Chronic conditions (eg diabetes, cardiovascular disease, renal disease, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, depression) are currently responsible for sixty percent of the global burden of disease and the World Health Organisation predicts this to rise to eighty percent by the year 2020. This is one of the greatest challenges facing health care systems throughout the world and it places long-term health and economic demands on health care systems as the population ages. There is need for the education of nurses in advanced roles of chronic disease management to meet this increasing demand. Students should be working in advanced clinical roles within areas of chronic disease management such as diabetic or endocrinology clinics, cardiovascular, renal or pulmonary care clinics or mental health services. Credit for prior learning may be given for registered nurses with other postgraduate qualifications eg chronic disease management specialty or similar. Students should be supported by a clinical mentor in their field of employment and study and have access and support from a multidisciplinary clinical support team to provide expert guidance and feedback to students as they develop their advanced roles within their field.

This field of study provides students with an extensive knowledge and understanding of multidisciplinary approaches to managing chronic disease. Students will complete six core courses and then be able to select six elective courses from a range offered across medicine, population health, social and behavioural sciences. These courses will provide students with the opportunity to study specific issues relating to chronic disease management and link this to their own practice.