Bachelor of Nursing

at Southern Institute of Technology

Year One
 

BN511 Professional Issues in Nursing
This paper lays down the foundation principles for the profession of nursing.  It will explore the modern practice of nursing within a variety of environments and examine how the role of nursing has changed over time.  Students will begin to explore their own values and beliefs and how this may impact upon their delivery of nursing care.
 

BN521 Primary Health and Health Promotion
This paper will enable the student to gain an understanding of the principles of communication, cultural safety and primary health care. Students will examine the role of the nurse in primary health care and health promotion.
 

BN522 Fundamentals of the Art and Science of Nursing Practice
The purpose of this paper is to introduce the student to the fundamentals of the art and science of nursing within New Zealand/Aotearoa.  The student will have the opportunity to develop and progress their theoretical knowledge and clinical skills in the clinical suite and health care facilities.
 

BN531 Health and Social Sciences 1
The student will be introduced to social science principles related to growth and development, health psychology, psychology and sociology providing a comprehensive theoretical foundation for nursing practice.
 

BN541 Health Sciences 1
The purpose of this paper is to introduce students to the biological, chemical and physical principles upon which human body structure and function is based, providing a sound scientific basis for the development of safe and effective nursing practice.
 

Year Two
 

BN611 Professional Issues in Nursing 2
This paper will enable the student to develop knowledge of the nature of nursing and how practice is developed and delivered within New Zealand / Aotearoa. It will build on the knowledge gained in BN511.
 

BN623 The Art and Science of Nursing Practice
Students will have the opportunity to further develop and apply their theoretical knowledge and skills in a wide variety of primary and secondary health care settings to clients across the lifespan utilising reflection and critical thinking.
 

BN631 Health and Social Sciences 2

• Students will further examine the significance of cultural safety within Aotearoa/ New Zealand and the relationship of the Treaty of Waitangi to healthcare and Kawa Whakaruruhau.  
• Students will develop a holistic approach to caring for the family / whanau recognising the diversity of needs identified in the New Zealand Health Care Strategy and the Primary Health Care Strategy.
   

BN641 Health Sciences 2
Students will further develop their knowledge base established in BN541. Understanding of selected aspects of anatomy, physiology, microbiology, biochemistry, pathophysiology and pharmacology will be gained to consolidate a sound theoretical basis for safe nursing practice.
 

Year Three
 

BN711 Leadership and Professional Issues in Nursing
The purpose of this paper is to review the role of the nurse within organisations and to study the impact of national and international policies on the delivery of nursing care.
 

BN721 The Art and Science of Nursing in  Acute Settings
The purpose of this paper is to consolidate the art and science of nursing to increasingly complex health consumers, while applying health science knowledge to the comprehensive analysis of specific health themes.  Students will be expected to demonstrate appropriate decision making skills, utilizing evidence based practice and being actively involved in multidisciplinary teams.
 

BN722  The Art and Science of Nursing in Mental Health Settings  
This paper will provide an informed and contemporary theoretical and practical basis of mental health nursing to the student learner.  Students will have the opportunity to apply knowledge, behaviours, skills, and competencies integral to mental health nursing practice within a variety of learning environments.
 

BN723 The Art and Science of Nursing Practice-Transition to Graduand
The purpose of this paper is to consolidate all the components of the Bachelor of Nursing programme to enable the student nurse to transition from student to registered nurse through practice under the supervision of an experienced preceptor.

The Head of the School of Nursing has a responsibility to ensure that all applicants meet the requirements to enter a nursing programme. As this is the beginning point of fitness for registration, in accordance with section 16 of the Health Practitioners Competence Assurance Act, guided by the Nursing Council of New Zealand, applicants whose first language is not English must achieve a score of 6.5 in an IELTS assessment (or equivalent) in each category: reading, writing, listening and speaking in one sitting prior to acceptance.
 

School Leavers
 

University Entrance requirements - NCEA Level 3: three subjects at Level 3 or above made up of the following:

• 14 credits each, in three approved subjects, preferably  in Science, Mathematics and English
• Literacy, 10 credits at Level 2 or above made up of five credits in reading and five credits in writing
• Numeracy, 10 credits at Level 1 or above made up of specified achievement standards available through a range of subjects, or Unit standards package of three numeracy unit standards 26623, 26626, 26627.  All three required.
   

