• Year 12 or Equivalent
• You must be 18 years or older prior to the commencement of placement (term 4).
Inherent requirements
Our inherent requirements are a guide to help you decide if a course is right for you.
If you are a student with a disability, long-term illness, mental health condition or are a primary carer of an individual with a disability, you can apply for support through our Equitable Learning and Disability Support team.
Physical:
• Students need to be able to complete manual tasks associated with therapy assistance and should have a proficient level of physical fitness to be able to complete the course
• Stand and / or walk for prolonged periods (>30 minutes) of time when working within a care role
• Lift and or assist in the movement / of a patient(s) of varying size and capacity
• Provide basic cleaning duties including but not limited to, wiping down surfaces, mopping, carrying cleaning products of varying weights including buckets, cleaning agents and other pieces of equipment between locations and ability to operate a step ladder safely.
• Ability to undertake Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR) - please note that CPR must be practised on a mannikin located on the floor for a minimum of two (2) minutes over five (5) cycles
• Ability to be able to read very small print (e.g. measurements along a syringe, medication container labels, expiry dates)
• Ability to be able to grasp, push, press, turn, squeeze and manipulate objects to perform tasks to manage patient care (e.g. pump up a blood pressure cuff, administering an injection, applying wound dressings using tweezers)
• Ability to be able to perform activities such as bending, squatting, kneeling to assist with moving or positioning clients, moving equipment in confined spaces and over defined distances, assisting clients with personal care needs such as showering and dressing)
• Ability to be able to stand and walk for extended periods of time eg a normal shift requires the nurse to walk approximately 10 km
• Ability to be able to hear and differentiate sounds that may alert you to a problem (e.g. a client with breathing difficulties, coughs, vomiting; a softly spoken client, background noise, alarms, speech) and detect calls for help or the activation of a call bell for assistance
Cognitive:
• Robust interpersonal skills including written, verbal and non-verbal practices.
• Ability to take and provide structured critical feedback as well as follow basic instructions both written and verbal.
• Learners must instill sound bedside manners including personal hygiene and general sense for infection control and general WHS practices
• Learners must have basic computer literacy, including but not limited to the use of Microsoft Office (Word, Excel and PowerPoint), email functions, internet browsing and other general computer functions
• Ability to utilise industry based online platforms and or patient management software
• Ability to read, write, understand and apply information and documents (e.g. reports, charts, and clinical documentation, workplace instructions, policies and procedures)
• Able to use judgement/basic problem-solving skills e.g. to respond to immediate safety risks
• Able to perform basic mathematical functions with and without the use of a calculator e.g. for measuring medications, medication calculations, using the 24-hour clock, completing a fluid balance chart. Maths is required for medication calculations includes addition, subtraction, multiplication, division, decimals, fractions, percentages, the metric system, metric conversion, and ratios.
Emotional
Emotional flexibility and stability to cater for varying patient needs and the ability to handle general stressors (meeting deadlines, managing expectations, task management, etc.)
• Able to work under pressure and function effectively in stressful situations
• Attention to detail
• Be receptive and respond appropriately to feedback
• Dependable and professional (e.g. reliable, responsible, punctual, professional approach and personal presentation, fulfilling obligations, maintaining confidentiality)
• Genuine interest in interacting and working with people
• Tolerate close proximity with individuals (including physical contact and being alone with other students/supervisor/clients as appropriate)
• Willingness to care/work with people regardless of social and cultural backgrounds, or gender, age, culture, sexuality or religion
Work Placement Skills
• Specific skills in addition to those listed above that will be required during work placement include:
• Able to work under direct supervision
• Accept personal responsibility for accurate completion of work and seek help when required
• Ability to be on your feet for extended periods of times, both walking and standing
• Ability to deal with bodily fluids (e.g. vomit, blood, urine and faeces)
• Ability to separate work and life, including practice self-care
• Ability to transport self to and from work placement
• Capacity to undertake shift work and/or work on weekends. Physical capability to cope with the demands of shift work (e.g. early, late and night shifts over a seven (7) day roster).
• Maintain neat personal appearance, including a high level of personal hygiene
Technical and Digital Skills
• Operational knowledge of computers/smart devices, including capacity to use industry specific tools, software and equipment
• Use information technology to support communication (e.g. computer for reports, email and documents)
Language, literacy and numeracy
You are required to complete a language, literacy and numeracy skills test before course commencement. This will determine course suitability and if you may need additional support.
We use an approved online skills review tool to determine your language, literacy and numeracy skills within the Australian Core Skills Framework (ACSF).
Below are the levels required for this course:
• Language and literacy: 3
• Numeracy: 3.
The evidence requirements for registration have been recently updated by the Australian Nursing and Midwifery Accreditation Council and Chisholm enrolment processes align with those requirements. If you are identified as requiring an English test at registration, you must provide evidence of meeting that requirement prior to enrolment.
You will be asked to complete documentation during the application process to identify how you will meet the English language requirements and provide evidence as required. Full details of the English language requirements and the evidence required are contained in the Diploma of Nursing Information Pack which will be sent to you on application.
Chisholm is a Registered Training Organisation (RTO) and provides Nationally Recognised Training (NRT). This means you can be assured that our training will provide you with a qualification that is recognised and respected across Australia.