Inherent Requirements for the Master of Nurse Practitioner
1. Ethical Behaviour
Introduction
Nursing is a profession governed by competency standards, codes of ethics, professional conduct and professional boundaries where nurses are both accountable and responsible for ensuring professional behaviour at all contexts.
Description
Student demonstrates knowledge of, and engages in ethical behaviour in practice.
Justification
Compliance with the standards, codes, guidelines and policies facilitates safe, competent interactions and relationships for students and/or the people with whom they engage. This supports the physical, psychological, emotional and spiritual wellbeing for all.
Adjustments
Must ensure the standards, codes, guidelines and policies are not compromised or result in unethical behaviour.
Exemplars
- Demonstrating appropriate behaviour with confidential information in the classroom and clinical settings.
- Demonstrating ability to reflect on ethical dilemmas and issues and take responsibility for ensuring awareness of ethical behaviour.
2. Behavioural Stability
Introduction
Behavioural stability is required to function and adapt effectively an sensitively in this role.
Description
Student demonstrates behavioural stability to work constructively in a diverse and changing academic and clinical environment. This includes the capacity for emotional resilience and self-care to manage the demands of nursing practice.
Justification
Behavioural stability is required to work individually and in teams in changing and unpredictable environments Nursing students will be exposed to emergency situations and human suffering and will be required to have behavioural stability to manage these events. The ability to maintain emotional resilience and engage in appropriate self-care is critical to ensuring safe, effective, and compassionate care.
Adjustments
Must support stable, effective and professional behaviour in both academic and professional settings.
Exemplars
- Being receptive and responding appropriately to constructive feedback.
- Coping with own emotions and behaviour effectively when dealing with individuals in the clinical settings.
- Seeking support or implementing self-care strategies during periods of high stress, while maintaining professional conduct and patient safety.
3. Legal
Introduction
A Nurse Practitioner’s practice is mandated by legislation to enable the safe delivery of care.
Description
Student demonstrates knowledge and compliance with Australian Law, professional regulations and scope of practice.
Justification
Knowledge, understanding, and compliance with legislative and regulatory requirements are necessary pre-requisites to clinical placements in order to reduce the risk of harm to self and others.
Compliance with professional regulations and laws ensures that students are both responsible and accountable for their practice.
Adjustments
Must be consistent with legal and regulatory requirements.
Exemplars
- Complying with legal requirements regarding all aspects of practice.
- Complying with the requirements for student registration with AHPRA.
- Complying with relevant child protection and safety legislation.
4a. Communication (verbal)
Introduction
Effective and efficient verbal communication, in English, is an essential requirement to enable the safe delivery of care.
Description
Student demonstrates:
- Sensitivity to individual and/or cultural differences, including the ability to engage in culturally safe verbal interactions.
- The ability to understand and respond to verbal communication accurately, appropriately and in a timely manner.
- The ability to provide clear instructions in the context of the situation.
- Timely and clear feedback and reporting.
Justification
Communicating in a way that displays respect, empathy and cultural safety and develops trusting relationships is essential for the safe delivery of care.
Communication may be restricted to verbal because of physical limitations of the individual (e.g. injury, disease or congenital conditions).
Speed and interactivity of communication may be critical for individual safety or treatment.
Timely, accurate and effective delivery of instructions is critical to individual safety, treatment and management.
Adjustments
Must address effectiveness, timeliness, clarity and accuracy issues to ensure safe and appropriate care.
Exemplars
- Participating in tutorial, simulation and applied clinical discussions.
- Responding appropriately to a care request in the clinical environment.
4b. Communication (non-verbal)
Introduction
Effective non-verbal communication is an essential requirement of this course. Communication must be respectful, clear, empathetic, honest and non-judgemental.
Description
Student demonstrates:
- The capacity to recognise, interpret and respond appropriately to behavioural cues.
- Consistent and appropriate awareness of own behaviours.
- Sensitivity to individual and cultural differences, including the ability to engage in culturally safe interactions that respect the values, beliefs, and practices of others.
