Undergraduate course information

Contacts and inquiries

UTS Student Centres

The UTS Student Centres are both the initial and primary point of contact for all students. Students should deal with the Student Centres in all matters affecting their studies. This includes enrolment, exemptions, timetable matters, examination and assessment, as well as a wide range of student administration procedures.

Location

City campus

Kuring-gai campus

See also the complete list of UTS Student Centres including the contact and location details.

Clinical Administration Unit

Manages the clinical placements for courses in the Faculty from requesting and securing placements from over 150 health facilities to placing students in over 5,500 individual clinical placements each year.

Students who have issues while on clinical practice should contact the Clinical Administration Unit on:

Any requests or problems in relation to nursing practice for first- and second-year students (prior to the practical) should be directed to:

Any requests or problems in relation to nursing practice for third-year students (prior to the practical) should be directed to:

Technical Officers

Maintain the Faculty's laboratories and other student technical resources. Bookings for and queries about the laboratories and resources, as well as queries regarding safety issues, should be directed to:

Faculty Academic Programs Office

Provides support and assistance to the UTS Student Centres on Faculty processes and issues and manages and supports the Faculty's courses and NMH-specific student issues and processes. Students must contact the Student Centre in the first instance and complex issues may be referred by staff in the Student Centre to the Faculty Academic Programs Office.

Manager

Senior Academic Programs Officers

Academic Programs Officer

Director of Undergraduate Nursing Studies

Provides academic advice to Nursing students on their program, and other assistance such as helping students who experience difficulties coping with their academic work.

Director of Midwifery Studies

Provides academic advice to Midwifery students on their program, and other assistance such as helping students who experience difficulties coping with their academic work.

Director of Clinical Practice

Manages policy and procedures related to clinical practice.

Academic Liaison Officer (ALO)

Provides advice on alternative assessment to students with short or long-term disabilities, have carer responsibilities, who are pregnant, or have English language difficulties.

Associate Dean, Teaching and Learning

Responsible for the overseeing and quality of academic activities and the coursework programs.

Faculty rules

Attendance

For students admitted into the Kuring-gai intake of the Bachelor of Nursing (C10122), most subjects are taught at Kuring-gai campus, however, students are required to attend City campus for Science subjects one day per week. For students admitted into the City intake of the Bachelor of Nursing (C10122), all subjects are taught at City campus. The third year of the program is currently taught at the Kuring-gai campus with limited on campus attendance. For students admitted into the Bachelor of Nursing Bachelor of Arts in International Studies (C10123), most subjects are taught at City campus. For students admitted into the Bachelor of Midwifery (C10225), all subjects are taught at City campus.

Class allocation

Students are allocated to particular groups or classes within a subject. This class determines when they attend laboratory sessions as well as tutorial times. Students must state their preferences for classes at enrolment. Students are allocated to classes and may then make changes to their allocation (subject to available places). For further information on this process, see My Subject Activities at:

Some class changes may be limited by nursing practice restrictions in some years of the undergraduate courses, or by cohort management.

Nurses and Midwives Board Registration

The Bachelor of Nursing, Bachelor of Nursing Bachelor of Arts in International Studies and Bachelor of Midwifery are accredited by the Nurses and Midwives Board New South Wales. Graduates are eligible to apply for registration as a Registered Nurse or Midwife. In addition, for registration eligibility, the Nurses and Midwives Board require applicants to provide evidence of identity, good character and documented evidence for assessment of any variation to the standard education program, for example recognition of prior learning. Detailed information is available online at:

Clinical placements

Nursing practice policy

As part of their studies, students are required to undertake clinical practice in a variety of health facilities. This involves students being placed in a clinical environment in accordance with the Nursing Practice Ladder. Students are accompanied by a Clinical Facilitator or allocated an Academic Liaison Officer who supports their clinical learning and undertakes their assessment.

The Faculty makes every effort to place students in a health facility in close proximity to their home or close to public transport. However, this is often very difficult to achieve given the limited number of student placements, and students are asked to take this into consideration when they receive notification of their placement. Students with special needs may make a request to be placed in a particular health facility, following discussions with the subject coordinator, by emailing the Student Adviser (Clinical) at:

Midwifery practice policy

As part of their studies, students are required to undertake clinical practice. This involves students being placed in a midwifery practice environment in accordance with the Midwifery Practice Ladder. Students are supported by a Midwifery Practice Facilitator or Midwifery Educator. The Faculty makes every effort to place students in a health facility in close proximity to their home and close to public transport. However, this is often very difficult to achieve given the limited number of student placements, and students are asked to take this into consideration when they receive notification of their placement. Students are required to complete a request form in the first week of semester to identify their preferences.

Students with disabilities

Students in the Bachelor of Nursing, the Bachelor of Nursing Bachelor of Arts in International Studies, or the Bachelor of Midwifery must undertake nursing and/or midwifery practice placements as a prerequisite to satisfactory course completion. For details regarding the practice placement procedures for students with disabilities, see University-wide General information.

