Unit Outline
NUR131
Concepts of Nursing 1: Introduction to the Profession
Semester 1, 2026
Michelle Darch
School of Nursing
Health (Portfolio)
CRICOS Provider Code: 00586B
Unit Coordinator
Michelle Darch
Email: michelle.darch@utas.edu.au
 
What is the Unit About?
Unit Description
Concepts of Nursing 1 centres on the foundational knowledge and skills relating to professionalism, practising in the discipline of nursing and being part of a regulated profession. The Standards and Codes that regulate nursing practice and the broad professional, discipline and quality and safety frameworks are introduced. You will explore the events and the people that have shaped contemporary nursing practice, including germinal nursing scholars and their impact on the development of nursing knowledge. Critical thinking skills will be introduced to enable you to engage in reflection of self and others and the ethical basis of nursing will be examined. An introduction to digital health, research and its relationship to evidence-informed practice will be provided. You will be introduced to skills to foster life-long learning and professional development.
Intended Learning Outcomes
As per the Assessment and Results Policy 1.3, your results will reflect your achievement against specified learning outcomes.
On completion of this unit, you will be able to:
1
Discuss the professional, discipline, and quality and safety frameworks that regulate health and nursing in Australia.
2
Evaluate the influence of the events and the people that have shaped contemporary nursing practice.
3
Apply critical thinking skills to engage in reflection in relation to self and others.
4
Explain the ethical underpinnings of nursing as a profession.
5
Examine the impact of technology, digital health, and research on nursing practice.
6
Communicate in a professional manner and adhere to academic presentation requirements.
Alterations as a result of student feedback
There are no alterations as a result of student feedback.
 
 
 
Teaching arrangements
ATTENDANCE MODE
TEACHING TYPE
LEARNING ACTIVITY
CONTACT HOURS
FREQUENCY
On Campus
Workshop
Weekly 2 hour Workshop
2
StudyPeriod 12 times
Independent Learning
Online Independent Learning - 8 hours.
8
StudyPeriod 12 times
Attendance / engagement expectations
If your unit is offered On campus, it is expected that you will attend all on-campus and onsite learning activities. This is to support your own learning and the development of a learning community within the unit. If you are unable to attend regularly, please discuss the situation with your course coordinator and/or our UConnect support team.

If your unit is offered Online or includes online activities, it is expected you will engage in all those activities as indicated in the Unit Outline or MyLO, including any self-directed learning.

If you miss a learning activity for a legitimate reason (e.g., illness, carer responsibilities) teaching staff will attempt to provide alternative activities (e.g., make up readings) where it is possible.
 
 
 
 
How will I be Assessed?
 
For more detailed assessment information please see MyLO.
Assessment schedule
ASSESSMENT TASK #
ASSESSMENT TASK NAME
DATE DUE
WEIGHT
LINKS TO INTENDED LEARNING OUTCOMES
Assessment Task 1:
Written Paper
Week 6
25 %
LO1, LO2, LO3, LO6
Assessment Task 2:
Essay
Week 10
30 %
LO1, LO3, LO6
Assessment Task 3:
Formative Online Quizzes
Refer to Assessment Description
5 %
LO1, LO2, LO3, LO4, LO5, LO6
Assessment Task 4:
Exam
Refer to Assessment Description
40 %
LO1, LO2, LO3, LO4, LO5
 
Assessment details
Assessment Task 1: Written Paper
Task Description:
This task is designed to help you begin articulating your personal nursing philosophy and identity as a future Registered Nurse. You will reflect on your understanding of nursing as a profession, explore key concepts introduced in the unit, and connect these ideas to your own motivations and values.
Task Length:
600 words
Due Date:
Week 6
Weight:
25 %
 
CRITERION #
CRITERION
MEASURES INTENDED
LEARNING OUTCOME(S)
1
Establish understanding of nursing definitions and key concepts.
LO1
2
Demonstrates personal reflection and insight, supported by relevant resources.
LO2, LO3
3
Articulate initial personal identity as a registered nurse and developing a nursing philosophy.
LO1, LO2
4
Adhere to academic presentation requirements, including spelling, punctuation, grammar and referencing.
LO6
 
Assessment Task 2: Essay
Task Description:
This task builds on your initial reflections from Assessment Task 1. You will now deepen your understanding of the role and responsibilities of a Registered Nurse by selecting one principle or element from either:
- The NMBA Registered Nurse Standards for Practice, or
- The NMBA Code of Conduct, or
- The ICN Code of Ethics.
You will critically reflect on how this principle aligns with your emerging nursing identity and philosophy, and what it means for your development as a capable, ethical, and professional nurse.
Task Length:
800 words
Due Date:
Week 10
Weight:
30 %
 
 
CRITERION #
CRITERION
MEASURES INTENDED
LEARNING OUTCOME(S)
1
Establish understanding of selected principle or element and its relevance to nursing practice.
LO1
2
Demonstrate developing reflection and insight, substantiated by relevant resources.
LO3
3
Explore areas for growth, learning, development and a strategy to become a capable nurse.
LO1, LO3
4
Adhere to academic presentation requirements, including spelling, punctuation, grammar and referencing.
LO6
5
Respond to feedback to improve performance.
LO3
 
Assessment Task 3: Formative Online Quizzes
Task Description:
You will complete two (2) online quizzes via MyLO, each based on learning content and the workshop activities. These quizzes are designed to support your learning and prepare you for workshop discussions that foster critical thinking and professional development. You will respond to 10 randomly allocated questions in each quiz.

