NURS13140 - Law and Ethical Considerations in the Profession of Nursing

General Information

Unit Synopsis

As a nursing student, you may be confronted by legal and ethical dilemmas that will require you to be able to apply appropriate decision-making skills. This unit will support your transition to a graduate nurse by ensuring that you understand the healthcare laws that govern the profession of nursing. In this unit, you will examine the legal concepts and ethical principles and explore how registered nurses apply these in a healthcare context.

Details

Level Undergraduate
Unit Level 3
Credit Points 6
Student Contribution Band SCA Band 1
Fraction of Full-Time Student Load 0.125
Pre-requisites or Co-requisites

Pre-requisites:

BIOH12012 Pathophysiology and Pharmacology 2 or BIOH12008 Human Pathophysiology or NURS12158 Clinical Nursing Practice 3.

Co-requisites:

NURS12162 Mental Health Nursing with Professional Experience Placement or NURS12157 Concepts of Mental Health Nursing.

Important note: Students enrolled in a subsequent unit who failed their pre-requisite unit, should drop the subsequent unit before the census date or within 10 working days of Fail grade notification. Students who do not drop the unit in this timeframe cannot later drop the unit without academic and financial liability. See details in the Assessment Policy and Procedure (Higher Education Coursework).

Class Timetable View Unit Timetable
Residential School No Residential School

Unit Availabilities from Term 1 - 2024

Term 1 - 2024 Profile
Online
Rockhampton
Term 1 - 2025 Profile
Brisbane
Online
Rockhampton
Term 1 - 2026 Profile
Brisbane
Online
Rockhampton

Attendance Requirements

All on-campus students are expected to attend scheduled classes - in some units, these classes are identified as a mandatory (pass/fail) component and attendance is compulsory. International students, on a student visa, must maintain a full time study load and meet both attendance and academic progress requirements in each study period (satisfactory attendance for International students is defined as maintaining at least an 80% attendance record).

Assessment Overview

Recommended Student Time Commitment

Each 6-credit Undergraduate unit at CQUniversity requires an overall time commitment of an average of 12.5 hours of study per week, making a total of 150 hours for the unit.

Assessment Tasks

Assessment Task Weighting
1. Online Quiz(zes) 15%
2. Presentation 25%
3. Written Assessment 60%

This is a graded unit: your overall grade will be calculated from the marks or grades for each assessment task, based on the relative weightings shown in the table above. You must obtain an overall mark for the unit of at least 50%, or an overall grade of ‘pass’ in order to pass the unit. If any ‘pass/fail’ tasks are shown in the table above they must also be completed successfully (‘pass’ grade). You must also meet any minimum mark requirements specified for a particular assessment task, as detailed in the ‘assessment task’ section (note that in some instances, the minimum mark for a task may be greater than 50%).

Consult the University's Grades and Results Policy for more details of interim results and final grades

Past Exams

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Previous Feedback

Term 1 - 2025 : The overall satisfaction for students in the last offering of this course was 91.30% (`Agree` and `Strongly Agree` responses), based on a 15.51% response rate.

Feedback, Recommendations and Responses

Every unit is reviewed for enhancement each year. At the most recent review, the following staff and student feedback items were identified and recommendations were made.

