Bachelor of Nursing/Bachelor of Midwifery
Course code/s: Melbourne (HZNM)
Course Duration: 4 years full-time
The Bachelor of Nursing/Bachelor of Midwifery is a four-year, full-time, 480 credit point pass degree leading to registration as a Registered Nurse (Division 1) and Registered Midwife with the Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia (NMBA). Graduates of this course will also meet the University and Faculty of Health Sciences graduate capabilities. The course is offered at the Melbourne campus only.
The course is designed to:
- prepare graduates to assume practice roles in a broad range of health care settings – midwifery and nursing;
- provide graduates with the theoretical preparation, public speaking ability, and presentation and negotiation skills to enable them to assume future leadership roles in the health care system;
- provide graduates with an in-depth understanding of the roles of the midwife and nurse in social change and to be capable of taking a politically informed stance to support health for all.
The Nursing and Midwifery studies are integrated in such a way that students who decide not to pursue the midwifery pathway during the four-year program will need to withdraw from it and re-enrol in the Bachelor of Nursing. There is no capacity to pursue a midwifery only qualification.
Professional recognition
Graduates seeking registration must apply with the Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia (NMBA). Graduates must meet the Board's registration standards. Please note the NMBA has set an English Language Skills standard of IELTS 7 in each of the four components - listening, reading, writing and speaking. For further information about these requirements, please visit the NMBA website. After registration, graduates may be eligible for registration in other countries as well as membership of the Royal College of Nursing Australia and the Australian College of Midwives.
Course structure
The program timetable offers a combination of teaching modes, including block, online and enquiry based learning. There are clinical placements for both Nursing and Midwifery in each year of the course. Clinical requirements are embedded within the nursing and midwifery subjects and must be achieved prior to completion of the program.
Clinical experience
Nursing and Midwifery practicum subjects are offered throughout the course to complement theory and to establish skill competency. To meet the registration requirements of the NMBA, students must satisfactorily achieve a range of competencies in the area of clinical practice. Clinical placements may be required in a range of metropolitan, rural and interstate settings, and are undertaken either as single days or as a block experience of single to multiple weeks. Clinical placements may be undertaken outside of semester and normal business hours.
Clinical requirements
Prior to commencing clinical placements, students are required to produce evidence of completion of:
- First Aid Level II Certificate
- Immunisation requirements
- National Police Certificate
- Working With Children Check
First year
| Teaching period | Subject code | Subject title | Credit points |
|---|---|---|---|
| TE-SEM-1 | HBS1HBA | Human Biosciences A | 15 |
| TE-SEM-1 | HLT1IPA | Interprofessional Practice A (midwifery tutorials plus one day of observation) | 15 |
| TE-SEM-1 | HLT1PHW | Perspectives on Health and Wellbeing | 15 |
| TE-SEM-1 | PHE1IDH | Individual Determinants of Health | 15 |
| TE-SEM-2 | HBS1HBB | Human Biosciences B | 15 |
| TE-SEM-2 | HLT1IPB | Interprofessional Practice B | 15 |
| TE-SEM-2 | PHE1SDH | Social Determinants of Health | 15 |
| TE-SEM-2 | NSG1ENC | Essential Nursing Care | 15 |
| TE-W11-43 | MID1PRE | Pregnancy Care | 15 |
Second year
| Teaching period | Subject code | Subject title | Credit points |
|---|---|---|---|
| TE-SEM-1 | NSG2ACA | Acute Care A | 30 |
| TE-SEM-1 | NSG2MIN | Medications in Nursing | 15 |
| TE-SEM-1 | NSG2CAD | Clinical Assessment & Decisions | 15 |
| TE-SEM-1 | MID2NLB | Normal Labour & Birth | 15 |
| TE-W30-44 | NSG2MHN | Mental Health Nursing | 15 |
| TE-SEM-2 | MID2PNC | Postnatal Care | 30 |
Third year
| Teaching period | Subject code | Subject title | Credit points |
|---|---|---|---|
| TE-SEM-1 | NSG3PTN | Professional Transitions in Nursing | 15 |
| TE-SEM-1 | MID3NEO | Neonatal Midwifery Practice | 30 |
| TE-W30-44 | NSG2ACB | Acute Care B | 30 |
| TE-SEM-2 | NSG3MCC | Managing Chronic Conditions | 15 |
| TE-SEM-2 | MID3CPR | Complex Pregnancy | 15 |
| TE-SEM-2 | NSG3CIN | Challenging Interactions in Nursing | 15 |
Fourth year
| Teaching period | Subject code | Subject title | Credit points |
|---|---|---|---|
| TE-SEM-1 | NSG3CCN | Complex Care Nursing | 30 |
| TE-SEM-1 | MID4CBA | Complex Birth A | 30 |
| TE-SEM-2 | NSG4NCP | Nursing Practice Consolidation | 15 |
| TE-SEM-2 | MID4CBB | Complex Birth B | 30 |
Please note that the teaching period in which a subject is offered may change.