Accident and incident reporting

Any student or staff member involved in an accident, injury or incident while on clinical placement must complete a standard Accident/Incident form, available from their Facilitator, Midwifery Educator or Academic Liaison Officer. Completed forms should be forwarded to the Director of Clinical Practice for Nursing and Midwifery students. This form is to be completed in addition to any forms which the health facility requires.

The Subject Coordinator should also be notified immediately of any injury, accident or incident which requires medical attention.

If an injury sustained by a student raises doubts about the student's ability to attend subsequent nursing or midwifery practice experiences, the matter should be referred to the Director of Studies, Undergraduate for nursing students or the Director of Midwifery for midwifery students.

Attendance

The NSW Nurses and Midwives Board requires students to undertake a specified number of nursing or midwifery practice hours. One hundred per cent attendance on practice is required. Only cases of documented illness or misadventure, as per UTS Rule 8.3, are accepted as a reason for not undertaking all nursing or midwifery practice hours. In the event of illness or misadventure, students must notify their Clinical Facilitator, Midwifery Educator or Academic Liaison Officer, the relevant health facility and the Clinical Practice Unit:

Students in this category may then be offered completion of nursing or midwifery practice at the next specified time (see the relevant Practice Ladder). Should a student fail to complete all nursing practice hours for any other reason, including work or social commitments, they will not be offered the opportunity to complete their nursing practice hours, and run the risk of failing the subject.

Students are required to attend designated shifts while on nursing practice. Shift times vary between facilities, however, common start times are 7.00 am and 1.30 pm. Students with carer responsibilities should ask for a document from a UTS Student Centre which outlines issues that students may face.

Completion of nursing or midwifery practice

When assessing whether students are eligible to undertake additional hours to complete their nursing or midwifery practice, the Faculty examines a student's nursing or midwifery practice history, taking into account past attendance as well as the requirements of the Nurses and Midwives Board New South Wales. Therefore, it is in the interests of students to ensure that they maintain a complete attendance record.

As indicated above, students may not be given the opportunity to complete missed nursing practice hours and consequently may fail the subject.

Conduct

Students undertaking supervised nursing or midwifery practice must follow the directions given to them by their Facilitator, Midwifery Educator of Academic Liaison Officer, or in the absence of these, the staff of the hospital or agency concerned. Students are reminded that they are required to adhere to clinical placement facility policy and procedures.

Safety

While on practice placement, all students are responsible for promoting and maintaining environmental health and safety (EHS) by:

• looking out for hazards, reporting them to the supervisor of the work area and helping to fix hazards
• taking action to avoid, eliminate or minimise risks
• following safe work methods and using personal protective equipment as required
• seeking information or advice as necessary, particularly before carrying out new or unfamiliar work
• participating in orientation activities
• reporting accidents and incidents to the supervisor of the work area
• reporting emergencies in line with the facility protocols
• disposing of any hazardous wastes in a safe and approved manner
• not willfully placing at risk the health, safety and welfare of others, and
• exercising a duty of care toward others in everything undertaken.

All students must be aware of risk management policies and processes and be capable of implementing these within the clinical environments. Students must also comply with the policies and procedures of the relevant health facility.

Pregnancy on clinical placements

Pregnancy does not preclude students from clinical practice however some clinical placements may be potentially harmful to the developing foetus and to the student. Pregnant students are expected to notify the Faculty of their pregnancy, if they are working or studying in areas where there may be particular health and safety issues, e.g. radiation, working with infectious disease, cytotoxic drugs and anaesthetic gases. Students who are pregnant and in their third trimester of pregnancy or within the first six months of being post natal, must have the written permission of their Director of Studies to attend clinical placements. Students must also comply with health care facilities guidelines and recommendations when undertaking placements.

Student wellbeing advice

All students involved in clinical placements must be fit to do so.

Students who have health problems or who are under the influence of alcohol and/or other drugs that might foreseeably render them unsafe during nursing or midwifery practice placement, or who have a health problem that may be affected adversely during their placements should seek medical advice before undertaking a placement and should advise their subject coordinator.

Failure to do so may result in the Faculty accepting no responsibility for the consequences.

Each student is responsible to evaluate the foreseeable health risks before and during each clinical placement, and implement risk management strategies in consultation with the subject coordinator, and UTS Environmental, Health and Safety Guidelines. Students must also adhere to policies and direction from workplaces where the clinical placement is held.

Uniform

Students are required to wear the official uniform of the Faculty of Nursing, Midwifery and Health during all nursing and midwifery practice placements. Academic staff will indicate any other occasions when students must wear their uniform. Some nursing practice placements, e.g. mental health, do not require uniform. Students are notified of this when they receive their nursing practice placements. Students must purchase there uniform from the approved suppliers.

The uniform consists of:

• navy blue trousers (no hipsters) or navy blue skirt (with stockings) [women]
• navy blue trousers [men]
• navy spa top (UTS design) for Nursing students [female]
• purple spa top (UTS design) for Midwifery students [female]
• navy shirt (UTS design) [men]
• closed in shoes (navy or black).