Justification
The ability to observe and understand non-verbal cues assists with building a rapport with people and gaining their trust and respect in academic and professional relationships.
Displaying consistent and appropriate facial expressions, eye contact, being mindful about space, time boundaries and body movements and gestures promotes trust in academic and professional relationships.
Being sensitive to individual and/or cultural differences, including awareness of culturally specific non-verbal communication styles, displays respect and empathy to others, supports culturally safe practice, and develops trusting relationships.
The ability to observe and understand non-verbal cues is essential for the safe and effective observation of patient symptoms and reactions to facilitate the assessment and treatment of patients.
Adjustments
Must enable the recognition, initiation of or appropriate response to effective non-verbal communication in a timely and appropriate manner.
Exemplars
- Recognising and responding appropriately to non-verbal cues in the clinical environment.
- Recognising and responding appropriately to non-verbal cues in classroom situations.
4c. Communication (Written)
Introduction
Effective written communication, in English, is a fundamental nursing responsibility with professional and legal ramifications.
Description
Student demonstrates capacity to construct coherent written communication appropriate to the circumstances.
Justification
Construction of written text based assessment tasks to reflect the required academic standards are necessary to convey knowledge and understanding of relevant subject matter for professional practice.
Accurate written communication, including record-keeping and patient notes, is vital to provide consistent and safe patient care.
Adjustments
Must meet the necessary standards of clarity, accuracy and accessibility to ensure effective recording and transmission of information in both academic and clinical settings.
Exemplars
- Constructing an assessment to academic standards.
- Constructing a nursing report in a timely manner that meets professional standards.
5a. Knowledge and cognitive skills
Introduction
Consistent knowledge and effective cognitive skills must be demonstrated to provide safe and competent nursing care.
Description
Student demonstrates:
- The capacity to locate appropriate and relevant information.
- The ability to process information relevant to practice.
- The ability to integrate and implement knowledge in practice.
Justification
Safe and effective delivery of nursing care is based on comprehensive knowledge that must be sourced, understood and applied appropriately.
Adjustments
Must ensure that a clear demonstration of knowledge and cognitive skills is not compromised or impeded.
Exemplars
- Drafting an assessment to academic standards.
- Drafting a nursing report in a timely manner, that meets professional standards.
5b. Literacy (language)
Introduction
Competent literacy skills are essential to provide safe and effective delivery of care.
Description
Student demonstrates:
- The ability to acquire information and accurately convey appropriate, effective messages.
- The ability to read and comprehend a range of literature and information.
- The capacity to understand and implement academic conventions to construct written text in a scholarly manner.
Justification
The ability to acquire information and to accurately convey messages is fundamental to ensure safe and effective assessment, treatment and delivery of care.
The ability to read, decode, interpret and comprehend multiple sources of information is fundamental for safe and effective delivery of nursing care.
Adjustments
Must demonstrate a capacity to effectively acquire, comprehend, apply and communicate accurate information.
Exemplars
- Ability to listen to information.
- Ability to convey a spoken message accurately.
- Ability to paraphrase, summarise and reference in accordance with appropriate academic conventions.
- Ability to draft accurate, concise and clear nursing documentation.
5c. Numeracy
Introduction
Competent and accurate numeracy skills are essential for safe and essential care.
Description
Student demonstrates the ability to interpret and correctly apply data, measurements and numerical criteria.
Justification
Competent application of numeracy skills is essential in nursing to facilitate the safe and effective delivery of nursing care.
Adjustments
Must demonstrate a capacity to interpret and apply concepts and processes appropriately in a timely, accurate and effective manner.
Exemplars
- Performing drug calculations.
- Demonstrating accurate recording on a fluid balance chart
6a. Sensory ability (visual)
Introduction
Adequate visual acuity is required to provide safe and effective nursing care.
Description
Student demonstrates sufficient visual acuity to perform the required range of skills.
Justification
Sufficient visual acuity is necessary to demonstrate the required range of skills, tasks and assessments to maintain consistent, accurate and safe care of self and others.
Visual observations, examination and assessment are fundamental to safe and effective nursing care.
