Overview
In this unit, you will have the opportunity to practice fundamental nursing care in the aged care environment. You will apply the Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia (NMBA) registered nurse standards for practice (2016). You will continue to explore the importance of the National Safety and Quality Health Service (NSQHS) Standards (2017) to all nursing practice in Australia and use the Patient Safety Competency Framework (PSCF) (Levett-Jones et al., 2017) in your practice as a nursing student. You will be expected to identify risk and recognise and respond appropriately to the deteriorating patient in the simulated and clinical environment. You will review the concept of scope of practice using the decision-making framework (DMF) (NMBA, 2020). You are required to participate in a compulsory three (3) day residential school or alternatively, an on-campus workshop prior to attending professional experience placement for this unit. This unit includes a 120 hour block professional experience placement in an aged care environment. You must meet specific mandatory health, safety and security requirements to be eligible to attend each professional experience placement. Professional experience placements may be limited in your community and you may be placed in other locations. Please be prepared financially and personally to cover the costs to relocate for placements. Due to the limited availability of placements, some block placements have start and/or end dates that fall outside standard term dates.
Details
Pre-requisites or Co-requisites
Prerequisites: NURS11164 Effective Communication in the Health Care Environment or NURS11163 Recovery Approach to Mental Health NURS11165 The Profession of Nursing or NURS11159 Introduction to Nursing NURS11166 Health and Assessment in Nursing or NURS11160 Fundamentals of Clinical Nursing Practice. Co-requisites: BIOH11005 Introductory Anatomy and Physiology or BMSC11010 Human Anatomy and Physiology 1 NURS11169 Health Across Life Stages or NURS11157 Lifespan Approach to Health and Wellness for Nursing
Important note: Students enrolled in a subsequent unit who failed their pre-requisite unit, should drop the subsequent unit before the census date or within 10 working days of Fail grade notification. Students who do not drop the unit in this timeframe cannot later drop the unit without academic and financial liability. See details in the Assessment Policy and Procedure (Higher Education Coursework).
Offerings For Term 3 - 2025
Attendance Requirements
All on-campus students are expected to attend scheduled classes - in some units, these classes are identified as a mandatory (pass/fail) component and attendance is compulsory. International students, on a student visa, must maintain a full time study load and meet both attendance and academic progress requirements in each study period (satisfactory attendance for International students is defined as maintaining at least an 80% attendance record).
Recommended Student Time Commitment
Each 6-credit Undergraduate unit at CQUniversity requires an overall time commitment of an average of 12.5 hours of study per week, making a total of 150 hours for the unit.
Class Timetable
Assessment Overview
Assessment Grading
This is a pass/fail (non-graded) unit. To pass the unit, you must pass all of the individual assessment tasks shown in the table above.
All University policies are available on the CQUniversity Policy site.
You may wish to view these policies:
- Grades and Results Policy
- Assessment Policy and Procedure (Higher Education Coursework)
- Review of Grade Procedure
- Student Academic Integrity Policy and Procedure
- Monitoring Academic Progress (MAP) Policy and Procedure - Domestic Students
- Monitoring Academic Progress (MAP) Policy and Procedure - International Students
- Student Refund and Credit Balance Policy and Procedure
- Student Feedback - Compliments and Complaints Policy and Procedure
- Information and Communications Technology Acceptable Use Policy and Procedure
This list is not an exhaustive list of all University policies. The full list of University policies are available on the CQUniversity Policy site.
Feedback, Recommendations and Responses
Every unit is reviewed for enhancement each year. At the most recent review, the following staff and student feedback items were identified and recommendations were made.
Feedback from Student evaluation
My clinical placement was an incredible experience, providing me with invaluable hands-on learning and support from a fantastic team. It helped build my confidence and deepen my understanding of patient care in a real-world setting.
Continue to ensure students' readiness for clinical placement experience by providing rigorous residential school curricula.
Feedback from Student evaluation
Some of the questions on the maths quiz during res school weren't good. I also felt like a lot of them were guesses because we weren't prepared well enough for it.
To review and refine questions in the medication and maths quiz. Ensure students are adequately informed and prepared for the quiz before undertaking the task.
- Apply the Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia (NMBA) Registered nurse standards for practice in the physical and psychosocial assessment, planning, implementation and evaluation of people in aged care, including those with cognitive impairment in the simulated and clinical environment
- Identify potential risks in the aged care environment and determine strategies to minimise the risk
- Recognise and respond appropriately to the deteriorating patient in the aged care context
- Develop strategies for self-care when managing decline in cognition in the older person with delirium and/or dementia.
