This unit of study is designed to provide students with an introductory level understanding of the concepts related to human anatomy and physiology. The unit will focus on the major body organ systems and the interrelationship between these systems. The integration of the body organ systems will provide a basis to explore processes fundamental to health, including oxygenation, metabolism, elimination, movement, neuro-endocrine regulation, protection, and reproduction. The key physiological processes of each body organ system will be explored using the principle of homeostasis to develop a beginner's level understanding of compensatory mechanisms that may occur during alterations of physiological function and illness. This will provide students with a foundational basis with which to understand more complex physiological alterations and pathophysiology later in the degree.

Health assessment of individuals, families and groups is the foundation of accurate nursing judgements and is a process that occurs with each nurse-patient encounter. This represents the first two steps in the nursing assessment process of the Framework for Practice Thinking. In this unit of study, the student will be introduced to the theoretical and practical aspects of health assessment. Ways in which holistic assessment assists in making clinical judgements that form the basis for comprehensive care planning, implementing and evaluating nursing care will be addressed. Processes and mechanisms to collect physiological, psychosocial, developmental, sociocultural and spiritual data, in both objective and subjective forms, will be explored. Students’ skills in the use of health assessment tools will be introduced and developed.

Population Health provides a broad perspective of the health of Australian contemporary society. This unit of study introduces students to the cultural, socioeconomic, environmental and biological determinants of health and their intersection with the individual. Students will develop their understanding of population health through an exploration of the frameworks of health that address health inequalities between and within population groups. Understanding the patterns and distribution of disease is critical to understanding the relationship between the social determinants of health and population health outcomes and students will critically reflect on population health data to guide evidence-based practice and to identify issues of access, social inclusion and equity within contemporary Australian society.
Students will develop their ability to critically assess epidemiological evidence and how this informs nursing practice at a local, national and global level. This unit will introduce the philosophy of Primary Health Care as a framework to guide the promotion of health and prevention of illness, according to the principles of equity, social justice, access and empowerment of individuals and communities. The unit also introduces students to the concept of cultural safety and the evolution of this approach to nursing practice. Throughout this unit there is an emphasis on the interrelationship between the individual and their environment.

This unit of study explores nursing from historical, theoretical, professional, ethical and legal perspectives. It aims to develop knowledge and mindful action in nursing practice by introducing students to the Framework for Practice Thinking, the Fundamentals of Care framework and the concept of partnering with patients in their own care. An understanding of the role of the nurse in the provision of comprehensive care across different contexts, the importance of interprofessional collaboration and the principles underpinning the safe practice of nursing, including evidence-based practice and infection control will be introduced. The unit will also address the role of digital health technology in the provision of safe, quality healthcare. Furthermore, students will be prepared with the communication skills required to enable effective partnerships with patients across the lifespan and in the context of cultural and social diversity.

In this unit of study students will explore the pathogenesis of human disease. Using a systems-based approach, the pathophysiology of common illnesses observed in the clinical setting will be examined. This will be studied in the context of the mechanisms that maintain homeostatic control of body processes. The topics of oxygenation, protection/immunity, metabolism, neuro-endocrine regulation, and elimination will be explored in the context of disease and disorders associated with these processes. This will extend students' understandings of complex physiological alterations and pathophysiology.

This unit of study uses a blended-learning format to focus on the different ways in which individuals subjectively experience health, illness and care across the lifespan. Attention will be drawn to factors arising in illness and lived experiences, such as issues of self-identity and biographical disruption. Social attitudes to illness and mental health issues including stigma and discrimination, and how these can impact on the individual experience will also be explored. With this knowledge, the nurse-patient, nurse-family/carer relationships and the culture of nursing will be critically examined in terms of the impact on the care of people who come from diverse social and cultural backgrounds and age groups, as partners in their own care. These include Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, people from low-socioeconomic backgrounds, people from diverse cultural backgrounds and people living with mental health issues or dementia.
Person-centred and family/carer and community centred frameworks of care will be explored. Central to these are an understanding of emotional intelligence, cultural safety, therapeutic communication, compassion and empathy, and the application of these in clinical nursing practice to respond to patients, families, carers and communities experiencing illness, distress or hardship. Communication and shared decision-making in interdisciplinary healthcare teams will be addressed. Students will also consider theories and approaches to managing conflict in nurse-patient or nurse-family/carer relationships.

This unit of study builds on the knowledge and understanding developed in NURS1003 Population Health and develops students’ understanding of research within the context of nursing, health and healthcare. Research plays a significant role in advancing nursing theory and practice. An understanding of the relationship between research and evidence for practice is based on developing a foundational knowledge of the context, the process, and the translation of research to nursing, health and healthcare. Students will explore these dimensions of research, developing their research skills, critical appraisal ability and knowledge that can be applied to all other units of study in this course.

