Graduate Certificate in Clinical Nursing (Surgical)

The Graduate Certificate in Clinical Nursing (Medical) aims to enhance the practice of health care professionals by expanding the breadth and depth of their knowledge and skills. 

Graduates of the Graduate Certificate in Clinical Nursing (Surgical) should have:

• LO1: Demonstrate specialised clinical nursing knowledge and skills that are required in specialist clinical settings.
• LO2: Integrate principles of clinical decision making in relation to care planning, implementation, assessment and evaluation for effective care delivery within the specialty health care setting which reflects cultural safety practices and person centred care.
• LO3: Apply specialist evidence-based clinical knowledge and skills to analyse, generate, communicate and evaluate solutions to complex clinical issues within the specialty health care setting.

The Graduate Certificate in Clinical Nursing is designed to expand your knowledge and skills in clinical nursing and practice.

ACU offers a generic Clinical Nursing course as well as the Graduate Certificate in Clinical Nursing with nine specialisations: correctional health, gerontological nursing, medical, renal, surgical, neuroscience, cardiac care, intensive care and perioperative. By undertaking a specialisation, you will develop your holistic care skills in specialty practice, including person- and family-centred health promotion. Specific knowledge in the areas of bioscience, pharmacology, and lifespan development, relevant to your chosen specialty, will also be explored and applied to your clinical nursing practice.

The surgical specialisation explores acute and chronic health conditions that require surgical intervention. Modules include principles and management of nursing care across the pre-operative, post-operative and discharge, surgical care continuum. Content related to surgical comorbidities, common surgical procedures, surgical safety, risk assessment and the early recognition and timely escalation of deterioration to mitigate patient harm is extensively covered. The impact that pre-operative and post-operative complications have for surgical patient outcomes, and discharge planning, will also be detailed.

This course also offers specialisations in the following areas:

• Graduate Certificate in Clinical Nursing (Correctional Health)
• Graduate Certificate in Clinical Nursing (Gerontological Nursing)
• Graduate Certificate in Clinical Nursing (Medical)
• Graduate Certificate in Clinical Nursing (Renal)
• Graduate Certificate in Clinical Nursing (Neuroscience)
• Graduate Certificate in Clinical Nursing (Cardiac Care)
• Graduate Certificate in Clinical Nursing (Intensive Care)
• Graduate Certificate in Clinical Nursing (Perioperative)

Visit ACU Postgraduate Programs for Nurses, for more information.

Recommended study pattern

Students are required to follow the pattern of subject enrolment set out in the relevant Course Enrolment Guide, unless otherwise approved by the Course Coordinator. In all aspects of progress through the course, students will be advised by the Course Coordinator.

To qualify for the degree, a student must complete 4 subjects from Schedule of Unit Offerings comprising of:

• 2 subjects from Specified Clinical Nursing Units; and
• 2 subject from Specialisation units.

Graduate Certificate in Clinical Nursing (Surgical):

Specified Clinical Nursing Units

• NRSG524 Advanced Pathophysiology for Specialty Nursing Practice (10cp)
• NRSG525 Evdence-based, Person-centred Family Care in Specialty Nursing Practice (10cp)

Specialisation units:

• NRSG532 Surgical Comprehensive Care for Surgical Patients (10cp)
• NRSG533 Surgical: Advanced and Complex Surgical Nursing (10cp)

Award requirements

To qualify for the degree, a student must complete 40 cp from the Schedule of Unit Offerings, consisting of:

a. 20 cp from Clinical Nursing units

b. 20 cp from Specialisation units

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Indicative total fee $2,312

The amount shown here is indicative for an Australian citizen studying full-time, which is typically 8 subjects per year.

Fees may vary depending on:

• the subjects you choose
• credit from previous work experience
• your eligibility for government funding loans or subsidies such as HECS-HELP or a Commonwealth supported place.

To learn more, go to Fees or contact a student advisor.

Established in 1991 after amalgamating four eastern Australian Catholic tertiary institutes, Australian Catholic University now has seven campuses, from Brisbane to Melbourne and welcomes students of all beliefs. Specialising in arts, business, education, health sciences, law, theology and philosophy, ACU encourages its students to think critically and ethically and bring change to their communities and offer this online through Open Universities Australia.

Learn more about ACU.

Explore ACU courses.

QS World University Ranking 2025, within Australia:

35

Times Higher Education World University Ranking 2025, within Australia:

26

To be eligible for admission to the Graduate Certificate in Clinical Nursing, an applicant must:

a) have completed a Bachelor of Nursing degree or equivalent;

AND

b) hold current registration with the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (Ahpra).

An applicant must also comply with the Admission to Coursework Programs Policy.

International Students must also comply with English Language Proficiency requirements as outlined in the Admission to Coursework Programs Policy.

• International English Language Testing System - Academic (IELTS): Overall score: 6.5 with an individual score of 6.0 in all tests
• Pearson Test of English (PTE): 58 with a minimum of 50 in all four communicative skills
• Test of English as a Foreign Language - Academic (TOEFL): Internet based total of 79 with a minimum of 21 in writing, 18 in speaking, 13 in reading and 12 in listening
• ACU English Language Test: B (65-74%)
• Cambridge Advanced English (CAE): Overall CAE of 176 with a minimum individual score of 169 in all test areas.

If your previous study has equipped you with knowledge, skills or experiences that align with the learning outcomes of units in your new course you may be able to apply for recognition of prior learning and you may be able to complete your course sooner. Speak to your course consultant for more information or to discuss your eligibility. ACU will consider requests for advanced standing based on prior studies to a maximum equivalence of 2 subjects (20cp).