C5417 - Diploma of Nursing

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Plan: C5417BU - Diploma of Nursing
Campus: Bundoora Campus

Learning outcomes

Statement on competency-based training
Employability Skills

Statement on competency-based training

This nationally recognised vocational education and training (VET) qualification is 
competency-based. 
This means that it is designed to enable you to develop the practical skills and 
knowledge (competency) needed to perform the duties and tasks in the job you are 
training for.
Assessment in a competency-based program is about being able to demonstrate 
that you have developed these practical skills and areas of knowledge, and that you 
can perform at the standard required in the job. This could involve showing an 
assessor how you plan and carry out tasks and explaining to the assessor how you 
know what you are doing. It could also involve completing a project and presenting a 
report on the process and outcomes. If you are working, your work supervisor may 
provide the assessor with a report on your competency.
If you have already developed areas of skill and knowledge included in this program 
(e.g. through prior paid or voluntary work experience), you can be assessed and 
have these skills and knowledge formally recognised at any point during the 
program. There is information on the RMIT University website about how to apply for 
Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) – refer to 
https://www.rmit.edu.au/students/student-essentials/enrolment/apply-for-credit

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Employability Skills

In addition to developing skills and knowledge for a particular job, this program also aims to help you to develop broad work skills, known as Employability Skills. There are eight employability skills:

Communication:

  • organising and expressing ideas concisely - by writing assignments and documenting nursing care provided in clinical notes
  • speaking clearly and directly to individuals and/or groups - such as presenting and participating in class discussions, or communicating effectively with health care consumers and their families
  • effectively communicate and express information to others both verbally and in writing - such as being able to provide important details to others (nurses, multidisciplinary team) during a handover of the person in your care
  • questioning, clarifying and evaluating information - such as reviewing a nursing care plan and interpreting what care needs to be provided

Teamwork: 

working in a team collaboratively to achieve a common goal - such as working in group assignments

  • sharing information, supports and empowering other team members - such as involvement in a student society, class representative role
  • responding constructively to the opinion of others - such as feedback from peer review in the simulated practice-based labs or clinical placement supervisior during a workplace clinical placement

Problem-solving:

  • researching and selecting relevant information to solve a problem - such as working on case studies and/or a research project assessment
  • analysing issues for underlying causes, assessing options, proposing solutions - participating in work-integrated learning during clinical placement
  • developing, implementing and monitoring contingency management strategies - such as implementing nursing care interventions and evaluating effectiveness
  • identifying hazards, assessing and controlling risk through appropriate control measures - such as selecting appropriate lifting equipment
  • solving complex and non-routine difficulties - such as a distressed person who is angry and verbally threatening toward you
  • using a variety of problem-solving and decision-making strategies - dealing with a deteriorating patient scenario during simulated learning

Initiative and enterprise:

  • easily adjusting to new situations - by attending allocated clinical placements in a rural country setting
  • mapping out ideas to an action plan - such as organising the semester study load/assessment requirements and external work commitments 
  • responding to new and changing circumstances - showing initiative whilst on clinical placement to provide/offer assistance  to other nursing staff during a shift, whilst maintaining own scope of practice 

Planning and organising:

  • managing timelines and prioritising - such as preparing a daily shift planner while on clinical placement
  • allocating and coordinating tasks for self and others - arranging study and work commitments to support yourself at RMIT

Self-management:

  • ensuring work practices are ethical and performed professionally at all times - understand the Enrolled Nurse Practice guidelines and stay within your scope of practice as a student enrolled nurse at the level of your educational training
  • managing own time and priorities and dealing with contingencies - by taking responsibility for preparing your own research and preparation of assessment tasks
  • taking responsibility as required by work role and ensuring all organisational policies and procedures are followed - being familiar with workplace policies and procedures

Learning:

  • skill development requirements - such as reflecting on areas for personal growth and taking responsibility to undertake further training / attend workshops
  • monitoring and facilitating occupational health and training programs - by undertaking annual mandatory assessments that test 100% accuracy with medication calculations
  • providing learning and development opportunities - by reflecting often and seeking out learning opportunities and become a lifelong learner

Technology:

  • proficiency in using computers and telecommunications - by sourcing information with electronic databases
  • understanding current trends and developments - such as digital health and the use of electronic medication charts in some health care areas
  • managing information through technology - being confident in navigating learning management systems such as Canvas for sourcing learning content

Employability skills are “embedded” in the units of competency in your program. This means that you will be able to develop these skills as part of your learning, and when you demonstrate that you are competent in your particular job skills and knowledge, you are also demonstrating that you have developed relevant employability skills. 

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