In this program participants will be prepared to meet the requirements for Division One registration, allowing re-entry to nursing within the Australian health care context.

The program is designed to be undertaken full-time over a minimum of 16 weeks consisting of 80 hours of directed theoretical learning (online), 160 hours of self-directed learning activities (online) and 160 hours of supervised clinical experience (practicum). Areas to be covered include the Australian health care system, clinical reasoning, communication in health care, law and ethics in Australian health care, risk management including infection control, mental health issues, medication management, caring for vulnerable groups and community nursing.

On completion of the Re-Entry to Practice (RN) Program, the participant will be able to:

1. Reflect on nursing knowledge and skills and apply them to nursing in the Australian context
2. Apply critical thinking frameworks and problem-solving skills to nursing practice
3. Implement the principles of evidence-based practice in the provision and evaluation of person centred nursing care
4. Demonstrate the interpersonal and communication skills to be active participants in interdisciplinary practice
5. Demonstrate autonomy and responsibility to function as a registered nurse in accordance with the Australian Nursing and Midwifery Board standards and codes of conduct for a Registered Nurse.
6. Justify the relevance of the Australian Nursing and Midwifery Board standards and codes of conduct for registered nurses

Participants need to have considered and meet these requirements prior to applying to complete this course.

Assessment

A variety of assessment strategies are used throughout the program, to allow participants different ways of demonstrating their learning.

• Individual written assignment
• Online multiple choice questionnaire
• Clinical placement
  • Foundational (weeks 1 and 2)
  • Consolidation (weeks 3 and 4)

Clinical practicum

The program has a clinical hurdle component of 160 hrs. Clinical placements will be sourced by the La Trobe Rural Health School relative to the participant's residential postcode to ensure that participants have the appropriate clinical practice context and supervision to meet the program's intended learning outcomes. This is a purposive approach to enable the opportunity for formative and summative feedback and to manage exposure to different levels of acuity through different practice contexts including specialty practice areas. Participants must complete a minimum of 160 hours of clinical practice to demonstrate competency across the four domains of practice in the Australian Nursing and Midwifery Council Competency Standards.

Prerequisites at time of clinical placement

A number of policies and requirements must be addressed prior to attending clinical placement. These requirements are outlined below:

• Completed Immunisation and Health Record Form with supporting immunisation records and serology reports - including the annual flu vaccination and COVID-19 vaccination*
• Fit2Work check or National Police Certificate, dated in current year of study
• Cardiac Pulmonary Resuscitation (CPR) Certificate (current and submitted annually).
• Senior First Aid Certificate/Workplace Level 2 (Valid for 3 years)
• Signed and witnessed the Release of Personal Documents and Consent Form/Student Acknowledgement Form
• Working with Children Check (valid for 5 years)
• Signed Student Undertaking Form

COVID-19 vaccination

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Extra requirements

1. Broadband internet access and an active email address that can be accessed at home during study periods.
2. Participants must have basic computer literacy skills (e.g. Word or other word processing software).