Perioperative Nurse Surgical Assistant (PNSA)

Out of stock

SKU
SC-20
Advance your knowledge and skills in the field of perioperative nursing practice.

This course is now available via the Master of Nursing, where it has been introduced as a specialisation.  

$0.00

Key facts

Course category
Nursing and Midwifery, Nursing
Options

Please submit an enquiry to express an interest or to request further information.

Enquire now
Duration
PNSA 1 offered in semester 1 (4/3 - 2/6/2024) and PNSA 2 in semester 2 (29/7 - 27/10/2024), 30 credit points each)
Group Bookings
Enquire now
Prerequisite/s
Current registration with AHPRA, Division 1 Registered Nurse skills and knowledge, perioperative nursing professional experience.
Certification
Postgraduate Diploma

Why this course?

This course is the only specialised course of study in Australia that prepares perioperative Registered Nurses to undertake advanced nursing practice skills in surgical assisting and collaborative patient care in pre-operative and postoperative care of the surgical patient population.

Why study a short course at La Trobe

Industry experience while you study

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Rising demand

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Powerful Collaborations

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Course content

This course is now available via the Master of Nursing, where it has been introduced as a specialisation.  Delivered online over two semesters, supported by clinical mentorship from a fellow of the Royal Australasian College of Surgeons (RACS) sourced by the students, this course is offered in two 30 credit point subjects, with PNSA 1 offered in semester 1 and PNSA 2 in semester 2.  

 

As an AHPRA registered Division 1 Nurse, you will embark on an advanced practice role toward practicing as a Perioperative Nurse Surgeons Assistant (PNSA), developing cognitive and technicals skills to demonstrate an advanced understanding of the underlying principles and theoretical concepts in the role of surgical assistance, an in-depth understanding of the history of the PNSA role and integration of advanced nursing principle in delivery of care in the three phases of care; Preoperative, Intraoperative and Postoperative Care. 

 

Key topics in this specialisation  include: 

  • Collaboration and teamwork
  • Communication
  • Health advocacy
  • Judgement and clinical decision making
  • Management and leadership
  • Nursing expertise
  • Professionalism and ethics
  • Scholarship and teaching
  • Technical expertise

To apply for the Master of Nursing, or find out more about the degree, click here

 

 

You’ll learn:

After completing this course, you will be able to:

  • Identify the higher level knowledge skills, legislative requirements  and behaviours of an advance practice practitioner
  • Undertake effective and reflective practice as an independent practitioner and as a member, follower and leader within an interdisciplinary team
  • Demonstrate and evidence an advanced specialist skill set in the delivery of surgical care under the mentorship and supervision of the surgeon/s
  • Understand the expectations in the pursuit of the professional profile of the PNSA to evidence work-based assessment, achievement, experience and credentialing within practice
  • Recognise your own learning needs and use effective strategies in application to professional practice
  • Integrate valid evidence available from current developments and research and determine its impact on your advanced practice
  • Appraise and make use of valid evidence to design and implement strategies appropriate to novel situations
  • Communicate rigorous and rational arguments in a manner appropriate to the given audience, situation and context
  • Collaborate effectively within a multidisciplinary team to ensure safe, ethical practice.
  • Synthesise and apply evidence-based knowledge to your advanced practice.

To find out more, please contact  Olivia Sonneborn (O.Sonneborn@latrobe.edu.au) or Joanne Joyce-McCoach (J.Joyce-McCoach@latrobe.edu.au).

Your study experience

As this course is now part of a Master of Nursing degree, you'll be studying alongside students enrolled in that specialisation.

 

There are two options to enrol in the course:

You already have a recent Master qualification and just need the PNSA specialisation:

  1. Enrol in the Master of Nursing (Perioperative Practices)
  2. Apply for credit (advanced standing) for Perioperative Practices Specialisation subjects: NSM4TOC, NSM4010 and NSM4019
  3. Undertake PNSA 1 and 2 (subject codes NSM5002 and NSM5003)
  4. Choose to exit the Master degree with a Graduate Diploma (Perioperative Practices), or continue in the Master of Nursing. 

