Nurses are the heart of healthcare.
Donna Wilk Cardillo
There are many people involved in healthcare — doctors, specialists, administration, nurses, pharmacists, therapists — but when it comes down to it, who are the people who are there for you the most in your time of need?
Nurses.
In their professional roles, nurses face daily challenges, stress and fatigue but the work can also be highly rewarding.
Many Australian nurses have pioneered improvements in training and education for nurses over the years. One such nurse is Pat Slater. Born in 1918, Pat gained her General Nursing Certificate at the Alfred Hospital in Melbourne and went on to undertake midwifery training and Infant Welfare training soon after. Pat is credited with playing a major role in championing the uptake of tertiary-based training over hospital-based training for nurses and is seen as the modern leader in nurse education.
Think about Pat when you take a look at the variety of online and on-campus nursing degrees available throughout Australia, particularly those that are the focus of this article — the university and TAFE nursing courses in Melbourne.
First of all, though, let's get a few things straight about nurses and nursing.
Nurse Myths — Busted!
Here are a few commonly held misconceptions about nursing work that may be holding people back from looking at nursing as a career.
A nurse, is a nurse, is a nurse
That is, all nurses are the same — except they're not. There are different levels of nursing — assistant, enrolled, registered and practitioner — that require different nursing degrees and education and have different roles and responsibilities. As with any professional role, all nurses have different skills and specialisations; some nurses prefer clinical practice, some may have a midwifery specialisation and some nurses may prefer to work in study and research roles or in education and training.
Only women are nurses
According to the Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia, male nurses account for 11 per cent of the Australian nursing workforce. Okay, so that might only be a small percentage but it's not zero and the number is growing. Also, the public perception that 'nurses aren't males' is slowly fading.
You can't advance your nursing career
The sheer fact that there are so many different levels of nursing and so many varied specialisations means there are multiple opportunities for advancement and pursuing a fulfilling professional career as a nurse. Furthermore, ongoing professional learning and training are mandatory for nurses to maintain their registration and all nurses are encouraged to pursue higher qualifications and jobs with more responsibility. What this means is that you may start your nursing career as an Enrolled Nurse but advance to Registered Nurse status with experience and professional learning. You do not need to resign and retrain, as many may think.
Find out about the best nursing courses to take in Australia here.
A nurse can only apply for hospital work
While it is true that the majority of Registered Nurses work in the hospital setting — around 60 per cent — not all nursing positions are in hospitals. Around 10 per cent of nurses work in Residential Care Facilities and another 10 per cent work in community health care services. Other nursing positions are taken up in General Practitioner practice, correctional services, private practice, tertiary education facilities, defence forces, hospices, government agencies and schools.
Nurses have inferior skills compared to doctors
This is like comparing apples and oranges. The skills required for each professional career are quite different and nurses are not simply doctors' helpers. Possibly, this misconception has come about because of the difference in the duration of a medical degree compared to a nursing degree, and also the difference in the minimum ATAR requirements for each degree. On the latter, what we need to remember is that ATAR is partly determined by the popularity of the course, as well as its academic rigour. And, when it comes to course duration, there is a huge difference in the amount of theory compared to the amount of practical experience. Simply put, the skills needed to be a doctor often won't cut it for becoming a nurse.
So, where can you study nursing in Melbourne?
Let's get your search started with a few different options available for nursing courses in Melbourne.
Studying Nursing at Melbourne Uni
The University of Melbourne offers a unique study format for becoming a nurse with their nursing graduate degree pathway. This pathway allows undergraduate students to study a 3-year Bachelor degree in any discipline, followed immediately by a 2-year Master of Nursing Science.
Following this course of study, students are able to explore disciplines that will inform their nursing practice in their areas of interest through their Bachelor's degree before focusing on the theory and practice of nursing in the Master's degree and then qualifying as a Registered Nurse.
The ATAR requirements for this degree pathway will differ according to the Bachelor degree you choose, so should be checked online. The same applies for subject requirements, although English and maths at Year 12 level are often general requirements.
