Prostate care nurses

A program developed in conjunction with the Division of Nursing and Midwifery, La Trobe University.

About prostate cancer

Prostate cancer presents a serious challenge for the Australian community.

• It is estimated that around 20,000 new cases of prostate cancer are diagnosed in Australia each year making it the most frequently diagnosed cancer in Australian men
• Prostate cancer kills more men than any other cancer. Each year close to 3300 Australian men die from this disease
• There are more than 100,000 men living with prostate cancer - a significant health concern for all Australians
• 66% of men who have had prostate surgery in the past 12 months experienced urinary incontinence which significantly affected their quality of life
• Prostate cancer occurs mainly in men aged over 65 years. It is very rare under 45 years, and not very common in men under 55
• The prostate is a small gland about the size of a golf ball that sits just below the bladder. It is found only in men. It sits just below the bladder  and surrounds part of the urethra, the tube that takes urine from the bladder to outside the body. The prostate produces some of the fluid that makes up semen. The growth of the prostate depends on the male sex hormone, testosterone, which is made by the testes.
• The exact causes of prostate cancer are unknown, however the chance of getting prostate cancer increases:
  - As you get older: more than half of all new prostate cancers affect men over the age of 70
  - If your father or a brother had prostate cancer, especially at an early age. Your risk is higher if you have more than one relative affected in this way

Role of the prostate care nurse

The role for the prostate care nurse can be varied, acting as counsellor, provider of information, advocate and advisor for men and their families from diagnosis to treatment, through to follow-up care and palliation where appropriate.

Subject description

In this subject you will have the opportunity to develop knowledge and skills in the specialist practice area of prostate care, particularly the nursing assessment and treatment options for men experiencing prostate problems. Key topics covered in this subject include: relevant anatomy, physiology and pathophysiology, benign and malignant prostate disease and its complications, current trends in the treatment and management of prostate problems, targeted assessment and management of symptoms related to the condition, sexuality and psychosocial care for the patient and family as well as the nurse's role in health education and promotion.

Entry requirements

To be eligible, an applicant should:

• be registered as a Division 1 nurse with the Nurses Board of Victoria, or hold similar registration in another state
• have at least 1 year of recent nursing experience
• normally hold a degree or diploma from a university or college.

Mode of study and academic support

The prostate care subject is offered by off campus study. It is a single unit of study which takes 1 semester to complete. Learning is supported by a learning package which consists of a study guide, learning modules, activities, assessment tasks, readings (on CD ROM) and LMS (learning management system - a web based interface which gives each student an email address and the ability to easily ‘chat' with other students in the course). All students have access to the La Trobe library (on campus and on-line). Contact with the course coordinator can be via the LMS discussion board & email, phone or fax.  The semester is 13 weeks in duration.

Certification

Successful students are awarded a Cancer Council Prostate Care Nurse Certificate.

Find out more about the prostate nursing care subject 

Find out more about postgraduate nursing courses 

Enquiries

Elizabeth Watt
La Trobe/Austin Health Clinical School of Nursing
Phone: 61 3 9496 4461
Fax: 61 3 9496 4450
Email: e.watt@latrobe.edu.au
www.latrobe.edu.au/nursing 

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