted each year.
HECS-HELP loans are available to CSP students to pay the student contribution amount.
FEE-HELP loans are available to assist eligible full-fee-paying domestic students with the cost of a university course.