You do not have a recent post-graduate qualification (postgraduate Certificate/Diploma/Master):

  1. Enrol in the Master of Nursing (Perioperative Practices)
  2. Complete the specialisation subjects needed to earn a Graduate Diploma (Perioperative Practices) - NSM4TOC, NSM4010 and NSM4019 in year 1
  3. In year 2 of study, undertake PNSA 1 and 2 (subject codes NSM5002 and NSM5003)
  4. Choose to exit with the Graduate Diploma or continue to complete the Master of Nursing.

 

To find out more, please contact  Olivia Sonneborn - O.Sonneborn@latrobe.edu.au or Joanne Joyce-McCoach (J.Joyce-McCoach@latrobe.edu.au. 

Find out more or apply for the Master of Nursing (Perioperative Practices)

 

Frequently Asked Questions

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Find out more about further education at La Trobe  View all FAQ

I would like information about a short course. Who can assist me?  

Email: LaTrobeProfessional@latrobe.edu.au 

Phone: 1300 135 045

I have paid the fee for a short course. When will I be able to access it?  

On completion of your registration, you'll be provided with an account on our Learning Management System (LMS) and the course material will be made available at the advertised date, or as outlined on your registration confirmation email.  For our on-demand courses, access will be immediate.

What payment options are there?

  • You may arrange to pay by BPAY or EFT
  • For group bookings, we encourage purchase orders.  Contact us for a quote, and upon receipt of your purchase order we can make the course available to you.
  • Unfortunately, we are not able to arrange instalment payments.

Contact us on LaTrobeProfessional@latrobe.edu.au for assistance. 

Can I arrange payment with a Purchase Order?

Yes, we accept Purchase Orders. Please email to LaTrobeProfessional@latrobe.edu.au and our La Trobe Professional team will provide you with payment details and access to your course. 

I am getting an error when I try to log into my LMS account. Can you help? 

  • The first thing to check is your order confirmation email - it will contain your Learning Management System (LMS) account and password.  Note that this account may not be the same as your staff, student or previous short course participant account. 
  • The second thing to check is that you're logging on as a short course participant and not as a student - choose 'Other Users' - select Short Course as your institution and use your account and password as provided.

If you need any assistance, contact us on LaTrobeProfessional@latrobe.edu.au. 

I want to enrol multiple staff in a short course. How do I go about this? 

Contact LaTrobeProfessional@latrobe.edu.au so that we can discuss options with you.  

What certification will I receive?

The type of certification depends on the assessment involved in the course. For example:

  • Microcredentials:  You will receive a digital credential that confirms the skills you’ve acquired, any assessments you’ve completed and potential pathways for credit or advanced standing towards a degree. 
  • Other assessed short courses:  This may include bridging programs or courses that prepare you for external certification from a professional body.  You might receive a certificate of achievement or a digital badge (a digital version of a certificate of achievement).
  • Non-assessed courses:  If a course doesn’t involve formal assessment, you’ll receive a certificate of attendance.
  • Single-subject enrolment: If you enrol in a single subject, you will receive an official transcript for that subject.

Please note that short courses or microcredentials are not formal qualifications under the Australian Qualifications Framework but may be eligible for consideration as advanced standing (credit) towards a degree.

What is a microcredential? 

Microcredentials are short courses that are assessed, carry academic credit, and to deliver specific skills or knowledge.  While they can be taken as standalone courses, many are designed to be combined or ‘stacked’ with other microcredentials to form the equivalent of a subject within a degree program.  Upon successful completion, you’ll earn a digital credential that outlines the skills and credit obtained, and any opportunities for stacking.

For La Trobe microcredentials, any advanced standing or stacking pathways are clearly expressed on the course page.   

What is advanced standing?

Advanced standing refers to credit for prior study or formal learning that can be credited towards a qualification, thereby reducing the number of subjects required to complete a course. For short courses or microcredentials (if these have been completed through recognised institutions or platforms and are deemed equivalent to La Trobe University subjects), credit may be granted either for specific La Trobe subjects or as unspecified credit towards elective requirements of a La Trobe course.

For La Trobe microcredentials, any advanced standing or stacking pathways are clearly expressed on the course page.   Upon successful completion of the course, you’ll receive a digital credential, which may be used when applying for credit for the relevant degree at La Trobe.

For more details, visit the University’s advanced standing web page.