Graduate Diploma of Forensic Mental Health Nursing

Overview

Use your current nursing qualifications to upskill into the interesting area of forensics, with a Graduate Diploma of Forensic Mental Health Nursing. You’ll learn the necessary skills for success in this area, which includes an understanding of legal and correctional systems, working effectively with challenging patients and behaviours, and factors that influence offending.

Aims and objectives

Upon successfully completing the Graduate Diploma of Forensic Mental Health Nursing, students will be able to:

• apply advanced knowledge of a broad range of theories and principles required for nursing practice in forensic mental health contexts
• apply advanced knowledge of the complex systemic and individual mental health factors that influence offending behaviour
• cognitive skills that demonstrate the ability to critically appraise and interpret the range of complex factors that contribute to offending behaviour, both at a general and individual level
• apply technical skills to identify and evaluate evidence that helps inform creative problem solving and decision making in the nursing role
• communicate complex ideas in a coherent and informative manner with clients, carers and other health professionals
• adapt advanced knowledge and skills to the contexts of forensic mental health nursing, such as correctional or mental health settings
• utilise a wide range of knowledge and skills to independently develop, plan and implement responses to challenging issues faced by forensic mental health nurses
• employ advanced knowledge of psychopathology and offending behaviour to develop and deliver more effective treatment to clients in forensic mental health settings.

Career opportunities

The Graduate Diploma of Forensic Mental Health Nursing will provide specialised training to nurses who are working in, or are seeking to work in, forensic mental health contexts. Forensic mental health nurses work in a variety of settings including secure hospitals, courts and prisons. Additional knowledge and skills are required to work in this field beyond those required of general mental health nurses.

Graduate skills

Swinburne intends that its teaching programs assist all its graduates to be:

• capable in their chosen professional, vocational or study areas
• entrepreneurial in contributing to innovation and development within their business, workplace or community
• effective and ethical in work and community situations
• adaptable and able to manage change
• aware of local and international environments in which they will be contributing (e.g. sociocultural, economic, natural).

Maximum Academic Credit

The maximum level of credit that can be granted for the Graduate Diploma of Forensic Mental Health Nursing is 50 credit points (normally four units).