CL69 - Graduate Certificate in Correctional Nursing

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Overview

Course Overview

This course provides essential knowledge and skills for the nurse employed in correctional services in order to provide high quality nursing care to the offender population. In this course you will learn about the many facets of the nursing role including primary health care, chronic disease management, health education and responding to emergencies. You will undertake study to understand offenders, why they are likely to offend and the effect of incarceration, in particular how this relates to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander population. You will gain knowledge about licit and illicit drug use, harm minimisation strategies and treatment relevant to the prison environment. The term ‘jail craft’ refers to the many strategies that nurses use in this unique environment to manage their patients and their self. ‘Jail craft’, is explored and in particular, you will learn strategies to manage the impact of trauma on self and in the prisoner population.

Career Information

On completion of this award, graduates will be able to seek employment as a nurse in correctional services. Graduates currently employed in correctional services may also be eligible for promotion. 

Course Details
Duration 1 years part-time
Credit Points that Must be Earned 24
Number of Units Required CQUniversity uses the concept of credits to express the amount of study required for a particular course and individual units. The number of units varies between courses. Units in postgraduate courses normally consist of 6 points of credit or multiples thereof (e.g. 12, 18, 24).
Expected Hours of Study One point of credit is equivalent to an expectation of approximately two hours of student work per week in a term.
Course Type Postgraduate Award
Qualification (post nominal) GradCertCorrNurs
AQF Level Level 8: Graduate Certificate
Course Fees
Indicative Year - 2025
  • Commonwealth Supported Place – Indicative First Year Fee - $2,312
  • Domestic Full Fee Paying – Indicative First Year Fee - $8,808
Indicative Year - 2024
  • Commonwealth Supported Place – Indicative First Year Fee - $2,220
  • Domestic Full Fee Paying – Indicative First Year Fee - $8,418
  • International Indicative First Year Fee - $14,884.5
Indicative Year - 2023
  • Commonwealth Supported Place – Indicative First Year Fee - $2,060
  • Domestic Full Fee Paying – Indicative First Year Fee - $7,794
Indicative Year - 2022
  • Domestic Full Fee Paying – Indicative First Year Fee - $11,422.5
  • Commonwealth Supported Place – Indicative First Year Fee - $1,992

Admission Codes

Domestic Students
Tertiary Admission Centre Codes (TAC) Codes 		Not Applicable
International Students
CRICOS Codes 		Not Applicable
Where and when can I start?

Domestic Availability

Hyperflexible Annual Term - 2026

Online

Hyperflexible Annual Term - 2025

Online

Hyperflexible Annual Term - 2024

Online

Overseas Availabilities

Hyperflexible Annual Term - 2026

Sorry, no overseas availabilities found.

Hyperflexible Annual Term - 2025

Sorry, no overseas availabilities found.

Hyperflexible Annual Term - 2024

Sorry, no overseas availabilities found.
For any problems regarding admissions availability for the selected course please contact 13 CQUni (13 27 86) or send us an email at http://contactus.cqu.edu.au/
Entry Requirements - What do I need to start?
Entry Scores
Entry scores are not available, please contact the Student Advice Team for more information
Academic Requirements

Students must hold current nursing registration with Australian Health Practitioners Regulatory Authority (AHPRA).

Assumed Knowledge

To be eligible for entry into this course, applicants must hold:

  • Current Registered Nurse (Division 1) registration with the Australian Health Practitioners Regulatory Authority (AHPRA).


English Language Proficiency Requirements:

If you were not born in Australia, Canada, New Zealand, United Kingdom, Ireland, South Africa or United States of America you are required to meet the English Language Proficiency requirements set by the University. Applicants are required to provide evidence of completion of:

  • A secondary qualification (Year 11 and 12, or equivalent), or
  • An Australian Qualifications Framework (AQF) diploma level qualification, or
  • Bachelor level qualification study for a period of at least 2 years full time with a minimum overall GPA 4.0

Completed within Australia, Canada, New Zealand, United Kingdom, South Africa, Ireland, or United States of America, which will meet the English proficiency.

