Becoming an ACN member is the perfect way to stay informed, connected and inspired. You will be able to expand your professional network by meeting nurses in your area, receiving exclusive event invitations and accessing our online engagement platform neo. We will support your professional development by providing access to nursing publications, journals and free online CPD courses as well as a Professional Portfolio to help you track your learnings. If you want to make a difference to your profession you can also get involved in our policy work and representation opportunities.

We offer 17 contemporary graduate certificates, including the Graduate Certificate in Aged Care Nursing, which allow nurses to work towards becoming expert practitioners in their chosen clinical specialties and being selected for higher-grade positions. All courses have been created by nurses, for nurses and are delivered online, allowing you to study anytime, anywhere. FEE-HELP is available, so you won’t need to make a payment upfront, and ACN members receive an exclusive 10% discount! If you are not quite ready to commit to a full graduate certificate you can upskill by completing a single unit of study, an option available for both enrolled and registered nurses.

If your organisation has specific educational requirements we can also develop customised graduate certificates or CPD courses to meet your unique needs. To find out more contact customised.education@acn.edu.au.

Our Healthy Ageing Community of Interest (COI) is an organised body of ACN members who are passionate about improving the quality of life for older Australians as well as supporting Australians of all ages to maintain a high quality of life and well-being. The COI allows members to enhance their knowledge by sharing news, research findings, best practice and policy developments as well as providing opportunities to network with other members who share the same professional interests.

ACN members receive exclusive access to a number of grants and awards that support professional development or research activities. Of particular interest to aged care nurses, the Laura Sanderson Fund provides financial assistance for continuing education for nurses working in aged care within Western Australia.

ACN also administers scholarships, available to members and non-members, that provide financial support for nursing education. To find out about scholarships for aged care nurses register your interest and you will be notified when a suitable scholarship becomes available.

Our Ageing Policy Chapter brings together nurses who care for people who are ageing as well as those responsible for ensuring we have capacity and systems to deliver care. The group of experts analyses issues and challenges within the aged care sector, identifies strategies and opportunities for resolution and improvement and informs change. In March 2019 the Chapter published a position statement titled The role of nurses to promote healthy ageing. The Chapter’s future goals include exploring the issues of Quality Indicators for Aged Care Services, looking at national and international evidence for these indicators and collating the evidence into a discussion paper.

ACN’s Institute of Leadership supports nurses at all career stages to extend their leadership skills and confidence.

The Emerging Nurse Leader Program is a complimentary opportunity offered to ACN members that are undergraduate nursing students or registered/enrolled nurses in their first to sixth year of practice.

The Mid-Career Nurse Leadership Program challenges nurses who have more than six years of professional experience and have worked in leadership roles within the health or aged care system.

The Nurse Executive Leadership Program will develop those in, or those aspiring to, nurse executive roles with the capabilities required to meet the future social, political and economic challenges in health and aged care. The program is structured to meet the requirements of ACN’s Nurse Executive Capability Framework.

Each September we celebrate Community and Primary Health Care Nursing Week (CPHCNW) to acknowledge the essential role community and primary health care nurses play in our health and aged care systems and the impact they have on individuals and communities. The campaign encourages nurses and their supporters to host an event at their workplace, university or community centre during the week to celebrate the valuable contribution community and primary health care nurses make to the well-being of our society.