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 Program Coordinator).

Compulsory courses

Informatics/Communication courses

Nursing/Health/Management courses

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

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.