This Postgraduate Diploma in the Art and Science of Health Care is a post-registration programme for New Zealand registered health professionals wanting to develop advancing skills. A range of papers, are offered, with a focus on high acuity care, community practice and the interfaces between hospital and home.
Two years full-time
Up to four years part-time
Blended Delivery
2022 Semester 1: 16 February to 28 June
2022 Semester 2: 20 July to 29 November
This programme is eligible for the Zero Fees Scheme.
International Fees can be found here.
$4500 (International Students)
The Postgraduate Diploma in the Art and Science of Health Care is aimed towards registered nurses and New Zealand registered health professionals who wish to develop advancing practice skills. A range of papers are offered with a focus on high acuity care, community practice and the interfaces between hospital and home.
You, as a health professional, will be able to develop skills of research, critical analysis, constructive synthesis and advanced practice in your discipline.
Graduates will be able to develop innovative, effective, efficient and high-quality approaches to health care delivery, within the defined scope of practice. Each paper offered in the Postgraduate Diploma in the Art and Science of Health Care is equivalent to 30 credits at NZQA Level 8.
This programme delivered through Blended Delivery.
EACH PAPER IS WORTH 30 CREDITS AT LEVEL 8 AND REQUIRES APPROXIMATELY 300 HOURS OF STUDY (I.E. APPROXIMATELY 15-20 HOURS PER WEEK)
Semester One, 2021
HS801 Clinical Diagnostic Reasoning and Health Assessment for Health Professionals
This paper enables New Zealand registered health professionals to develop, conduct and critically reflect on health assessment and diagnostic reasoning in the clinical setting.
Study days: 17 February, 3 March, 7 and 8 April, 5 and 6 May, 2 and 3 June
HS802 Pathophysiology for Health Professionals
This paper explores the pathophysiological basis of complex disease processes in long-term and common conditions. This paper assumes existing knowledge of normal anatomy and physiology and engenders critical understanding of altered, complex health states.Study days: 17 February, 19 March, 7 and 28 May, 17 and 18 June
HS818 Pain, Pain Assessment and Pain Management for Health Professionals
This paper enables New Zealand registered health professionals to develop an enhanced knowledge of acute, subacute and chronic pain, including pain assessment and the different therapeutic pain management interventions within the New Zealand context.
Study days: 1 and 2 March, 29 and 30 March, 3 and 4 May, 14 June
Semester Two, 2021
This paper promotes the advancement of ethically robust and socio-culturally aligned pharmacological knowledge to health professionals engaged with health consumers in a variety of clinical environments.
Study days: 21 July, 12 August, 9 September, 7 and 21 October, 4 and 18 November
HS812 Integrating Acquired Knowledge in Specialist Practice
This paper enables health professionals to develop advancing specialist skills within their clinical setting. Through the use of a professional portfolio, health professionals will establish and validate competencies consistent with an expert practice identifiable within their professional body. For example the Professional Development and Recognition Programme (PDRP) portfolio which will include evidence of: leadership; consultancy; innovation in practice, advocacy, quality improvement, research and theory utilisation; professional development, interdisciplinary collaboration; and expert clinical practice as utilised within nursing or the Quality and Leadership Programme for Midwives.
Study days: 3 and 4 August, 1 and 2 September, 23 and 24 September, 21 October
HS815 Advancing Clinical Emergency Care
This paper refines advancing practice, by enhancing the health professionals’ skills and expertise in assessment, diagnostic processes, interventions, pharmacokinetics, pharmacodynamics, and pharmacotherapeutics using evidence-based practice in emergency clinical settings.
Study days: 21 and 22 July, 19 and 20 August, 22 and 23 September, 20 October
HS819 Agriculture Healthcare
This paper enables New Zealand registered health professionals to recognize health and safety concerns commonly encountered by the agriculture workforce in rural New Zealand, to gain a better understanding of common causes of disease, mental and physical illness and work-related injuries that adversely affect health and well-being.
Study days: 26 and 27 July, 23 and 24 August, 13 and 14 September, 18 October
Graduates of this programme will articulate their scope of practice and its advancement, show expert practice working collaboratively across settings and within interdisciplinary environments, show effective leadership and consultancy, develop and influence health and socioeconomic policies and practice at a local and national level, and show scholarly research inquiry into professional practice.
Qualifications gained in the Postgraduate Diploma in the Art and Science of Health Care would be expected to focus on Advancing Clinical Practice with the graduate practising more effectively as an Advancing Practitioner, who will influence/improve the health outcomes for the population base they are involved in the care of.
Application by Academic Qualification
An undergraduate degree in a health profession discipline and with New Zealand registration in their health care discipline. It is expected that applicants will be in current clinical practice. 0.4 full time equivalent positions is the expected minimum. However, applicants who are unable to meet this will be assessed by the postgraduate programme manager to ensure they have appropriate clinical placements. Where an applicant does not hold an undergraduate degree in a health professional discipline, evidence of extensive professional practice and scholarly achievement to the equivalent of a Bachelor’s degree is to be presented in a curriculum vitae accompanied by a statement about advanced practice and postgraduate goals for the future.
Additional Criteria
A minimum of one-year full time post registration experience and so thus one year in practice at the discretion of the programme manager is required.
All applicants must be New Zealand Registered Health Professionals.
To be awarded the Postgraduate Diploma in the Art and Science of Health Care at SIT, the student will have been credited with four papers of choice as specified in the structure of the Postgraduate Diploma in the Art and Science of Health Care. The total credit value of the Postgraduate Diploma in the Art and Science of Health Care is 120 credits.
Please note that students failing to attend for 80% of the timetabled programme hours, may forfeit Zero Fee entitlement.
