Specialist Certificate in Critical Care Nursing (SC-CCNURS) // Attributes, outcomes and skills

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Intended learning outcomes

The Specialist Certificate in Critical Care Nursing provides students with the theoretical knowledge and an understanding of the scientific advances specific to critical care nursing, including emergency and intensive care by:

  • Understand the importance of concise and timely assessments of patients including identifying potential clinical deterioration or deviation from expected outcomes
  • Anticipates and identifies appropriate treatment and management strategies for a range of differentiated patients in emergency or intensive care, including interpretation and communication of patient assessment findings
  • Knowledge to understand theoretical and scientific knowledge to guide patient assessment and evaluation, including pathophysiology, mechanism of injury, and pharmacotherapeutics
  • Consider and understand the role of the inter-disciplinary healthcare team to guide care management, including coordinating patient admission and discharge for patients with a variety of clinical needs
  • Consider and understand the importance of patient and family-centred care management that considers patients and families cultural and religious needs

Generic skills

  • Apply a high level of problem solving skills to their area of clinical practice
  • A high level of critical thinking and analytical skills
  • A high level of oral and written communication skills
  • Feel confident when tackling unfamiliar problems
  • The ability to plan their own work

Graduate attributes

The Melbourne Experience enables our graduates to become:

Academically excellent:

  • have a strong sense of intellectual integrity and the ethics of scholarship
  • have in-depth knowledge of their specialist discipline
  • reach a high level of achievement in writing, generic research activities, problem-solving and communication
  • be critical and creative thinkers, with an aptitude for continued self-directed learning
  • be adept at learning in a range of ways, including through information and communication technologies

Knowledgeable across disciplines:

  • examine critically, synthesise and evaluate knowledge across a broad range of disciplines
  • expand their analytical and cognitive skills through learning experiences in diverse subjects
  • have the capacity to participate fully in collaborative learning and to confront unfamiliar problems
  • have a set of flexible and transferable skills for different types of employment

Leaders in community:

  • initiate and implement constructive change in their communities, including professions and workplaces
  • have excellent interpersonal and decision-making skills, including an awareness of personal strengths and limitations
  • mentor future generations of learners
  • engage in meaningful public discourse, with a profound awareness of community needs

Attuned to cultural diversity: 

 

  • value different cultures
  • be well-informed citizens able to contribute to their communities wherever they choose to live and work
  • have an understanding of the social and cultural diversity in our community
  • respect indigenous knowledge, cultures and values

Active global citizens:

  • accept social and civic responsibilities
  • be advocates for improving the sustainability of the environment
  • have a broad understanding, with a high regard for human rights, equity and ethics

Last updated: 27 March 2025