Bachelor of Nursing/Bachelor of Midwifery
2023 Deakin University Handbook
| Year | 2023 course information |
|---|---|
| Award granted | Bachelor of Nursing/Bachelor of Midwifery |
| Course Map | These course maps are for new students commencing from Trimester 1 2023: Course maps for commencement in previous years are available on the Course Maps webpage or please contact a Student Adviser in Student Central. |
| Campus | Offered at Burwood (Melbourne), Waterfront (Geelong), Warrnambool |
| Online | 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 Qualifications Framework (AQF) recognition | The award conferred upon completion is recognised in the Australian Qualifications Framework at Level 7. |
Course sub-headings
- Course overview
- Indicative student workload
- Professional recognition
- Career opportunities
- Participation requirements
- Mandatory student checks
- Pathways
- Fees and charges
- Course Learning Outcomes
- Course rules
- Course structure
- Third party arrangements
Course overview
Join one of the strongest growth areas within the health sector with Deakin's Bachelor of Nursing /Bachelor of Midwifery. Secure your future career, with midwifery job opportunities expected to grow by 21.6% by 2026^. Graduate with the knowledge, skills, and ethical understanding needed to become a successful registered nurse and midwife. Developed in consultation with our healthcare partners, ensuring you’re always connected to those at the forefront of the industry, the course prepares you to provide high quality woman-centred midwifery care and patient-centred nursing care.
The course is accredited by the Australian Nursing and Midwifery Accreditation Council and approved by the Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia, enabling clear career outcomes upon graduation. Clinical placements are undertaken in various metropolitan, regional, and rural healthcare settings and provide an opportunity to care for people from diverse cultural backgrounds in a range of health care settings, enabling application of knowledge and further development of technical and non-technical skills.
Aspiring to enter the health care sector with the confidence to succeed as both a nurse and a midwife?
Under the supervision of registered nurses and midwives, you will gain real-world experience by working within multidisciplinary healthcare teams across areas including:
- maternity care, including pregnancy, birthing and post-natal
- neonatal special care
- paediatrics
- acute/sub-acute care
- medical and surgical care
- aged care
- rehabilitation
- community nursing
- mental health nursing
Clinical placements begin in Trimester 1 of your first year and continue throughout every trimester of the course with a total of over 40 weeks duration.
Gain a valuable mix of hands-on clinical practice and theory with a nursing and midwifery school that ranked in the top 1% of universities globally.* As one of the most research-active schools in Australia, our School of Nursing and Midwifery boasts some of the best facilities and resources available
As a nurse and midwife, you’ll be part of the largest health professional group in the world. This means your skills will be in-demand, both in Australia and overseas.
*QS World University Rankings by Subject 2022
^2021 Employment Outlook - for the five years to November 2026, Australian Government National Skills Commission
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 may 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.
Professional recognition
On successful completion of your course, you will be eligible to apply for registration as a Registered Nurse and Midwife with the Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia (NMBA).
The NMBA has mandatory registration standards that applicants need to meet to be registered. Course completion is one of these requirements. Core registration standards are available on the NMBA website.
This course is accredited with the Australian Nursing and Midwifery Accreditation Council (ANMAC) and is an NMBA approved course.
Career opportunities
Nursing and midwifery are careers rich with opportunity, you will be highly sought after by industry for your knowledge, critical thinking, problems solving and communication skills, professionalism, and the ability to provide woman-centred and person-centred evidence-based care – which is why we are proud to record a high graduate employment rate of over 93%*.
As a registered nurse and registered midwife, you can pursue a global career in a range of work settings, such as:
- hospitals
- homes
- hospices
- aged care settings
- clinics
- schools
- universities
- government agencies and private industries
Nursing and midwifery are diverse professions with a number of specialty practice areas available, it is expected that graduates will maintain professional development throughout their careers. This may include postgraduate degrees and/or research degrees, including masters and PhDs.
* Graduate Outcomes Survey 2021
Participation requirements
The course involves compulsory clinical placement totalling 41 weeks. The midwifery component consists of 21 weeks in midwifery settings across Victoria. The nursing component consists of 20 weeks in hospitals and community health centres in metropolitan, rural and regional areas.
These placements may require travel to rural areas.
Placement can occur at any time, including during the standard holiday breaks listed here.
Reasonable adjustments to participation and other course requirements will be made for students with a disability.
Inherent requirements
A number of inherent requirements are essential to safely perform the skills and functions of the nursing and midwifery role and consequently to undertake and successfully complete the course. Learn more about the School of Nursing and Midwifery's Undergraduate Courses Inherent Requirements.
Mandatory student checks
Department of Health Safety Screening Requirements - Police Record Check, Working With Children Check and Immunisation Status
Police Record Check
In accordance with the Department of Health policy, all students are required to undertake a Police Record Check prior to clinical placements in each calendar year of their course.
Students who fail to obtain a Police Record Check prior to the commencement of clinical placement will not be able to undertake clinical placement and this will impede progress in the course.
Working with Children Check
In accordance with the Worker Screening Act 2020, all students are required to undertake a Working with Children Check at the commencement of their course. Students who fail to obtain 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.
