Graduate Diploma in Nursing specialising in Mental Health

Adelaide University provides a range of student services and support to ensure you can succeed in your studies. If you have a disability, medical or mental health condition that may impact your studies, you are are strongly encouraged to speak with the Access and Inclusion team when accepting your offer into a program. Visit the Access and Inclusion webpage to find out more.  

Students with a disability, mental health or medical condition who have an assessment with an Access and Inclusion Adviser will be provided with a personalised Access Plan. This document will propose reasonable adjustments that can be made to assist the student to achieve their program’s Fitness to Practice in Clinical Placements requirements aligned to the program learning outcomes and program rules.  

The provision of an Access Plan should not be construed as a determination by the University that the student can meet the Fitness to Practice in Clinical Placements requirements of the specified program. The reasonable adjustments proposed in the Access Plan are approved by the Dean of the School of Nursing and Midwifery or the Program Director, and may be subject to amendment if they consider the proposed adjustments are inconsistent with the Fitness to Practice in Clinical Placement requirement statements of the program. 

The following procedure must be initiated when concerns are raised regarding a student’s ability to meet each of the eight domains of Fitness to Practice in Clinical Placements. 

Any concerns of this nature must be properly investigated. Students who are not fit to practice during a clinical placement may pose a risk to the public, clinical placement host staff, Adelaide University staff and other students if they are permitted to participate in clinical placements. These students may also fall within the mandatory notification requirements under the National Law. The University shall carry out the procedure described below in a manner that is as timely and discreet as reasonably practicable and provides procedural fairness for students who are the subject of investigations. All information collected by the School of Nursing and Midwifery as part of the procedure described below shall be retained and dealt with in a manner that is consistent with the Adelaide University Privacy Policy.  

The following circumstances are examples that could raise doubts about a student’s ability to meet one or more of the Fitness to Practice in Clinical Placements inherent requirements and potentially cause a student to be unfit to practice during a clinical placement. These examples are illustrative only and are not intended to be exhaustive: 

• Evidence of chronic drug or alcohol misuse 
• Severe mental illness 
• Acting in a violent or aggressive manner 
• Intimidation of patients/clients, placement host staff, UniSA staff and fellow students 
• Fraudulent or dishonest behaviour 
• Failure to comply with legislative and compulsory pre-clinical document requirements for clinical placement 
• Convicted or found guilty of an offence punishable by imprisonment in Australia and/or overseas. 

Requirement for Medical Clearance

Where the Program Director decides that a medical clearance from a registered medical practitioner is necessary to determine a student’s fitness to practice, the student will be requested to provide a report from a medical professional within 10 business days (or a longer period as may be approved by the Program Director). A template form has been developed by the School of Nursing and Midwifery for this purpose. Through the Program Director, the University can stipulate the medical practitioner the student is required to consult for an independent assessment. 

Concerns about a nursing or midwifery student’s ability to meet the Fitness to Practice in Clinical Placement inherent requirements and to demonstrate fitness to practice on a clinical placement will be managed in accordance with Adelaide University’s Assessment Procedure.  

Nursing and midwifery practitioners are mandated by legislation to enable the safe delivery of care. Nursing and midwifery students are registered with the NMBA and must demonstrate knowledge and compliance with Australian law, professional regulations and scope of practice. 

Why is this an inherent requirement?

Knowledge, understanding and compliance with legislative and regulatory requirements are necessary prerequisites to clinical placements in order to reduce the risk of harm to self and others. Compliance with these professional regulations and the Australian law ensures that students are both responsible and accountable for their practice. 

What support can be provided?

Support must be consistent with legislative and regulatory requirements. Support specific to the individual can be discussed with the Program Director or access and inclusion support staff.  

What examples may demonstrate that you have met the requirement?

• Complying with the requirement for student registration with AHPRA 
• Complying with relevant child protection and safety legislation.

Nursing and midwifery students require effective, verbal, non-verbal and written communication skills. 

Verbal

This requirement includes: 

• Sensitivity to individual and/or cultural differences 

• The ability to understand and respond to verbal communication accurately, appropriately and in a timely manner 

• The ability to provide clear instructions in the context of the situation 

• Timely, clear feedback and reporting. 