Or an overseas qualification which is considered to be the equivalent of the above.
 

Mature Applicants

Applicants who do not meet the criteria stated above may be considered for the Bachelor of Nursing degree programme if they are over the age of 20 years at the date of commencement of the programme and have demonstrated academic ability to undertake the undergraduate nursing degree. For example, this means successful completion of a programme of study at NZQF Level 4 or above.
 

Interview

For your group interview, you will have 30 minutes to complete a numeracy assessment. You can expect 30 questions.
 

English Language Requirements
 

Applicants, whose first language is not English, or who come from a country where the language of instruction in schools is not English, are required to provide evidence of having achieved one of the following:
 

• NCEA Level 3 with University Entrance, or
• an International Baccalaureate Diploma or Cambridge A- level qualification for which the teaching and assessment was conducted in English; or
• Cambridge Certificate in Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (CELTA), or Trinity College London Certificate in Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (CertTESOL); or
• Successful completion of all primary education (being the equivalent of New Zealand primary school years 1 to 8) and at least three years of secondary education (being the equivalent of three years from New Zealand secondary school years 9 to 13) at schools in  either New Zealand, Australia­, Canada, the Republic of Ireland, South Africa, the United Kingdom and the United States one of the countries listed in Rule 18.5 where the student was taught using English as the language of instruction; or
• Successful completion of at least five years of secondary education (being the equivalent of New Zealand secondary school years 9 to 13) at schools in either New Zealand, Australia, Canada, the Republic of Ireland, South Africa, the United Kingdom and the United States where the student was taught using English as the language of instruction; or
• Successful completion of a Bachelor ‘s Degree, Graduate Certificate, Graduate Diploma, Bachelor Honours degree, Postgraduate Certificate, Postgraduate Diploma, Masters’ Degree or Doctoral Degree, the language of instruction of which must be in English and which must be  from a tertiary education provider from New Zealand, Australia, Canada, the Republic of Ireland, South Africa, the United Kingdom or the United States or
• Successful completion of one of the following internationally recognised proficiency tests listed below to the level required of the programme of study and with all scores achieved in a single test during the preceding two years:
   
• IELTS test - Academic score of 6.5 that includes a score of at least 6.5 in each of Reading, Listening, Writing and Speaking.
• TOEFL Paper based test (pBT) - Score of 590 (with an essay score 5.5 TWE)
• TOEFL Internet based test (iBT) - Score of 79 (with a writing score of 21)
• Cambridge English Examination – C1 Advanced or C2 Proficiency with a score of 176.  No less than 169 in each skill
• OET – Minimum of Grade C+ or 300 in all sub-tests
• NZCEL - a) Level 5 (Academic) or (Professional), b) Level 5
• Pearson Test of English (Academic) - PTE (Academic) score of 58 with no band score lower than 50
• Language Cert – C1 Expert IESOL (LRWS) with HIGH PASS and no less than PASS in each skill or c2 Mastery IESOL (LRWS) with PASS and no less than Pass in each skill.
• ISE III with no less than pass in any band

Bachelor Degrees    NZ$19,600    Per academic year

Graduates will have the knowledge and skills to practise nursing and they will be eligible to sit the Nursing Council of New Zealand Examination for registration in the Registered Nurse scope of practice. Once formally registered with the Nursing Council of New Zealand, graduates will work as nurses in primary, secondary and tertiary health settings; they will be critically reflective practitioners of nursing and they will practise within a framework of cultural safety. 
 

A nursing career offers great opportunities for men and women from a variety of cultures and walks of life.  Nursing is a partnership with people to improve their health. This includes assisting children, adults or older people recovering from physical or mental illness in hospital, or their own homes.  Health promotion in nursing may involve people in schools, the workplace, marae or health centres.
 

Máori nurses help promote health and well being to Te Iwi Máori in culturally appropriate nursing services. Pacific Island nurses can use their skills to benefit the health status of their people both in New Zealand and in the Pacific Islands.
 

There are opportunities for career development in many areas including practice, teaching, management, and research both in New Zealand and overseas.