Master of Nursing Practice
Course summary for current students
B = Melbourne Burwood Campus
G = Geelong Waurn Ponds Campus
S = Geelong Waterfront Campus
W =Warrnambool Campus
X = Off campus
| Award granted | Master of Nursing Practice |
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| Campus | Off campus |
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| Duration | 1.5 years full time or up to 4 years part time |
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| Deakin course code | H771 |
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Course sub-headings
Course overview
The Master of Nursing Practice aims to broaden and deepen your theoretical and practice knowledge and is predicated on the notion that registered nurses should practise in ways that extend beyond the technical and practical concerns of nursing to provide leadership, research-based practice and advanced decision making as part of the multidisciplinary health team. This course, therefore, provides research training as well as leadership and specialty expertise to prepare you for leadership roles, and the requirements to undertake research degrees (such as Masters and PhDs).
The flexible course structure has a strong focus on leadership, quality and risk management, and enables you to choose from several pathway options, thus providing you with the opportunity to tailor your studies to meet your career aspirations. Depending on your desired career direction, you can complete this course via one of the following pathways:
- leadership and management
- advanced clinical practice
- specialty practice (intensive care, cardiac care, emergency care, critical care or perioperative nursing - some areas not available to international students )
If you wish to undertake postgraduate studies in intensive care, cardiac care, emergency care, critical care or perioperative nursing, you will complete the Specialty Practice pathway; and following completion of your specialty practice units, can continue your studies to complete the Master of Nursing Practice if desired. Alternatively, you may wish to exit the Masters program early and only complete a Graduate Certificate or Graduate Diploma in your specialty practice area of interest, and either of these options are available to you.
Career opportunities
Deakin’s postgraduate courses have been developed in collaboration with our industry partners, making the teaching relevant to today’s industry needs. After successfully completing your chosen course you will have a qualification that is highly respected by industry and academia, and you will be qualified to gain employment within your chosen specialty in all states and territories of Australia, as well as overseas.
Health care reforms and workforce restructure in Australia, are clearly on the agenda of health policy makers to ensure the health workforce is appropriate for health care delivery in the 21st century. Increasingly it is evident to governments that registered nurses with advanced knowledge, complex decision making skills and clinical competencies for advanced practice can make a significant contribution to health care delivery and the sustainability of the Australian health system. Masters level preparation will further develop nurses’ skills to solve novel problems, think critically, autonomously exercise professional judgement and assume new roles which will enable them to contribute to the provision of safe, high quality, innovative and flexible health care delivery. Nurses with Masters level qualifications, working collaboratively in multidisciplinary teams, complement care provided by other health professionals, thereby promoting better patient outcomes.
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Fees and charges
Unit fees can be viewed within individual unit descriptions. You can search for a unit using the Unit Search.
Please be aware:
- Fees are calculated on a per unit basis
- Fees charged will depend on the individual units undertaken
- Fees per unit/credit point may increase annually due to rises in the cost of course delivery and services
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Course rules
The Master of Nursing Practice comprises 12 credit points of study. At least 8 of the 12 credit points must normally be level 7 nursing units from the list below. Up to 4 credit points may be selected from the elective units listed below or approved units from any postgraduate course at Deakin. Alternatively, students may undertake the 4-credit-point thesis (HNN725 and HNN726), which articulates with PhD studies.
Students wishing to complete the Master of Nursing Practice by research and undertake the 4-credit-point minor thesis must have completed HNN727 Research in Nursing and Midwifery (2 credit points).
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Course structure
Leadership and Management
These units are tailored to prepare students with the capacities and capabilities required for an extended role in their clinical domain with a strong focus on leadership, quality and risk management.
Nursing units
Trimester 1
| HNN714 | Ethical Dimensions of Nursing (X) |
| HNN746 | Nursing, Cultural Diversity and Politics of Health Care (X) |
| HNN749 | Patient Safety and Risk Management (X) |
Trimester 2
| HNN715 | Leadership and Management in Nursing (X) |
| HNN727 | Research in Nursing and Midwifery (X) (2 credit points) |
| HNN729 | Trends and Nursing Futures |
Minor thesis (4 credit points)
Elective units
Each unit is worth 1 credit point unless otherwise specified.
