Bachelor of Nursing post-admission information

To go on placement during your course, you will need to submit relevant documentation in your first year of study (unless advised otherwise). This Fact Sheet outlines the mandatory documents (licenses and certificates) that need to be undertaken as part of the placement component of the course.  Please make sure you allow enough time to complete the placement requirements outlined in the fact sheet as some documentation takes time to complete. 

The Bachelor of Nursing has course-related vaccination requirements. The course-related immunisation process may take up to six weeks to complete depending on your vaccination history and antibodies. To avoid delays, we highly recommend you book an appointment with your medical practitioner as early as possible.

Please note, health organisations can refuse to accept you for placement if your immunisation status is not satisfactory. The Immunisation Fact Sheet  compiles relevant information about vaccination and immunisation requirements for this course. If you have any questions, or if you are a conscientious objector to vaccinations, we suggest you seek advice from the course coordinator.

The purpose of mandatory simulated laboratory (sim labs) sessions is to create a supportive learning environment, allowing you to practice and refine your nursing skills in a safe and controlled setting.

Sim lab sessions aim to bridge the gap between theory and practice, offering the opportunity to apply your knowledge and skills in simulated scenarios that reflect real-life healthcare settings and situations. These sessions emphasise the importance of professionalism, communication, critical thinking, and effective teamwork in the nursing profession. Sim labs must be successfully completed as a pre-requisite to you commencing your placement.

You will be provided with further detail in Connect, however, this is what a typical study schedule will look like.

To enable lecturers, medical staff and patients to identify you as a legitimate health professional student from TAFE Queensland, it is a requirement that you wear the prescribed uniform at all times whilst on placement.

You are required to wear the TAFE Queensland polo shirt when attending the practical intensive sessions (sim labs) and professional experience placement (PEP). The sim labs are a simulated clinical environment and students are expected to adhere to the Nursing Uniform and Kit Fact Sheet at all times in preparation for PEP. 

The uniform includes:

• black shirt top with the TAFE Queensland logo and the word NURSING embroidered on the upper left-hand side
• black pants
• fully-enclosed black shoes, flat heeled, with non-slip soles (to comply with Occupational Health and Safety).

The TAFE QLD Nursing Polo shirt can be purchased from this link.

Students, please note:

• The cost of the polo shirt is for one shirt including freight to your home address. Prices are on the supplier’s website and may be subject to change.
• Students need to ensure that they read the terms and conditions on the website prior to purchase.
• All students are required to have a polo shirt prior to attending sim labs, be sure to order your shirt well in advance. Polo shirts are made to order and can take two-weeks to deliver.
• Pants must be black, professional looking and tailored. Please refer to the uniform policy document. Pants can be purchased locally from a uniform supplier.

Nursing Kit

In addition to your uniform, you will need a nursing kit. The items are available for purchase from a number of supplies and university stores. The Nursing Uniform and Kit Fact Sheet outlines the nursing kit requirements and where you can acquire those supplies to ensure you are well-equipped for each of your sim labs.

Mask fit testing is a pre-placement annual requirement that ensures the correct size and brand of respirator mask for your face. A properly fitted mask provides healthcare workers an adequate seal to help protect against illness or injury from respiratory hazards in the workplace. Fit testing is a test undertaken to ensure the fit (i.e. adequate face seal is achieved between the face piece of the respirator and the face of the wearer) of an appropriate mask to protect workers from respiratory /airborne infectious agents.

Please read the Mask Fit Fact sheet for more information about this requirement. TAFE Queensland covers the cost of this service. 

You may incur other fees and charges in the Bachelor of Nursing in addition to your tuition fees.  These are called incidental fees and you need to be aware of the ancillary costs associated with your course. For example, these include, but are not limited to:

• accommodation and travel expenses associated with placement
• uniforms
• vaccinations and medical costs
• police checks
• first aid certification.

In addition to incidental fees, placement is a mandatory requirement in this course as it leads to professional registration. TAFE Queensland may charge a non-attendance fee to students who fail to attend their allocated professional experience placement (PEP) without valid reason or notice.

Examples of circumstances where you may incur a non-attendance fee include:

• refusal to attend a PEP allocation 
• failure to attend the first day of an allocated PEP (orientation)
• refusal of access to the placement facility as a result of an act or omission by the student where more than one day of the placement is missed including, but not limited to:
  - failure to produce required documentation;
  - failure to comply with TAFE Queensland or placement provider policies
  - failure to produce appropriate identification or uniform
• Providing less than 4 weeks’ notice of an intention not to attend an allocated placement.

Attendance at placement is compulsory.  Students are required to complete a prescribed number of shifts to meet the learning outcomes of the placement. All absences from placement must be reported to the course coordinator and evidenced with supporting documentation.

If you are absent for any reason from a placement allocation, you will need to submit a form (coming soon), to your Course Coordinator.