This unit of study will examine the integration of theoretical and clinical aspects of nursing knowledge to enable the provision of comprehensive care to acutely ill patients. From a person and consumer care perspective, the responses of individuals and their families to an acute deterioration in health will be explored. The content of this unit relates to medical-surgical nursing and focuses on the themes of disruptions to health, the impact of illness and surgery, and the process of nursing care especially in the peri-operative phase for individuals and their families. Clinical governance relating to legal, ethical and professional responsibilities and nursing actions regarding treatment, surgery, medication administration and digital health technology, are also examined.

In this unit of study students will develop an understanding of basic pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics principles including the relationship between molecular structure and drug activity, drug absorption, distribution, metabolism and elimination in the body. The relationship between kinetics and dynamic characteristics and drug use will also be explored. Students will start to examine the therapeutic use of medications in nursing practice for the treatment and comprehensive care of patients with common conditions. In tutorial and workshop sessions, students will be provided with an opportunity to apply the underlying principles of pharmacology to their nursing practice by learning to:
- Search and use evidence-based drug information sources for relevant therapeutic information;
- Apply and integrate evidence-based pharmacological information to simple case studies to optimise quality use of medicine and
- Explore the clinical governance, legal, ethical and professional requirements associated with the quality use of medicines in nursing practice.

This unit of study builds on the knowledge and understanding acquired by students in the first-year unit, NURS1003 Population Health. It critically examines contemporary theories and discourses about health, illness and care in Australia. These include biomedical and social models, sick-role theory and the consumer rights movement, primary health care and community partnership models, patient empowerment and self-management. Students will analyse, in depth, the relationships between social determinants of health – socioeconomic status, race and ethnicity, gender, sexuality, culture, colonisation, climate change and place of living – and patterns of health and illness across the lifespan. With this knowledge in mind, students will explore theories and practices of cultural competence, including cultural safety and respect and develop the cultural capabilities to provide care to people from diverse social and cultural backgrounds in Australia.

This is a multidisciplinary unit taught by the Sydney Pharmacy School. This unit builds on the foundations of pharmacology that were taught in NURS2001 Pharmacology and Therapeutics 1. The unit extends the fundamental pharmacological knowledge and concepts previously acquired to explore the use of pharmacotherapy and how drugs affect the body in health and disease across the lifespan.This unit will examine the use of therapeutic agents acting upon the central nervous, endocrine, cardiovascular and respiratory systems as well as exploring use of complementary therapies and recreational drugs. Throughout the unit students will consider the role of pharmacotherapy, the use of individual agents including mechanism of action, interactions, adverse reactions and practice principles associated with each agent in the nursing context. Students will be provided with an opportunity to apply the underlying principles of pharmacology to nursing practice. By integrating evidence-based pharmacological knowledge to case studies they will learn to optimise safe medication management.

This unit of study will provide students with the opportunity to explore ageing and the experience of ageing from a multidimensional stance including biological, physiological, social, cultural, spiritual, environmental perspectives. Healthy ageing is an important goal for Australian society and the global population, and within the unit, healthcare priorities to address the changing needs of an ageing population will be examined. Challenges for achieving healthy ageing, including inequality, health, and social and cultural diversity, will be explored. Common health problems associated with ageing such as chronic respiratory diseases, cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases, neurological and cognitive disorders, and musculoskeletal disease will be examined as well as the impact of comorbidity on healthy ageing. The role of nurses working with interprofessional teams, in the provision of health promotion and evidence- based comprehensive care for older people from diverse social and cultural backgrounds will also be addressed.

This unit of study introduces students to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health. Students will explore and reflect on historical and policy factors that have influenced differences in health outcomes for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders and non-Indigenous Australians. Students will explore the most significant social determinants of health as these relate to the health of Australian Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander populations. The subject includes introduction to key terminology, concepts and skills that can enable students to engage in respectful and culturally safe health care with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Australians. Students will reflect on the diverse social, economic, cultural and political perspectives and issues related to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Australians and how such elements intersect with health service delivery.

