• adapt knowledge and practice skills competently as a nurse in accordance with professional practice standards for nurses as outlined by NMBA (2016) within the diverse Australian health context;
• apply primary health care principles, health promotion and education approaches to health needs of self, individuals and groups from a holistic framework;
• demonstrate sensitivity to individuals and groups from various cultures and belief systems to deliver culturally competent and safe care within an Australian context;
• demonstrate effective communication skills and the capacity for self-management, collaboration, team work and leadership;
• maintain an environment that promotes safe practice, workplace health and safety, security and personal integrity of individuals and groups;
• reflect an intellectual openness and curiosity, utilising creative and reflective thinking and clinical reasoning, to identify solutions to problems and incorporate best practice approaches in nursing practice;
• base practice on a knowledge base derived from nursing and the support disciplines (biological, psycho- social science) as a basis for independent, research informed life-long learning;
• display cognitive, technical and information literacy skills to identify and evaluate new knowledge and practices in nursing and judge the suitability of adaptation to different contexts of practice.

There are many options for satisfying the entry requirements for our courses. An applicant needs to meet at least one of the following entry requirements to be given an offer to study at Avondale.

I have completed my secondary education in Australia or New Zealand and achieved:

• a selection rank of at least 63. A selection rank is calculated as the ATAR plus any adjustment factors that may be applicable; or
• a minimum of 24 points in the International Baccalaureate (IB) Diploma; or
• New Zealand Year 13 NCEA Level 3 results, identifying university entrance attainment; or
• an appropriate score in the uniTEST and the Tertiary Online Written Assessment; or
• an appropriate score in the Skills for Tertiary Admissions Test (STAT)* or
• the International Big Picture Learning Credential.

*Applicants must not be a current year 12 (or equivalent) student and must be 18 years or older at the time of commencing their course.

I have completed a Vocational education and training (VET) course in Australia or New Zealand and achieved:

• an Australian Certificate IV or higher, or
• an equivalent New Zealand certificate, as approved by the Director, Student Administration Services.

I have already attended university in Australia or New Zealand and:

• successfully completed at least 2 units of a Bachelor’s degree or
• completed a bridging or enabling course, or another recognised tertiary preparation course; or
• successfully completed at least three units of Avondale’s Undergraduate Certificate in University Preparation.

I have completed my secondary education or higher education qualification overseas:

• refer to the Admission Policy (HE) for specific information regarding both the minimum academic entry standards (Appendix 1) and the English language proficiency requirements (Appendix 2).

I have other work and life experience:

If a Senior Secondary Certificate has not been completed, an eligible applicant may sit an admission test (uniTEST and TOWA or the Skills for Tertiary Admission Test).

In exceptional circumstances, an applicant may be admitted based on equivalent qualifications or work and life experience as assessed by the Course Convenor or delegate and/or the DVC Academic.

This course has additional entry requirements which are listed below.

• A declaration of willingness to complete all vaccination requirements.
• Completion and agreement of the Inherent Requirements and English Language Skills Acknowledgement.

International Students

This course is available to international students who meet the Australian government requirements for a student visa to reside in Australia for the duration of the course. For information regarding visas refer to https://immi.homeaffairs.gov.au/visas/getting-a-visa/visa-finder/study.

English Language Requirements

1. Applicants whose primary language is not English must demonstrate English language proficiency through one of the following:
2. achieving a minimum overall IELTS score of 7.0, with no sub-band below 7.0, or
3. one of the other ways outlined in Appendix 2 of the Admission Policy (HE).

Advanced Standing

Applicants who have completed prior study may be eligible for advanced standing (credit recognition). Applicants should discuss their eligibility for advanced standing with the Admissions Team or the Course Convenor.

The Bachelor of Nursing consists of 24 units and requires 144 credit points for completion. The course is studied over six semesters full time (or part time equivalent) and includes a minimum of 800 hours of professional experience.

The course includes study in numerous general and specialty nursing areas such as acute care (medical or surgical), high dependency areas (emergency, intensive care), maternal and child health, mental health, community, and aged care. Related material from the physical, biological, and behavioural sciences is also integrated into the course to present a holistic perspective of nursing.

The course structure for full time students is provided below.

Clinical placements commence in Semester two for full time first-year Bachelor of Nursing students, provided students complete the pre-requisite Level 1 units and meet pre-clinical requirements. All clinical placements are mandatory, with 100% attendance required. The content of each clinical unit is related to the areas being studied in corresponding theoretical units. Clinical placements are organised for students and provided in cooperation with the Sydney Adventist Hospital, and many other placements available in local and regional hospitals, specialist mental health facilities, paediatric units, and at aged care and community facilities.

Students are expected to attend clinical placements on rotating shifts (morning, afternoon, and night) and travel to and from placement sites. Most clinical placement sites are within Sydney, Central Coast and Hunter New England areas. In addition, students may have the opportunity to attend a rural or remote placement.

