About the Course
Nurse-Focused for 2000s
This educational program aims to be nurse-focused. Potential cancer students
and graduates are invited to provide feedback about our program. When you
tell us what helps to maximise your learning capacity, we will endeavour
to make improvements.
The cancer* program is designed to meet your individual educational needs to upgrade your knowledge for the demands being placed on cancer nurses over the next few decades.
*In this website and program the term 'cancer' includes so-called 'solid tumours' (e.g bowel cancer) and 'haematological malignancies' (e.g. leukaemia). It also encompasses all aspects of the treatment trajectory, from diagnosis, acute, chronic and palliative care.
Cancer Modules- Graduate Certificate in Specialty Nursing (GCSN).
Course Overview
The 2007 SWAHS Graduate Certificate in Specialty Nursing (GCSN)-Cancer program
provides the first step for gaining basic and advanced clinical cancer skills,
as well as providing a postgraduate qualification towards other specialty
nursing courses. Students will be able to continue their studies at a masters
degree level or towards doctoral programs. Many opportunities exist for cancer
nurses within SWAHS for post-graduate studies and career advancement in specialist
clinical settings.
Course Introduction
The Sydney West Area Health Service plays a major role as a leading provider
of cancer care services in NSW. This program was developed in 2006, and
already graduates are reporting that they are better prepared for new
cancer specialty roles and skills to meet future patient needs.
The course aims to provide innovative and specialised training for nurses throughout NSW who care for cancer patients in their homes or during intensive episodes of hospitalisation.
Course Innovation
There are several innovative aspects to this course. These include the elective
specialties, the integration of various evidenced-based practices, the
adoption of validated nursing instruments and finally the introduction
of on-line teaching delivery methods.
Course Electives
This course has two electives, both of which prepare nurses for new cancer services currently being developed and upgraded in NSW. One elective is ‘Ambulatory Infusion Services’ (AIS), and the second is ‘Radiation (XRT) by Body-Site’.
Ambulatory Infusion Services (AIS)
The ‘Ambulatory Infusion Services (AIS)’ elective reflects the shift from ‘in-hospital’ towards ‘out-of-hospital’ intensive cancer care. This shift emphasises how services will increasingly become provided in the home with intermittent brief episodes of day-only procedures and therapies provided by a coordinated specialist cancer multi-disciplinary team (MDT).
In both cases, nurses play a pivotal role by applying specialist cancer knowledge and practising advanced clinical nursing skills.
Radiotherapy Nursing (Radiation (XRT) by Body-Site)
The radiotherapy (XRT) nursing elective is the first to be available in NSW and reflects the increasing need for career-pathways for specialist radiation nurses. The upgrading of existing radiotherapy centres in NSW with state-of-the art radiation technologies, as well as the building of new treatment centres in Port Macquarie, Coffs Harbour and Lismore (in 2007/8), means that the need for radiation nurse specialist is even greater.
This XRT elective is essential for community and hospital based nurses managing patients having external beam radiotherapy as well as patients having sealed and unsealed radioactive sources. Radiation safety precautions and practical aspects of nursing care are emphasised in this module.
Professional Development and Best Practice
The course also focuses on aspects related to professional development within
the discipline of Nursing. As well as using nursing textbooks that adopt
various nursing validated assessment instruments, the curriculum integrates
the nursing taxonomies Nursing Intervention Classifications (NIC) and Nursing
Outcomes Classifications (NOC). The NIC and NOC taxonomies are available
on-line as word documents to assist students with their assignments.
Convenient and Flexible Learning
The delivery of the course has been designed to meet the needs of clinical
nurses who experience many obstacles in order to access educational opportunities.
This course is structured to take advantage of new technology to provide
flexible learning options that are compatible with the time-demands placed
on ‘patient-dependent’ nurses who provide essential cancer-care
services. The course provides lecture materials on-line as part of helping
nurses shift towards an increasingly flexible learning-teaching environment.
Students can view lectures on their computers and download lecture material
to CDs or hand held devices such as MP4 (or video iPods) to study at a time
and place of their choosing.
Opportunity to Refresh Computer Skills
Senior cancer nurses, who already hold cancer nursing qualifications, find
this program invaluable. It enable them to refresh their oncology knowledge
and to learn new computer skills. This program offers the senior oncology
nurse who has taken a rest from studying, to gain the qualifications
and confidence to seek further career advancement.