For people who are already Registered Nurses and who want to expand their skills and areas of specialisation, the University of Melbourne also offers over 25 graduate courses, including:
- Graduate Certificate in Cancer Nursing
- Graduate Certificate in Clinical Ultrasound
- Graduate Certificate in Nursing Practice (Paediatrics)
- Graduate Diploma in Mental Health Nursing Practice
- Master of Advanced Nursing
- Specialist Certificate in Creativity and Health
- Specialist Certificate in Disaster and Terror Medicine.
Search for some of the best nursing courses in Melbourne here.
Nursing Degrees at RMIT
RMIT University is the perfect place to investigate nursing courses in Melbourne as they offer nursing education and training for every level. The nursing courses at RMIT are well respected for providing students with an excellent academic background, clinical practice, research and community partnerships, preparing students for work in diverse healthcare settings.
Nursing courses at RMIT University include:
- Certificate IV in Allied Health Assistance (needed to work as an Assistant in Nursing)
- Diploma of Nursing (needed for registration as an Enrolled Nurse)
- Bachelor of Nursing (required for registration as a Registered Nurse)
- Master of Science (Nursing)
- Master of Mental Health Nursing.
Certificate and Diploma courses do not have ATAR or subject requirements. The Bachelor course requires a minimum ATAR of 65.10. A Master's degree requires the completion of a Bachelor degree.
Some courses at RMIT are available to study online or in a hybrid (on campus and online) format. It is best to check with the university prior to enrolment as availability is subject to change.
Other Options to Study Nursing
A number of TAFE institutions, along with other vocational education providers, offer nursing courses in Melbourne for students wishing to become assistants or Enrolled Nurses.
- Box Hill Institute
The institute offers a Certificate III in Health Service Assistance (not required but recommended for registration as an Assistant in Nursing) that is undertaken for 6 months and gives students the skills and experience to work in a hospital environment. They also offer Certificate III courses in dental assistance, individual support (aged care), allied health assistance and health services pharmacy support.
A Diploma of Nursing is also available from the institute.
- Chisholm Institute of TAFE
The Chisholm Institute offers a Diploma of Nursing. When students complete their studies, they may apply for registration as an Enrolled Nurse. Alternatively, students can use their diploma as credit to enrol in the second year of a Bachelor of Nursing.
Chisholm also offers a range of Certificate III and IV courses in areas including Allied Health Assistance, Ageing Support, Sterilisation Services, Individual Support and Dental Assisting.
See where you can take exceptional online nursing courses here.
Some university institutions offer all levels of qualifications for nursing in Melbourne.
- Swinburne University of Technology
Qualifications available include:
- Certificate III (Health Services Assistance or Individual Support)
- Certificate IV in Allied Health Assistance or Disability
- Diploma of Nursing
- Bachelor of Nursing
At Swinburne, students have the option of on-campus study as well as online study.
- Victoria University
Like Swinburne, Victoria University also offers both TAFE and university learning. Students can enrol in a:
- Certificate III in Health Services Assistance
- Diploma of Nursing or Emergency Health Care
- Bachelor of Nursing.
How Does Online Learning Work?
Out of necessity, online education has come to the forefront since the pandemic's start. Many education institutions were caught short, without sufficient capacity to move to an online model during enforced lockdowns. However, they rallied and now offer online learning as a standard option across most disciplines.
What this means is greater flexibility and choice for students who live outside of the bigger cities, like Sydney, Perth or Brisbane, meaning they may no longer have to move and find student accommodation for the duration of their study.
It also means that students who live in Melbourne can study at interstate universities, like those in Canberra or Adelaide, if they prefer the course options in these cities.
Both Australian and international students can be eligible to enrol in online degrees for nursing, although they still must complete the practical component of the course in order to qualify for registration as a nurse after they graduate.
Online learning can be tough as students can sometimes feel isolated. Some students may struggle alone with certain theoretical concepts, which is where a tutor can come in handy. There are a lot of tutors to choose from on the Superprof platform, ready to help support you with different aspects of your study.
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