Nursing (2023)

Nursing plays a pivotal role in providing, leading and coordinating care that is compassionate, evidence-based and person-centred. At Waikato, we look at the needs of the diverse and changing Aotearoa population to create a Registered Nurse who is culturally competent, supportive and can care for the individual and family across the lifespan.

Nursing is offered through the Bachelor of Nursing (BNurs), the Bachelor of Nursing with Honours (BNurs(Hons)) and the Master of Nursing Practice (MNursPrac). For more information, contact the Programme Convenor for Nursing.

To complete the BNurs, students must complete the programme set out below.

Note: The first year programme of the BNurs degree will be offered initially in 2021, with the 200-level papers introduced in 2022, and the 300-level papers introduced in 2023.


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  • Year 1

    Students must take HLTSC101, HLTSC102, HLTSC103, HLTSC104 and MAORI150.

  • Year 2

    Students must take HLTSC201, HLTSC202, HLTSC203, HLTSC204 and MAORI204.

  • Year 3

    Students must take HLTSC301, HLTSC302, HLTSC303, and HLTSC305.

  • Prescriptions for the BNurs(Hons)

    To complete a BNurs(Hons), students must complete 120 points at 500 level. This will include 90 points from HLTSC593 and 30 points from an approved Health Science paper.

  • Prescriptions for the MNursPrac

    Year 1: Students must take HLTSC570, HLTSC571, HLTSC572, HLTSC573, HLTSC574 and MAORI503.

    Year 2: Students must take HLTSC575, HLTSC576, HLTSC577, HLTSC578 and HLTSC579.

  • 100 Level

    Code Paper Title Points Occurrence / Location
    HLTSC101Health Assessment 130.023X (Hamilton)
    This paper provides an introduction to health assessment. It includes a practicum to consolidate fundamental health assessment skills and integrates physical, cultural, social and psychological dimensions.
    HLTSC102Applied Health Science 130.023X (Hamilton)
    This paper provides an introduction to individual and interpersonal functioning including human physiology and anatomy. The paper focusses strongly on cellular and organ structure and function as well as biochemical and physiological processes. The paper will progress through to the second trimester where a pathophysiological dimen...
    HLTSC103Nursing Practice 130.023X (Hamilton)
    This paper provides an introduction to nursing practice including the professional guidelines and principles of nursing practice. It includes a practicum to consolidate fundamentals of nursing which includes learning from other level one papers as well as therapeutic strategies, ethics, professional and legal, cultural responsivene...
    HLTSC104The Socio-Political Context of Health and Healthcare15.023A (Hamilton)
    This paper explores the socio-political context of health and healthcare in Aotearoa-NZ. Health scenarios are used to develop understanding of socio-political issues applied to clinical practice.
    MAORI150Te Tiriti o Waitangi: An Introduction to the Treaty of Waitangi15.023A (Hamilton), 23B (Hamilton) & 23X (Hamilton)
    This paper seeks to provide a sound understanding of Te Tiriti o Waitangi. It reviews historical and contemporary interpretations and takes into account the interplay of contextual issues of the time.
  • 200 Level

    Code Paper Title Points Occurrence / Location
    HLTSC201Health Assessment 230.023X (Hamilton)
    This paper extends the knowledge gained from Health Assessment 1 to consolidate fundamental health assessment skills and integrates physical, cultural, social and psychological dimensions.
    HLTSC202Applied Health Science 230.023X (Hamilton)
    The paper extends the knowledge gained from Applied Health Science 1 in Year 1 of the Bachelor of Nursing and continues to focus on both physiology and pathophysiology. The paper runs across the first two trimesters and will align with both the content and assessments in the papers Nursing Practice 2 and Health Assessment 2. The pa...
    HLTSC203Nursing Practice 230.023X (Hamilton)
    This paper consolidates the learning and experience from Nursing Practice 1, developing the professional behaviours and attributes of nursing practice. It includes a practicum to extend this development of therapeutic strategies, ethics, professional and legal responsibilities, cultural responsiveness, transdisciplinary care, quali...
    HLTSC204Pharmacology for Nurses15.023B (Hamilton)
    The aim of this paper is to develop the understanding of pharmacology and the role of medications in treatment and care of clients / tangata whaiora and develop an understanding of side effects and the impact such have on care.
    MAORI204Māori and Pacific Health and Wellbeing15.023A (Hamilton) & 23A (Tauranga)
    This paper looks at health and wellbeing from Maori and Pacific perspectives, including models and frameworks in relation to Health, Sport, Human Performance, and Nursing.
  • 300 Level