This unit of study is based on the understanding that well-being is a multifaceted construct composed of various elements related to physical and mental health, as well as social determinants of health. Most people will experience challenges to their well-being during their lifetime, and almost half the population will experience a mental health issue at some point. This unit of study addresses the principle that knowledge of psychosocial well-being and mental health is essential for all nurses, regardless of their practice setting or the populations with whom they work. The unit is underpinned by a biopsychosocial approach, incorporates a well-being framework and is informed by the determinants of health. Students will be introduced to the broad construct of well-being while also exploring mental health and mental health issues across the lifespan (perinatal, child and adolescent, adult, older person), and in relation to different cultural groups (e.g. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples; CALD groups). Using the context of a whole-person and network/community in partnership approach, students will explore the role of the nurse in promoting well-being and mental health and supporting people to manage the effects of compromised mental health. Promotion of and threats to well-being broadly, and mental health more specifically, are also explored through healthcare principles and practices related to quality and safety and co-design. Students will develop understanding about the elements of wellbeing, including mental health, and how to promote them. They will also develop foundation knowledge about the characteristics of a range of mental health issues and conditions hand will become informed about practices to support people in their recovery. Students will learn about and practice core clinical skills that will prepare them to provide well-being focused and culturally safe nursing care. These skills include effective interpersonal communication with people across the life span, culturally safe interactions with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and people from diverse cultural backgrounds, and development of therapeutic relationships.

This practice-focused unit of study is the second mental health nursing unit in the BN(AS) program and builds on the foundational knowledge and skills gained in NURS2009 Promoting Well-being and Mental Health. Using a scaffolded approach, this unit provides students with an opportunity to extend their understanding of mental health problems and to explore a range of complex mental health issues across the lifespan. The mental health needs of specific populations are explored, including infants, children, adolescents and older persons. Issues inherent to perinatal and maternal mental health are also examined. A focus on therapeutic approaches used in mental health, including specific individual and group evidence-based interventions, will provide students with the opportunity to further develop their knowledge and skills in this area. The unit aims to strengthen students' fundamental knowledge and skills to ensure they are well equipped to provide evidence-based interventions and contribute to service developments that promote socially inclusive mental healthcare for individuals, families and communities. Comprehensive and holistic approaches that will be examined include recovery focused and supportive interventions, in which nurses partner with consumers to enable them to take control of their own mental health and wellbeing.

Central to this unit of study is the concept of self-management of chronic conditions and the principles and practices that support such management. The overall framework of the unit of study is the patient as partner approach, although a range of other frameworks for improving care of people with chronic conditions will be also explored. The unit focuses on the role that nurses play in partnering with consumers who are living in the community with chronic conditions. The role of nurses in health promotion and early intervention within an interdisciplinary team will be explored. A lifespan approach will be used when discussing the occurrence of chronic conditions in the community and strategies that make self-management interventions sustainable for individuals from diverse social and cultural backgrounds will be examined. Students will learn about the most common chronic conditions and co-morbidities in the Australian population and the diverse range of factors and social determinants of health that increase the likelihood of people developing chronic conditions. The management of common chronic co-morbidities among Aboriginal and Torres Strait people will also be addressed. The unit also recognises that for effective management of chronic conditions there is a need for clinical governance, safety and quality systems. This includes the use of digital health technology to facilitate effective communication across multiple settings within the healthcare system.

This unit of study introduces students to the concept of critical care nursing and the impact critical illness has on those close to the ill, injured or recovering person. Critical care nurses are often required to function in an environment that is high stress and to provide care for patients whose clinical instability is often life threatening. Whilst focusing on the adult patient who is critically unstable, this unit concentrates on efficient nursing assessment, diagnosis and nursing interventions required as well as the importance of an interdisciplinary approach for comprehensive care. Documentation and communication for safety are essential elements that will be a focus of this unit. Clinical application of theoretical content will include pathophysiology, pharmacology and management modalities. As the critical care environment contains many forms of technology that aid the care of these patient, this unit will explore the role of digital health technology in the continuous monitoring of critical care patients, recognising and responding to acute deterioration, and the importance of using assessment data to guide ongoing care planning.

This unit of study examines the major concepts and principles of community health nursing based on primary health care principles. It draws on public health concepts to focus on health promotion/illness prevention, community assessment and management of public health problems using epidemiological concepts integral to community health nursing. The nurse’s role in disease outbreak investigation and screening is also explored. The primary health care principles also inform community nursing practice to focus on individual, family and home assessment and case management. Increasingly complex and chronic health conditions are being managed in the community and concepts of patients as partners, self-management and collaborative care are integrated into the unit. Approaches to the provision of nursing care for people of all ages with acute, chronic, or life-threatening illness in settings where they live will be critiqued. Particular attention is given to the home visit process: its therapeutic nature, communication skills, and clinical governance regarding ethical and safety issues.
Students will undertake a community assessment using a 'community profile' approach. This approach will be extended to explore and plan for the health needs of communities who experience health and social disparities including people living in rural and remote areas, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, people living with physical, intellectual or psychiatric disabilities, minority cultural groups, and the homeless. Professional experience placements in the community setting afford students the opportunity to consolidate and integrate theoretical knowledge and community nursing practice.

