If you want a rewarding career that enables you to make a difference every day, and where every day is different, then a Bachelor of Nursing could be for you.
The Southern Cross University Bachelor of Nursing degree offers an outstanding combination of practical training in providing care and opportunities to build an extensive knowledge about health, diagnosis, care plan development, care delivery and disease.
This degree will provide a strong foundation to your healthcare career, with a focus on person-centered care across a wide range of locations and environments, including primary health care and mental health, chronic disease, leadership and care management.
Graduates are recognized as a registered nurse, capable of providing a high level of care in hospitals, clinics, and other locations, with potential work opportunities around the world.
Career Opportunities
As a registered nurse in a range of public and private health settings. Nurses typically deliver acute and chronic disease management in clinical settings such as pediatrics, and in community and primary healthcare and education. They can work as a practice nurse in GP clinics, in mental health, with children and adolescents, in aged care, perioperative care, Indigenous health, rural and remote area healthcare, emergency departments and in critical care.
Professional Recognition
The degree is accredited by the Australian Nursing and Midwifery Accreditation Council and provides the necessary qualification for graduates to be eligible to become a Registered Nurse in Australia.
[Please note: In order to register to practice, the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency [AHPRA]’s standards for the English language must be met. See the AHPRA website for further information.]
Professional Placement
Supervised clinical placements provide students with experiences of nursing (totaling 880 hours) in settings relevant to their areas of study in public and private hospitals and health agencies. These may include acute and low care health facilities; community settings; mental health facilities; extended residential aged care; GP practices; health promotion and education; intensive care; health clinics; accident and emergency; palliative care; primary health care settings and related nursing and health services within metropolitan, regional and rural areas throughout NSW and QLD and may include national or international opportunities. Professional experience placements require students to fulfill certain pre-requisites prior to attending any placements (e.g. a working with children check and National Police Certificate). Prior to applying for this course, please consider the important information regarding these requirements.
Major Areas of Study
The course is responsive to contemporary nursing practices and provides content and clinical experiences as follows:
Professional areas: nursing knowledge and development, critical thinking and analysis, provision and coordination of person-centered care, independent and collaborative care, primary health care, mental health, acute and complex care, chronic disease management, palliative care, leadership and care management, aged care.
Biological sciences: anatomy, physiology, pathophysiology, and pharmacology.
Social sciences: Australian health care system, Indigenous studies, psychology and sociology for health sciences, legal and ethical studies and research methods.
Assessment methods
A variety of assessment methods is used in this course including multiple choice examinations, short answer examinations, essays, case studies, tutorial and workshop presentations, debates, written assignments and clinical skills and simulation testing. For each unit, there are usually two to three assessment items.
Students are required to demonstrate an ability to develop and meet the Nurses and Midwives Board of Australia Registered Nurse Standards of Practice, maintain clinical e-portfolios and complete reflective exercises.
Teaching methods
On-campus students experience a variety of teaching approaches including lectures, tutorials, online activities and video-linked or podcast virtual classes. The method of teaching may vary from unit to unit. Online lectures support face-to-face tutorials, workshops and laboratory sessions.
Some units in this course are also available online. Our online study option is highly interactive and strives to promote collaboration and a sense of community. Students may receive a combination of a podcast or video-linked lectures, electronic study materials, workshops, online discussion forums and virtual classes. The method of teaching may vary from unit to unit.