- Demonstrate knowledge and application of safe supply and administration of non-parenteral medication.
Content in this unit incorporates a number of professional nursing requirements
Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia decision-making framework (DMF) - nursing
Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia Registered Nurse Standards for Practice
Thinks critically and analyses nursing practice
Engages in therapeutic and professional relationships
Maintains the capability for practice
Comprehensively conducts assessments
Develops a plan for nursing practice
Provides safe, appropriate and responsive quality nursing practice
Evaluates outcomes to inform nursing practice
Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia Nursing Code of Conduct
Legal compliance
Person-centred practice
Cultural practice and respectful relationships
Professional behaviour
Research in health
Health and wellbeing
International Council of Nursing Code of Ethics for Nursing
Nurses and People
Nurses and Practice
Nurses and the Profession
Nurses and co-workers
National Safety and Quality Health Service Standards
Clinical governance
Partnering with consumers
Preventing and Controlling healthcare-associated infection
Medication safety
Comprehensive care
Communicating for safety
Recognising and responding to acute deterioration
Patient Safety Competency Framework
Person-centred care
Therapeutic communication
Cultural competence
Teamwork and collaborative practice
Clinical reasoning
Evidence-based practice
Preventing, minimising and responding to adverse events
Infection prevention and control
Medication safety
Aged Care Quality Standards
Consumer dignity and choice
Ongoing assessment and planning with consumers
Personal care and clinical care
Services and supports for daily living
Organisation’s service environment
Feedback and complaints
Human resources
Organisation governance
Alignment of Assessment Tasks to Learning Outcomes
| Assessment Tasks | Learning Outcomes | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | |
| 1 - In-class Test(s) - 0% | |||||
| 2 - Professional Practice Placement - 0% | |||||
Alignment of Graduate Attributes to Learning Outcomes
| Graduate Attributes | Learning Outcomes | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | |
| 1 - Communication | |||||
| 2 - Problem Solving | |||||
| 3 - Critical Thinking | |||||
| 4 - Information Literacy | |||||
| 5 - Team Work | |||||
| 6 - Information Technology Competence | |||||
| 7 - Cross Cultural Competence | |||||
| 8 - Ethical practice | |||||
| 9 - Social Innovation | |||||
| 10 - First Nations Knowledges | |||||
| 11 - Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Cultures | |||||
Textbooks
Skills in Clinical Nursing
- Edition: 2nd (2021)
- Authors: Berman, A., Snyder, S., Levett-Jones, T., Burton, T., Harvey, N.
- Pearson
- ISBN: 9781488620690
This text will also be relevant for all other clinical units.
This text will also be relevant for all other clinical units.
IT Resources
- CQUniversity Student Email
- Internet
- Unit Website (Moodle)
- Academic Learning Centre services
- Zoom account (Free)
- Zoom app on your smart phone or access to Zoom on your laptop
- CQUniversity Library Resources
- Laptop/Computer
- Sonia Online
- Microsoft Teams
- CQUniversity Library Nursing/Midwifery/Social Work Resources
- Australian Standards (through CQU library)
All submissions for this unit must use the referencing style: American Psychological Association 7th Edition (APA 7th edition)
For further information, see the Assessment Tasks.
k.lentell@cqu.edu.au
b.macdonald2@cqu.edu.au
c.sykes@cqu.edu.au
Week 1
Begin Date: 10 Nov 2025Module/Topic
Introduction to the unit.
Preparation for on-campus learning.
Chapter
Moodle site:
1. Modules 1-5 and complete all activities.
2. Preparation for residential School.
3. Professional Experience Placement.
Events and Submissions/Topic
Recorded presentations:
Welcome and unit introduction
Activity:
Check the Sonia platform for the dates and venues of on-campus learning sessions and professional experience placements.
Complete pre-placement activities as required by your placement facility.
Assessment:
Assessment 1 to be completed during your assigned on-campus learning sessions.
Assessment 2 to be completed during your professional experience placement.
Announcements and Discussion Forums:
Check for posts and updates.
Foundations of Academic Integrity Program: Complete your annual program.
Student email – Check your student email at least twice per week for important communications.
Week 2
Begin Date: 17 Nov 2025Module/Topic
Preparation for on-campus learning.
Chapter
Moodle site:
1. 1-5 and complete all activities.
2. Preparation for on-campus learning/residential School.
3. Professional Experience Placement.
Events and Submissions/Topic
Activity:
Attend scheduled on-campus learning sessions and professional experience placements.
