Unit Synopsis
As a nursing student, you may be confronted by legal and ethical dilemmas that will require you to be able to apply appropriate decision-making skills. This unit will support your transition to a graduate nurse by ensuring that you understand the healthcare laws that govern the profession of nursing. In this unit, you will examine the legal concepts and ethical principles and explore how registered nurses apply these in a healthcare context.
Details
| Level | Undergraduate |
|---|---|
| Unit Level | 3 |
| Credit Points | 6 |
| Student Contribution Band | SCA Band 1 |
| Fraction of Full-Time Student Load | 0.125 |
| Pre-requisites or Co-requisites |
Pre-requisites: BIOH12012 Pathophysiology and Pharmacology 2 or BIOH12008 Human Pathophysiology or NURS12158 Clinical Nursing Practice 3. Co-requisites: NURS12162 Mental Health Nursing with Professional Experience Placement or NURS12157 Concepts of Mental Health 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). |
| Class Timetable | View Unit Timetable |
| Residential School | No Residential School |
Unit Availabilities from Term 1 - 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.
Assessment Tasks
| Assessment Task | Weighting |
|---|---|
| 1. Online Quiz(zes) | 15% |
| 2. Presentation | 25% |
| 3. Written Assessment | 60% |
This is a graded unit: your overall grade will be calculated from the marks or grades for each assessment task, based on the relative weightings shown in the table above. You must obtain an overall mark for the unit of at least 50%, or an overall grade of ‘pass’ in order to pass the unit. If any ‘pass/fail’ tasks are shown in the table above they must also be completed successfully (‘pass’ grade). You must also meet any minimum mark requirements specified for a particular assessment task, as detailed in the ‘assessment task’ section (note that in some instances, the minimum mark for a task may be greater than 50%).
Past Exams
All University policies are available on the Policy web site, however you may wish to directly view the following policies below.
This list is not an exhaustive list of all University policies. The full list of policies are available on the Policy web 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.
Source: SUTE feedback
Students consistently praised the podcasts as a flexible and effective learning tool, allowing them to engage with content during breaks or at home, reducing screen fatigue.
Continue to provide podcasts alongside other learning materials. Consider reviewing audio quality to ensure clarity and volume consistency to enhance accessibility.
Podcasts were provided throughout the term alongside short lecture videos, podcast transcripts, and downloadable module workbooks, offering students flexible learning opportunities that accommodated diverse learning preferences and reduced screen fatigue. Student feedback indicated that podcasts were highly valued for their accessibility and convenience. The current approach will continue in future offerings of the unit, with audio quality and volume consistency reviewed prior to release to further enhance accessibility and the overall student experience.
Source: SUTE feedback
Students valued Craig’s clear, patient, and knowledgeable teaching style, particularly the use of real-life examples and scenarios to contextualise complex legal and ethical concepts.
Maintain the use of real-world scenarios and Craig’s interactive delivery style. Incorporate additional contemporary case studies to further enrich students’ understanding.
Real-world clinical scenarios continued to be integrated throughout lectures, workshops, and assessment activities to contextualise complex legal and ethical concepts. Contemporary examples drawn from current legislation, case law, and professional practice were incorporated to enhance relevance and student engagement. This authentic, case-based approach will continue to be expanded in future offerings of the unit to further strengthen students' application of theory to clinical practice.
Source: SUTE feedback
Students valued the real-world scenarios and examples integrated into teaching, which made legal and ethical concepts more relatable and applicable to clinical practice.
Maintain the use of practical examples and case studies in teaching to enhance student engagement and help them apply theoretical knowledge to real-life nursing contexts.
Real-world scenarios and authentic case studies were embedded throughout lectures, workshops, and assessment activities to contextualise legal and ethical concepts and support their application to nursing practice. Students responded positively to this approach in SUTE feedback, highlighting its value in making complex concepts more relevant and applicable to clinical practice. This authentic, case-based teaching approach will continue to be used and further refined in future offerings of the unit.
Source: SUTE feedback
Students praised the teaching team’s responsiveness, support, and approachability, noting timely email responses, guidance through assessments, and overall helpfulness.
Continue maintaining high levels of communication and support, with forums, email responses, and check-ins. Encourage staff to provide guidance proactively, particularly for complex or challenging topics.
The unit coordinators maintained a strong focus on student support by providing timely email responses, regular announcements, engagement in discussion forums, bi-weekly workshops, and proactive guidance on assessments and challenging concepts. Students consistently recognised the teaching team's responsiveness and approachability in SUTE feedback. These communication and support strategies will continue to be embedded in future iterations of the unit.
Source: SUTE feedback
Students appreciated the clear and structured weekly mini-lectures, which helped them approach complex topics and assessments with confidence. The clarity and organisation of the delivery made challenging content more approachable.
Continue providing structured mini-lectures each week, ensuring topics are clearly introduced and linked to practical scenarios. Maintain the balance of clarity, organisation, and approachability in teaching delivery.
