Nursing

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Undergraduate Degree

Faculty of Health

Description

Nursing is a key health care profession that offers the opportunity to make a difference in people’s lives in a wide range of health settings. Graduates of this program are eligible to apply for registration with the Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia as well as in many overseas countries. The various clinical contexts registered nurses may work in include primary health care services, community centres, residential aged care settings, mental health services and acute care hospitals. Registered nurses may also specialise in fields such as surgery, intensive care, mental health, palliative care, and paediatrics.

Courses covered in the Bachelor of Nursing include nursing therapeutics, foundations of nursing and human bioscience and there is an option to select a mental health or aged care stream. Over the course of the program students complete practical experience in a range of diverse clinical contexts

Currently, opportunities for nursing graduates are plentiful, whether it's in the public or private sector, hospitals, clinics, age care facilities, primary health care services in Australia or overseas.

 

View our Bachelor of Nursing in the Program Handbook and the online prospectus What Can I Study?.

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Honours:
Some jobs require additional qualifications at Honours level. Honours is a one year stand-alone program, completed after successfully fulfilling the requirements of the undergraduate degree. View Bachelor of Nursing (Honours)

Postgraduate Study

Some occupations require a higher level of completed study than an undergraduate degree, and for this reason it is worthwhile considering the range of postgraduate study options available. Postgraduate study may also be useful for specialising in a particular area, or to stimulate career change. Some of the postgraduate study options following the Bachelor of Nursing include:

Research

Masters

PhD

Coursework

After completing a degree there are a broad range of postgraduate options available in a variety of fields which can allow you to specialise in a particular area of interest or build upon your existing knowledge base. To explore such options please visit the Postgraduate Handbook.

 

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Sample Jobs

The following list provides some example jobs for Nurses. Some of these jobs will depend upon the amount and level of study undertaken, level of experience, and the combination of other majors and electives studied, for example some may require further study.

Getting the Edge

Most employers seek to recruit people who have relevant work experience and an appreciation for their industry. Here is a check list of ideas about gaining experience and industry knowledge.

  1. Check the type of experience most employers in your field of interest expect. Don’t overlook the part time work you may be currently doing. Most employers understand that the skills are transferrable even if the work is not in their industry.
  2. Check your academic program for any courses that involve a placement or the opportunity to undertake an industry based project.
  3. Check your school for Summer Scholarships for research opportunities.
  4. Check vacancy sites for advertised traineeships, part time employment and vacation work opportunities in your field.
  5. Source and approach organisations directly about possible work shadowing or information interview opportunities.
  6. Source and approach organisations directly for paid work opportunities.
  7. Consider volunteering.

Note: Gaining experience may be important but not at the expense of your studies. Make sure you do not overload your timetable with unrealistic work commitments.

 

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Sample Employers

Recruitment Timing

Some large organisations have specific graduate recruitment programs designed to employ the pick of graduates each year. You must be in your final year of study or recently completed to apply for these programs. The timing of these recruitment drives varies and may occur at any point in the academic year, in some cases starting as early as the first few weeks of the first semester or trimester.

Find out if employers in your area/s of interest have graduate programs, when they typically recruit and what recruitment methods they use. Check with the Careers Service .

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Societies and Associations

Associations and societies often provide relevant and up to date information about a variety of issues relating to specific industry sectors. These can be a good starting point to learn more about occupations through profiles, industry news, links to academic journals and information on research developments. Many also offer student membership, conference and professional development activities, newsletters and the opportunity to participate in projects.


Don’t overlook student societies and associations. As well as student chapters of professional associations, some faculties or schools have discipline based student associations. Check your school or faculty web site; perhaps you might start one if one doesn’t exist.

Some academic disciplines run Seminar Programs that involve regular seminars presented by University of Newcastle academics, visiting academics and postgraduate students. Check your schools website for the timetable.

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Job Search Sites

Searching job sites is a good way to gain an understanding of: industries recruiting professionals in this field; types of roles and the requirements or expectations of employers for these roles. There are many online job search sites, here are a few to start with:

Australian and International

  • CareerHub: the University of Newcastle Careers Service careers and job search site for enrolled students and graduates.

Australian

  • CareerOne: Australia wide job listings, all levels and industries including executive positions
  • MyCareer: Australian and international listings
  • Seek: comprehensive Australian job listings, also includes New Zealand and UK listings
  • The Big Chair: Management and Executive Jobs

International

Employability

Graduate attributes for the Bachelor of Nursing are the necessary skills, abilities and knowledge acquired through this program. Below is the complete list of attributes that graduates will have demonstrated upon the completion of the degree.

Graduate Attributes

-          Practice in a way that demonstrates respect for and appreciation of the person as an individual as well as their family and community

-          Practice in a holistic way that that takes into account the physical, mental, spiritual and social well-being of individuals/groups

-          Establish partnerships and therapeutic relationships that are goal-directed while maintaining professional boundaries

-          Demonstrate sound critical thinking and clinical reasoning in the provision of nursing care for clients across the life-span

-          Demonstrate culturally safe nursing practice and the facilitation of environments that promote individual and group safety and security

-          Demonstrate cultural safety based upon an understanding of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health, culture and history

-          Reflect on and critically analyse practice with a view to ongoing improvement and life-long learning

-          Identify and address factors that have the potential to impact negatively on patient safety

-          Practice in accordance with legislation and ethical and professional frameworks that affect nursing practice and healthcare

-          Critically appraise nursing research and integrate evidence into clinical practice

-          Plan, prioritise, implement and evaluate nursing care that is comprehensive, safe and effective, and based upon accurate health assessment data

-          Implement health promotion and health education as primary healthcare strategies aimed at illness prevention

-          Apply a quality use of medicines framework to ensure safe medication practices

-          Utilise information and communication technology to support learning and inform clinical practice

-          Apply knowledge of the structure and function of the human body, pathophysiology, pharmacology and psychological processes to inform nursing practice and optimise client outcomes

-          Communicate and collaborate effectively with members of the healthcare team

-          Improve the quality of life of individuals and families who are dealing with life-threatening illness through the provision of evidenced-based and holistic nursing care

 

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