Please see MyLO for more information.

Due by date: Week 3 and Week 7.
Assessment weight: 5% (2.5% each quiz)
Task Length:
10 questions per quiz (20 minutes per quiz)
Due Date:
Refer to Assessment Description
Weight:
5 %
 
CRITERION #
CRITERION
MEASURES INTENDED
LEARNING OUTCOME(S)
1
Resourcefully seek out information to answer questions in relation to the profession and discipline of nursing, including principles of reflection and critical thinking.
LO1, LO2, LO4
2
Resourcefully seek out information to answer questions in relation to the ethical underpinnings of nursing as a profession.
LO3, LO4
3
Resourcefully seek out information to answer questions in relation to basic principles of research and academic presentation requirements.
LO5, LO6
 
Assessment Task 4: Exam
Task Description:
This is a supervised, closed-book, paper-based exam consisting of multiple choice and short answer questions that will assess your understanding and ability to apply your knowledge from the unit content.
Further detail on the exam will be available on MyLO.

Assessment will take place during the Exam Period.
Task Length:
2 hours
Due Date:
Refer to Assessment Description
Weight:
40 %
 
CRITERION #
CRITERION
MEASURES INTENDED
LEARNING OUTCOME(S)
1
Demonstrate understanding of professional, discipline-specific, and quality and safety frameworks governing health and nursing in Australia.
LO1, LO3, LO4, LO5
2
Evaluate key historical events and influential figures that have shaped contemporary nursing.
LO2
3
Explains the role of technology and digital health in evolving nursing practice.
LO5
4
Distinguish between differing research approaches and explain how each contributes to evidence-based decision-making in nursing practice.
LO4, LO5
 
 
 
How your final result is determined
To pass this unit, you need to demonstrate your attainment of each of the Intended Learning Outcomes and achieve a final unit grade of 50% or greater. 
Academic progress review
The results for this unit may be included in a review of your academic progress. For information about progress reviews and what they mean for all students, see Academic Progress Review in the Student Portal.
Submission of assignments
Where practicable, assignments should be submitted to an assignment submission folder in MYLO. You must submit assignments by the due date or receive a penalty (unless an extension of time has been approved by the Unit Coordinator). Students submitting any assignment in hard copy, or because of a practicum finalisation, must attach a student cover sheet and signed declaration for the submission to be accepted for marking.
Academic integrity
Academic integrity is about acting responsibly, honestly, ethically, and collegially when using, producing, and communicating information with other students and staff members.

In written work, you must correctly reference the work of others to maintain academic integrity. To find out the referencing style for this unit, see the assessment information in the MyLO site, or contact your teaching staff. For more detail about Academic Integrity, see Important Guidelines & Support.
Requests for extensions
If you are unable to submit an assessment task by the due date, you should apply for an extension.
 
A request for an extension should first be discussed with your Unit Coordinator or teaching support team where possible. A request for an extension must be submitted by the assessment due date, except where you can provide evidence it was not possible to do so. Typically, an application for an extension will be supported by documentary evidence: however, where it is not possible for you to provide evidence please contact your Unit Coordinator.
 
The Unit Coordinator must notify you of the outcome of an extension request within 3 working days of receiving the request.
Late penalties
Assignments submitted after the deadline will receive a late penalty of 5% of the original available mark for each calendar day (or part day) that the assignment is late. Late submissions will not be accepted more than 10 calendar days after the due date, or after assignments have been returned to other students on a scheduled date, whichever occurs first. Further information on Late Penalties can be found on the Assessments and Results Procedure.
 
Review of results and appeals
You are entitled to ask for a review of the marking and grading of your assessment task if there is an irregularity in the marking standards or an error in the process for determining the outcome of an assessment. Details on how to request a review of a mark for an assignment are outlined in the Review and Appeal of Academic Decisions Procedure.
 
 
 
Required Resources
Required reading materials
Recommended Readings will be provided by your Unit Coordinator via the Reading List link in MyLO, or the unit Reading List on the University Library website.
 
Recommended reading materials
Arnott, N., Paliadelis, P., & Cruickshank, M. (Eds.). (2022). The road to nursing (2nd ed.). Cambridge University Press.
Atkins, K., Ripperger, B., & Ripperger, R. (2023). Ethics and law for Australian nurses. (5th ed.). Cambridge University Press.
Chang, E., & Daly, J. (2020). Transitions in nursing: preparing for professional practice. (5th ed.). Elsevier Australia.
Daly, J., & Jackson, D. (2021). Contexts of nursing: an introduction. (6th ed.). Elsevier Australia.
Daly, J., Speedy, S., & Jackson, D. (2015). Leadership and nursing: contemporary perspectives. (2nd ed.). Elsevier Australia.
DeLaune, S. C., Ladner, P. K., McTier, L., Tollefson, J. & Lawrence, J. (2020). Fundamentals of Nursing: Australia and New Zealand (2nd ed.). Cengage.
 
 
Other required resources