Complete pre-placement activities as required by your placement facility.
Assessment:
Assessment 1 to be completed during your assigned on-campus learning sessions.
Assessment 2 to be completed during your professional experience placement.
Announcements and Discussion Forums:
Check for posts and updates.
Student email – Check your student email at least twice per week for important communications.
Week 3
Begin Date: 24 Nov 2025Module/Topic
Preparation for on-campus learning.
Chapter
Moodle site:
1. 1-5 and complete all activities.
2. Preparation for on-campus learning/residential School.
3. Professional Experience Placement.
Events and Submissions/Topic
Activity:
Attend scheduled on-campus learning sessions and professional experience placements.
Complete pre-placement activities as required by your placement facility.
Assessment:
Assessment 1 to be completed during your assigned on-campus learning sessions.
Assessment 2 to be completed during your professional experience placement.
Announcements and Discussion Forums:
Check for posts and updates.
Student email – Check your student email at least twice per week for important communications.
Week 4
Begin Date: 01 Dec 2025Module/Topic
Preparation for on-campus learning.
Professional experience placement for students.
Chapter
Moodle site:
1. 1-5 and complete all activities.
2. Preparation for on-campus learning/residential School.
3. Professional Experience Placement.
Events and Submissions/Topic
Activity:
Attend scheduled on-campus learning sessions and professional experience placements.
Complete pre-placement activities as required by your placement facility.
Assessment:
Assessment 1 to be completed during your assigned on-campus learning sessions.
Assessment 2 to be completed during your professional experience placement.
Announcements and Discussion Forums:
Check for posts and updates.
Census Date – Tuesday Week 4
Student email – Check your student email at least twice per week for important communications.
Week 5
Begin Date: 08 Dec 2025Module/Topic
Preparation for on-campus learning.
Professional experience placement for students.
Chapter
Moodle site:
1. 1-5 and complete all activities.
2. Preparation for on-campus learning/residential School.
3. Professional Experience Placement.
Events and Submissions/Topic
Activity:
Attend scheduled on-campus learning sessions and professional experience placements.
Complete pre-placement activities as required by your placement facility.
Assessment:
Assessment 1 to be completed during your assigned on-campus learning sessions.
Assessment 2 to be completed during your professional experience placement.
Announcements and Discussion Forums:
Check for posts and updates.
Week 6
Begin Date: 15 Dec 2025Module/Topic
Preparation for on-campus learning.
Professional experience placement for students.
Chapter
Moodle site:
1. 1-5 and complete all activities.
2. Preparation for on-campus learning/residential School.
3. Professional Experience Placement.
Events and Submissions/Topic
Activity:
Attend scheduled on-campus learning sessions and professional experience placements.
Complete pre-placement activities as required by your placement facility.
Assessment:
Assessment 1 to be completed during your assigned on-campus learning sessions.
Assessment 2 to be completed during your professional experience placement.
Announcements and Discussion Forums:
Check for posts and updates.
Vacation Week
Begin Date: 22 Dec 2025Module/Topic
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Vacation Week
Begin Date: 29 Dec 2025Module/Topic
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Week 7
Begin Date: 05 Jan 2026Module/Topic
Preparation for on-campus learning.
Professional experience placement for students.
Chapter
Moodle site:
1. 1-5 and complete all activities.
2. Preparation for on-campus learning/residential School.
3. Professional Experience Placement.
Events and Submissions/Topic
Activity:
Attend scheduled on-campus learning sessions and professional experience placements.
Complete pre-placement activities as required by your placement facility.
Assessment:
Assessment 1 to be completed during your assigned on-campus learning sessions.
Assessment 2 to be completed during your professional experience placement.
Announcements and Discussion Forums:
Check for posts and updates.
Week 8
Begin Date: 12 Jan 2026Module/Topic
Professional experience placement for students.
Chapter
Moodle site:
Professional Experience Placement.
Events and Submissions/Topic
Activity:
Complete pre-placement activities as required by your placement facility.
Attend professional experience placements.
Assessment:
Assessment 2 to be completed during your professional experience placement.
Announcements and Discussion Forums:
Check for posts and updates.
Professional Experience Placement (PEP)
Units - 1) - Enrol in PNP unit, and 2) upload Mandatory Checks by Mandatory Check closing date (Monday Week 10).
Week 9
Begin Date: 19 Jan 2026Module/Topic
Professional experience placement for students.
Chapter
Moodle site:
Professional Experience Placement.