Why is this an inherent requirement?

Effective verbal communication, in English, is an essential requirement to provide safe delivery of care. Nurses and midwives are required to communicate in a way that displays respect and empathy to others and develops trusting relationships. In addition, communication may be restricted to verbal because of physical limitations of the individual (e.g. injury, disease or congenital conditions) and speed and interactivity of communication may be critical for individual safety or treatment. Timely, accurate and effective delivery of instructions is critical to individual safety, treatment and management. 

What support can be provided?

Support must address effectiveness, timeliness, clarity and accuracy issues to ensure safety and appropriate care. Support specific to the individual can be discussed with an Adelaide University counsellor or access and inclusion support staff. Support may include provision of additional communication skills development programs. 

What examples may demonstrate that you have met the requirement?

• Participating in tutorial, simulation and clinical discussions 
• Responding appropriately to a care request in the clinical environment. 

Non-verbal

Effective non-verbal communication is fundamental to nursing and midwifery practice and needs to be respectful, clear, attentive, empathetic and non-judgmental. This requirement includes: 

• The capacity to recognise, interpret and respond appropriately to behavioural cues 
• Consistent and appropriate awareness of own behaviours 
• Sensitivity to individual and/or cultural differences. 

Why is this an inherent requirement?

The ability to observe and understand non-verbal cues assists in building rapport with people and gaining their trust and respect in academic and professional relationships. Displaying consistent and appropriate facial expressions, eye contact, and being mindful of space and time boundaries, body movements, and gestures promotes trust in academic and professional relationships. Being sensitive to individual and/or cultural differences displays respect and empathy to others and develops trusting relationships. The ability to observe and understand non-verbal cues is essential for the safe and effective observation of patient symptoms and reactions to facilitate the assessment and treatment of patients. 

What support can be provided?

Support must enable the recognition, initiation of, or appropriate response to effective non-verbal communication in a timely and appropriate manner. Support specific to the individual can be discussed with the Program Director or access and inclusion support staff. 

What examples may demonstrate that you have met the requirement? 

• Recognising and responding appropriately in classroom situations 
• Recognising and responding appropriately to cues in the clinical environment. 

Written

Nursing and midwifery students must demonstrate the capacity to construct coherent and effective written communication, in English, appropriate to the circumstances. 

Why is this an inherent requirement?

Effective written communication, in English, is a fundamental nursing responsibility with professional and legal ramifications. The construction of written text-based assessment tasks to reflect the required academic standards is necessary to convey knowledge and understanding of relevant subject matter for professional practice. Accurate written communication, including record-keeping and patient notes, is vital to provide consistent and safe patient care. 

What support can be provided?

Support must meet necessary standards of clarity, accuracy and accessibility to ensure effective recording and transmission of information in both academic and clinical settings. Support specific to the individual can be discussed with the Program Director or access and inclusion support staff. 

What examples may demonstrate that you have met the requirement?

• Constructing an essay to academic standards 
• Constructing a nursing report in a timely manner that meets professional standards. 

This course requires knowledge of theory and the skills of cognition, literacy and numeracy. 

Knowledge and cognitive skills

Consistent knowledge and effective cognitive skills must be demonstrated to provide safe and competent nursing and/or midwifery care. This includes: 

• The capacity to locate appropriate and relevant information 
• The ability to process information relevant to practice 
• The ability to integrate and implement knowledge in practice. 

Why is this an inherent requirement?

Safe and effective delivery of nursing care is based on comprehensive knowledge that must be sourced, understood and applied appropriately. 

What support can be provided?

Support must ensure that a clear demonstration of knowledge and cognitive skills is not compromised or impeded. Support specific to the individual can be discussed with the Program Director or access and inclusion support staff. 

What examples may demonstrate that you have met the requirement?

• Ability to conceptualise and use appropriate knowledge in response to academic assessment items 
• Applying knowledge of policy and procedures in the clinical setting. 

Literacy (language)

Competent literacy skills are essential to provide safe and effective delivery of care. This includes: 

• The ability to acquire information and accurately convey appropriate, effective messages 
• The ability to read and comprehend a range of literature and information 
• The capacity to understand and implement academic conventions to construct written text in a scholarly manner. 