This unit of study focuses on the meaning and management of life-limiting illness, palliation and end-of-life care. Recognising that palliative care is a concept of care that is relevant in many different healthcare contexts, students undertaking this unit will examine the use of a palliative approach together with end-of-life care, in the community and across a variety of healthcare settings. A lifespan approach with an emphasis on person-centred care and the importance of effective communication in managing life-limiting conditions will be used, and the notion of dignity as a core component of the nurse’s therapeutic relationship with patients and their families explored.
The most common life-limiting conditions will be identified and evidence-based best practice guidelines for palliation and symptom management used both nationally and internationally will be examined. The role nurses play as members of the interdisciplinary healthcare team delivering person-centred care, and their relationships with patients, families as partners in care will also be addressed in this unit. Students will also explore the concepts of dying, death, loss, grief and bereavement from different cultural and social perspective.

This unit of study takes a big-picture perspective to explore the political dimensions of health and healthcare in the Australian context. It focuses on the ways in which political imperatives influence conceptualisations of health and illness, and the organisation and delivery of healthcare. Students will be introduced to the key structural and funding components of the Australian healthcare system, their interrelationships and implications for the way care is conceptualised and delivered in Australia. This unit is designed to enhance awareness and understanding of ways in which the health care system can both facilitate and limit access to health care for particular population groups, providing a focus on access and equity issues that contribute to patient experiences and their health outcomes.
The unit will critically compare the Australian system with other national health-care systems to develop students’ understanding of how the Australian system is situated, and perceived, internationally. Workforce issues will be explored, including the various roles of healthcare professionals and the ways in which these roles, and associated inter-professional relationships, may change over time. There is a focus on developing students' ability to critically assess current issues and challenges facing the Australian health system, including pressures for reform. Throughout the unit, there is an emphasis on nursing as a critically important profession within the broader healthcare arena.

Due to the complexity and ever-changing nature of our healthcare systems, errors can and do occur. Because of this, and the recognised vulnerability of our patients, nursing is a highly regulated profession that is bound by laws, codes, rules, policies, guidelines and standards. This unit of study is designed to facilitate in students a comprehensive understanding of how nursing practice is regulated and how, through clinical governance and quality and safety frameworks, we endeavour to deliver safe, high quality care to our patients. Students will reflect on their understanding of leadership in nursing practice and subsequently gain a deeper understanding of its inherent role in delivering safe, high quality health care. During the unit, students will explore the importance of clinical leadership “at the bedside” as they prepare for their future roles as registered nurses.

This unit of study introduces students to children and young peoples' nursing. Essential skills and knowledge required for paediatric, child and youth health nursing across a variety of clinical and community settings will prepare students for critical thinking and problem solving within this field. The content of the unit focuses on contemporary issues impacting the health of children, young people, and their families. In doing so, students will be provided with the opportunity to examine interventions and strategies aimed at improving health outcomes.

This final semester unit of study prepares students for the realities of nursing work, focusing on best nursing practice and the decision-making skills required to care for multiple patients with complex care needs. Students will build on and consolidate theoretical and practical knowledge gained from other units in the degree program and will have the opportunity to think critically about the clinical, social and organisational complexities they will face as registered nurses. A critical enquiry approach will be used to identify contextual factors that influence decision making in the context of contemporary practice and health service delivery. Students will explore critical issues and challenges affecting nursing practice and healthcare. These include the rate, pace and scope of change in contemporary health care settings, most common 'ways of working' in nursing today, the challenge of integrating high levels of automation with person centred care, the impact of the digital revolution and emerging artificial intelligence, the complexities of interdisciplinary teamwork in highly charged work environments, the increasing emphasis on patient self-management and associated role of family carers and supporters, and the importance of discharge planning, prioritisation and patient advocacy. Underpinning the unit is a framework that places the patient and their family front and centre whatever the setting, recognising them as partners in care and incorporating appropriate communication, time management and critical reflection strategies.

This unit of study provides students with an opportunity to focus on a clinical area of interest, consolidate prior learning, and develop their knowledge and nursing practice expertise. Students will have the opportunity to choose from a range of clinical specialties such as aged care, palliative care, mental health, perioperative, high acuity, and paediatrics, in which undertake a professional experience placement. A patient as partner approach will be used to guide the teaching and learning strategies. Focusing on a different speciality of nursing practice, each tutorial will utilise patient-based scenarios to enable students to apply their knowledge required to assess, plan, implement and evaluate the comprehensive care and management of a deteriorating patient. Application of theoretical content will then be practiced in the clinical simulation laboratories. The unit will also address students' preparation for making the transition into the workforce by examining issues including codes of professional conduct and ethics; standards for registered nurses, enrolled nurses, midwives and nurse practitioners, professional boundaries, legal frameworks for practice and decision- making frameworks. Other issues such as time management, prioritisation and delegation of care and effective management of self within teams and in the workplace will also be explored.

