Bioscience 1
Bioscience 1 introduces the core concepts and terminology related to the structure, function, and homeostasis of the human body. Students begin to describe the relationships between the Australian National Health Priority areas and performances of activities of living and healthy lifestyle practices.
Primary Healthcare in Action
This subject introduces nursing and midwifery students to Primary Health Care (PHC) as a social model of health and a World Health Organization (WHO) strategy for achieving just and humane health care. The subject explores the impact and relevance of PHC as a framework for organising an Australian health care system that decreases health inequities and optimises the health of all people.
Students will examine the dimensions of PHC that assist in establishing collaborative partnerships in which people are supported to take responsibility for their health, including members of culturally diverse groups.
Becoming a Professional Nurse
Becoming a Professional Nurse or Midwife facilitates a student’s understanding of becoming a health care professional. Students are introduced to cultural sensitivity, safety, and competence to facilitate appropriate intercultural communication within the context of contemporary healthcare. The role of the registered nurse or midwife is explored, with students gaining an understanding of accountability, responsibility, therapeutic and professional relationships, and their capability for practice.
Professional Practice Experience 1
This subject focuses on the development of the role and clinical skills of the registered nurse when promoting, maintaining, and supporting a person’s health and well-being across the lifespan. Students will be able to develop the foundational clinical skills in a simulated clinical environment to enable the further development of more complex skills in a health care setting.
Person-Centred Care Across the Lifespan
This subject introduces the concept of person-centred care as an approach that is respectful of, and responsive to, the preferences, needs and values of individual people throughout the lifespan. Students develop an understanding of human relationships and life transitions, including concepts that inform nursing and midwifery practice.
The subject explores frameworks that support an understanding of the psychological, social, cognitive and moral components of human development including mental health and care of the older person.
Approaches to Professional Nursing Practice
Approaches to Professional Nursing Practice explores the nature and professional context of nursing. The roles and functions of the nurse and their relationship to others are considered in terms of expected competence, responsibilities, accountabilities and scope of practice. Students will gain an understanding of information-0enabled care, which is central to modern practice.
Bioscience 2
Bioscience 2 introduces the concepts associated with alterations in health across the lifespan. It will introduce pathophysiology, pharmacology, immunology and microbiology related to health breakdown due to injury or disease. This subject specifically examines the impact of microorganisms on people’s health and the body’s natural defences when dealing with infections and injuries and its significance to person-centred care.
Professional Practice Experience 2
This subject focuses on the development of the role and clinical skills of the registered nurse when promoting, maintaining, and supporting person centred care. A simulated professional task will assist with the development of essential clinical communications and a professional experience placement to evaluate clinical skills development. The subject includes 80 hours of Professional Experience Placement.
Evidence-based Practice for Nursing and Midwifery
This unit is designed to develop students’ knowledge in accessing and making judgements to translate the best available evidence into practice. This also includes the most current, valid and available research findings. General concepts associated with evidence-based health care are explored, including conducting literature searches from a wide range of sources, reviewing and appraising research and other evidence, and using and translating research into practice.
Pharmacology in Nursing
It is imperative that registered nurses and registered midwives have a solid understanding of pharmacology. This subject introduces the principles and core concepts of pharmacology with a distinct emphasis on safe medication administration in nursing and midwifery.
Students will acquire knowledge of pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics, and develop an understanding of actions and reactions caused by commonly prescribed drugs. Electronic medication management systems, patient education and engagement in medication management are also addressed in this subject.
Health Variations 1: Introduction to Alterations in Health
This unit utilises an evidence base to develop an understanding of pathophysiology and pharmacological interventions. It also expands it to nursing care of people who are experiencing acute but usually resolvable alterations in health. A particular focus of this subject are the Australian National Health Priority Areas.
Professional Practice Experience 3
This subject focuses on the development of the role and clinical skills of the registered nurse when assessing and caring for people who are experiencing acute but usually resolvable conditions. A simulated professional task will assist with the development of essential clinical communications and a professional experience placement to evaluate clinical skills development. The subject includes 160 hours of Professional Experience Placement.
Promoting Mental Health and Well-Being
This subject develops mental health nursing knowledge and skill required of the nursing workforce across a range of service delivery settings. It explores contemporary models of care such as recovery-oriented practice, trauma-informed care and social determinants approach. Students will plan evidence-based initiatives that promote mental health, prevent and intervene early in illness, facilitate recovery and promote wellbeing.
Health Variations 2 – Chronic Illness and Disability
This unit explores the concepts of chronicity, disability, habilitation and rehabilitation in relation to chronic conditions, functional and intellectual disabilities. It also explores their implications for nursing practice. This unit provides theoretical underpinnings directly related to Professional Practice Experience 4.
Health Variations 3: Acute Exacerbations of Chronic Conditions
This unit utilises an evidence base to develop an understanding of pathophysiology and pharmacological interventions. It also develops an understanding of nursing care for people who experience acute exacerbations of chronic conditions.
Professional Practice Experience 4
This subject focuses on the development of the role and clinical skills of the registered nurse when caring for people experiencing an acute exacerbation of a chronic condition. A simulated professional task will assist with the development of essential clinical communications and a professional experience placement to evaluate clinical skills development. The subject includes 160 hours of Professional Experience Placement.
Indigenous Australian Health, Wellness and Culture
This subject will specifically enable nursing and midwifery students to investigate, discuss and develop an understanding of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health and health statistics. It also explores the historical and present-day issues associated with poor health outcomes.
The concepts of cultural safety, health and illness will be discussed in terms of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. Students will explore and reflect on the impact of the different attitudes, institutional policies and value systems relating to the health of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people in Australia.
Health Variations 5: Palliative and End of Life Care
Health Variations 5 Palliative and End of Life Care focuses on the palliative approach as a model of care, exploring the benefits of this approach when supporting dying individuals with life-limiting illnesses. Students will also acquire the capabilities to develop self-care strategies to manage their own grief, loss and stress associated with working in a palliative setting.
Health Variations 4: Acute Life Threatening Conditions
Health Variations 4 Acute Life-Threatening Conditions utilises an evidence base to develop an understanding of the pathophysiology and pharmacological interventions. It also develops an understanding of nursing care for people who experience acute life-threatening conditions. This subject specifically focuses on detecting and recognising acute deterioration and escalating care.
Professional Practice Experience 5
This subject focuses on the development of the role and clinical skills of the registered nurse when assessing and caring for people who are experiencing acute life-threatening illness and life-limiting illness. A simulated professional task will assist with the development of essential clinical communications and a professional experience placement to evaluate clinical skills development. The subject includes 160 hours of Professional Experience Placement.
Being a Professional Nurse or Midwife
Being a Professional Nurse or Midwife explores the process of transition from student to a registered healthcare professional. Students analyse their role as a registered nurse or registered midwife, reflecting on accountability, responsibility, therapeutic and professional relationships, and their capability for practice. This subject will build the capacity within students to meet their professional responsibilities as capable practitioners in nursing or midwifery. Students will have an opportunity to demonstrate their job readiness skills in preparation for new graduate employment opportunities.
Professional Experience Placement
This subject is a capstone unit that provides students an opportunity to consolidate the development of the role and clinical skills of the registered nurse in preparation for transition to graduate practice. A simulated professional task will assist with the development of essential clinical communications. While an Objective Structured Clinical Skills Exam and a professional experience placement to evaluate clinical skills development. The unit includes 240 hours of Professional Experience Placement.
This unit is worth 20 credit points.
