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Online course

Diploma of Nursing

Are you ready to save lives with a nursing diploma designed to help you navigate the future of the Australian healthcare system?

Icon Qualification

Diploma

Qualification

Icon Duration

2 years full-time

Duration

Icon Start Dates

Feb, Jul

Start Date

Icon Units

25

Units

Sharon-BW

‘The support from Swinburne Online services and teachers helped me immensely, offering student study support, extensions and checking systems that all helped me gain confidence in my abilities and to keep going.’

Sharyn, Swinburne Online graduate

15.6% ▴

As a Nurse, you’ll have a strong future ahead of you, with a 15.6% increase in jobs expected in the next 5 years.

GoodUniversity

Our nursing courses have been awarded a five-star rating for learner engagement.

‘The support from Swinburne Online services and teachers helped me immensely, offering student study support, extensions and checking systems that all helped me gain confidence in my abilities and to keep going.’

Sharyn, Swinburne Online graduate

15.6% ▴

As a Nurse, you’ll have a strong future ahead of you, with a 15.6% increase in jobs expected in the next 5 years.

GoodUniversity

Our nursing courses have been awarded a five-star rating for learner engagement.

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Ready to kickstart your nursing career in 2023? Enrolments are now open!

Under the supervision of a registered nurse, the Diploma of Nursing (HLT54121) will teach you the essential skills and knowledge necessary to work in a range of healthcare settings.

You will learn how to implement basic nursing care, assess clients’ health and analyse health-related information through a combination of online units, hospital simulations and 400 hours of mandatory supervised clinical placements. You will also learn how to administer and monitor medication as well as care for older clients, acute-care clients and people with mental health conditions.

Diploma of Nursing fast facts

  • Swinburne’s Diploma of Nursing is accredited by the Australian Nursing & Midwifery Accreditation Council (ANMAC), which is responsible for the regulation of nurses and midwives.
  • 100% of our nursing students have found employment or secured a grad program after they graduated.

This course is currently not available to international students. Interstate applicants are eligible for this course, but will not be eligible for Skills First Funding and must be able to travel to Victoria for practical course elements at their own financial cost. Applicants who currently hold a higher qualification will not be eligible for Skills First Funding.

What will you learn?

  • Basics of Nursing Care: Learn the basics of practising nursing within the Australian healthcare system, including how to confirm a patient’s physical health status and analyse client health information.
  • Administration and Monitoring of Medication: Learn how to administer and monitor medicines and intravenous therapy and apply principles of wound management in the clinical environment.
  • Nursing Communication: Learn how to apply communication skills and respond to client language, literacy and numeracy needs in nursing practice.
  • Legal and Ethical Parameters in Nursing: Learn how to apply legal and ethical parameters to nursing practice and maintain work health and safety.

Flexible study

What does flexible study mean for me?

Swinburne Online Diploma of Nursing has four teaching periods and offers two intakes per year,  in February and July. Studying at Swinburne Online gives you the freedom to study how it suits you. Learn when and where it fits in with your life and tailor your study journey to your own needs without giving up what’s important.

You don’t have to put your life on hold to study. Prioritise what matters to you and fit study around family, work and personal commitments through a course that is flexibly designed for online learners.

Flexible study requires flexible support. As a Swinburne Online student, you’ll have support for extended hours, 7 days a week, with Student Advisors available to help with anything from tech support to research advice and dedicated online tutors in each of your units.

Structure

Your course structure

The Diploma of Nursing consists of 25 units, including 20 core units and five preferred elective units.

Your nursing course includes a combination of online units and hospital simulations and clinical placements. You will explore essential nursing knowledge and skills and analyse how the landscape of Australian healthcare is changing, and how best to navigate this new terrain.

This course includes both graded (scored between 50–100) and ungraded (Competent or Not Yet Competent) units. Where grading is applied, this occurs over and above the determination of competency. The inclusion of grading occurs to allow articulation into higher education programs.

Why study a nursing diploma with Swinburne Online? Our courses are at the forefront of industry and provide you with the practical skills to success come graduation. As a Swinburne nursing student, you will be required to attend unique Simulation Labs (Richmond) and Clinical Placements to ensure you’re prepared for your future as a nurse. These Simulation Labs and Clinical Placements are scheduled by the university as per the course structure.

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How you'll learn

Learning designed for online and on-campus

Your study journey with Swinburne Online is tailored to the digital space and hospital simulations and clinical placements. You’ll study in a dynamic virtual classroom environment, interact with your peers in the custom-built social platform, and receive support at the times you need it from advisors who understand studying online.

You course will follow a set structure, which includes assessments, due dates and online exams (for some units). There are some exams that are supervised online and there are others that are not – exams, however, will have a set timetable. All assessment due dates and exam timetables will be available in your Online classroom each teaching period.

You’ll complete each of your units in Canvas, your online classroom, and guided through coursework by an online tutor with real-world experience in your field of study. Canvas is where you’ll access classes, assignments and discussion boards with your peers.

The Student Hub is your online campus, where you’ll access the support and resources to assist you throughout your study journey. From managing your course to technical support and library resources, you’ll find it all in one easy location.