Events and Submissions/Topic
Activity:
Complete pre-placement activities as required by your placement facility.
Attend professional experience placements.
Assessment:
Assessment 2 to be completed during your professional experience placement.
Announcements and Discussion Forums:
Check for posts and updates.
Professional Experience Placement (PEP)
Units - 1) - Enrol in PNP unit, and 2) upload Mandatory Checks by Mandatory Check closing date (Monday Week 10).
Week 10
Begin Date: 26 Jan 2026Module/Topic
Professional experience placement for students.
Chapter
Moodle site:
Professional Experience Placement.
Events and Submissions/Topic
Activity:
Complete pre-placement activities as required by your placement facility.
Attend professional experience placements.
Assessment:
Assessment 2 to be completed during your professional experience placement.
Announcements and Discussion Forums:
Check for posts and updates.
Professional Experience Placement (PEP)
Units - 1) - Enrol in PNP unit, and 2) upload Mandatory Checks by Mandatory Check closing date (Monday Week 10).
Don’t forget - Check your unit enrolments for next term.
Week 11
Begin Date: 02 Feb 2026Module/Topic
Professional experience placement for students.
Chapter
Moodle site:
Professional Experience Placement.
Events and Submissions/Topic
Activity:
Complete pre-placement activities as required by your placement facility.
Attend professional experience placements.
Assessment:
Assessment 2 to be completed during your professional experience placement.
Announcements and Discussion Forums:
Check for posts and updates.
Professional Experience Placement (PEP)
Units - 1) - Enrol in PNP unit, and 2) upload Mandatory Checks by Mandatory Check closing date (Monday Week 10).
Don’t forget - Check your unit enrolments for next term.
Student Unit and Teaching Evaluation survey – We encourage you to provide feedback about your unit and teaching experiences in this unit. Survey opens Week 11 and closes one week before release of grades.
Week 12
Begin Date: 09 Feb 2026Module/Topic
Professional experience placement for students.
Chapter
Moodle site:
Professional Experience Placement.
Events and Submissions/Topic
Activity:
Complete pre-placement activities as required by your placement facility.
Attend professional experience placements.
Assessment:
Assessment 2 to be completed during your professional experience placement.
Announcements and Discussion Forums:
Check for posts and updates.
Professional Experience Placement (PEP)
Units - 1) - Enrol in PNP unit, and 2) upload Mandatory Checks by Mandatory Check closing date (Monday Week 10).
Don’t forget - Check your unit enrolments for next term.
Student Unit and Teaching Evaluation survey – We encourage you to provide feedback about your unit and teaching experiences in this unit. Survey opens Week 11 and closes one week before release of grades.
Exam Week
Begin Date: 16 Feb 2026Module/Topic
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
As this unit is offered online, students are asked to prepare their own individual study plan to undertake self-led and self-directed study throughout the term. This unit requires you to attend a compulsory on-campus residential school and clinical placement of 120 hours. A key to your success is a strategic self-directed approach to learning and regular contact with your Unit Coordinator/s. Please check the Announcements and Discussion forums at least twice a week – there will be regular announcements about assessments and unit resources throughout the term and reviewing this information is essential to unit knowledge and your success. CQUniversity communicates with students through CQUniversity email. We recommend that you access your CQUniversity email at least twice a week so that you do not miss vital information about your studies.
1 In-class Test(s)
This assessment will be conducted online in Moodle during compulsory on-campus learning/residential school. Please test that your CQU Moodle login and password are working before attending the on-campus learning/residential school.
Please follow the steps on the NURS11170 Moodle site to access preparatory resources for this quiz. The invigilated online quiz will occur on Day one of your PEP1 residential school.
Extensions
The 72-hour grace period does not apply to this assessment task.
Level of GenAI use allowed
Level 1: You must not use AI at any point during the assessment. You must demonstrate your core skills and knowledge.
This assessment will take place on Day One of the residential school.
Students will be notified of their result at the completion of the in-class quiz.
This assessment will require the students to complete an in-class quiz comprising 20 questions. A result of 100% is required to pass this assessment.
You will have a maximum of three (3) attempts to obtain 100%. Please refer to the coaching process for medication calculations and safety quiz should you require a second or third re-attempt. Failure to achieve 100% after three attempts may result in a fail grade and you may be unable to progress to professional experience placement.
- Apply the Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia (NMBA) Registered nurse standards for practice in the physical and psychosocial assessment, planning, implementation and evaluation of people in aged care, including those with cognitive impairment in the simulated and clinical environment
- Demonstrate knowledge and application of safe supply and administration of non-parenteral medication.
