ACU’s School of Nursing, Midwifery and Paramedicine offers the National Immunisation Education Program for Health Professionals (NIEPHP) course, which has been accredited by Health Education Services Australia (HESA), to AHPRA-registered health professionals.
This program supports Aboriginal health practitioners/workers, enrolled nurses and paramedics with administering vaccinations. It also provides pharmacists, midwives and nurses with the skills and knowledge required to practise as a health professional immuniser.
Health professional immuniser is an advanced role incorporating semi-independent practice under specific state/territory drug therapy protocols, with role responsibilities specified by an organisation’s health management protocol. This role recognition enables the health professional immunisers to practise within parameters of practice, which ensures safety of both the public and the health professional.
View the legislative requirements for immunisation practice in Australia
This self-paced, 16-week, fully online program includes both theoretical and clinical components.
If you enrol in the course and you wish to become a health professional immuniser, you must successfully complete all theoretical and clinical components of the program.
Upon satisfactory completion, you will receive a certificate of completion. This will provide evidence of qualification as a health professional immuniser to employers.
The NIEPHP is only open to AHPRA-registered health professionals who are eligible to practise in their relevant state or territory in Australia.
In line with the National Immunisation Education Framework for Health Professionals (2018), an AHPRA-registered health professional who has been previously assessed for competency in technical skills of vaccination (ie injection, medication administration), for example in their undergraduate degree, does not need to undertake further clinical assessment for immunisation.
Students are required to complete theory and a self-assessment for competency.
To enrol in the course, you will require:
You must maintain registration and currency of CPR certification for the full course duration and future practice.
Full program cost: $995 (including GST).
Clinical school partners, ACU staff and alumni: $895 (including GST) – a discount of 10 per cent applies.
You can pay online by credit card/debit card and businesses can choose to be invoiced. Unfortunately, ACU does not offer payment plans and the NIEPHP is not a HECS-supported course.
This fully online program is currently offered to a maximum of 50 students per class, five times a year. Intakes commence in:
To register your interest for an enrolment period, email the course administrator at immuniser@acu.edu.au and ask that your contact details be added to our database. You can also call (07) 3623 7276 to speak to the NIEPHP course administrator. We will contact you when enrolment opens.
If you have completed ACU’s previous Program for Nurse Immunisers course, you may be able to receive recognition of prior learning (RPL) towards the NIEPHP. RPL is assessed on a case-by-case basis. The Program for Nurse Immunisers is recognised in Queensland and Victoria, whereas the NIEPHP is nationally recognised.
RPL for other completed courses may be available for the NIEPHP.
If you withdraw from the program in the first two weeks after commencement, you will be charged an administrative fee of $240.
There is no refund if you withdraw after the first two weeks of the program.
If you can support your withdrawal with evidence of special circumstances (ie a valid medical reason), we will consider a partial refund.
The course coordinator of the NIEPHP is Genevieve Edwards. The NIEPHP course administrator within the School of Nursing, Midwifery and Paramedicine manages enrolment and administration.
For further information or to receive a prospectus, email immuniser@acu.edu.au. You can also call +61 7 3623 7276 to speak to the course administrator.
We're available 9am–5pm AEDT,
Monday to Friday
If you’ve got a question, our AskACU team has you covered. You can search FAQs, text us, email, live chat, call – whatever works for you.