Why is this an inherent requirement?

The ability to acquire information and to accurately convey messages is fundamental to ensure safe and effective assessment, treatment and delivery of care. The ability to read, decode, interpret and comprehend multiple sources of information is fundamental for the safe and effective delivery of nursing and/or midwifery care. 

What support can be provided?

Support must achieve a capacity to effectively acquire, comprehend, apply and communicate accurate information. Support specific to the individual can be discussed with the Program Director or access and inclusion support staff. 

What examples may demonstrate that you have met the requirement? 

• The ability to listen to information, for example, on the telephone, in an emergency, in tutorials 
• The ability to convey a spoken message accurately 
• The ability to paraphrase, summarise and reference in accordance with appropriate academic conventions 
• Demonstrates accurate, concise and clear nursing documentation.  

Numeracy

Competent and accurate numeracy skills means that you have the ability to interpret and correctly apply data, measurements and numerical criteria. 

Why is this an inherent requirement?

Competent and accurate application of numeracy skills is essential in nursing to facilitate the safe and effective delivery of nursing and/or midwifery care. 

What support can be provided?

Support must demonstrate a capacity to interpret and apply concepts and processes appropriately in a timely, accurate and effective manner. Support specific to the individual can be discussed with the Program Director or access and inclusion support staff. 

What examples may demonstrate that you have met the requirement?

• Performing accurate drug calculations 
• Demonstrating accurate recording on a fluid balance chart

Sensory ability

This course requires adequate visual, auditory and tactile abilities (sight, hearing, touch). 

Visual ability 

Students must demonstrate sufficient visual acuity to perform the required range of skills. 

Why is this an inherent requirement?

Adequate visual acuity is required to provide safe and effective nursing care. Sufficient visual acuity is necessary to demonstrate the required range of skills, tasks and assessments to maintain consistent, accurate and safe care of self and to others. Visual observations, examination and assessment are fundamental to safe and effective nursing practice. 

What reasonable adjustments can be made? 

Adjustments must address the need to perform the full range of tasks involved in clinical practice. Any strategies to address the effects of the vision impairment must be effective, consistent and not compromise treatment or safety. Adjustments specific to the individual can be discussed with access and inclusion support staff. 

What examples may demonstrate that you have met the requirement?

• Accurately drawing up medication to administer 
• Observing and detecting subtle changes in wounds and patient condition. 

Auditory ability

Auditory ability is required to provide sufficient aural function to undertake the required range of skills. 

Why is this an inherent requirement?

Auditory ability is required to provide safe and effective nursing care. Sufficient auditory ability is necessary to monitor, assess and manage an individual's health needs consistently and accurately. Auditory assessments and observations are fundamental to safe and effective nursing and/or midwifery practice. 

What reasonable adjustments can be made?

Adjustments must address the need to perform the full range of tasks involved in clinical practice. Any strategies to address the effects of the hearing loss must be effective, consistent and not compromise treatment or safety. Adjustments specific to the individual can be discussed with access and inclusion support staff. 

What examples may demonstrate that you have met the requirement?

• Accurately undertaking a blood pressure measurement by auscultation 
• Detecting care request by activation of call bell or calls for help. 

Tactile ability

Sufficient tactile ability is required to perform competent and safe nursing care. This includes adequate tactile function sufficient to undertake the required range of skills and assessments. 

Why is this an inherent requirement?

Sufficient tactile ability is necessary to monitor, assess and detect patients' physical characteristics and act on any abnormalities detected to provide thorough nursing care. Tactile assessments and observations are fundamental to safe and effective nursing and/or midwifery practice. 

What reasonable adjustments can be made?

Adjustments must have the capacity to make effective assessments of physical characteristics and abnormalities within safe time frames. Adjustments specific to the individual can be discussed with access and inclusion support staff. 

What examples may demonstrate that you have met the requirement? 

• Detecting any changes in circulation observations e.g. temperature and pulse palpation 
• Conducting a physical assessment and detecting any anatomical abnormalities.