Clinical placements are of two to four weeks duration, with the course requiring the completion of a total of 800 hours of placement throughout the degree.

The following units include clinical placements:

NURS11102 Nursing Practice 2 - 80 hours

NURS22203 Nursing Practice 3 - 80 hours

NURS22205 Nursing the Older Person - 80 hours

NURS22207 Mental Health Nursing Practice - 80 hours

NURS22204 Nursing Practice 4 - 80 hours

NURS33303 Clinical Nursing Elective - 80 hours

NURS33305 Nursing Practice 5 - 80 hours

NURS33306 Nursing Practice 6 - 80 hours

NURS33308 Transition to Professional Practice - 160 hours

To participate in clinical placements, students will need to meet requirements regarding vaccinations, criminal record and working with children checks, and first aid certification. Refer to Post Admission Requirements for further details.

Post Admission Requirements

To be eligible to attend clinical placements, students must meet a range of requirements including:

• Vaccinations in accordance with NSW Health policy
• National Criminal Record Check (NCRC)
• First aid Certificate
• Working with Children Check
• NDIS Workers Screening Check

NSW Health Compulsory Compliance Day

NSW Health will verify and record students' compliance in ClinConnect (a web-based application for managing clinical placements) before the commencement of their first clinical placement. The NSW Health Compulsory Compliance Day is included in the semester timetables.

Vaccinations

NSW Health requires that all students enrolled in clinical placements in NSW Public Health Facilities comply with NSW Health policies, in particular the Occupational Assessment, Screening and Vaccination Against Specified Infectious Diseases and Student Placements in NSW Health. This includes mandatory NSW Health COVID-19 vaccination requirements and annual influenza vaccinations.

Nursing students will be supplied with a 'NSW Health Vaccination Record Card for Health Care Workers and Students’ to provide evidence of immunisations. A medical practitioner (i.e., doctor, nurse, or vaccination provider) must complete the student’s vaccination record card, and each entry must be certified (i.e. clinic/practice stamp, full name, and signature).

We recommend that students print their Medicare vaccination history statement to use as evidence of vaccinations, if available.

It is important to satisfy the vaccination requirements early, therefore, students are encouraged to start this process as soon as possible after acceptance into the Bachelor of Nursing course, as some vaccinations take several months to complete.

For current Public Health Orders see https://www.health.nsw.gov.au/Infectious/covid-19/Pages/public-health-orders.aspx#lga-requirements

For information regarding Student Compliance in NSW Health facilities see https://www.heti.nsw.gov.au/Placements-Scholarships-Grants/student-placements/student-compliance

National Criminal Record Check (NCRC)

Students must obtain a National Police Check Certificate specifically recognised by NSW Health (i.e., through the Australian Police Force or a CrimTrac Accredited Broker Agency). There are additional requirements for overseas students and students with a criminal disclosure.

NCC Crime check https://www.nationalcrimecheck.com.au/

For CrimTrac Accredited Broker Agencies list, visit the Australian Criminal Intelligence Commission.

Accredited Bodies https://www.acic.gov.au/services/national-police-checking-service/find-out-more-information/accredited-bodies

First Aid Certificate

Students will need to complete, or have, an HLTAID011 Provide First Aid Certificate from a recognised training body and must submit this to the Clinical Office by the end of Semester 1. The certificate must be current and valid for the entirety Semester 1 in the first year of study.

Working with Children Check (WWCC)

Working With Children Checks are a mandatory requirement for students and must be completed before the first placement.

Students apply for a Working With Children Check (WWCC) online through the Office of the Children's Guardian.

NDIS Workers Screening Check

The NDIS Workers Screening Check (NDISWC) is a mandatory requirement for students undertaking placements in all Aged Care facilities and must be completed before the first placement. All students are highly encouraged to complete the NDIWSC.

Uniforms and appearance

Students are required to purchase an Avondale University nursing uniform and will be informed about uniform purchasing at the beginning of their first semester. The uniform must be worn during all clinical placements. The uniform consists of scrub top and pants with the Avondale University logo and enclosed black leather shoes.

Students are required to have their hair off their face and collar. Only wedding rings (without stones) and one set of stud earrings is acceptable. No false nails or nail polish is allowed within clinical areas; nails must be trimmed.

For assistance regarding any post admission requirements, contact the Clinical Office.

E: [email protected]
P: +61 2 9480 3625

The Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (AHPRA) requires educational institutions to register students upon commencement of the nursing degree.

Upon completion of the degree, graduates are eligible to apply for nurse registration in AHPRA which oversees the Australian Nursing and Midwifery Board (NMBA). Due to mutual recognition legislation, registration may also be granted in New Zealand. Graduates will need to apply to AHPRA via the NMBA website to register as a registered nurse prior to employment as a nurse in Australia. This process includes the assessment of good character and review of criminal history for employment in Australia and overseas. There are also English language requirements for all applicants for registration. Applicants seeking registration as a nurse in a country other than Australia should ascertain the requirements for that country.

For current registration requirements, please visit the Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia.