Bachelor of Nursing/Bachelor of Midwifery

2017 Deakin University Handbook

Note: You are seeing the 2017 view of this course information. These details may no longer be current.

Year	2017 course information
Award granted	Bachelor of Nursing/Bachelor of Midwifery
Course Map	These course maps are for new students commencing from 2017: D355 - Burwood D355 - Geelong and Warrnambool If you require a course map from a previous year, please contact a Student Adviser.
Campus	Offered at Burwood (Melbourne), Waterfront (Geelong), Warrnambool
Cloud Campus	No
Duration	4 years full time (This course is only available full time)
CRICOS course code	057656M Burwood (Melbourne), Waterfront (Geelong), Warrnambool
Deakin course code	D355
Approval status	This course is approved by the University under the Higher Education Standards Framework.
Australian Quality Framework (AQF) recognition	The award conferred upon completion is recognised in the Australian Qualifications Framework at Level 7.

Course sub-headings

Course overview

Midwives play an invaluable role in facilitating childbirth and caring for mothers and babies through pregnancy, labour and beyond. With Deakin’s combined Bachelor of Nursing/Bachelor of Midwifery you will graduate with qualifications as a Registered Nurse (RN) and as a Registered Midwife (RM), boosting your skill set and opening the door to rewarding career options.

Throughout the course you will get a valuable mix of hands-on clinical practice and theory in both streams. Clinical placement gives you the opportunity to develop clinical skills in a range of settings including acute/sub-acute care, medical and surgical care, maternity care, including antenatal, birthing, and post birth, paediatrics, aged care, rehabilitation, community nursing and mental health nursing. You will spend over 41 weeks across the total length of the degree in various health care settings, including hospitals and community health centres in metropolitan, rural and regional areas.

Students are provided with the opportunity to gain the knowledge, skills and ethical behaviours appropriate for contemporary nursing and midwifery practice in health care. Students develop the ability to use evidence in their practice and achieve the standards expected of registered nurses and registered midwives in a variety of contexts

Health care is one of the most important priorities for populations worldwide, and nurses and midwifes play pivotal roles in delivering safe, effective health care. Nurses and midwives make up the largest health professional group in the world. As a graduate, your skills will be in demand, both in Australia and overseas. Career opportunities for nursing and midwifery graduates are diverse and there are a range of potential settings in which you could work. You may find roles in all areas of nursing, including acute care/sub-acute care, emergency, aged care paediatrics and rehabilitation; in hospitals, government departments, district health services, community health services, the education sector, businesses and private industry.

Indicative student workload

As a student in the Faculty of Health you can expect to participate in a range of teaching activities each week. This could include classes, seminars, practicals and online interaction. You can refer to the individual unit details in the course structure for more information. You will also need to study and complete assessment tasks in your own time. Clinical practicums may take place outside of trimester dates. All expenses associated with clinical placements are your responsibility.

Professional recognition

On successful completion of the course you will be eligible to apply for registration as a Registered Nurse and as a Registered Midwife with the Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia (NMBA).

Note: the NMBA has registration requirements that must be met in order to register. Course completion is one of these requirements.

Note: These courses are currently accredited by the Australian Nursing and Midwifery Accreditation Council and are an NMBA approved course at the date of publishing.

Alternate exits

Bachelor of Nursing (H326)

Department of Human Services policy - Police Record Check and Working With Children Check

In accordance with Department of Human Services policy, all students are required to undertake a National Police Record Check prior to clinical placements in each calendar year of their course.

In accordance with the Department of Justice 2007, Working with Children Act 2005, amended 2017, all students are required to undertake a Working with Children Check at the commencement of their course. Students who fail to obtain a Police Record Check and a Working with Children Check prior to the commencement of clinical placement will not be able to undertake clinical placement and this will impede progress in the course.

Students may also be required to declare their immunisation status to satisfy the requirements of health organisations where they will be undertaking their clinical learning experience. A health organisation may refuse to accept a student for placement if the student’s immunisation status is not satisfactory to the health organisation.

Inherent requirements

Essential knowledge, skills and capabilities are required to undertake and successfully complete the undergraduate nursing and midwifery courses and to practice safely as a registered nurse and/or midwife. The inherent requirements of the course are listed at School of Nursing and Midwifery Undergraduate Courses: Inherent Requirements

Fees and charges

Fees and charges vary depending on your course, your fee category and the year you started. To find out about the fees and charges that apply to you, visit the Current students fees website.

Course Learning Outcomes

Graduate Learning Outcomes	Course Learning Outcomes
Discipline Specific knowledge and capabilities	Apply specialised knowledge, evidence-based practice, research and scholarly activity to provide woman-centred midwifery care; Practice in a competent and professional manner to design, implement and evaluate midwifery care based on safety and quality principles that optimize maternal and fetal/infant well-being.
Communication	Communicate effectively and respectfully with women, their families and other health care team members using clear and appropriate language and communication modes; Use well developed communication skills to facilitate a woman’s informed decision making and to identify issues that may impact upon maternal and fetal/infant wellbeing.
Digital Literacy	Critically evaluate information located and accessed from digital technologies to inform midwifery practice and support continuing professional development;
Critical thinking	Critically evaluate information located and accessed from digital technologies to inform midwifery practice and support continuing professional development.
Problem Solving	Demonstrate problem solving skills using critical thinking, decision making and reflection in the design, implementation and evaluation of safe and quality woman-centred midwifery care.
Self-management	Promote and demonstrate professional competence through critical reflection, accountability and feedback while engaging in lifelong learning.
Teamwork	Demonstrate effective collaboration, responsible and accountable practice as a midwifery and multidisciplinary team member in the provision of safe and quality maternity care.
Global Citizenship	Apply ethical and culturally safe decision making in the provision of woman-centred care, including social, economic and ecologically sustainable considerations respectful of the diverse needs within the Australian community.

Course rules

To complete the Bachelor of Nursing/Bachelor of Midwifery students must attain 32 credit points. Units (think of units as 'subjects') may be worth 1 or 2 credit points - check each unit for its credit point value by clicking on the unit in the course structure below. Most students choose to study 4 credit points per trimester and usually undertake two trimesters each year. All units in this course are core units and are compulsory.

The course consists of 32 credit points of study which includes the following:

10 credit points are course grouped for both nursing and midwifery
11 credit points are specific to nursing
11 credit points are specific to midwifery.

The course aims to provide graduates with a blend of knowledge, skill, and ethical behaviours appropriate to the professions of both nursing and midwifery.

There is an expectation that you will be available to undertake clinical placement outside of trimester dates. All expenses associated with clinical placements are your responsibility.

Course structure

Units

Course structure for students who commenced in 2015 onwards. Students who commenced prior to 2015 should refer to previous online Handbooks and consult your course enrolment officer.