Career options for Nursing at Murdoch University

Our Degrees are changing.

In 2014, Part I (first year) units will be introduced with Part II (second year and higher) units becoming available in subsequent years. Detailed information about Part II will be available here from mid-2014.

Find out more about our new degrees, or to get in touch and ask us what this means for you head to AskMurdoch. Continuing students can still access information for degrees commencing 2013 and prior in the Course Handbook.

Career options

Your Murdoch degree in Nursing makes you eligible to be a Registered Nurse RN. Regardless of specialty or work setting, RNs perform basic duties that include treating patients, educating patients and the public about various medical conditions, and providing advice and emotional support to patients family members. RNs record patients medical histories and symptoms; help to perform diagnostic tests and analyse results; operate medical machinery; administer treatment and medications; and help with patient follow-up and rehabilitation.

Registered Nurse

RNs may specialise by work setting or by type of care provided. For example, critical care nurses work in critical or intensive care hospital units and provide care to patients with cardiovascular, respiratory, or pulmonary failure.

Emergency, or trauma, nurses work in hospital emergency departments and treat patients with life-threatening conditions caused by accidents, heart attacks, and strokes. Some emergency nurses are flight nurses, who provide medical care to patients who must be flown by helicopter to the nearest medical facility.

Holistic nurses provide care such as acupuncture, massage and aroma therapy, and biofeedback, which are meant to treat patients mental and spiritual health in addition to their physical health.

Home health care nurses provide at-home care for patients who are recovering from surgery, accidents, and childbirth. Hospice and palliative care nurses provide care for, and help ease the pain of, terminally ill patients outside of hospitals. Long-term care nurses provide medical services on a recurring basis to patients with chronic physical or mental disorders.

Occupational health nurses provide treatment for job-related injuries and illnesses and help employers to detect workplace hazards and implement health and safety standards.

Peri operative nurses assist surgeons by selecting and handling instruments, controlling bleeding, and suturing incisions. Some of these nurses also can specialise in plastic and reconstructive surgery.

Psychiatric nurses treat patients with personality and mood disorders.

Radiologic nurses provide care to patients undergoing diagnostic radiation procedures such as ultrasounds and magnetic resonance imaging.

Rehabilitation nurses care for patients with temporary and permanent disabilities.

Transplant nurses care for both transplant recipients and living donors and monitor signs of organ rejection.

RNs specialising in treatment of a particular organ or body system usually are employed in specialty physicians offices or outpatient care facilities, although some are employed in hospital specialty or critical care units. For example, Cardiac and Vascular nurses treat patients with coronary heart disease and those who have had heart surgery, providing services such as postoperative rehabilitation.

Dermatology nurses treat patients with disorders of the skin, such as skin cancer and psoriasis.

Gastroenterology nurses treat patients with digestive and intestinal disorders, including ulcers, acid reflux disease, and abdominal bleeding. Some nurses in this field also specialise in endoscopic procedures, which look inside the gastrointestinal tract using a tube equipped with a light and a camera that can capture images of diseased tissue.

Gynaecology nurses provide care to women with disorders of the reproductive system, including endometriosis, cancer, and sexually transmitted diseases.

Nephrology nurses care for patients with kidney disease caused by diabetes, hypertension, or substance abuse.

Neuroscience nurses care for patients with dysfunctions of the nervous system, including brain and spinal cord injuries and seizures.

Ophthalmic nurses provide care to patients with disorders of the eyes, including blindness and glaucoma, and to patients undergoing eye surgery.

Orthopaedic nurses care for patients with muscular and skeletal problems, including arthritis, bone fractures, and muscular dystrophy. Otorhinolaryngology nurses care for patients with ear, nose, and throat disorders, such as cleft palates, allergies, and sinus disorders.

Respiratory nurses provide care to patients with respiratory disorders such as asthma, tuberculosis, and cystic fibrosis.

Urology nurses care for patients with disorders of the kidneys, urinary tract, and male reproductive organs, including infections, kidney and bladder stones, and cancers.