Immunisation
Students are 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.
Pathways
This course provides a pathway to higher degree by research courses and other postgraduate coursework programs.
Fees and charges
Fees and charges vary depending on your course, the type of fee place you hold, your commencement year, the units you choose and your study load.
Tuition fees increase at the beginning of each calendar year and all fees quoted are in Australian dollars ($AUD). Tuition fees do not include textbooks, computer equipment or software, other equipment or costs such as mandatory checks, travel and stationery.
Use the Fee estimator to see course and unit fees applicable to your course and type of place. Further information regarding tuition fees, other fees and charges, invoice due dates, withdrawal dates, payment methods is available on our Current students fees website.
Course Learning Outcomes
| Course Learning Outcomes | Graduate Learning Outcomes |
| Bachelor of Nursing |
|
| Thinks critically, analyses evidence and evaluates outcomes to inform quality nursing practice. | GLO4: Critical thinking: evaluating information using critical and analytical thinking and judgment |
| Foster effective therapeutic and professional relationships to ensure safe and quality care across the lifespan. | GLO2: Communication: using oral, written and interpersonal communication to inform, motivate and effect change. GLO7: Teamwork: working and learning with others from different disciplines and backgrounds |
| Self-manage behaviours to develop and maintain critical nursing knowledge, understanding and skills to ensure capability for practice in self and others. | GLO6: Self-management: working and learning independently, and taking responsibility for personal actions. |
| Apply nursing knowledge and capability in accordance with legal and ethical requirements to deliver comprehensive, holistic, culturally appropriate, evidence based, safe and quality care. | GLO1: Discipline-specific knowledge and capabilities: appropriate to the level of study related to a discipline or profession. GLO5: Problem solving: creating solutions to authentic (real world and ill-defined) problems |
| Use digital technologies in healthcare to locate, interpret and disseminate information and deliver quality and safe patient care. | GLO3: Digital literacy: using technologies to find, use and disseminate information. |
| Bachelor of Midwifery |
|
| Practice midwifery that is underpinned by the philosophy of woman-centred care. | GLO1: Discipline-specific knowledge and capabilities: appropriate to the level of study related to a discipline or profession. GLO2: Communication: using oral, written and interpersonal communication to inform, motivate and effect change. |
| Critically engage in a process of assessment, planning, implementation and evaluation to provide evidence-based, safe and quality care to optimise outcomes in partnership with the woman. | GLO1: Discipline-specific knowledge and capabilities: appropriate to the level of study related to a discipline or profession. GLO3: Digital literacy: using technologies to find, use and disseminate information. GLO4: Critical thinking: evaluating information using critical and analytical thinking and judgment. GLO5: Problem solving: creating solutions to authentic (real world and ill-defined) problems. |
| Be a reflective lifelong learner who is cognisant of, and actively develops and maintains their midwifery knowledge, skills and mindsets required for contemporary midwifery practice. | GLO1: Discipline-specific knowledge and capabilities: appropriate to the level of study related to a discipline or profession. GLO3: Digital literacy: using technologies to find, use and disseminate information. GLO4: Critical thinking: evaluating information using critical and analytical thinking and judgment. GLO5: Problem solving: creating solutions to authentic (real world and ill-defined) problems. GLO6: Self-management: working and learning independently, and taking responsibility for personal actions. |
| Develop sustainable, respectful partnerships that are built on collaboration, mutual trust, respect and cultural safety. | GLO2: Communication: using oral, written and interpersonal communication to inform, motivate and effect change. GLO8: Global citizenship: engaging ethically and productively in the professional context, and with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples as well as diverse communities and cultures in a global context. |
| Foster effective professional relationships to ensure safe and quality care. | GLO2: Communication: using oral, written and interpersonal communication to inform, motivate and effect change. GLO6: Self-management: working and learning independently, and taking responsibility for personal actions. GLO7: Teamwork: working and learning with others from different disciplines and backgrounds. GLO8: Global citizenship: engaging ethically and productively in the professional context, and with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples as well as diverse communities and cultures in a global context. |
Course rules
To complete the Bachelor of Nursing/Bachelor of Midwifery students must attain 32 credit points which includes 21 credit points that are in the Bachelor of Nursing and 11 credit points that are specific to Midwifery.
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.
All commencing Faculty of Health Undergraduate and Postgraduate course work students are required to complete HAI010 Academic Integrity in their first trimester of study (0 credit point compulsory unit).
Students are required to meet the University's academic progress and conduct requirements.
Course structure
Burwood and Waterfront Campus
Course structure for students who commenced in 2022 onwards. Students who commenced prior to 2022 should refer to previous online Handbooks or contact a Student Adviser in Student Central.