This unit of study is designed to provide students with an introductory level understanding of the concepts related to human anatomy and physiology. The unit will focus on the major body organ systems and the interrelationship between these systems. The integration of the body organ systems will provide a basis to explore processes fundamental to health, including oxygenation, metabolism, elimination, movement, neuro-endocrine regulation, protection, and reproduction. The key physiological processes of each body organ system will be explored using the principle of homeostasis to develop a beginner's level understanding of compensatory mechanisms that may occur during alterations of physiological function and illness. This will provide students with a foundational basis with which to understand more complex physiological alterations and pathophysiology later in the degree.

This unit of study explores nursing from historical, theoretical, professional, ethical and legal perspectives. It aims to develop knowledge and mindful action in nursing practice by introducing students to the Framework for Practice Thinking, the Fundamentals of Care framework and the concept of partnering with patients in their own care. An understanding of the role of the nurse in the provision of comprehensive care across different contexts, the importance of interprofessional collaboration and the principles underpinning the safe practice of nursing, including evidence-based practice and infection control will be introduced. The unit will also address the role of digital health technology in the provision of safe, quality healthcare. Furthermore, students will be prepared with the communication skills required to enable effective partnerships with patients across the lifespan and in the context of cultural and social diversity.

In this unit of study students will explore the pathogenesis of human disease. Using a systems-based approach, the pathophysiology of common illnesses observed in the clinical setting will be examined. This will be studied in the context of the mechanisms that maintain homeostatic control of body processes. The topics of oxygenation, protection/immunity, metabolism, neuro-endocrine regulation, and elimination will be explored in the context of disease and disorders associated with these processes. This will extend students' understandings of complex physiological alterations and pathophysiology.

This unit of study builds on the knowledge and understanding developed in NURS1003 Population Health and develops students’ understanding of research within the context of nursing, health and healthcare. Research plays a significant role in advancing nursing theory and practice. An understanding of the relationship between research and evidence for practice is based on developing a foundational knowledge of the context, the process, and the translation of research to nursing, health and healthcare. Students will explore these dimensions of research, developing their research skills, critical appraisal ability and knowledge that can be applied to all other units of study in this course.

Health assessment of individuals, families and groups is the foundation of accurate nursing judgements and is a process that occurs with each nurse-patient encounter. This represents the first two steps in the nursing assessment process of the Framework for Practice Thinking. In this unit of study, the student will be introduced to the theoretical and practical aspects of health assessment. Ways in which holistic assessment assists in making clinical judgements that form the basis for comprehensive care planning, implementing and evaluating nursing care will be addressed. Processes and mechanisms to collect physiological, psychosocial, developmental, sociocultural and spiritual data, in both objective and subjective forms, will be explored. Students’ skills in the use of health assessment tools will be introduced and developed.

Population Health provides a broad perspective of the health of Australian contemporary society. This unit of study introduces students to the cultural, socioeconomic, environmental and biological determinants of health and their intersection with the individual. Students will develop their understanding of population health through an exploration of the frameworks of health that address health inequalities between and within population groups. Understanding the patterns and distribution of disease is critical to understanding the relationship between the social determinants of health and population health outcomes and students will critically reflect on population health data to guide evidence-based practice and to identify issues of access, social inclusion and equity within contemporary Australian society.
Students will develop their ability to critically assess epidemiological evidence and how this informs nursing practice at a local, national and global level. This unit will introduce the philosophy of Primary Health Care as a framework to guide the promotion of health and prevention of illness, according to the principles of equity, social justice, access and empowerment of individuals and communities. The unit also introduces students to the concept of cultural safety and the evolution of this approach to nursing practice. Throughout this unit there is an emphasis on the interrelationship between the individual and their environment.

This unit of study uses a blended-learning format to focus on the different ways in which individuals subjectively experience health, illness and care across the lifespan. Attention will be drawn to factors arising in illness and lived experiences, such as issues of self-identity and biographical disruption. Social attitudes to illness and mental health issues including stigma and discrimination, and how these can impact on the individual experience will also be explored. With this knowledge, the nurse-patient, nurse-family/carer relationships and the culture of nursing will be critically examined in terms of the impact on the care of people who come from diverse social and cultural backgrounds and age groups, as partners in their own care. These include Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, people from low-socioeconomic backgrounds, people from diverse cultural backgrounds and people living with mental health issues or dementia.
Person-centred and family/carer and community centred frameworks of care will be explored. Central to these are an understanding of emotional intelligence, cultural safety, therapeutic communication, compassion and empathy, and the application of these in clinical nursing practice to respond to patients, families, carers and communities experiencing illness, distress or hardship. Communication and shared decision-making in interdisciplinary healthcare teams will be addressed. Students will also consider theories and approaches to managing conflict in nurse-patient or nurse-family/carer relationships.

