ACORN Courses
In 2022, ACORN Education is excited to launch the new ACORN Education Learning Platform!
To access the ACORN Education Learning Platform, simply go to ACORN Education Learning Platform. From here, you can sign in, create an account, and view the catalog of courses available. To enrol in a course, select the course from the catalog menu and select 'register', and follow the prompts.
We know that accessibility to education is a big priority for our ACORN members. This learning platform allows for live interactions and self paced modules and courses. As the peak perioperative nursing representative body, we wanted to ensure that we were providing high quality education for our members, and the wider perioperative community. We wanted to provide a rigorous, reliable and relevant education suite of CPD modules, short and long courses, and self-paced education programs available to meet your needs.
It is a very exciting time for ACORN education, and we want to make sure that it is done correctly, effectively, and is user-friendly for our members. These courses will be available on PC or smart device with a range of clinical and non-clinical courses available. There is also a mobile device app to make your learning even more convenient.
Stay tuned for the release of Fundamentals of Intraoperative Nursing in late 2022, and Fundamentals of PACU Nursing in early 2023!
Courses currently available on the ACORN Education Learning Platform
**NEW** Fundamentals of Intraoperative Nursing course
The ‘Fundamentals of Intraoperative Nursing’ course is designed for novice perioperative nurses entering the perioperative clinical environment, and experienced perioperative nurses requiring revision of fundamental intraoperative nursing concepts and requirements. This course is designed in collaboration with the ACORN Standards for Perioperative Nursing in Australia (Clinical and Professional Standards), 16th edition, and the National Safety and Quality Health Service (NSQHS) Standards.
ACORN Members to please contact education@acorn.org.au for your member discount coupon code. ACORN members receive 15% off course registration fees.
(20 CPD points)
There are thirteen self-directed and self-paced modules to be completed. A ‘test-your-knowledge’ set of questions is included at the end of each module to enable reflection on key concepts. The thirteen modules are:
- Role of the intra-operative nurse
- Preventing and controlling infections
- Perioperative safety
- Surgical hand antisepsis, gowning, and gloving
- Skin preparation
- Common surgical instruments
- Accountable items
- Specimen handling
- Haemostasis
- Wound management
- Communicating for safety
- Medication management
- Recognising and responding to acute deterioration.
A certificate of completion will be awarded when all modules, activities and questionnaires of the course have been completed. A score of more than 80 per cent in each ‘test your knowledge’ questionnaire is required to demonstrate sufficient understanding of the content being provided. Multiple attempts are available to achieve this requirement.
Continuing professional development (CPD) points achieved by completing this course will be documented on the certificate of completion.
Certificates of completion may be used as evidence for organisation’s adherence to and compliance with Standards for Perioperative Nursing in Australia (16th edition).
Fundamentals of Anaesthetic Nursing course
The ‘Fundamentals of Anaesthetic Nursing’ course is designed for novice perioperative nurses entering the perioperative clinical environment, and experienced perioperative nurses requiring revision of fundamental anaesthetic nursing concepts and requirements. This course is designed in collaboration with the ACORN Standards for Perioperative Nursing in Australia (Clinical and Professional Standards), 16th edition, and the National Safety and Quality Health Service (NSQHS) Standards.
Our Fundamentals of Anaesthetic Nursing course is closely aligned with the Australian and New Zealand College of Anaesthetists (ANZCA) position statement on the assistant for the anaesthetist (PS08) and its stated purpose. ANZCA is supportive of the course and commends ACORN on this important initiative.
There are ten self-directed and self-paced modules to be completed. A ‘test-your-knowledge’ set of questions is included at the end of each module to enable reflection on key concepts. The ten modules are:
- Role of the anaesthetic nurse
- Respiratory anatomy and physiology
- Perioperative safety
- Preventing and controlling infections
- Types of anaesthesia
- Communicating for safety
- Medication management
- Airway management
- Haemodynamic monitoring
- Recognising and responding to acute deterioration.
A certificate of completion will be awarded when all modules, activities and questionnaires of the course have been completed and more than 80 per cent of the questions in the ‘test your knowledge’ questionnaire have been answered correctly. Multiple attempts are available to achieve this requirement.
Continuing professional development (CPD) points achieved by completing this course will be documented on the certificate of completion.
Certificates of completion may be used as evidence for organisation’s adherence to and compliance with ACORN Standards for Perioperative Nursing in Australia (16th edition).
Introduction to perioperative practice - Medical company representatives
This course is designed for medical company representatives as an orientation to the perioperative environment, and is in line with public policy, ACORN standards and guidelines. Standard statement 8 of the ACORN standard Visitors to the perioperative environment states that medical company representatives (MCRs) have a duty to provide evidence of education and instruction that ensures safe conduct and practice within the perioperative environment.
Evidence of education and instruction can be obtained on successful completion of this course.
(8 CPD points)
Frequently asked questions
To access the ACORN Education Learning Platform, simply go to ACORN Education Learning Platform.
From here, you can sign in, create an account, and view the catalog of courses available. To enrol in a course, select the course from the catalog menu and select 'register', and follow the prompts.
ACORN members receive 15% off course registration fees.
Please contact education@acorn.org.au for your member discount coupon code. Enter this discount code at the checkout screen when registering for a course.
ACORN Education course content is available in both PC and portable smart device applications.
To download the Blackboard app, click on the appropriate link below and follow the prompts:
- Apple devices, please click here
- Google Play, please click here
Once downloaded, search 'ACORN' and sign in using your ACORN Education log in details
To access your Certificate of Completion, visit https://acorn.geniussis.com/. Log in with your account details and go to your user ‘Dashboard’. This can be found in the top lefthand corner of the screen.
Go to the ‘Completed Courses’ widget on the upper righthand side of the screen. Click on the course that has been completed, and you will see a ‘Download Certificate’ option pop up. Select ‘Download Certificate’. Your certificate will be downloaded to your computer’s ‘Downloads’ folder.
Note: If your certificate is not appearing on the Dashboard, ensure that you have completed all ‘Test your knowledge’, and ‘Confidence Indicator’ questionnaires.
To review your completed submissions, visit the Grade Centre tab on the Course Content page.
If you are still experiencing issues in accessing your certificate, please contact education@acorn.org.au.