Offering is subject to demand and resources
Trimester 1
| HMF701 | Agricultural Health and Medicine ~ |
| HND732 | Diabetes in Professional Contexts (X) |
| HNN709 | Mental Health Triage and Emergency Psychiatry |
| HNN730 | Advanced Diagnostic Reasoning (X) |
| HNN734 | Advanced Primary Health Care Practice |
~ Note: HMF701 includes a 5 day intensive workshop held in February
Trimester 2
| HND731 | Learning and Teaching for Health Professionals (X) |
| HNN710 | Community Mental Health |
| HNN733 | Advanced Practice Development (X) |
Advanced Clinical Practice
This study option will provide students employed in non-specialty acute clinical practice areas (such as general medical/surgical nursing, orthopaedic, gastro-enterology, respiratory or neurology etc.) with the opportunity to extend their practice skills in the areas of advanced patient assessment, clinical decision making and diagnostic reasoning. This pathway will prepare students to meet complex and contemporary challenges in non-specialty practice areas.
Course structure
Nursing units
Trimester 1
| HNN730 | Advanced Diagnostic Reasoning (X) |
| HNN749 | Patient Safety and Risk Management (X) |
Trimester 2
| HNN715 | Leadership and Management in Nursing (X) |
Elective units
Each unit is worth 1 credit point unless otherwise specified.
Offering is subject to demand and resources
Trimester 1
| HNN709 | Mental Health Triage and Emergency Psychiatry |
| HNN714 | Ethical Dimensions of Nursing (X) |
| HNN734 | Advanced Primary Health Care Practice |
| HNN746 | Nursing, Cultural Diversity and Politics of Health Care (X) |
| HNN780 | Quality and Safety in Medication Management (X) |
| HND701 | The Pathophysiology of Diabetes (X) |
| HND732 | Diabetes in Professional Contexts (X) |
| HNN730 | Advanced Diagnostic Reasoning (X) |
Trimester 2
| HNN710 | Community Mental Health |
| HNN727 | Research in Nursing and Midwifery (X) (2 credit points) |
| HNN729 | Trends and Nursing Futures |
| HNN732 | Advanced Clinical Decision Making (X) |
| HNN733 | Advanced Practice Development (X) |
| HNN781 | Therapeutic Medication Management (ONLINE) |
| HND702 | Management of Diabetes (X) |
| HND731 | Learning and Teaching for Health Professionals (X) |
Thesis units
| HNN725 | Research Thesis A (X) (2 credit points) |
| HNN726 | Research Thesis B (X) (2 credit points) |
Specialty Practice Critical Care Units
Applicants wishing to undertake the intensive care, cardiac care or emergency care specialty streams must also independently apply for and seek permanent employment with a collaborating hospital within their specialty area. Offers to undertake these specialty streams will not be issued until written confirmation of this support by a collaborating hospital has been received by Deakin University.
