Bachelor of Science (Nursing)

For Prospective Students with no Nursing experience or Currently Registered Enrolled Nurses
Course Code K45

The Bachelor of Science (Nursing) is a three year full-time or equivalent part-time course that prepares students to be registered with the Nurses Board of Western Australia. It provides a broad knowledge and skills base that will enable the graduate to act independently as well as interdependently within the health care context. The graduate will practice as a comprehensive registered nurse who has professional competence and who is responsible, accountable, empathetic and willing to participate in professional activities.

The course comprises five broad streams of study:

• Nursing Issues
• Nursing Practice
• Nursing Science/Health Science
• Nursing Studies
• Nursing Theory

The program relies on the goodwill of health agencies for the provision of clinical experience. Therefore, prospective students should understand that, under normal circumstances, they will be required to attend during the hours laid down by the clinical agency and that these may occur at times outside the identified semester weeks. Additionally, pre-identified clinical practice periods may change with minimal notice to students due to circumstances outside the control of the School.

ADMISSION REQUIREMENTS
Standard University admission requirements apply.

International students are required to have an academic IELTS overall score of 6.5, with no individual band below 6.0.

Please note that IELTS requirements to register with the WA Nursing Board may be higher than 7.

SPECIAL ADMISSION REQUIREMENTS
Applicants who are registered mental health nurses will be considered for direct admission into the Bachelor of Science (Nursing) course and are eligible for advanced standing.

Applicants in possession of enrolled nurse status will be considered for direct admission into the Bachelor of Science (Nursing) course and are eligible for advanced standing.
  
To be able to undertake clinical practice and fulfil their duty of care, students are required to complete risk management protocols on commencement of the course and carry out amendments in subsequent semesters as appropriate. Risk management protocols include, but are not restricted to:

• Statement of Federal Police Clearance;
• Current Cardio Pulmonary Resuscitation (CPR) - initial certification required plus annual renewal of certification – courses available via ECU provider;
• Current Manual Handling Certification - initial certification required plus annual renewal of certification - courses available via ECU provider;
• Evidence of immunisation status as per the Department of Health schedule www.health.wa.gov.au/circulars/pdfs/11859.pdf
• MRSA clearance if worked in, or been admitted to, a health facility outside of Western Australia in the 12 months prior to enrolment;
• Working with Children Check www.checkwwc.wa.gov.au

Students who fail a clinical rotation as part of a nursing practice unit must be aware that the agency providing the subsequent rotation will be informed of the failure as part of standard risk management procedure.  Students will be required to accept this as a condition of their enrolment. Where the student has failed two nursing practice units, the student shall be excluded from the course.

In order for students to gain eligibility to register with the Nurses Board of Western Australia, students will be required to:

• Purchase a Nursing Calculations CD ROM in order to undertake self-paced assessments and, by Stage 5, to achieve 100% pass under examination conditions. This examination must be passed within six months prior to course completion. 
• Undertake their final semester (Stage 6) continuous practice within six months prior to course completion. 
• Refer to the policy for English Language minimum requirements for registration as a nurse in Western Australia. For further information please see the Nurses' Board of Western Australia Website http://www.nbwa.org.au/2/2012/50/information_for.pm

COURSE LOCATION
This course is available on Joondalup and South West Campuses.

Students who gain a place in the South West Campus are required to complete their program on the same campus.
MODE OF STUDY
This course is available by Full-time, or Part-time mode. The course must be completed within 6 years.

COURSE STRUCTURE
This three year full-time or equivalent part-time course comprises 24 units of study (360 credit points). Normally students will be expected to:

(a) complete all stage 1, 2 and 3 theory and practicum units before progressing to units in subsequent years.
(b) complete the course within six years of initial enrolment.

Normal student progression is described as follows:

YEAR ONE

YEAR TWO

YEAR THREE

• Variable patterns of clinical practice each semester, e.g. 2 week block.
  
  NSP3201 allows students to select a clinical elective of 200 hours (5 weeks) within the semester in a field in which they wish to work following graduation.

The following course is for Hospital Trained Registered Nurses
Course Code K46

This course is designed to upgrade to a Bachelor of Science (Nursing) the qualifications of existing registered nurses with a hospital-based diploma or equivalent tertiary diploma award. The course requires twelve months full-time study or part-time equivalent which should be completed within three years of initial enrolment.

The course is delivered internationally and is also available online. 

ADMISSION REQUIREMENTS
Applicants must be currently registered nurses and show evidence of recent practice with minimum two (2) years clinical experience.

International applicants are required to have an academic IELTS overall score of 7 with a minimum of 6.5 for listening & reading and 7 for speaking & writing.

IELTS requirements for registration with the WA Nursing Board may be higher than 7.

COURSE LOCATION
This course is available on Joondalup and the South West Campuses.

MODE OF STUDY
This course is available by Full-time, or Part-time mode.

COURSE STRUCTURE
The course consists of 120 credit points (eight units) of study comprising four core units and four electives.

CORE UNITS

• NNI3204            Professional Issues in Nursing (15cp)     
• NNI2202            Ethics and Law in Nursing (15cp)           
• NST3209           Evidence Based Practice in Health Care (15cp)   
• NNT1106           Foundations of Nursing: Social, Indigenous and Cultural Perspectives (15cp)

OR

• NST3210           Contemporary Nursing in Indigenous and Population Health (15cp)

 
RECOMMENDED ELECTIVES

• NSP1204          Health Assessment in Nursing (15cp)     
• NSP1103          Communication in Nursing (15cp)           
• NST2106           Mental Health Problems and Disorders (15cp)     
• NNI1102            Health and Health Challenges for Older Adults (15cp)
• NNT3202           Theory Relating to Primary, Secondary and Tertiary Care (15cp)

OR

• NSP2505          Nursing Practice International Conversion **         (15cp)  

OTHER ELECTIVES:    

• SCH1143          Systems Physiology (15cp)       
• SCH3236          Pharmacology (15cp)    

 
** This unit (Nursing Practice International Conversion) is for international onshore students who seek eligibility to register with the Nurses Board of Western Australia. Students will enrol in this unit as their final unit.
International students are required to undertake four of the recommended electives.

International onshore students seeking eligibility to register with the Nurses Board of WA must also meet the following requirements before enrolling in the NSP2505 unit:

1. Completed the School of Nursing, Midwifery & Postgraduate Medicine risk management protocol including: immunisation status as per Department of Health schedule www.health.wa.gov.au/circulars/pdfs/11859.pdf and MRSA screening.

2. Completed Manual Handling certification.

3. Completed a current Cardio Pulmonary Resuscitation certification.

4. Have a current Police Clearance.

5. Working with Children Check www.checkwwc.wa.gov.au

6. Achieved 100% pass in medication calculations using the prescribed CD ROM purchased from the ECU bookshop.