Most Hospital Health Services will offer a transition program to staff members and new graduate nurses. What is offered will be dependant upon your work place and your presentation demographic; if you work in a Children’s ED you will be offered a Transition to Paediatric Practice program, if you work in a mixed ED you will be offered the Transition to Emergency. The transition to Emergency does involve some paediatric subjects but is mainly adult focused. To qualify for enrolment on a transition to paediatrics program you must be working in a paediatric area of specialty for at least 48 hours per fortnight. If you work fewer hours, or work in an ED where you’re primary group of attendees are adult patients you will not be able to undertake the paediatric transition program. Once you have completed the transition you can achieve articulation to tertiary credit in a number of past graduate programs.
Once you’ve completed you transition program you may be ready to undertake a graduate certificate in either Paediatrics or Emergency Nursing.
Emergency Graduate Certificate applicants need 3 months full time equivalent (FTE) in ED and 0.5 FTE in their current place of practice.
For the Paediatric Graduate Certificate most universities will ask for applicants with 0.5 FTE in a paediatric work place in order to complete the clinical component. However, there have been applicants who have not been working in a paediatric specialty who have completed the graduate certificate in paediatrics. These nurses have needed to organise practical placement to complete the clinical component in their own time and this should be considered when applying. There are 4 subjects to be completed in a Graduate Certificate.
Another option can be a Graduate Diploma which is available via a number of universities. This is a slightly longer course with more subjects to study and can be started as a bridge towards a masters if you aren’t feeling ready to undertake a masters yet. There are 8 subjects to be completed in a Graduate Diploma.
A Masters degree is often seen as desirable when applying for nursing careers that are Grade 7 and above, and increasingly so in Grade 6 jobs, as it demonstrates a commitment to a specialty area, to career development and an awareness of how to critically analyse and reflect upon practice and research. It demonstrates an advanced level of nursing practice necessary for some of the more advanced clinical, educational and managerial roles. There are 12 subjects to complete in a Masters degree.
When choosing a university to study at, look at universities that offer nested courses and recognition of prior learning. Some universities offer nested courses, meaning that if you begin a master degree but are unable to complete the course, you will still be able to obtain a grad cert or grad dip qualification depending on the number of subjects completed if those subjects were nested.
For those choosing to complete a masters after a grad cert or grad dip they may be eligible for advanced standing. Subject to university credit transfer and recognition of prior learning procedures. It is advisable to look at individual university procedures to obtain information about eligibility before committing to a course.
Once you’ve completed you transition program you may be ready to undertake a graduate certificate in either Paediatrics or Emergency Nursing.
Emergency Graduate Certificate applicants need 3 months full time equivalent (FTE) in ED and 0.5 FTE in their current place of practice.
For the Paediatric Graduate Certificate most universities will ask for applicants with 0.5 FTE in a paediatric work place in order to complete the clinical component. However, there have been applicants who have not been working in a paediatric specialty who have completed the graduate certificate in paediatrics. These nurses have needed to organise practical placement to complete the clinical component in their own time and this should be considered when applying. There are 4 subjects to be completed in a Graduate Certificate.
Another option can be a Graduate Diploma which is available via a number of universities. This is a slightly longer course with more subjects to study and can be started as a bridge towards a masters if you aren’t feeling ready to undertake a masters yet. There are 8 subjects to be completed in a Graduate Diploma.
A Masters degree is often seen as desirable when applying for nursing careers that are Grade 7 and above, and increasingly so in Grade 6 jobs, as it demonstrates a commitment to a specialty area, to career development and an awareness of how to critically analyse and reflect upon practice and research. It demonstrates an advanced level of nursing practice necessary for some of the more advanced clinical, educational and managerial roles. There are 12 subjects to complete in a Masters degree.
When choosing a university to study at, look at universities that offer nested courses and recognition of prior learning. Some universities offer nested courses, meaning that if you begin a master degree but are unable to complete the course, you will still be able to obtain a grad cert or grad dip qualification depending on the number of subjects completed if those subjects were nested.
For those choosing to complete a masters after a grad cert or grad dip they may be eligible for advanced standing. Subject to university credit transfer and recognition of prior learning procedures. It is advisable to look at individual university procedures to obtain information about eligibility before committing to a course.