This unit of study will examine the integration of theoretical and clinical aspects of nursing knowledge to enable the provision of comprehensive care to acutely ill patients. From a person and consumer care perspective, the responses of individuals and their families to an acute deterioration in health will be explored. The content of this unit relates to medical-surgical nursing and focuses on the themes of disruptions to health, the impact of illness and surgery, and the process of nursing care especially in the peri-operative phase for individuals and their families. Clinical governance relating to legal, ethical and professional responsibilities and nursing actions regarding treatment, surgery, medication administration and digital health technology, are also examined.

In this unit of study students will develop an understanding of basic pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics principles including the relationship between molecular structure and drug activity, drug absorption, distribution, metabolism and elimination in the body. The relationship between kinetics and dynamic characteristics and drug use will also be explored. Students will start to examine the therapeutic use of medications in nursing practice for the treatment and comprehensive care of patients with common conditions. In tutorial and workshop sessions, students will be provided with an opportunity to apply the underlying principles of pharmacology to their nursing practice by learning to:
- Search and use evidence-based drug information sources for relevant therapeutic information;
- Apply and integrate evidence-based pharmacological information to simple case studies to optimise quality use of medicine and
- Explore the clinical governance, legal, ethical and professional requirements associated with the quality use of medicines in nursing practice.

This unit of study builds on the knowledge and understanding acquired by students in the first-year unit, NURS1003 Population Health. It critically examines contemporary theories and discourses about health, illness and care in Australia. These include biomedical and social models, sick-role theory and the consumer rights movement, primary health care and community partnership models, patient empowerment and self-management. Students will analyse, in depth, the relationships between social determinants of health – socioeconomic status, race and ethnicity, gender, sexuality, culture, colonisation, climate change and place of living – and patterns of health and illness across the lifespan. With this knowledge in mind, students will explore theories and practices of cultural competence, including cultural safety and respect and develop the cultural capabilities to provide care to people from diverse social and cultural backgrounds in Australia.

This is a multidisciplinary unit taught by the Sydney Pharmacy School. This unit builds on the foundations of pharmacology that were taught in NURS2001 Pharmacology and Therapeutics 1. The unit extends the fundamental pharmacological knowledge and concepts previously acquired to explore the use of pharmacotherapy and how drugs affect the body in health and disease across the lifespan.This unit will examine the use of therapeutic agents acting upon the central nervous, endocrine, cardiovascular and respiratory systems as well as exploring use of complementary therapies and recreational drugs. Throughout the unit students will consider the role of pharmacotherapy, the use of individual agents including mechanism of action, interactions, adverse reactions and practice principles associated with each agent in the nursing context. Students will be provided with an opportunity to apply the underlying principles of pharmacology to nursing practice. By integrating evidence-based pharmacological knowledge to case studies they will learn to optimise safe medication management.

This unit of study introduces students to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health. Students will explore and reflect on historical and policy factors that have influenced differences in health outcomes for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders and non-Indigenous Australians. Students will explore the most significant social determinants of health as these relate to the health of Australian Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander populations. The subject includes introduction to key terminology, concepts and skills that can enable students to engage in respectful and culturally safe health care with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Australians. Students will reflect on the diverse social, economic, cultural and political perspectives and issues related to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Australians and how such elements intersect with health service delivery.

This unit of study will provide students with the opportunity to explore ageing and the experience of ageing from a multidimensional stance including biological, physiological, social, cultural, spiritual, environmental perspectives. Healthy ageing is an important goal for Australian society and the global population, and within the unit, healthcare priorities to address the changing needs of an ageing population will be examined. Challenges for achieving healthy ageing, including inequality, health, and social and cultural diversity, will be explored. Common health problems associated with ageing such as chronic respiratory diseases, cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases, neurological and cognitive disorders, and musculoskeletal disease will be examined as well as the impact of comorbidity on healthy ageing. The role of nurses working with interprofessional teams, in the provision of health promotion and evidence- based comprehensive care for older people from diverse social and cultural backgrounds will also be addressed.

