3 Year Bachelor of Nursing - Australia

Here is some further information about the Australian Bachelor of Nursing. The "standard" progression is 3 years full time. Clinical Prac's are full time 40 hours per week. Usually Monday to Friday and can be earlies or lates - no nights. Weekend work is required by some clinical settings. Pracs are 2 week blocks in 1st and 2nd years and 3 week blocks in 3rd year. All up there are 20 weeks worth of clinical placements = 800hours. On prac students have a facilitator - an "expert" from the field who mediates between the student and the clinical setting, each faciliator has 6-10 students to oversee. Tasks undertaken on prac must be within the scope of the learning for that semester and must have been taught already in that semester.

The on campus course requirements vary but generally 4-6 hours per subject. The semesters are have 13 teaching weeks. During clinical pracs there are no on campus requirements (assignments are usually due though). Labs build on skills from general cares - assist in ADL's and work up to drugs, IV's, catheters, drains, dressings, and complex cares through 2nd and 3rd year.

Each course is likely to have 2 major assessments - 1x essay and 1 x exam or 2 x exams. The courses which have a clinical placement have 1 x exam, 1 x "clinical challenge" which is in the lab and is a make or break assessment a 1x med calcs which requires 100% to pass and the clinical placement is also graded as pass/fail.

Year 1 Semester 1

Communication & Assessment in Nursing

Perspectives on Nursing, Health, Culture & Society

Psychosocial Health Across the Lifespan

Anatomy & Physiology 1

Year 1 Semester 2

Anatomy & Physiology 2

Nursing Practices - 2 weeks of clinical placement - Aged care facility

Clinical Health Assessment

Health Promotion

Year 2 Semester 1

Acute Nursing - 4 weeks of clinical placement - acute care facilities

Health Law & Ethics Health

Pathophysiology & Pharmacology 1

Elective

Year 2 Semester 2

Pathophysiology & Pharmacology 2 Pathophysiology

Complex Clinical Practice - This course has a 2 week placement in an acute setting.

Human Responses in Crisis - This course has a 2 week placement in a Mental Health/Psych facility.

Research for Health Professionals

Year 3 Semester 1

Wound & Pain Management

Nursing & Health Informatics

Community Health & Diversity - 2 weeks of clinical placement

Adapting to Health Changes - 2 weeks of clinical placement

Year 3 Semester 2

Transitions to Practice (Double course load) - 6 weeks of clinical placement.

Contemporary Nursing

Leadership & Management for Health Professionals