Adjustments
Must address the need to perform the full range of tasks involved in clinical practice. Any strategies to address the effects of a vision impairment must be effective, consistent and no compromise treatment or safety.
Exemplars
- Accurately drawing up medication to administer.
- Observing and detecting subtle changes in wounds.
6b. Literacy (auditory)
Introduction
Auditory ability is required to provide safe and effective nursing care.
Description
Student demonstrates sufficient aural function to undertake the required range of skills.
Justification
Sufficient auditory ability is necessary to monitor, assess and manage individual health needs consistently and accurately.
Auditory assessments and observations are fundamental to safe and effective practice.
Adjustments
Must address the need to perform the full range of tasks involved in clinical practice. Any strategies to address the effects of the hearing loss must be effective, consistent and no compromise to treatment or safety.
Exemplars
- Accurately undertaking a blood pressure measurement by auscultation.
- Detecting care request by activation of call bell or calls for help.
6c. Sensory Abilities (Tactile)
Introduction
Sufficient tactile ability is required to perform competent and safe nursing care.
Description
Student demonstrates adequate tactile function sufficient to undertake the required range of skills and assessments.
Justification
Sufficient tactile ability is necessary to monitor, assess and detect patients’ physical characteristics and act on any abnormalities detected to provide thorough nursing care.
Tactile assessments and observations are fundamental to safe and effective nursing practice.
Adjustments
Must have the capacity to make effective assessments of physical characteristics and abnormalities within safe time frames.
Exemplars
- Detecting changes in circulation observations e.g. temperature and pulse palpation.
- Conducting a physical assessment and detecting any anatomical abnormalities.
7a. Strength and Mobility (Gross Motor)
Introduction
A Nurse Practitioner’s practice involves physical demands and requires gross motor function.
Description
Student demonstrates the ability to perform gross motor skills to function within the scope of practice.
Justification
Sufficient gross motor skills are necessary to perform, coordinate and prioritise care. Tasks that involve gross motor skills include lifting, carrying, pushing, pulling, standing, twisting and bending. Students must be able to demonstrate and perform these tasks consistently and safely to reduce the risk of harm to self and others.
Adjustments
Should facilitate functional effectiveness, safety of self and others and a capacity to provide appropriate care.
Exemplars
- Maintaining balance while safely mobilising and transferring individuals.
- Able to retrieve and utilise stock and equipment.
7b. Strength and Mobility (Fine Motor)
Introduction
The profession of a Nurse Practitioner requires manual dexterity and fine motor skills.
Description
Student demonstrates the ability to use fine motor skills to provide safe effective care.
Justification
Sufficient fine motor skills are necessary to perform, coordinate and prioritise care. Tasks that involve fine motor skills include being able to grasp, press, push, turn, squeeze and manipulate various objects and individuals. Students must be able to demonstrate and perform these tasks consistently and safely to reduce the risk of harm to self and others.
Adjustments
Should facilitate functional effectiveness, safety to self and others and a capacity to provide appropriate care.
Exemplars
- Performing an aseptic wound dressing.
- Able to prime, accurately insert and set prescribed rate on an infusion device.
8. Sustainable Performance
Introduction
A Nurse Practitioner’s practice both physical and mental performance at a consistent and sustained level.
Description
Student demonstrates:
- Consistent and sustained level of physical energy to complete a specific task in a timely manner and over time.
- The ability to perform repetitive activities with a level of concentration that ensures a capacity to focus on the activity until it is completed appropriately.
- The capacity to maintain consistency and quality of performance throughout the designated period of time.
Justification
Sufficient physical and mental endurance is an essential requirement needed to perform multiple tasks in an assigned period to provide safe and effective care.
Adjustments
Must ensure that performance is consistent and sustained over a given period.
Exemplars
- Participating in tutorials, lectures, skills.
- Provide consistent care over a negotiated time frame.
The University of Newcastle acknowledges the traditional custodians of the lands within our footprint areas: Awabakal, Darkinjung, Biripai, Worimi, Wonnarua, and Eora Nations. We also pay respect to the wisdom of our Elders past and present.