Other requirements are as follows.

• Fingernails must be short and clean. Only clear nail varnish is acceptable.
• False nails must be permanent, not require any infill, and be short, non obtrusive, clean and with clear lacquer only.
• Hair must be worn off collars. Students with long hair must wear it up; long ponytails are not acceptable.
• Students are permitted to wear a wedding ring and one pair of small, plain studs in the ear lobes. No other jewellery or piercings are acceptable.
• Watches should either be digital or have a second hand, and must have no sharp edges, fancy watchbands or large buckles. A multicoloured ballpoint pen and small notepad are essential requirements. A small pocket calculator is advisable.
• Academic staff will provide advice to students on other items which need to be purchased, e.g. fob watch, stethoscope, scissors.
• Students must wear the uniform from their first nursing or midwifery practice placement in Autumn semester and should ensure that their uniform is available by this time.
• All students must wear their UTS photo identification card, with retractable cord at all times near collar, available from the Book Coop for a nominal fee.

Immunisation

UTS is committed to the health, welfare and safety of its students and staff. The following guidelines have been set up in order to ensure legislative requirements are adhered to, along with minimising infectious disease transmission to and/or from our students and staff.

All students and staff must adhere to current legislative requirements and practice partners policies and procedures regarding infection control and immunisation. Students should be aware of guidelines regarding immunisations and levels of required immunity, as indicated within these guidelines. At the time this policy was developed, guidelines assisting in the direction of this policy included:

• National Health and Medical Research Council (2003), The Australian Immunisation Handbook, 8th edn, Commonwealth of Australia Canberra
• NSW Health (2005a), Occupational Assessment, Screening and Vaccination Against Specified Infectious Diseases, Circ 2007/006, 1 February 2007
• NSW Health (2005b), Tuberculosis Screening and Protection – Health Care Worker, Circ 2001/71, 1 August 2001

Documentary evidence of vaccination and/or current immunity for the following diseases (completed record card plus serology) prior to clinical placement is mandatory:

• Adult Diptheria, Tetanus and Pertussis
• Hepatitis B
• Measles/Mumps/Rubella
• Varicella (chickenpox)
• Tuberculosis
• Hepatitis A
• Influenza (Optional)

Students must carry their updated and current vaccination screening record card plus serology with them at all times while on clinical practice and will be required to show evidence of both. Students must meet immunisation requirements of each placement they attend. Students unable to show their immunisation status will be asked to leave the placement.

Acceptable immunisation status is a prerequisite for attending clinical placements, due to legislative and organisational requirements. Health facilities have the right to preclude students who are not immunised in accordance with their policies. There are academic progress implications for students who fail to complete practice requirements for this reason.

Students who are unable to complete vaccination requirements for any reason (including conscientious objection), must request authorisation through the Director of Clinical Practice at least four weeks prior to every clinical placement. In most cases authorisation will be denied due to external organisation policies and requirements. Students who are unable to meet immunisation requirements will significantly impact their ability to complete their course.

Criminal record checks

Full details are provided in the Handbook's University-wide General Information.

Unsafe nursing practice performance

A student's performance is deemed unsafe if it places patients, clients, their families, staff members or fellow students at risk, and if he or she is unable or unwilling to perceive that risk. The judgment that a student's performance is unsafe is usually made on the basis of more than one incident, however, it can be made on the basis of one episode.

Students whose performance is deemed unsafe are removed from the health facility as soon as the judgment is made and are referred to the subject coordinator, who determines the appropriate course of action. Students may receive a Fail grade for the subject, or be given an opportunity to demonstrate improvement in an alternative clinical environment such as the laboratory. If satisfactory, students are given another opportunity to complete their nursing practice in a clinical environment.

Refer to Rule 16.10 in the UTS: Calendar.

Unsatisfactory clinical practice performance

A student's performance is deemed unsatisfactory if it fails to meet the objectives and assessment of a given nursing practice experience.

Each student has a formative assessment part-way through his or her clinical placement. If unsatisfactory performance is identified in this assessment, the Clinical Facilitator/Midwifery Educator/Academic Liaison Officer notifies the student and identifies a plan of action. This includes major areas of improvement and specific aims to be met to achieve satisfactory performance. If the student and/or the Clinical Facilitator/Midwifery Educator/Academic Liaison Officer have reason to believe that they cannot work together to implement the improvement plan, a request can be made by either person to the subject coordinator for alternative arrangements. Each student receives a summative assessment towards the end of her or his clinical placement which is assessed as either overall satisfactory or unsatisfactory.

The following diagram demonstrates the process for clinical subject assessment.

Administering of intravenous medications while on clinical practice

Third-year Bachelor of Nursing students are permitted to administer intravenous medications only under the following conditions:

1. under direct supervision of a registered nurse (including University Clinical Supervisors) accredited by the hospital to administer intravenous medications as long as all other medication requirements have been met, e.g. correct dose, patient, route, time, and written orders, etc., and
2. hospital policy allows students to administer intravenous medications under the direct supervision of a registered nurse as set out in (1) above.