Bachelor of Midwifery/Bachelor of Nursing

On successful completion of this course, students will be able to:

1. Utilise comprehensive health assessment of the client, including consideration of physical, psychological, sociological, spiritual and cultural factors;
2. Advocate for principles of culturally sensitive woman-centred and person-centred care across the lifespan;
3. Adopt a wellness and preventative health approach to woman-centred and person-centred care using principles of health promotion;
4. Synthesise bioscience and pharmacology knowledge and apply this to midwifery and nursing practice;
5. Interrogate evidence relating to midwifery and nursing philosophy and practice to inform planning, implementation and evaluation of care;
6. Exhibit values, behaviours and professional knowledge congruent with legal, professional, and ethical standards for registered midwifery and nursing practice;
7. Utilise effective and therapeutic communication skills in the healthcare context; and
8. Critically reflect on their identity as a developing health professional by articulating self-care strategies and their plan for lifelong learning.

Our state-of-the-art technology lets you participate in classroom simulation learning, practising your new skills in a safe environment.

We have nursing lab facilities designed to simulate a hospital environment where you can practise your nursing and midwifery on models before you move on to real people.

Through simulation-based education (SBE), you’ll have repeated opportunities to learn in situations you might not encounter in your placements. You’ll try out your inter-professional skills, with specific and immediate feedback to help you learn quickly.

Video recording from fixed cameras helps you improve your learning through greater understanding of your approach.

You’ll graduate career-ready, having spent 25 per cent of your course working in clinical placements.

We have practical nursing-placement opportunities in over 200 clinical venues. Our strong partnerships with Western Health and Werribee Mercy Hospital give you access to acute teaching and training hospitals for nursing and midwifery students.

You’ll also meet and follow at least 10 women through:

• pregnancy
• childbirth
• post-birth.

Meeting the minimum entry criteria does not guarantee entry into this course.

Completion of an Australian Senior Secondary Certificate (VCE or equivalent) including Units 3 and 4: a study score of at least 30 in English (EAL) or 25 in any other English (or equivalent).
AND
Units 3 and 4: a study score of at least 20 in one of Biology, Chemistry, Health And Human Development, any Mathematics or Psychology.
OR
Completion of an Australian Advanced Diploma or Diploma (or equivalent) in Nursing, Health Sciences or similar.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION FOR ALL INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS ON NURSING AND MIDWIFERY BOARD OF AUSTRALIA (NMBA) ENGLISH LANGUAGE SKILLS REGISTRATION STANDARDS
Applicants must be able to demonstrate that they meet the Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia (NMBA) English language skills registration standard. Applicants can obtain further information about the Standard and sitting requirements for the English Language Tests at: http://www.nursingmidwiferyboard.gov.au/Registration-Standards/English-language-skills.aspx

As part of this standard, applicants must be able to demonstrate that they have evidence of completing:
• At least 5 years (full time equivalent) continuous education taught and assessed in English, in any of the recognised countries (Australia, Canada, New Zealand, South Africa, United States of America, Canada, Republic of Ireland, United Kingdom).
OR
• IELTS (Academic): minimum overall band of 7.0 (with no individual band less than 7.0 in reading, listening and speaking and no less than 6.5 in the writing band); OR
OR
• OET with a minimum score of B in each of the four components (listening, reading, writing and speaking).
OR
• PTE Academic with a minimum overall score of 65 and a minimum score of 65 in each of the four communicative skills (listening, reading, writing and speaking).
OR
• TOEFL iBT with a minimum total score of 94 and the following minimum score in each section of the test: 24 for listening, 24 for reading, 27 for writing, and 23 for speaking.

Special entry programs

If you are from a disadvantaged or underrepresented social, economic or cultural background, you may be eligible for one of our special admission programs. These programs are designed to help you access education more easily.

Learn more about special admission programs

Inherent requirements

Inherent requirements are the abilities, attributes, skills and behaviours needed to meet the learning outcomes of the course.

You should carefully consider the inherent requirement statement as a:

• guide for your learning during the course
• way for you to identify challenges you may have in studying this course.

Learn more about inherent requirements

Additional information

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Police check: Students must complete a National Police Records check prior to undertaking hospital/agency placements on an annual basis.

Working with Children Check: Students must complete a Working with Children Check prior to undertaking clinical placements.

Evidence of mandatory documents and vaccinations for placement is a hurdle for specific units in year 2, year 3 and year 4. Students must provide evidence of achievement of the required vaccinations and documents by 5pm on Friday of Week 3 of the Block in order to be eligible to pass the unit and to go on placement. Evidence of annual flu vaccination is also required (subject to availability).

Health status: Students must be prepared to declare their fitness for practice and immunization status prior to undertaking hospital/agency placements.

A Clinical Placement fee applies in all situations where the student is enrolled in a unit with a clinical placement component and/or has been provided with a clinical placement opportunity and fails to meet minimum standards for external placement, this can include late cancellations, failure to attend, student and professional misconduct, failure to provide mandatory documentation, regardless if the student discontinues prior to the enrolled Census Date. For placement fee details relevant to your course refer to https://www.vu.edu.au/current-students/your-course/fees/additional-fees-charges.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION FOR ALL DOMESTIC STUDENTS ON NURSING AND MIDWIFERY BOARD OF AUSTRALIA (NMBA) ENGLISH LANGUAGE SKILLS REGISTRATION STANDARDS
Applicants must be able to demonstrate that they meet the requirements of the NMBA English language skills registration standard. Proof of this English language competency can be achieved via ONE of the following two pathways:

Primary Language Pathway

Students are to provide a declaration that English is their primary language;

OR

English Language Test Pathway

Applicants must be able to demonstrate that they have achieved the required minimum scores in one of the following English language tests and meet the requirements for test results specified in NMBA’s English language skills registration standard:
• IELTS (Academic): minimum overall band of 7.0 (with no individual band less than 7.0); OR
• OET: minimum score of B in each of the four bands; OR
• TOEFL iBT: minimum overall score of 94 (with minimum score of 24 in listening and reading, 27 in writing and 23 in speaking) OR
• PTE (A): with a minimum overall score of 65 and a minimum score of 65 in each of the four communicative skills (listening, reading, writing and speaking).