If you are residing in Australia and are looking to acquire a nursing degree you can opt to enroll in any of the best short courses for nurses in Australia, as this blog post will be curating.
Getting a nursing degree isn’t a difficult feat, as you can easily become a nurse by taking accelerated nursing programs and becoming a nursing degree holder in no time. This degree can be gotten in any residential country of your choice, and you can even enroll in courses with short durations if you don’t want a prolonged period of study as there are short-term courses like that. Some of these courses are offered by different online platforms some of which are Coursera, Udemy, edX, Alison, and a host of others.
Just as this article will be focusing on the short courses for nurses in Australia, let’s take some time and explore Australia and what the place is known for. Australia is globally famous for its natural wonders, wide-open spaces, beaches, deserts, and the great barrier reef, which is the biggest reef system in the world.
When it comes to their food, meat pies are widely considered to be the national dish of Australia. Popular in Australia and New Zealand, meat pies are small hand-sized pies made with minced meat, gravy, and other ingredients like onions, garlic, peas, potato, and mushroom.
Australia also has a good educational system, as there are good student exchange programs in the country as well as good internships for international students there. For students interested in venturing into the aviation industry, you can find some very good flight schools in Australia. If you have an interest in the fashion industry, there are good fashion schools in the country too.
There are medical schools in Australia too, and nursing is one of them, as we are about to explore some of the short courses for nurses in Australia. Before we delve into them properly, you can check out some of the most affordable nursing courses for international students in Australia that you can enroll in without breaking the bank.

Short courses for nurses in Australia
This section will be focused on the short courses for nurses in Australia. I will be listing and discussing them one after another. They are as follows;
- Nursing Assistant
- Perioperative Nurse Surgical Assistant (PNSA)
- HLT54115 Nursing
- Re-Entry to practice (RN)
- Nurse Immuniser Update Workshop
- Foundations of Wound Management
- Pain Management
- Nurse Immuniser Program
- Comprehensive Health Assessment of the Older Person (CHAOP)
1. Nursing Assistant
This is the first on the list of short courses for nurses in Australia. This course will help you make a difference by working in a profession that gives back to people when they need it most. Whether you’re already working in health and fitness or you want to embark on a new career, this flexible online course will give you the knowledge and skills you need to succeed.
There is always a high demand for nursing assistants, so this course is an excellent choice if you are looking for strong career prospects. Studying nursing assistant courses online with ICI means you can learn at your own pace, with no assignment deadlines to meet. This gives you total flexibility in terms of how long you take to complete the course.
Duration – 7 months
Offered By – International Career Institute (ICI) in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
Method of Learning – Online
2. Perioperative Nurse Surgical Assistant (PNSA)
This course is the only specialized 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.
In undertaking studies in PNSA the student embarks on an advanced practice journey toward practicing as a Perioperative Nurse Surgeons Assistant PNSA. The student PNSA undertakes this Advanced Clinical Practice CPD course in the specialist area of Perioperative Nurse Surgical Assistant (PNSA), to develop their cognitive and technical skills to demonstrate an advanced understanding of the underlying principles and theoretical concepts in the role of surgical assistance.
During both subjects, all students engage in robust online discussion via blog postings with fellow students and the Course Coordinator. The student is required to develop a Clinical Practice Log and meet all aspects of credentialing and assessment requirements under the supervision of their Surgeon mentor/s.
To undertake the course, you need to engage a surgeon Mentor and supervisor for all intraoperative practice. Your mentor is also required to sign off on clinical competencies.
Duration – 8 months
Offered By – La Trobe University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
Method of Learning – Online and clinical mentorship with a Royal Australian College of Surgeons (RACS) surgeon
3. HLT54115 Nursing
HLT54121 Diploma of Nursing course is offered through a blend of on-campus and online learning and is the ideal starting point for South Australia or Western Australia residents looking to become qualified enrolled nurses in Australia.
Open Colleges has been helping Australians realize their potential for over 125 years, and they are now one of Australia’s leaders in online education. In the last decade alone, they have helped over 450,000 students gain the skills to launch, change or take the next step in their careers
Open Colleges School of Health is committed to providing a training environment that embraces and values diversity and inclusion. They encourage people from diverse community groups including Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, LGBTQIA+, and people from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds to apply to study with them.
Duration – One and a half year
Offered By -. Open Colleges in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
Method of Learning – On-Campus and Online
4. Re-Entry to practice (RN)
The program is designed to be undertaken full-time over a minimum of 16 weeks consisting of 80 hours of directed theoretical learning (online), 160 hours of self-directed learning activities (online), and 160 hours of supervised clinical experience (practicum). Areas to be covered include the Australian health care system, clinical reasoning, communication in health care, law and ethics in Australian health care, risk management including infection control, mental health issues, medication management, caring for vulnerable groups, and community nursing.
Duration – 4 months
Offered By – La Trobe University, Bendigo, Victoria, Australia
Method of Learning – Online
5. Nurse Immuniser Update Workshop
This program is suitable for Registered Nurses working in general practice or community health who wish to update their knowledge in the area of immunization. The key topics covered in the course include:
- NIP in 2023
- New and private-market vaccines
- Catch up
Duration – Unknown
Offered By – La Trobe University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
Method of Learning – Online via Zoom
6. Foundations of Wound Management
The Foundations of Wound Management unit will unveil the complexities of wound care management and steps you through fundamental knowledge and best evidence decision-making for health professionals working in a variety of settings including primary care, community care, acute care, and specialized wound care services.
Building upon the knowledge and skills gained in Foundations of Wound Management A, the Foundations of Wound Management B unit will focus on developing the student with a repertoire of skills aimed at assisting clients with complex wound management challenges.
The content presented includes the etiology of the wound and how this impacts wound decision-making of the clinician to meet overall wound management goals. Considerations will be explored on factors affecting wound healing, advanced care decision-making, and contemporary intervention explored for burns, trauma, surgical wounds, tissue reconstruction, and chronic wound.
Duration – 2 months
Offered By – La Trobe University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
Method of Learning – Online
7. Pain Management
Pain management is a fundamental component of many healthcare services, with poorly managed acute pain a significant predictor for the development of chronic pain, resulting in health practitioners playing an essential role in reducing the progression of pain into chronicity.
This course comprehensively covers the key components of pain management for optimal patient outcomes. The course is targeted at Registered Nurses and allied health professionals from a variety of clinical specialties and with varying levels of experience, to provide skills and knowledge fundamental to providing quality pain management care.
Duration – 3 months
Offered By – La Trobe University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
Method of Learning – Online
8. Nurse Immuniser Program
The program follows the Australian Government Department of Health, National Framework for Immunisation Education for Health Professionals guideline (2017). For Registered Nurses to be approved to administer specified vaccines and manage adverse reactions where there may not be a medical practitioner present, this program covers immunization throughout the lifespan but excludes travel and COVID-19 immunization.
The Nurse Immuniser Program is available on a fee-paying basis as a continuing education subject and as a 15-credit point elective toward postgraduate award studies in Nursing. This program is offered twice a year. Registered Nurses wishing to become Nurse Immunisers must successfully complete all the components of the program.
Duration – 4 months
Offered By – La Trobe University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
Method of Learning – Online with an on-campus clinical simulation at the Melbourne (Bundoora) Campus
9. Comprehensive Health Assessment of the Older Person (CHAOP)
Delivered by La Trobe’s Australian Centre for Evidence-Based Aged Care (ACEBAC), this workshop is an opportunity to update your knowledge and skills while adding to your hours of continuing nursing education.
The workshops involve three days of interactive, hands-on skills development, aided by simulation mannequins. All participants will receive a comprehensive resource manual which includes the eight health assessment modules, links to other resources, and a copy of all the presentation slides.
Duration – 3 days
Offered By – La Trobe University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
Method of Learning – Learnt at an aged care facility or health service
Conclusion
Now that you have seen an array of the different short courses for nurses in Australia, you can choose any one that piques your interest and learn at a very fast pace.
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