This unit of study is based on the understanding that well-being is a multifaceted construct composed of various elements related to physical and mental health, as well as social determinants of health. Most people will experience challenges to their well-being during their lifetime, and almost half the population will experience a mental health issue at some point. This unit of study addresses the principle that knowledge of psychosocial well-being and mental health is essential for all nurses, regardless of their practice setting or the populations with whom they work. The unit is underpinned by a biopsychosocial approach, incorporates a well-being framework and is informed by the determinants of health. Students will be introduced to the broad construct of well-being while also exploring mental health and mental health issues across the lifespan (perinatal, child and adolescent, adult, older person), and in relation to different cultural groups (e.g. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples; CALD groups). Using the context of a whole-person and network/community in partnership approach, students will explore the role of the nurse in promoting well-being and mental health and supporting people to manage the effects of compromised mental health. Promotion of and threats to well-being broadly, and mental health more specifically, are also explored through healthcare principles and practices related to quality and safety and co-design. Students will develop understanding about the elements of wellbeing, including mental health, and how to promote them. They will also develop foundation knowledge about the characteristics of a range of mental health issues and conditions hand will become informed about practices to support people in their recovery. Students will learn about and practice core clinical skills that will prepare them to provide well-being focused and culturally safe nursing care. These skills include effective interpersonal communication with people across the life span, culturally safe interactions with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and people from diverse cultural backgrounds, and development of therapeutic relationships.

This practice-focused unit of study is the second mental health nursing unit in the BN(AS) program and builds on the foundational knowledge and skills gained in NURS2009 Promoting Well-being and Mental Health. Using a scaffolded approach, this unit provides students with an opportunity to extend their understanding of mental health problems and to explore a range of complex mental health issues across the lifespan. The mental health needs of specific populations are explored, including infants, children, adolescents and older persons. Issues inherent to perinatal and maternal mental health are also examined. A focus on therapeutic approaches used in mental health, including specific individual and group evidence-based interventions, will provide students with the opportunity to further develop their knowledge and skills in this area. The unit aims to strengthen students' fundamental knowledge and skills to ensure they are well equipped to provide evidence-based interventions and contribute to service developments that promote socially inclusive mental healthcare for individuals, families and communities. Comprehensive and holistic approaches that will be examined include recovery focused and supportive interventions, in which nurses partner with consumers to enable them to take control of their own mental health and wellbeing.

Central to this unit of study is the concept of self-management of chronic conditions and the principles and practices that support such management. The overall framework of the unit of study is the patient as partner approach, although a range of other frameworks for improving care of people with chronic conditions will be also explored. The unit focuses on the role that nurses play in partnering with consumers who are living in the community with chronic conditions. The role of nurses in health promotion and early intervention within an interdisciplinary team will be explored. A lifespan approach will be used when discussing the occurrence of chronic conditions in the community and strategies that make self-management interventions sustainable for individuals from diverse social and cultural backgrounds will be examined. Students will learn about the most common chronic conditions and co-morbidities in the Australian population and the diverse range of factors and social determinants of health that increase the likelihood of people developing chronic conditions. The management of common chronic co-morbidities among Aboriginal and Torres Strait people will also be addressed. The unit also recognises that for effective management of chronic conditions there is a need for clinical governance, safety and quality systems. This includes the use of digital health technology to facilitate effective communication across multiple settings within the healthcare system.

This unit of study introduces students to the concept of critical care nursing and the impact critical illness has on those close to the ill, injured or recovering person. Critical care nurses are often required to function in an environment that is high stress and to provide care for patients whose clinical instability is often life threatening. Whilst focusing on the adult patient who is critically unstable, this unit concentrates on efficient nursing assessment, diagnosis and nursing interventions required as well as the importance of an interdisciplinary approach for comprehensive care. Documentation and communication for safety are essential elements that will be a focus of this unit. Clinical application of theoretical content will include pathophysiology, pharmacology and management modalities. As the critical care environment contains many forms of technology that aid the care of these patient, this unit will explore the role of digital health technology in the continuous monitoring of critical care patients, recognising and responding to acute deterioration, and the importance of using assessment data to guide ongoing care planning.

This unit of study focuses on the meaning and management of life-limiting illness, palliation and end-of-life care. Recognising that palliative care is a concept of care that is relevant in many different healthcare contexts, students undertaking this unit will examine the use of a palliative approach together with end-of-life care, in the community and across a variety of healthcare settings. A lifespan approach with an emphasis on person-centred care and the importance of effective communication in managing life-limiting conditions will be used, and the notion of dignity as a core component of the nurse’s therapeutic relationship with patients and their families explored.
The most common life-limiting conditions will be identified and evidence-based best practice guidelines for palliation and symptom management used both nationally and internationally will be examined. The role nurses play as members of the interdisciplinary healthcare team delivering person-centred care, and their relationships with patients, families as partners in care will also be addressed in this unit. Students will also explore the concepts of dying, death, loss, grief and bereavement from different cultural and social perspective.

