Bachelor of Nursing

Established to meet the needs of contemporary nursing practice, the Bachelor of Nursing actively acknowledges the changing face of patient care and medical technology. It provides unparalleled clinical training in an environment of scholarship and research, and offers multidisciplinary learning opportunities through its ability to draw on a comprehensive range of medicine, pharmacy and health science courses offered by the Faculty.

The degree's curriculum reflects the ways in which the health care system operates, presenting a multidisciplinary view of patient care. Topics covered range from mental health nursing and aged care, to child and family health care, Maori and Pacific health, medical and surgical nursing, management and leadership in nursing. Courses in pharmacology, microbiology, biological science, psychology, sociology and the humanities, support these subject areas. Critical thinking, communication and clinical skills are developed throughout the course by a number of research-based projects involving case studies. Supported by tutorials, case studies are discussed during clinical practice blocks and are designed to aid independent learning, reasoning and analysis.

The degree is structured to include a foundation year, where students study biological, physical and social sciences alongside other health professional students. Years two and three reflect different areas of nursing practice, and the honours year allows for in-depth study in a speciality area of clinical practice.

This programme provides clinical learning experiences to students which is fundamental to practice-based professions such as nursing, and underpins the values of the degree. Clinical experience provides students with an opportunity to consolidate their knowledge and acquire professional values and practical skills while learning to work as part of a multidisciplinary health care team. Clinical learning experiences occur in a variety of settings including acute and chronic health care facilities, in-patient and out-patient clinics, and institutional and community health agencies, along with primary, secondary and tertiary health care services.

After successful completion of the BNurs, graduates may apply for registration as Comprehensive Nurses with the Nursing Council of New Zealand.

The Bachelor of Nursing degree (BNurs) is a three year, full-time degree with a fourth, honours year option for BNurs students who achieve consistently high grades. Students are required to complete 360 points worth of courses.