3558 - Bachelor of Nursing and Rural Health Practice

The course aims to comprehensively prepare graduates to a standard consistent with the identified needs for establishing and sustaining a career in rural nursing practice. The first two years of the course are identical to the Bachelor of Nursing. The last two years prepare students to function safely and effectively in a variety of rural practice settings. Students will develop a broader range of primary assessment skills, and advanced generalist practice skills consistent with addressing rural health crises including medical, obstetric and mental health emergencies, rural road trauma, and farming and industrial accidents.

Students will develop nursing competencies related to health promotion, health breakdown and rehabilitative care and expand their ability to plan and provide health education and health screening. They will extend their insight into the implications of multidisciplinary collaborative care, rural health issues and practice, and the health problems, patterns and needs of diverse population groups, including indigenous Australians.

The course addresses the multicultural complexity of Australian society and current socio-political and economic issues affecting nursing and health care.

Clinical practice units

This course requires students to undertake off-campus clinical placements. In the clinical setting students will have an opportunity to apply theory to practice under supervision. Attendance is mandatory for the clinical component of each unit. Clinical practice experience commences in the first semester of the course and increases progressively thereafter.

Students attend a broad range of areas including medical/surgical, aged care, paediatrics, mental health, operating theatre, accident and emergency, intensive care, community health, multidisciplinary care and midwifery. These clinical experiences are under the supervision of academic staff from the school, clinicians and approved clinical teachers.

Clinical experience makes up approximately 50 percent of the course. Generally speaking, students on clinical experience will take on shift work, including weekend shifts and night duty and work a supervised, unpaid 40 hour week. Make-up for time missed will be arranged in consultation with the clinical coordinator on receipt of a medical certificate.

Where a student's skill or knowledge is found to be inadequate, access to the clinical component of the unit will be denied. A student may be withdrawn from a clinical practicum if required skills and knowledge are deemed inadequate, or on other grounds deemed appropriate by the head of school.

Clinical expenses

Students are responsible for all travel and accommodation expenses during clinical placement. Uniforms and accessories are required for clinical placements and students will be notified regarding purchase arrangements upon commencement.

Police checks and Working with Children checks

Organisations that host clinical and community placements require students to have current Police and Working with Children checks regarding their suitability to undertake such placements. All enrolled and prospective students are advised that they will be required to obtain Police and Working with Children checks prior to undertaking their course. Working with Children checks are valid for five years and are available free. Police checks must be applied and paid for annually. However, in some community partnered programs, there may be a requirement to have a police check renewed every six months.

Drug Administration Policy

Students should be aware of their legal responsibilities regarding the administration and storage of drugs. In addition, it is the policy of the School of Nursing and Midwifery that where drugs are required to be checked by two people prior to administration; the student and supervisor (clinical teacher or registered nurse) are considered as one person. Students should be aware of the drug administration policy relevant to the particular year of study. For more information please visit http://www.med.monash.edu.au/nursing/current.html and refer to the section entitled 'Clinical Guidelines'.

Vaccination Policy

It is required that students obtain relevant vaccinations prior to clinical placements for presentation to the course coordinator on request.

On completion of the course students are expected to:

• meet standards of nursing practice as identified in the ANMC National Competencies for nurses in Australia
• provide holistic, family-centred nursing care as a first-level practitioner in a variety of health care settings compatible with the health care needs of Australia's diverse society including Indigenous Australians
• implement appropriate problem solving, clinical reasoning and research evidence as a basis for delivering high quality generalist and advanced generalist nursing care
• practice safely in a manner that reflects the ethical and legal standards of the profession
• demonstrate ability to communicate effectively, work collaboratively and refer appropriately within the health team
• participate in health teaching as a means to encouraging independence, preventing disease, and maintaining optimal levels of health and wellbeing
• appreciate the impact that rural contexts have on the nature and availability of rural health services
• provide basic counselling support that addresses the needs of rural people
• appreciate the dynamics of rural health practice that impact on working and living in a rural community
• demonstrate an understanding of socio-political, historical, cultural, and professional forces which influence nursing and change in health care
• appreciate the importance of lifelong learning.

Students complete 26 compulsory units comprising 24 core units and two electives, many of which have clinical practice requirements.

Students must satisfactorily complete the following units:

First year

First semester

• NUR1001 Professional communication
• NUR1003 Nursing, society and culture
• NUR1101 Perspectives of health and wellness
• HSC1301 Human structure and function 1

Second semester

• NUR1102 Health assessment in clinical practice
• NUR1202 Legal issues and concepts
• HSC1302 Human structure and function 2
• SRH2002 Indigenous health and well-being

Second year

First semester

• NUR2001 Evidence based health care
• NUR2002 Nursing practice in context 1
• NUR2003 Contexts of health care

Second semester

• NUR2004 Nursing practice in context 2
• NUR2104 Mental health practice
• elective

Third year

First semester

• NUR3002 Nursing practice in context 3
• NUR3003 Education in health practice
• NUR3104 Mental health practice 2
• SRH3001 Rural health issues 1: Health in the rural context

Second semester

• NUR3005 Chronicity in health care
• NUR3009 Transition to rural nursing practice

Fourth year

First semester

• NUR4009 Collaborative health care
• SRH4102 Rural health issues 2: Rural health policy and practice
• SRH4101 Counselling for rural practice

Second semester

• NUR4010 Rural health emergencies
• SRH4103 Rural health issues 3: The dynamics of rural health practice
• elective

Students will be eligible for general nurse registration with the Nurses Board of Victoria and its Australian counterparts (after successful completion of years one to three of this course).

Students may exit with a Bachelor of Nursing after successful completion of years one to three of this course.

Bachelor of Nursing and Rural Health Practice

* Where more than one award is listed, or in the case of double degrees, where more than one award is listed for one or both components of the double degree, the actual award/s conferred may depend on units/majors/streams/specialisations studied, the level of academic merit achieved (eg in the case of 'with honours' programs), or other factors relevant to the individual student's program of study.