If you do not satisfy any of the above you will need to undertake an English language proficiency test and achieve the following scores as below:

  • An International English Language Testing System (IELTS Academic) overall band score of at least 6.0 overall with a minimum 5.5 in each subset; or
  • Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) - Requires 550 or better overall & minimum TWE score of 4.5 (Paper Based Test), or 75 or better overall and no score less than 17 (Internet Based Test); or
  • Pearson Test of English Academic (PTE Academic) - Requires an overall score of 54 with no sub-score less than 46; or
  • An Occupational English Test with Grades A or B only in each of the four components.

English test results remain valid for no more than two years between final examination date and the date of commencement of study, and must appear on a single result certificate.

International Students should visit http://www.cqu.edu.au/international for further information.

Each student will be assessed individually.

Security Requirements

No security requirements 

Health Requirements

No health requirements 

Fees and Charges
Be Different
  • Indicative Year - 2025
    • Commonwealth Supported Place – Indicative First Year Fee - $2,312
    • Domestic Full Fee Paying – Indicative First Year Fee - $8,808
  • Indicative Year - 2024
    • Commonwealth Supported Place – Indicative First Year Fee - $2,220
    • Domestic Full Fee Paying – Indicative First Year Fee - $8,418
    • International Indicative First Year Fee - $14,884.5
  • Indicative Year - 2023
    • Commonwealth Supported Place – Indicative First Year Fee - $2,060
    • Domestic Full Fee Paying – Indicative First Year Fee - $7,794
  • Indicative Year - 2022
    • Domestic Full Fee Paying – Indicative First Year Fee - $11,422.5
    • Commonwealth Supported Place – Indicative First Year Fee - $1,992
Higher Education
Course Features

Awards and Accreditation

Interim Awards Not applicable
Exit Awards Not applicable
Accreditation

  • Core

    There is no professional accreditation available for this course. 

Residential School Requirements

No Residential School for this course.

Practicum/Work Placement

Not applicable

Previous and Current Enrolments

Year Number of Students
2024 19
2023 25
2022 44
2021 49
2020 18
Inherent Requirements
There are Inherent Requirements (IRs) that you need to be aware of, and fulfil, to achieve the core learning outcomes of the units and course. IRs are the essential capabilities, knowledge, behaviours and skills that are needed to complete a unit or course.

Please note that in some instances there may be similarities between course, entry and inherent requirements.

If you experience difficulties meeting these requirements, reasonable adjustments may be made upon contacting accessibility@cqu.edu.au. Adjustment must not compromise the academic integrity of the degree or course chosen at CQUniversity or the legal requirements of field education.

Ethical Behaviour

Examples are:

  • Complying with academic and non-academic misconduct policies and procedures such as CQUniversity’s Student Charter, Student Misconduct Policy, Student Behavioural Misconduct Procedure, Student Academic Integrity Policy and Procedure, Assessment Policy and Procedure (Higher Education Coursework).
  • Treating personal information obtained in classroom and clinical settings as private and confidential.
  • Respecting an individual's/group's diversity by demonstrating sensitivity to religious cultural and individual differences.
  • Demonstrating an ability to reflect on ethical dilemmas and issues and take responsibility for ensuring awareness of ethical behaviour.
Behavioural Stability

Examples are:

  • Being receptive and responding appropriately to different viewpoints, to constructive feedback and to direction from academics and clinical staff.
  • Interacting positively and effectively in groups with other students while attending activities related to the course.
  • Contributing to on-line discussion forums and tutorials with peers and academics whilst using respectful language and tone.
  • Coping with your own emotions, responses and behaviour effectively when dealing with challenging situations in the clinical setting.
Legal Compliance

Examples are:

  • Understanding and adhering to professional policy around the use of social media.
Communication Skills (Verbal, Non-verbal, Written and Technology)

Examples are:

  • Actively participating in discussion activities related to the course.
  • Using language that is appropriate to the context of the individual or group.
  • Constructing your assessment work to academic standards with attention to grammar and punctuation.
  • Expressing complex and detailed information and knowledge into a logical and easily understood written form for assessment requirements.
  • Accessing a computer for your studies.
  • Regularly accessing the internet for research, and email for communication with peers and university staff.
  • Analysing, manipulating and displaying scientific information.
Cognitive Abilities (Knowledge and Cognitive Skills, Literacy and Numeracy)

Examples are:

  • Conceptualising and using appropriate knowledge in response to academic assessment items.
  • Completing academic learning activities and assessment tasks.
  • Paraphrasing, summarising and referencing in accordance with appropriate academic conventions associated with the American Psychological Association (APA) referencing format used by the School of Nursing, Midwifery and Social Sciences.
Sensory Abilities (Visual, Auditory, Tactile)

Examples are:

  • Focussing on and recognising objects that are either near or far, e.g. reading learning resources as well as on-line learning sessions or on-line  quizzes.
Relational Skills

Examples are:

  • Communicating effectively and being respectful of a person's dignity, culture, values, beliefs and rights.
  • Recognising that people are the experts in the experience of their life.
Reflective Skills

Examples are:

  • Accessing, analysing and using the best available evidence, that includes research findings for safe quality practice.
  • Developing practice through reflection on experiences, knowledge, actions, feelings and beliefs to identify how these shape practice.
Sustainable Performance

Examples are:

  • Actively participating in activities related to the course.
  • Undertaking on-line quizzes with adequate, sustained levels of physical energy and concentration.
  • Participating in learning clinical skills and engaging in simulation activities during on-campus learning and teaching situations.
Interpersonal Engagement

Examples are:

  • Communicating effectively, and being respectful of a person's dignity, culture, values, beliefs and rights.
  • Recognising that people are the experts in the experience of their life.
Information and Communication Technology (ICT) Abilities

Examples are:

  • Accessing relevant CQUniversity sites to facilitate effective engagement with course content and demonstrate understanding of course requirements.
Core Learning Outcomes
  • 1. Demonstrate knowledge and skills relevant to the specialised role of a correctional nurse
  • 2. Appreciate the offender’s biopsychosocial and cultural background and the impact of incarceration when undertaking nursing practices, particularly in relation to the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander population
  • 3. Analyse the impact of the prison environment and culture on nursing practices and identify strategies to manage this impact
  • 4. Analyse the role of licit and illicit drugs in the correctional environment and evaluate strategies to minimise the harm associated with drug use
  • 5. Apply knowledge of chronic illnesses, mental illnesses and communicable diseases when undertaking nursing care in the correctional environment.
  Course Learning Outcomes
Australian Qualifications Framework Descriptors 1 2 3 4 5
1. KNOWLEDGE Have specialised knowledge within a systematic and coherent body of knowledge that may include the acquisition and application of knowledge and skills in a new or existing discipline or professional area
2. SKILLS Have cognitive skills to review,analyse, consolidate and synthesise knowledge and identify and provide solutions to complex problems
3. SKILLS Have cognitive skills to think critically and to generate and evaluate complex ideas
4. SKILLS Have specialised technical and creative skills in a field of highly skilled and/or professional practice
5. SKILLS Have communication skills to demonstrate an understanding of theoretical concepts
6. SKILLS Have communication skills to transfer complex knowledge and ideas to a variety of audiences
7. APPLICATION OF KNOWLEDGE & SKILLS Be able to make high level, independent judgements in a range of technical or management functions in varied specialised contexts
8. APPLICATION OF KNOWLEDGE & SKILLS Be able to initiate, plan, implement and evaluate broad functions within varied specialised technical and/or creative contexts
9. APPLICATION OF KNOWLEDGE & SKILL Be responsible and accountable for personal outputs and all aspects of the work or function of others within broad parameters
10. FOUNDATIONAL KNOWLEDGE sufficient to undertake qualifications
11. ACQUISITION AND APPLICATION of knowledge in new or existing disciplines or professional areas drawn from higher education units
12. FOUNDATIONAL SKILLS sufficient to undertake qualifications
13. ACQUISITION AND APPLICATION of skills in new or existing disciplines or professional areas drawn from higher education units
14. Course content drawn from higher education units
Course Structure

In order to complete this course, you must:

  1. Complete the core structure

Core Structure

View Full Course Structure
Number of units: 4 Total credit points: 24

Available units
Students must complete the following compulsory units:
NURS28001 Jail Craft
NURS20178 Alcohol and Other Drugs
NURS28002 Understanding Offenders
NURS28003 Optimising Health in the Correctional Setting
More Details
There is no additional information for this course.