Specialty units (core)
Trimester 1
| HNN751 | Advanced Physiology and Patient Assessment (X) (not available to international students) |
| HNN752 | Core Principles of Care for the Critically Ill Patient (X) (not available to international students) |
| HNN750 | Inquiry Into Critical Care Nursing Practice (X) (required if taking alternative exit at Graduate Diploma level - not available to international students) |
Trimester 2
| HNN765 | Cardiac Care Nursing 1 (X) * (not available to international students) |
| HNN775 | Cardiac Care Nursing 2 (X) * (not available to international students) |
| HNN767 | Critical Care Nursing 1 (X) ** (not available to international students) |
| HNN777 | Critical Care Nursing 2 (X) ** (not available to international students) |
| HNN766 | Emergency Care Nursing 1 (X) + (not available to international students) |
| HNN776 | Emergency Care Nursing 2 (X) + (not available to international students) |
| HNN764 | Intensive Care Nursing 1 (X) # (not available to international students) |
| HNN774 | Intensive Care Nursing 2 (X) # (not available to international students) |
| HNN788 | Advanced Concepts in Specialty Practice (X) (required if taking alternative exit at Graduate Diploma level - not available to international students) |
Elective units - maximum 6
Trimester 1
| HNN709 | Mental Health Triage and Emergency Psychiatry |
| HNN714 | Ethical Dimensions of Nursing (X) |
| HNN730 | Advanced Diagnostic Reasoning (X) |
| HNN734 | Advanced Primary Health Care Practice |
| HNN746 | Nursing, Cultural Diversity and Politics of Health Care (X) |
| HNN749 | Patient Safety and Risk Management (X) |
| HNN780 | Quality and Safety in Medication Management (X) |
| HND701 | The Pathophysiology of Diabetes (X) |
| HND732 | Diabetes in Professional Contexts (X) |
Trimester 2
| HNN710 | Community Mental Health |
| HNN715 | Leadership and Management in Nursing (X) |
| HNN727 | Research in Nursing and Midwifery (X) (2 credit points)*** |
| HNN729 | Trends and Nursing Futures |
| HNN732 | Advanced Clinical Decision Making (X) |
| HNN733 | Advanced Practice Development (X) |
| HNN781 | Therapeutic Medication Management (ONLINE) |
| HND702 | Management of Diabetes (X) |
| HND731 | Learning and Teaching for Health Professionals (X) |
Thesis units
| HNN725 | Research Thesis A (X) (2 credit points) |
| HNN726 | Research Thesis B (X) (2 credit points) |
* Core specialty units for Cardiac Care specialty
** Core specialty units for Critical Care specialty
+ Core specialty units for Emergency Care specialty
# Core specialty units for Intensive Care specialty
*** This unit must be undertaken by students who intend to enrol in the Thesis units
Specialty Practice Perioperative Units
Applicants wishing to undertake the perioperative specialty stream must also independently apply for and seek permanent employment with a collaborating hospital within their specialty area. Offers to undertake these specialty streams will not be issued until written confirmation of this support by a collaborating hospital has been received by Deakin University.
Specialty units (core)
Trimester 1
| HNN755 | Principles of Anaesthesia and Post Anaesthesia Nursing Care 1 (X) (not available to international students) |
| HNN740 | Principles of Intraoperative Nursing Care 1 (X) (not available to international students) |
| HNN741 | Nursing Inquiry for Specialist Practice (X) (required if taking alterative exit at Graduate Diploma level - not available to international students) |
Trimester 2
| HNN742 | Principles of Anaesthesia and Post Anaesthesia Nursing Care 2 (X) (not available to international students) |
| HNN743 | Principles of Intraoperative Nursing Care 2 (X) (not available to international students) |
| HNN744 | Specialty Perioperative Practice 1 (X) (not available to international students) |
Elective units - maximum 6
Trimester 1
| HNN709 | Mental Health Triage and Emergency Psychiatry |
| HNN714 | Ethical Dimensions of Nursing (X) |
| HNN730 | Advanced Diagnostic Reasoning (X) |
| HNN734 | Advanced Primary Health Care Practice |
| HNN746 | Nursing, Cultural Diversity and Politics of Health Care (X) |
| HNN749 | Patient Safety and Risk Management (X) |
| HNN780 | Quality and Safety in Medication Management (X) |
| HND701 | The Pathophysiology of Diabetes (X) |
| HND732 | Diabetes in Professional Contexts (X) |
Trimester 2
| HNN710 | Community Mental Health |
| HNN715 | Leadership and Management in Nursing (X) |
| HNN727 | Research in Nursing and Midwifery (X) (2 credit points)*** |
| HNN729 | Trends and Nursing Futures |
| HNN732 | Advanced Clinical Decision Making (X) |
| HNN733 | Advanced Practice Development (X) |
| HNN745 | Speciality Perioperative Practice 2 |
| HNN781 | Therapeutic Medication Management (ONLINE) |
| HND702 | Management of Diabetes (X) |
| HND731 | Learning and Teaching for Health Professionals (X) |
Thesis units
| HNN725 | Research Thesis A (X) (2 credit points) |
| HNN726 | Research Thesis B (X) (2 credit points) |
*** This unit must be undertaken by students who intend to enrol in the Thesis units