Level 1 - Trimester 1
| HAI010 | Academic Integrity (0 credit points) |
| HBS109 | Introduction to Anatomy and Physiology |
| HNN108 | Evidence-Based Practice |
| HNN112 | Quality and Safety: Nursing Practice 1 |
| HNN120 | Quality and Safety in Health Care 1 |
Level 1 - Trimester 2
| HNN104 | Care of the Child and Adolescent |
| HNN114 | Person-Centred Health Assessment |
| HNN124 | Quality and Safety: Nursing Practice 2 |
| HNM109 | Partnerships in Midwifery 1: Pregnancy Care |
Level 2 - Trimester 1
| HNN215 | Quality Use of Medicines |
| HNN227 | Acute Illness and Supportive Care |
| HNM210 | Partnerships in Midwifery 2: Labour and Birth Care |
Level 2 - Trimester 2
| HNN154 | Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples' History, Culture and Health |
| HNN222 | Mental Health and Supportive Care |
| HNM211 | Partnerships in Midwifery 3: Postnatal Care |
Level 3 - Trimester 1
| HNN329 | Chronic Illness and Supportive Care |
| HNM322 | Complex Midwifery Care |
Level 3 - Trimester 2
| HNN301 | Mental Health and Wellbeing |
| HNM323 | Neonatal Challenges in Midwifery Practice |
| HNM330 | Quality and Safety: Midwifery Practice 1 |
Level 4 - Trimester 1
| HNN217 | Primary Health Care |
| HNN318 | Care of the Older Person |
| HNM331 | Quality and Safety: Midwifery Practice 2 |
| HNM333 | Emergency Midwifery Care |
Level 4 - Trimester 2
| HNN320 | Quality and Safety in Health Care 2 |
| HNN325 | Quality and Safety: Comprehensive Nursing Practice |
| HNM334 | Contemporary Midwifery Practice |
Warrnambool Campus
Course structure for students who commenced in 2022 onwards. Students who commenced prior to 2022 should refer to previous online Handbooks and consult your course enrolment officer.
Level 1 - Trimester 1
| HAI010 | Academic Integrity (0 credit points) |
| HBS109 | Introduction to Anatomy and Physiology |
| HNN108 | Evidence-Based Practice |
| HNN112 | Quality and Safety: Nursing Practice 1 |
| HNN120 | Quality and Safety in Health Care 1 |
Level 1 - Trimester 2
| HNN104 | Care of the Child and Adolescent |
| HNN114 | Person-Centred Health Assessment |
| HNN124 | Quality and Safety: Nursing Practice 2 |
| HNM109 | Partnerships in Midwifery 1: Pregnancy Care |
Level 2 - Trimester 1
| HNN217 | Primary Health Care |
| HNN222 | Mental Health and Supportive Care |
| HNM210 | Partnerships in Midwifery 2: Labour and Birth Care |
Level 2 - Trimester 2
| HNN215 | Quality Use of Medicines |
| HNN227 | Acute Illness and Supportive Care |
| HNM211 | Partnerships in Midwifery 3: Postnatal Care |
Level 3 - Trimester 1
| HNN329 | Chronic Illness and Supportive Care |
| HNM322 | Complex Midwifery Care |
Level 3 - Trimester 2
| HNN301 | Mental Health and Wellbeing |
| HNM323 | Neonatal Challenges in Midwifery Practice |
| HNM330 | Quality and Safety: Midwifery Practice 1 |
Level 4 - Trimester 1
| HNN154 | Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples' History, Culture and Health |
| HNN318 | Care of the Older Person |
| HNM331 | Quality and Safety: Midwifery Practice 2 |
| HNM333 | Emergency Midwifery Care |
*** Note: HNN154 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander People's History, Culture and Health is NOT available to enrol in Trimester 1. Please speak to a Student Advisor to assist with your enrolment into this unit for either Trimester 2 or Trimester 3 in years 1 or 2.
Level 4 - Trimester 2
| HNN320 | Quality and Safety in Health Care 2 |
| HNN325 | Quality and Safety: Comprehensive Nursing Practice |
| HNM334 | Contemporary Midwifery Practice |
Professional Experience Placements
Clinical practice
Clinical placements are conducted throughout your course beginning in Trimester 1 of your first year. This early exposure to the clinical environment gives you extensive opportunities to develop clinical skills under the supervision of registered nurses and registered midwives and enables you to experience being part of a multidisciplinary health care team. You will gain clinical skills in a variety of settings including acute/sub-acute care, medical and surgical care, paediatrics, aged care, rehabilitation, community nursing and mental health nursing. Midwifery clinical experiences include all areas of midwifery practice, including pregnancy care, labour and birth, postnatal care and neonatal special care. These may be undertaken in hospitals and community health care centres in metropolitan, rural and regional areas.
There is an expectation that you will be available to undertake clinical practicum outside of trimester dates. All expenses associated with clinical placements are your own responsibility.
Course duration - additional information
Course duration may be affected by delays in completing course requirements, such as failing of units or completing clinical placements.
Further information
Student Central can help you with course planning, choosing the right units and explaining course rules and requirements.
- Contact Student Central
Third party arrangements
Student Placement Agreements exist between Deakin University, School of Nursing and Midwifery and Clinical Placement Providers and are generally revised every 3-5 years.
Quality assurance arrangements
Deakin, School of Nursing and Midwifery provides training through facilitator and preceptorship workshops. Unit Chairs provide regular clinical support to facilitators whilst students are on placements.