Available both internally and *externally 

The Bachelor of Nursing (Pre-registration) is intended to cater for those who wish to pursue a career in nursing. The course is a prescribed course designed for students seeking registration with the Nurses Board of South Australia as registered nurses. 

Because of the practice-based nature of nursing, the course includes a significant component of clinical field experience in actual practice settings. All students will therefore undertake placements in practice settings in each year of the program, with learning activities structured around actual health care situations, clients and context. Field placements occur in both metropolitan and rural settings, with some opportunity for overseas placement. 

Employment opportunities 

Successful graduates of the course are competent to work as first level practitioners in the promotion of health and self-care in the community, and in the traditionally illness-orientated settings of acute and extended care.

The course aims to prepare nurses whose decision-making skills will demonstrate a sound knowledge of nursing, psychosocial science and bioscience, and who are politically astute, reflective and caring practitioners, competent to practise in a variety of health care settings.

The concepts of health and nursing are studied with a focus on both primary health care and illness. Core studies in nursing are supported by human bioscience, social and behavioural sciences. Emphasis is also placed on the practice of nursing for a multicultural society in metropolitan, rural and remote clinical settings within Australia and overseas. Field placements provide opportunities for students to integrate theory into practice and further develop nursing knowledge and clinical decision making skills. The course is also designed to provide graduates with the skills to be lifelong learners and thus able to extend their competence and knowledge through critical analysis and reflection on practice. 

Core Studies in Nursing 

The nursing core is developed around three major interwoven strands. These strands are Professional Nursing Inquiry, Theoretical Foundations of Nursing Practice, and Contexts of Nursing Practice 

Professional Nursing Inquiry 

Subjects in this strand enable students to explore the professional and disciplinary base of nursing, and to reflect on the historical, political and socio-cultural economic and technological influences on nursing and health care. A major focus is the development of inquiry and information literacy skills needed by nurses to function in the contemporary health care environment. 

Theoretical Foundations of Nursing Practice 

This strand focuses on the nursing, scientific, psychosocial and cultural foundations of nursing practice, health and health care. Students will develop an understanding of social and biological aspects of health and illness, as well as nursing intervention and therapies, to provide culturally sensitive holistic person centred care. Emphasis is placed on the relatedness of theory and practice. An holistic lifespan approach is used to explore the understanding of the individual from birth to old age, in health and ill health. 

Contexts of Nursing Practice 

The focus of this strand is the development of nursing skills and the opportunity to implement these skills in a variety of health care settings. 

There are clinical/field placements in each semester, commencing in semester one of first year. The placement length increases throughout the three years of the course. The focus of field placement is upon the provision of safe competent care within an occupational health and safety framework to ensure a safe environment for both nurses and clients. Practice is undertaken in a variety of metropolitan and rural health care settings, which form the extended ‘practice based’ learning environment. In addition students may have the opportunity of experiencing nursing practice in another culture through undertaking an international placement. 

Bioscience 

This component introduces and develops topics in science relevant to nursing students. The student progresses from a basic understanding of normal human functions and associated physics and chemistry, to an appreciation of the nature of human dysfunction via the study of aspects of applied science. 

Scientific aspects of nursing practice associated with human dysfunction and pathophysiology are dealt with in subjects concerned with pharmacology, nutrition, microbiology, immunology, genetics and other applied science topics. 

Psychosocial science 

This component examines human behaviour as individuals and as members of society. It examines the way Australian society is structured, with particular regard to inequality, gender, ethnicity and social class and the nature of crucial social institutions. 

The stages of human development are a focus as are the major psychological theories of the self and personality. This includes theories concerning the way humans are shaped by, and in turn change, the society in which they live. 

Students also examine the way the social milieu impacts on the health of the individual and/or group, and the policies which Australian governments have developed to deal with the fundamental issues of health, the individual and society.

Graduates are eligible for registration as General Nurses by the Nurses Board of South Australia.

NOTES 

1. This subject ( * ) enables students to focus on specific issues of nursing practice from the following range of topics.  

   Aged Care	Alcohol and Drug Nursing
   ATSI Nursing	Child Health
   Community	Complementary Therapies
   Coronary Care	Critical/Intensive Care
   Gendered Health Issues	International Nursing Studies
   Medical Nursing	Mental Health Nursing
   Surgical Nursing	Trans-cultural Nursing in an Australian Society
   OH&S Nursing	Paediatrics
   Palliative Care Nursing	Perioperative Nursing
   Rural and Remote Nursing

   
   Not all topics will be offered in every semester. Specific topics may also be negotiated with the Course Coordinator.
   
   
2. Students are required to complete one of the following Broadening Undergraduate Education options which are compulsory requirement for all students: 
         Group Work and Counselling 
         or      Communication and Ethical Issues Across Cultures 
         or      Communication Through Inquiry 
         or      Communication in Clinical Practice 
3. The program of study conforms to the University’s Broadening Undergraduate Education Policy.  
4. The course is offered in flexible delivery mode (Distance Education) . It is offered to rural and remote area applicants through the Whyalla campus (course code WBNU) and to metropolitan applicants through the City East campus (course code IBNU).  
5. Students will be expected to have successfully completed a recognised first aid course before they will be permitted to commence the clinical section of the course.  
6. Due to the rigorous demands of the course, students are advised that they should be physically fit. In addition, students enrolled for subjects involving contact with clients in hospitals or other treatment centres may be required, before commencing their clinical placements, to undergo medical examinations as determined by the relevant hospital authorities.  
7. It is recommended that all students are vaccinated against hepatitis B and tuberculosis before commencing the program. Failure to satisfy such requirements may limit placement opportunities in some health care settings.