Graduate Certificate in Neonatal Care

The aim of this course is to enhance professional and ethical understanding of neonatal clinical practice, and increase knowledge and skills for the provision of evidence-based care: therefore improving the outcomes for sick and/or convalescing infants and their families.

The guiding principles sit within the holistic framework of culturally appropriate, individualised and developmentally supportive, family centred care.

The course aligns with the domains and standards for neonatal nurses (ACNN 2012) and responds to industry requirements for flexible multifaceted practitioners who are able to practice as members of interdisciplinary teams.

Graduates may use their extended knowledge in clinical specialties to develop their career pathway and may find employment in various specialist neonatal nursing, midwifery, educational and clinical leadership roles such as clinical nurse or midwifery specialists, or credit toward further studies at Masters level which may lead to higher leadership roles such as clinical nurse or midwifery consultant, nurse practitioner and research opportunities.

On the completion of the Graduate Certificate in Neonatal Care, students will be better able to:

• implement strategies to facilitate individualised developmentally supportive, family centred care integrating knowledge to practice
• demonstrate their awareness of culturally appropriate care; including sensitivity to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and culturally and linguistically diverse populations
• examine evidence based specialist knowledge related to foetal development, antenatal considerations, pregnancy, birth and transition integrating knowledge to practice
• analyse evidence based specialist knowledge and comprehensive patient assessment skills integrating knowledge to practice
• evaluate clinical decision making skills, using the nursing process, collaboration and multiple modes of inquiry to enhance neonatal practice
• evaluate leadership skills and promote collaboration with the health care team and other stakeholders
• reflect on and appraise professional development activities across the spectrum of health care
• examine quality improvement and reflection in complex neonatal environments to enhance contemporary neonatal practice.

Intensive care stream

Units of study in this stream focus on the wide range of conditions that present in the perinatal environment. Neonatal Care in the Perinatal Environment (300) focuses on several often intersecting populations including the extremely premature, sick term and infants requiring surgery. Neonatal Care of the High Risk Newborn (301) does not cover extreme prematurity and is designed for students working within specialist neonatal units attached to delivery suites or within children’s hospitals, which provide care for high risk infants and/or infants requiring surgery.

Core subjects:

• Applied Neonatal Physiology (071)
• Assessment of Growth and Development (255)
• Leadership and Professional Practice (925)

Specialty elective subjects (choose one specialty elective):

• Neonatal Care in the Perinatal Environment (300)
• Neonatal Care of the High Risk Newborn (300)

*071 is a prerequisite to this unit and must be completed first.

Special care stream

Neonatal Special Care (207) aims to develop the student’s ability to evaluate and manage the wide array of conditions presenting in the special care environment.

Core subjects:

• Applied Neonatal Physiology (071)
• Assessment of Growth and Development (255)
• Neonatal Special Care (207)
• Leadership and Professional Practice (925)

*071 is a prerequisite to this unit and must be completed first.

Disclaimer: Fees vary dependent on subject electives chosen