Structured mini-lectures continued to be provided to introduce key concepts, explain complex legal and ethical topics, and support students in preparing for assessments. Practical examples and case-based scenarios were incorporated to reinforce learning and promote the application of theory to clinical practice. SUTE feedback confirmed that students valued the clarity, organisation, and accessibility of this teaching approach. These strategies will continue to be implemented in future offerings of the unit.
Source: SUTE feedback
Students appreciated Craig’s responsiveness, supportive approach, and well-organised delivery of content, including podcasts and weekly mini-lectures, which made complex legal and ethical topics accessible and engaging.
Maintain the combination of clear, structured teaching with timely support and flexible learning resources, as this positively impacts student understanding and engagement.
A combination of structured mini-lectures, podcasts, downloadable learning resources, and timely student support was maintained throughout the term to promote engagement and understanding of complex legal and ethical concepts. Regular communication, prompt responses to student enquiries, and clear guidance on assessments further supported student success. SUTE feedback confirmed that these strategies contributed positively to the learning experience and will continue to be implemented in future offerings of the unit.
Source: Student email feedback
Students consistently praised the unit's clear organisation and structure, noting that the weekly learning pathway, concise materials, and well-sequenced content made complex legal and ethical concepts manageable and easy to follow.
Continue maintaining a clearly structured weekly learning pathway with consistent organisation of learning materials, activities, and assessment information. Regularly review the content sequence to ensure students build knowledge and confidence progressively throughout the term.
In Progress
Source: SUTE feedback
Students highly valued the range of flexible learning resources, including podcasts, podcast transcripts, recorded workshops, concise mini-lectures, and weekly summary emails, which supported revision, accommodated different learning preferences, and enhanced accessibility.
Continue providing a diverse range of learning resources that support flexible learning and accommodate different learning styles. Explore opportunities to further enhance accessibility by improving audio consistency and incorporating concise summary points to reinforce key concepts
In Progress
Source: SUTE feedback
Students appreciated the integration of authentic clinical scenarios and practical examples throughout the unit, reporting that these approaches helped translate legal and ethical theory into meaningful nursing practice.
Continue embedding authentic clinical scenarios and contemporary legal and ethical case studies throughout the curriculum. Expand the use of current professional examples where appropriate to further strengthen students' ability to apply theoretical knowledge in clinical settings.
In Progress
Source: SUTE feedback
Students responded positively to the assessment design, particularly the scaffolded workbook, which promoted continuous engagement and application of knowledge. While feedback on assessments was overwhelmingly positive, a small number of students suggested reviewing aspects of the oral presentation assessment and submission processes.
Maintain the scaffolded workbook assessment and continue providing clear assessment guidance and exemplars. Review the oral presentation assessment and associated submission processes to ensure technical requirements, assessment expectations, and workload remain clear, equitable, and achievable.
In Progress
Source: Student email feedback
Students consistently described the learning environment as supportive and student-centred, highlighting timely communication, prompt responses to enquiries, clear assessment guidance, and approachable teaching staff as important contributors to their learning experience.
Continue fostering a supportive learning environment through proactive communication, timely responses to student enquiries, regular announcements, and active engagement within discussion forums. Maintain opportunities for students to seek clarification and receive guidance throughout the term
In Progress
Source: Student email feedback
Students valued the engaging, accessible teaching approach, noting that the unit coordinators explained complex legal and ethical concepts clearly and delivered them in a way that reduced anxiety, increased confidence, and encouraged active engagement with the content.
Continue delivering concise, engaging learning activities that simplify complex concepts while maintaining academic rigour. Build on practical explanations and interactive teaching strategies to further support student confidence and participation.
In Progress
Source: SUTE feedback
Students consistently recognised the unit's relevance to contemporary nursing practice, reporting that the learning activities and assessments strengthened their understanding of registered nurses' legal and ethical responsibilities and increased their preparedness for professional practice.
Continue aligning learning activities and assessments with contemporary nursing practice and current legal and ethical issues. Strengthen links between theory, professional standards, and clinical practice to further prepare students for graduate nursing roles.
In Progress
On successful completion of this unit, you will be able to:
- Demonstrate an informed understanding of the basic concepts and principles that underpin Australian healthcare law.
- Analyse and reflect on healthcare problems and identify relevant ethical and legal issues.
- Develop a broad and coherent body of knowledge of how legislation, policies, frameworks, codes, and guidelines are applied to nursing practice in Australia.
Content in this unit incorporates a number of professional nursing requirements
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
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
Teaching, supervising and assessing
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
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
Organisation’s service environment
Feedback and complaints
Human resources
Organisation governance
| Assessment Tasks | Learning Outcomes | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 | 3 | |
| 1 - Online Quiz(zes) | • | ||
| 2 - Presentation | • | • | |
| 3 - Written Assessment | • | • | • |
| Graduate Attributes | Learning Outcomes | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 | 3 | |
| 1 - Communication | • | • | |
| 2 - Problem Solving | • | • | |
| 3 - Critical Thinking | • | • | • |
| 4 - Information Literacy | • | ||
| 6 - Information Technology Competence | • | • | |
| 8 - Ethical practice | • | • | • |
| Assessment Tasks | Graduate Attributes | ||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 10 | |