    Code Paper Title Points Occurrence / Location
    HLTSC301Health Assessment 330.023A (Hamilton)
    This paper extends the knowledge gained from Health Assessment 2, to prepare students to autonomously practise health assessment in a range of clinical settings, integrating physical, cultural, social and psychological dimensions upon graduation.
    HLTSC302Applied Health Science 330.023A (Hamilton)
    This paper builds advanced knowledge of both physiology and pathophysiology. There is a specific focus on neuroscience. There is a significant placement component associated with this paper.
    HLTSC303Nursing Practice 345.023B (Hamilton)
    This paper builds on prior Nursing Practice papers, developing the professional behaviours and attributes of nursing practice. This paper includes an extended period of clinical practice with a high level of autonomy in preparation for transition to registered nurse practice.
    HLTSC305Generating and Interpreting Evidence for Clinical Practice15.023B (Hamilton)
    This paper provides an introduction to the skills of applying research evidence to clinical practice. It includes an overview of quantitative and qualitative research methods.
  • 500 Level

    Code Paper Title Points Occurrence / Location
    HLTSC570Professional Nursing Practice in Aotearoa Society15.023A (Hamilton)
    This paper explores the nature of professional nursing practice including therapeutic relationships, ethics, professional boundaries, cultural safety and socio-political context of healthcare in Aotearoa.
    HLTSC571Applied Science for Nursing Practice I15.023A (Hamilton)
    The aim of this paper is to introduce the theory and skills required to understand normal physiological processes in relation to cognitive, emotional and social processes, and the impact of findings which guide diagnostic reasoning and therapeutic interventions.
    HLTSC572Nursing Practicum I30.023A (Hamilton)
    Nursing Council of New Zealand competencies include professional, ethical and legal requirements, care planning in response to assessment, therapeutic relationships, cultural responsiveness, and negotiated partnership with clients, families and trans-disciplinary care. This forms the basis of this paper.
    HLTSC573Nursing Practicum II30.023B (Hamilton)
    This paper builds on Nursing Practicum I and extends the student's understanding of the role of the nurse as a health professional and the theoretical, empirical, ethical, cultural and legal principles that govern this. The paper will focus strongly on the application of knowledge of health assessment, clinical reasoning and decisi...
    HLTSC574Applied Science for Nursing Practice II15.023B (Hamilton)
    This paper introduces the theory and skills required to understand and identify pathophysiological processes and alterations in cognitive, emotional and social processes, and the impact of findings which guide diagnostic reasoning and therapeutic interventions.
    HLTSC575Applied Science for Nursing Practice III15.023A (Hamilton)
    The paper extends the knowledge gained from Applied Science for Nursing Practice I and continues to focus on physiology, pathophysiology and altered psychosocial functioning.
    HLTSC576Pharmacology for Nursing Practice15.023B (Hamilton)
    Pharmacology provides the foundation knowledge for nurses to administer medication, which is a critical component of nursing practice. Nursing Council of New Zealand competencies include professional, ethical and legal requirements, care planning in response to assessment, therapeutic relationships, cultural responsiveness, and neg...
    HLTSC577Nursing Practicum III30.023A (Hamilton)
    Nursing Council of New Zealand competencies include professional, ethical and legal requirements, care planning in response to assessment, therapeutic relationships, cultural responsiveness, and negotiated partnership with clients, families and transdisciplinary care. This paper reflects the cumulative development of research-based...
    HLTSC578Research in Healthcare Practice15.023A (Hamilton)
    This paper introduces students to applied clinical research using quantitative and qualitative methods. The paper covers identifying a clinical issue for research, exploring relevant literature and research design.
    HLTSC579Transition to Registered Nurse Practice45.023B (Hamilton)
    This paper completes the MNursPrac programme by providing students with an extended period of clinical experience under the guidance of a Registered Nurse preceptor, culminating in achievement of the Nursing Council of New Zealand's Registered Nurse competencies. The paper also includes the research component of conducting a clinic...
    HLTSC593Health Science Thesis90.023X (Hamilton)
    The 90-point thesis is an individual scholarly piece of work of 30,000 words which uses research methodology to systematically investigate a health issue.
    MAORI503Te Tiriti o Waitangi15.023B (Hamilton) & 23X (Hamilton)
    This paper seeks to provide a sound understanding of Te Tiriti o Waitangi for nursing students from a range of academic backgrounds. It reviews historical and contemporary interpretations and takes into account the interplay of contextual issues of the time.

2023 Catalogue of Papers information current as of : 6 June 2023 9:07am

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