Bachelor of Nursing Informatics CU45

Program Overview

Note: CQU is an academic institutional member of the International Medical Informatics Association (I.M.I.A.)

This program has been developed to meet the needs of registered nurses who wish or need to make better use of available computer, information and telecommunication technologies to support their area of practice. The use of these technologies including electronic health records has the potential to improve the efficiency, safety and quality of care. The program provides registered nurses with a sound foundation for contemporary nursing practice and possible further study in the nursing informatics discipline.

The program is available to registered nurses who hold a certificate from a hospital based program in their own country, a diploma or degree in nursing from a college or university. All applicants must hold a current general nurse registration certificate which indicates their authority to practice as a registered nurse in their own country. International students will be expected to meet the requirements regarding English standards which enable them to cope with study of an Australian education program. Registered nurses entering this program are given 2 years of study exemption in recognition of their prior learning. Therefore no further credit transfers will be given.

Program Structure

To obtain a Bachelor of Nursing Informatics, a student must complete a total of 8 courses as follows:

• two compulsory courses;
• four informatics/communication courses;
• two nursing/health or informatics/communication courses taken from the lists below.

The available selection provides opportunities to apply informatics principles to any of the following: nursing, evidence based practice, health information management, statistics, information systems, multimedia, e-health, IT, systems services, health service management, system design and implementation.

Note. These areas are indicative only. It may be possible to customise a specialisation study area for individuals or a group of students at the discretion of the course coordinator).

Compulsory courses

Code	Course
HLTH12003	Foundations of Health Information
HLTH11005	Nursing Informatics

Informatics/Communication courses

Code	Course
Introductory Informatics
COIS11011	Foundations of Business Computing
COIT11166	Systems Analysis and Design
COIT12168	Analysis and Specification
COIS13013	Management Support Systems
Multimedia
MMST11001	Introduction to Multimedia Systems
MMST11002	Constructing Cyberspace
MMST12004	Multimedia Design
MMST12005	Multimedia Development
Statistics
STAT11048	Essential Statistics
STAT12032	Data Analysis
MATH12175	Experimental Design
MATH11168	Total Quality Management & Statistical Process Control
Computer Systems
COIT11133	Programming A
COIT11134	Programming B
COIT13152	Operating Systems
COIT12170	Data Communication
Management Support Systems
COIT11133	Programming A
COIS12041	Business Programming
COIS12031	Software Design & Programming
COIS13013	Management Support Systems
Systems Development
COIT11133	Programming A
COIS12041	Business Programming
COIT11166	Systems Analysis and Design
COIT12168	Analysis and Specification
Computer Networks
COIT11133	Programming A
ENCO11005	Computer Hardware Fundamentals
COIT12170	Data Communication
COIT13147	Networks
Database Systems
COIT11133	Programming A
COIS12041	Business Programming
COIT11166	Systems Analysis and Design
COIT12167	Database Use and Design
Software Design
COIT11133	Programming A
COIS12041	Business Programming
COIT11166	Systems Analysis and Design
COIS12036	Human Computer Interaction
Focus on practical communication skills
COMM11007	Professional Writing
COMM12033	Speech Communication
COMM12030	Desktop Publishing
COMM12020	Communication in the Internet Age
Focus on theoretical understanding of relevant communication practice
COMM11005	Introduction to Communication & Culture
COMM12020	Communication in the Internet Age
COMM12025	Organisational Communication
COMM12022	Cultural Technologies

Nursing/Health/Management courses

Code	Course
HLTH12027	Counselling for Health Professionals
NURS12097	Ethical and Legal Issues
HMGT12004	Health Service Provision
HLPB12002	Epidemiology
NURS13102	Introduction to Health Research
NURS11113	Nursing Course Management
PHRM10004	Pharmacology
NURS12128	Drugs in Society
NURS12127	Mental Health Studies
HRMT19012	Performance Management
HRMT19013	Human Resources Development
HRMT19020	Managing Organisational Change
NUTR19001	Nutrition
BIOH10006	Pathophysiology
NURS10002	Clinical Pathology for Health Professionals

Sample part-time two-year program structure for Registered Nurses with little or no computing knowledge and experience:

Code	Course
Year 1 - Autumn
COIS11011	Foundations of Business Computing
HLTH12003	Foundations of Health Information Science
Year 1 - Winter
COIT11166	Systems Analysis & Design
HLTH11005	Nursing Informatics
Year 2 - Autumn
COIT12168	Analysis and Specification
COIS13013	Management Support Systems
Year 2 - Winter
	2 Electives

Note: Students must check to see when and where a course is offered before enrolling. See the course availability section in this handbook for details.