University of Notre Dame Australia
Graduate Certificate in Palliative Care Nursing
- Delivery: Face to Face
- Study Level: Postgraduate
- Duration: 6 months
Designed for Registered Nurses in any healthcare setting who wish to develop their knowledge and skills in providing care for persons diagnosed with a life-limiting illness.
Course overview
The Graduate Certificate in Palliative Care Nursing program was developed with St. Vincent’s Health Network Sydney to provide a career pathway for registered nurses to gain postgraduate qualifications in palliative care nursing. The Graduate Certificate in Palliative Care Nursing is designed to equip registered nurses with advanced knowledge and skills to provide high-quality, compassionate care to patients with life-limiting illnesses. Two courses in the program are led by industry experts, offering hands-on insights from clinical practice. The remaining two courses are taught by Notre Dame's academic faculty, providing a robust theoretical foundation. This combination ensures students gain both practical skills and academic knowledge, preparing them for the evolving demands of healthcare. Graduates will be ready to optimise patient outcomes, enhance quality of life and support the well-being of patients and their families across diverse healthcare settings.
This comprehensive program focuses on a holistic, person-centred approach, combining effective communication, cultural and spiritual sensitivity, thorough assessment, symptom management and evidence-based practices. Across four integrated courses, students will study the principles and standards of palliative care, practice empathetic communication to support shared decision-making with patients, families and healthcare teams, manage complex symptoms through pharmacological and non-pharmacological methods and apply research findings to enhance nursing practice.
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
The Graduate Certificate in Palliative Care Nursing requires the completion of the following courses equivalent to 100 units of credit. Each course is valued at 25 units of credit.
Compulsory courses
- Contemporary Palliative Care Nursing Practice 1
- A Person-Centred Approach to Palliative Care Nursing
- Evidence-Based Practice
- Clinical Management in Palliative Care Nursing
Entry requirements
To be eligible for admission to the Graduate Certificate in Palliative Care Nursing, applicants must also meet the following specific requirements:
Current license to practice as a Registered Nurse with the Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia, or provisional registration, which applies when the student’s program commences.
Recognition of Prior Learning
Advanced Standing is a way the university recognises the studies you've already completed. Instead of repeating subjects, you get credit for them, saving you time and money. You might be eligible for this credit if you've completed studies at any university (even here at Notre Dame), including single subjects. Contact the university for more information.
Outcomes
Learning outcomes
Upon successful completion of the Graduate Certificate in Palliative Care Nursing, graduates will be able to:
- Evaluate palliative care's principles, standards and ethical considerations, including person-centred care and shared decision-making, to enhance the quality of life and dignity for patients with life-limiting illnesses.
- Demonstrate advanced communication and interprofessional collaboration skills to deliver compassionate, holistic palliative care and support for patients and their families.
- Analyse comprehensive assessment techniques and symptom management strategies, both pharmacological and non-pharmacological, to effectively address complex symptoms in palliative care patients.
- Integrate cultural, spiritual and psychosocial considerations into palliative care to provide culturally competent and spiritually sensitive care that respects and honours diverse patient backgrounds and beliefs.
- Apply evidence-based practice methods, including developing clinical questions, critically appraising research evidence and creating implementation plans, to translate research findings into improved palliative care nursing practice.
Career outcomes
A Graduate Certificate in Palliative Care Nursing will equip registered nurses with advanced knowledge and skills to provide high-quality, compassionate care as a palliative care nurse.
Fees and CSP
Estimated total fee in 2025: $2,312 (Commonwealth Supported Place)
The estimated total fee is based on a full-time study load of 100 units of credit.
Student fees may vary depending on:
- The number of courses studied per term.
- The choice of major or specialisation.
- 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.
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 course 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.