2 Professional Practice Placement
You will complete professional experience placement (120 hours) to demonstrate your knowledge and understanding of learning to date within the scope of a first-year Bachelor of Nursing student. The required hours of professional experience placement (120 hours) must be completed in entirety and with a satisfactory summative ANSAT (level 3 or higher in each ANSAT category) to be eligible for a Pass grade for this Unit. If you are not meeting satisfactory practice standards at any point of the placement, a meeting will be scheduled with the facilitator, yourself, and the Unit Coordinator to discuss your progress. A support plan may be implemented to assist you to meet the ANSAT criteria satisfactorily. If you do not meet each ANSAT criteria at a satisfactory level (3 or higher) for the summative assessment, you may receive a Fail grade for this assessment.
Instructions
Please refer to the assessment task instructions on the unit Moodle site.
Academic Integrity
You must abide by the principles of academic integrity (see Student Academic Integrity Policy and Procedure). Completion of this assessment with another party or sharing of responses is not permitted at any time. This assessment requires students to adhere to the guidelines on the use of artificial intelligence tools as specified in the Artificial Intelligence Assessment Scale (AIAS). Any misuse or lack of disclosure regarding the use of AI tools will be considered a breach of academic integrity. No Generative AI use is permitted in the completion of this assignment. You must not use AI tools or technology to produce substantive content. You are permitted to use technology or tools that assist with spelling, grammar or formatting.
Level of GenAI Use Allowed:
Level 1: You must not use AI at any point during the assessment. You must demonstrate your core skills and knowledge.
Extensions
Extensions to this assessment are not available as per policy. The 72-hour grace period does not apply to this assessment.
Minimum Pass Criteria
- You must achieve a minimum grade of 3 for all ANSAT criteria to pass this assessment.
- Completion of 120 hours of clinical placement documented on a CQU timesheet.
- To pass this unit, you are required to achieve a pass grade in all assessments.
- Supplementary assessment is not available as per policy for Work Integrated Learning Units.
To complete an ANSAT assessment with your assessor at both formative and summative stages. Formative assessment is due after 60 hours or midway through your placement. Summative assessment is due on the final day of placement.
ANSAT assessments will be graded when students upload the ANSAT and completed timesheet.
Assessment criteria will be available on the Moodle site.
- Apply the Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia (NMBA) Registered nurse standards for practice in the physical and psychosocial assessment, planning, implementation and evaluation of people in aged care, including those with cognitive impairment in the simulated and clinical environment
- Identify potential risks in the aged care environment and determine strategies to minimise the risk
- Recognise and respond appropriately to the deteriorating patient in the aged care context
- Develop strategies for self-care when managing decline in cognition in the older person with delirium and/or dementia.
- Demonstrate knowledge and application of safe supply and administration of non-parenteral medication.
As a CQUniversity student you are expected to act honestly in all aspects of your academic work.
Any assessable work undertaken or submitted for review or assessment must be your own work. Assessable work is any type of work you do to meet the assessment requirements in the unit, including draft work submitted for review and feedback and final work to be assessed.
When you use the ideas, words or data of others in your assessment, you must thoroughly and clearly acknowledge the source of this information by using the correct referencing style for your unit. Using others’ work without proper acknowledgement may be considered a form of intellectual dishonesty.
Participating honestly, respectfully, responsibly, and fairly in your university study ensures the CQUniversity qualification you earn will be valued as a true indication of your individual academic achievement and will continue to receive the respect and recognition it deserves.
As a student, you are responsible for reading and following CQUniversity’s policies, including the Student Academic Integrity Policy and Procedure. This policy sets out CQUniversity’s expectations of you to act with integrity, examples of academic integrity breaches to avoid, the processes used to address alleged breaches of academic integrity, and potential penalties.
What is a breach of academic integrity?
A breach of academic integrity includes but is not limited to plagiarism, self-plagiarism, collusion, cheating, contract cheating, and academic misconduct. The Student Academic Integrity Policy and Procedure defines what these terms mean and gives examples.
Why is academic integrity important?
A breach of academic integrity may result in one or more penalties, including suspension or even expulsion from the University. It can also have negative implications for student visas and future enrolment at CQUniversity or elsewhere. Students who engage in contract cheating also risk being blackmailed by contract cheating services.
Where can I get assistance?
For academic advice and guidance, the Academic Learning Centre (ALC) can support you in becoming confident in completing assessments with integrity and of high standard.
What can you do to act with integrity?