This unit of study takes a big-picture perspective to explore the political dimensions of health and healthcare in the Australian context. It focuses on the ways in which political imperatives influence conceptualisations of health and illness, and the organisation and delivery of healthcare. Students will be introduced to the key structural and funding components of the Australian healthcare system, their interrelationships and implications for the way care is conceptualised and delivered in Australia. This unit is designed to enhance awareness and understanding of ways in which the health care system can both facilitate and limit access to health care for particular population groups, providing a focus on access and equity issues that contribute to patient experiences and their health outcomes.
The unit will critically compare the Australian system with other national health-care systems to develop students’ understanding of how the Australian system is situated, and perceived, internationally. Workforce issues will be explored, including the various roles of healthcare professionals and the ways in which these roles, and associated inter-professional relationships, may change over time. There is a focus on developing students' ability to critically assess current issues and challenges facing the Australian health system, including pressures for reform. Throughout the unit, there is an emphasis on nursing as a critically important profession within the broader healthcare arena.

This unit of study introduces students to children and young peoples' nursing. Essential skills and knowledge required for paediatric, child and youth health nursing across a variety of clinical and community settings will prepare students for critical thinking and problem solving within this field. The content of the unit focuses on contemporary issues impacting the health of children, young people, and their families. In doing so, students will be provided with the opportunity to examine interventions and strategies aimed at improving health outcomes.

This unit of study examines the major concepts and principles of community health nursing based on primary health care principles. It draws on public health concepts to focus on health promotion/illness prevention, community assessment and management of public health problems using epidemiological concepts integral to community health nursing. The nurse’s role in disease outbreak investigation and screening is also explored. The primary health care principles also inform community nursing practice to focus on individual, family and home assessment and case management. Increasingly complex and chronic health conditions are being managed in the community and concepts of patients as partners, self-management and collaborative care are integrated into the unit. Approaches to the provision of nursing care for people of all ages with acute, chronic, or life-threatening illness in settings where they live will be critiqued. Particular attention is given to the home visit process: its therapeutic nature, communication skills, and clinical governance regarding ethical and safety issues.
Students will undertake a community assessment using a 'community profile' approach. This approach will be extended to explore and plan for the health needs of communities who experience health and social disparities including people living in rural and remote areas, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, people living with physical, intellectual or psychiatric disabilities, minority cultural groups, and the homeless. Professional experience placements in the community setting afford students the opportunity to consolidate and integrate theoretical knowledge and community nursing practice.

Due to the complexity and ever-changing nature of our healthcare systems, errors can and do occur. Because of this, and the recognised vulnerability of our patients, nursing is a highly regulated profession that is bound by laws, codes, rules, policies, guidelines and standards. This unit of study is designed to facilitate in students a comprehensive understanding of how nursing practice is regulated and how, through clinical governance and quality and safety frameworks, we endeavour to deliver safe, high quality care to our patients. Students will reflect on their understanding of leadership in nursing practice and subsequently gain a deeper understanding of its inherent role in delivering safe, high quality health care. During the unit, students will explore the importance of clinical leadership “at the bedside” as they prepare for their future roles as registered nurses.

This final semester unit of study prepares students for the realities of nursing work, focusing on best nursing practice and the decision-making skills required to care for multiple patients with complex care needs. Students will build on and consolidate theoretical and practical knowledge gained from other units in the degree program and will have the opportunity to think critically about the clinical, social and organisational complexities they will face as registered nurses. A critical enquiry approach will be used to identify contextual factors that influence decision making in the context of contemporary practice and health service delivery. Students will explore critical issues and challenges affecting nursing practice and healthcare. These include the rate, pace and scope of change in contemporary health care settings, most common 'ways of working' in nursing today, the challenge of integrating high levels of automation with person centred care, the impact of the digital revolution and emerging artificial intelligence, the complexities of interdisciplinary teamwork in highly charged work environments, the increasing emphasis on patient self-management and associated role of family carers and supporters, and the importance of discharge planning, prioritisation and patient advocacy. Underpinning the unit is a framework that places the patient and their family front and centre whatever the setting, recognising them as partners in care and incorporating appropriate communication, time management and critical reflection strategies.

This unit of study provides students with an opportunity to focus on a clinical area of interest, consolidate prior learning, and develop their knowledge and nursing practice expertise. Students will have the opportunity to choose from a range of clinical specialties such as aged care, palliative care, mental health, perioperative, high acuity, and paediatrics, in which undertake a professional experience placement. A patient as partner approach will be used to guide the teaching and learning strategies. Focusing on a different speciality of nursing practice, each tutorial will utilise patient-based scenarios to enable students to apply their knowledge required to assess, plan, implement and evaluate the comprehensive care and management of a deteriorating patient. Application of theoretical content will then be practiced in the clinical simulation laboratories. The unit will also address students' preparation for making the transition into the workforce by examining issues including codes of professional conduct and ethics; standards for registered nurses, enrolled nurses, midwives and nurse practitioners, professional boundaries, legal frameworks for practice and decision- making frameworks. Other issues such as time management, prioritisation and delegation of care and effective management of self within teams and in the workplace will also be explored.