Comments Friday, 1st August 2025 is the next enrolment cut off date. Places are limited, in demand and entry into the course is on a first come first served basis.
Your enrolment is processed and acknowledged within 24 hours of the Institute receiving your application. You can expect to receive your course within days of enrolling. When you start your ICI course it’s at your own pace and you determine when you finish.
Do you want to make a difference by working in a profession that gives back to people when they need it most? Take the next step in your professional journey with an Executive Diploma in Nursing and Patient Care Assistance.
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.
Explore our course breakdown below or enrol now to get started.
Course Outline.
When you enrol on our nursing assistant course, you will complete the following units of study:
1 Health and Wellness
Defining health and wellness
Determinants of health
Illness behaviour and the sick role
Health promotion
2 Rehabilitation Nursing
Defining rehabilitation
The multidisciplinary team
Rehabilitation nursing practice
3 Community Nursing
Defining community nursing
Roles of the community nurse
The family in community health
4 Community Support Services
Traditional services
Other community support services
5 Medical Terminology
Medical definitions, prefixes & glossary
Abbreviations & acronyms
Using medical terminology
Human systems & anatomical divisions
Pharmacology
6 Maintain Patient Records
Monitoring & reviewing records
Accessing records
Maintaining records
7 Maintain Workplace Safety
Occupational health & safety
8 Confidentiality & Privacy in a Medical Environment
Codes of conduct
Confidentiality & privacy
Security procedures
How Will You Benefit?
There are many benefits associated with this course. For example, you will:
Fast track your career in nursing and patient care assisting
Study a nursing assistant course that has been designed in consultation with senior healthcare professionals
Learn at your own pace, allowing you to fit your healthcare assistant training around existing commitments
Benefit from access to your own personal tutor
Avoid wasting time and money attending a nursing assistant course in person
Pay upfront for a 10% reduction in fee, or choose our interest-free weekly payment plan
Start reaping the benefits by enrolling on our Executive Diploma in Nursing and Patient Care Assistance today!
Career Prospects.
There is always high demand for nursing assistants, so this course is an excellent choice if you are looking for strong career prospects.
Graduates of the course are typically known as:
Healthcare aides
Nursing Assistant
Patient Care Assistants
These specialists provide care to individuals who cannot fully care for themselves. They work in a variety of settings, including:
Residential care facilities
Hospitals
GP surgeries
Clients’ homes
Working as a nursing assistant or healthcare aide, you can expect a varied and rewarding career. You will operate under the direction of nurses and patient support services managers to undertake a wide range of tasks that support patient care. This could include transporting patients to procedures and appointments, preparing food and making sure the care environment is clean.
There are also options to advance within the healthcare field. For example, with additional training, you can become an enrolled or registered nurse.
Regulation and status of Nursing Assistants in Australia
With further training and experience, students can become enrolled nurses or registered nurses. The ICI Nursing and Patient Care training program is not designed to meet any registration requirements. The program serves to act as a foundation program in this largely unregulated area where nursing assistants work under the direction and supervision of enrolled or registered nurses.
Various titles are used to describe this type of healthcare worker. Similar titles to that of Nursing and Patient Care Assistant include Aged Care Worker (ACW), Personal Care Assistant (PCA), Care Support Employee (CSA), Assistant in Nursing (AIN), Auxiliaries or Auxiliary Nurses, and Health Services Assistant. The term may vary depending on which jurisdiction you reside in. In all cases regardless of the title used the provision of care is delegated and directed under the supervision of a registered nurse (RN).
At the time of publishing of this page, Nursing Assistants belong to the category of non-regulated healthcare workers. Please always check with your future employer to verify the specific training or qualifications they wish you hold in order to seek employment with their organization.
Course Levels Explained.
This course leads to the awarding of an Diploma. This qualification recognises the graduate’s capacity for initiative and judgement across a broad range of technical and management functions. Diploma holders typically have personal responsibility and autonomy in performing technical operations or organizing others in the workplace.
Prerequisites.
There are NO previous work or education requirements for entry onto this course.
As this is a caring profession however, it is important for candidates to have personal qualities including patience and a desire to help people.
Course Length.
Students typically complete their studies within 31 weeks.
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.
If you wish to graduate as quickly as possible, you can fast track and finish the course in a matter of months. The maximum time we permit to complete the programme is three years.
Study Mode: Online Learning
Our nursing assistant course is carried out entirely remotely via distance learning (also known as correspondence learning). This can be a highly convenient option for all learners, particularly those who need to adapt their studies around work, family and other commitments. It is also extremely beneficial if you want to fast track your learning and don’t wish to be constrained by a timetable.
You can learn, undertake assessments and communicate with your personal tutor whenever you wish, and wherever you are in the world. No more costly commuting to a classroom, or anxiety over late assignments.
As well as being convenient, our healthcare assistant training is designed to be highly relevant and engaging.
Recognition & Accreditation.
Our Executive Diploma in Nursing and Patient Care Assistance is recognised and accredited by the International Association of Private Career Colleges (IAPCC) and the International Approval and Registration Centre (IARC). ICI courses are not AQF qualifications. ICI is an independent global awarding body that develops and administers career-related curriculum and training programs. When you graduate from an ICI training program you join ICI graduates in over 150 countries around the world.
Like all our learning programmes, it takes a practical approach. This course doesn’t just teach you the theory behind nursing assistance. It has been developed by industry professionals to provide you with the skills you need to succeed in this role.
Already in the Profession or Industry?
If you already work in healthcare but are looking to transition into a role as a nursing assistant, or even if you have experience as a healthcare aide but want to consolidate your existing knowledge and update your industry skills, this course is for you. It will further your professional development and give you added confidence in your role.
You can claim course fees as a tax deduction as long as the learning programme is sufficiently connected to your work activities.
What Do I Get?
All the materials you need to complete the Executive Diploma in Nursing and Patient Care Assistance are included in the course fee. Once you enrol, you will receive:
All required study materials and course notes
Assignment projects with constructive tutor feedback
A tutor who will answer all of your course and career questions and provide guidance.
Upon successful completion of the course, you will receive:
A graduation certificate officially recognizing your successful completion of studies and qualifications as a nursing assistant
Transcripts indicating the units completed
A letter of recommendation and validation for current and future employers
Post-nominal letters placed after your name which indicate that you hold the relevant qualification. For example: John Smith, DipNA
Job search assistance: discover more about our Graduate Career Services Programme