Optional Workshops
A series of workshops are organised for nurses who want to discuss their
studies and/or engage in a combination of learning strategies such as tutorials,
demonstrations and group work. These workshops supplement the lecture materials
available on-line. Students also have access to on-line chat fourm
or discussion board to discuss cancer related issues.
Clinical Competency
Students of the program must achieve clinical skills in either AIS or XRT.
The AIS clinical skills assessment criteria include the safe administration of cytotoxic chemotherapy, blood and blood products and other complex drugs. Nurse-managed aspects of cytotoxic precautions are included.
The XRT clinical skills assessment criteria include patient teaching strategies for optimal patient XRT self-care, dietary and energy management as well as nursing interventions for radiodermatitis. Nurse-managed aspects of radiation safety precautions for high and low dose brachytherapy as well as unsealed radionuclides are included.
Site Visits
Site visits will be arranged to cancer services in Blacktown, Nepean, Westmead,
Newcastle and other hospitals or community centres for students to meet
their learning objectives.
Students encouraged to visit and organise supernumerary deployment to radiotherapy departments and specialist cancer day-only chemotherapy units.
Employment Opportunities
Nurses who would like to discuss employment opportunities in SWAHS cancer
services and/or seek the job descriptions about advertised job vacancies
should contact:
Ann Attwood
Phone: (02) 4734 2474
Fax: (02) 4734 2330
Pager: 17420
Email: AttwooA.Nepean.WAHS
Fiona Filtness
Phone:(02) 9845-7529
Pager: 08643
Fax: (02) 9845-5000
Email: Fiona_Filtness@wsahs.nsw.gov.au
Renee De Neve
Phone: (02) 9881-8455
Fax: (02) 9881-8991
Email: Renee_de_Neve@wsahs.nsw.gov.au
Recommended Texts
A list of texts and websites are available. See Reading
and Resources.
Full and Part-time Students
A full time student undertakes the course in 1 year. Part-time students undertake
the course over 2 years in which they submit assignments on core subjects
in the first year and the cancer specialty topics in the second year. Students
are encouraged to focus all their assignments on AIS/XRT, or on a cancer-specific
topic of their choice.
Course Fees
Course fees for staff employed in SWAHS are $1250 and for staff external
to SWAHS the fees are $1500. Full details are available from the 'Fee payment
information sheet'.
Higher Education Board Accreditation.
The GCSN curriculum is accredited by the Higher Education Board NSW for 24
credit points at any university.
Scholarships
Scholarships are available from a variety of sources (e.g. NSW Health, NSW
Nursing Registration Boards, Cancer Institute NSW, Cancer Nursing Society
of Australia and agencies such as CanAssist)
Study Leave Entitlements
Study leave entitlements are to be negotiated with your employer.
Post-Graduate Studies
Further Post-Graduate Studies: Honours, Masters Degrees, Practice Doctorates
and Philosophy Degree (PhD) in cancer nursing themes
Nurses planning to undertake further post-graduate studies should in the
first instance contact Lynda Prescott
Phone (02) 9845 56880 Page 08675 Email Lynda.Prescott@wsahs.nsw.gov.au
Accommodation
Low price accommodation is available at Auburn Hospital Tel. 02 95639542/
95639500 (pre-booking essential). The cost is approx. $30 per night and
Auburn Hospital is 15 - 25 minutes away by car. Motel style accommodation
is available opposite Westmead Hospital. The central business area of Parramatta
is 5-10 minutes away by car and has a wide range of accommodation.
Course Contacts
Lynda Prescott
Nurse Educator Cancer Services Westmead Hospital
SWAHS GCSN Speciality Coordinator
Phone (02) 9845 56880 Page 08675
Email Lynda.Prescott@wsahs.nsw.gov.au
Dr Vivien Lane
Cancer Nursing Research and Practice Development,
Project Director for Pilot On-Line Learning in Clinical Education in Nursing
(POLCEN).
Mobile: 0438875131
Work: 612 - 98404172
Fax: 612 - 98403632
Email: Vivien_Lane@wsahs.nsw.gov.au
Mary Bridgid Naylor
A/Graduate Certificate Course Coordinator
Phone: 9840 3626
Fax: 9840 3632
Email: mary-bridgid_naylor@wsahs.nsw.gov.au
Other Useful Contacts
http://www.swahs.health.nsw.gov.au/services/cancer/index.htm
See also useful contacts in the 'About the Staff' page
Downloads
Brochure