Many Swinburne Online courses offer unique placement opportunities where you can put your theory to practice. These are great opportunities for you to make valuable industry connections that will perfectly position you after graduation.

Swinburne Online will be there for you each step of the way. From enrolment through to graduation, we offer extended, flexible support in each of your units and advisors to assist with anything from technical support to referencing and assignment tips.

Entry requirements

Entry into this course is based on an applicant’s previous study, demonstrated knowledge and skills, and/or work history. It is recommended that all applicants attend a course information session.

For information on essential physical and behavioural abilities needed to perform assessment tasks and professional placements, please review the Informed Choices statement.

You are required to complete VCE (within the past seven years), with a minimum score of 20 for English or 25 in EAL. You must also have a satisfactory score for Units 1 and 2 in Maths or ACSF Exit Level 3 (working at Level 4) or above in both Reading and Numeracy as determined by an online literacy and numeracy test issued by Swinburne Online.

The Diploma of Nursing has entry criteria set by the Australian Nursing and Midwifery Accreditation Council. All students entering this course must demonstrate the level of English language skills specified by the Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia (NMBA) prior to commencing the course.

You must demonstrate your English language competency in one of the following ways:

You completed your schooling in Australia or at a school taught and assessed in English.

You have achieved a specified minimum score in an approved English language test, such as IELTS, OET, PTE or TOEFL iBT. (For full English language requirements, please view the Diploma of Nursing Entry Criteria page).

Please review the following additional requirements before submitting your application:

  • Applicants must be residing in Victoria, Australia, for the duration of the course.
  • You must maintain a current Police Check and Working with Children Check for the duration of the course.
  • The first unit of this course, HLTAID011 Provide First Aid, must be completed prior to your first placement. This requirement can be filled by providing evidence of your completion in an Accredited First Aid course. You can complete this through different providers, including St. John Ambulance Australia and Australian Red Cross.
  • Applicants without formal qualifications but with significant relevant work experience are welcome to apply.
  • Applicants must be 18 years of age at the time of placement
  • NDIS Worker Screening Check – this process includes a National Police Check

*If a candidate believes there would be a disclosable issue on their National Police Check, a confidential conversation will be required prior to enrolment to determine suitability for work within the healthcare environment.

  • Working with Children Check (Volunteer or Employee) for the duration of the program.

This course requires up-to-date evidence of immunisations. If you are not willing to provide up-to-date evidence, you may not be eligible to complete this program.

Immunisation requirements include the following:

  • COVID-19 Vaccination – full course required after 15 November 2021
  • Measles / Mumps / Rubella
  • Diphtheria / Tetanus/ Pertussis (Whooping Cough)
  • Varicella (Chickenpox)
  • Hepatitis B
  • Influenza (Annual requirement)
  • Tuberculosis Screening – QuantiFERON Gold test.

For more information about the minimum immunisation requirements please download the Vaccination for healthcare workers information.

Additional immunisations may be required in response to any changes in Government policy or the specific requirements of the organisation you attend for your clinical placement. Further information will be provided at the commencement of the course.

  • This course requires up-to-date evidence of immunisations. If you are not able to provide up-to-date evidence, you will not be able to attend the clinical placement component of this course. For more information about the minimum immunisation requirements, please visit the health.vic website. Additional immunisations may be required in response to any changes in Government policy or the specific requirements of the organisation you attend for your clinical placement. Further information will be provided at the commencement of the course.

This course is currently not available to international students. Interstate applicants are eligible for this course, but will not be eligible for Skills First Funding and must be able to travel to Victoria for practical course elements at their own financial cost. Applicants who currently hold a higher qualification will not be eligible for Skills First Funding.

Fees

VET Student Loans are available to assist eligible students to pay their course fees.

This course is covered by Skills First Funding, which partially subsidises your course fees. Check your eligibility for subsidised training on the Victorian Skills Gateway website.

Discover more information about VET fees and loans >

Course fees may change without notice and will be affected by a student’s unit selection and any credit awarded in recognition of previous academic experience.

This course is not available to international students.

Scholarships are available for both commencing and current students. You may be eligible for Swinburne Scholarships.

Career Outcomes

Swinburne Online Connection to Industry

The Diploma of Nursing may be completed online, however, your coursework will be far from just theoretical. Your diploma is designed to equip you with the future-focused and practical experiences that will enable you to graduate with your foot already in the door. With 100% of our students finding employment or securing a grad program, we’re ready to help you find your future.

You will:

  • Complete hospital simulations (located in Richmond)
  • Complete 400 hours of supervised clinical placement
  • Learn from and work under a registered nurse.

Assist a registered nurse in the care of patients suffering from a severe injury or episode of illness.

Provide medical and some psychological support to patients who have mental health issues or who are in distress.

Assist individuals with a disability and/or chronic illness to attain and maintain maximum function.

Assist in the delivery of primary health care to aged patients in a variety of settings including hospitals and home care.

Provide care and support to people at any age who are experiencing severe or complex symptoms due to a life-limiting or terminal condition.

Testimonial

‘Studying at Swinburne Online has been an excellent experience for me. The team is very supportive, the online platform is user-friendly and the studying resources are extensive.’

Monica

Swinburne Online graduate

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