Source: SUTE feedback.
Feedback
Students found the range of learning materials, particularly the podcasts, short videos, and workbook, to be highly effective in supporting their learning and engagement with the content.
Recommendation
The current approach to content delivery, which utilises multiple formats (short lectures, podcasts, transcripts, and downloadable workbooks), will continue to be used in future iterations of the unit. These were positively received and supported diverse learning styles.
Action Taken
Multiple formats, including short lectures, podcasts with transcripts, and downloadable MS Word workbooks, were provided throughout the term. These resources were positively received in SUTE feedback and supported student engagement by catering to different learning preferences. The same approach will be maintained in future iterations of the unit.
Source: SUTE feedback.
Feedback
Students valued real-world examples and the teaching team’s ability to make complex legal and ethical concepts accessible and engaging, particularly through humour and shared professional experiences.
Recommendation
The inclusion of real-life clinical examples and an engaging delivery style will continue to be embedded in the teaching approach. This method has proven to increase student understanding and application of content in a clinical context.
Action Taken
Bi-weekly workshops incorporated real-world clinical scenarios to help students connect theoretical concepts to practical application. This approach enhanced understanding and engagement and will be continued in the next term.
Source: SUTE feedback.
Feedback
Students appreciated the structure of the unit, particularly how the content was broken down into manageable weekly modules and aligned with the final assessment.
Recommendation
The current structure of weekly content, which aligns with assessment tasks, will be maintained to support student engagement and gradual learning. This scaffolded approach enables students to build knowledge over time, reducing cognitive overload.
Action Taken
The combination of short videos, podcasts, drop-in sessions, and comprehensive learning materials worked effectively to support student understanding. This integrated approach will be retained in future offerings to maintain high levels of engagement and achievement.
Source: SUTE feedback.
Feedback
Some students expressed concerns that the volume of legal content felt overwhelming or too detailed for their level, particularly in relation to their role as graduate nurses.
Recommendation
While it is essential to provide a strong foundation in law and ethics, the content will be reviewed to ensure that the level of depth remains appropriate for undergraduate students. Key concepts will be prioritised and clearly linked to practical nursing contexts.
Action Taken
All legal and ethical content was explicitly linked back to nursing practice, ensuring relevance and practical application. Learning materials were streamlined and aligned with students’ level of study, enabling them to meet the learning outcomes effectively.
Source: SUTE feedback.
Feedback
Students praised the responsiveness, support, and communication of the teaching team throughout the term, particularly the quick replies to questions and clear guidance.
Recommendation
Maintaining high levels of communication and support from the teaching team remains a priority. The use of forums, timely email responses, and ongoing availability during weekly sessions will remain core components of the unit's delivery.
Action Taken
The teaching team continued to provide timely responses to forum posts and emails, offered clear guidance, and remained accessible during weekly sessions. These practices will be maintained in future terms to ensure students feel supported and connected throughout the unit.
Source: SUTE feedback
Feedback
Students consistently praised the podcasts as a flexible and effective learning tool, allowing them to engage with content during breaks or at home, reducing screen fatigue.
Recommendation
Continue to provide podcasts alongside other learning materials. Consider reviewing audio quality to ensure clarity and volume consistency to enhance accessibility.
Action Taken
In Progress
Source: SUTE feedback
Feedback
Students valued Craig’s clear, patient, and knowledgeable teaching style, particularly the use of real-life examples and scenarios to contextualise complex legal and ethical concepts.
Recommendation
Maintain the use of real-world scenarios and Craig’s interactive delivery style. Incorporate additional contemporary case studies to further enrich students’ understanding.
Action Taken
In Progress
Source: SUTE feedback
Feedback
Students valued the real-world scenarios and examples integrated into teaching, which made legal and ethical concepts more relatable and applicable to clinical practice.
Recommendation
Maintain the use of practical examples and case studies in teaching to enhance student engagement and help them apply theoretical knowledge to real-life nursing contexts.
Action Taken
In Progress
Source: SUTE feedback
Feedback
Students praised the teaching team’s responsiveness, support, and approachability, noting timely email responses, guidance through assessments, and overall helpfulness.
Recommendation
Continue maintaining high levels of communication and support, with forums, email responses, and check-ins. Encourage staff to provide guidance proactively, particularly for complex or challenging topics.
Action Taken
In Progress
Source: SUTE feedback
Feedback
Students appreciated the clear and structured weekly mini-lectures, which helped them approach complex topics and assessments with confidence. The clarity and organisation of the delivery made challenging content more approachable.
Recommendation
Continue providing structured mini-lectures each week, ensuring topics are clearly introduced and linked to practical scenarios. Maintain the balance of clarity, organisation, and approachability in teaching delivery.
Action Taken
In Progress
Source: SUTE feedback
Feedback
Students appreciated Craig’s responsiveness, supportive approach, and well-organised delivery of content, including podcasts and weekly mini-lectures, which made complex legal and ethical topics accessible and engaging.
Recommendation
Maintain the combination of clear, structured teaching with timely support and flexible learning resources, as this positively impacts student understanding and engagement.
Action Taken
In Progress
Unit learning Outcomes

On successful completion of this unit, you will be able to:

  1. Demonstrate an informed understanding of the basic concepts and principles that underpin Australian healthcare law.
  2. Analyse and reflect on healthcare problems and identify relevant ethical and legal issues.
  3. Develop a broad and coherent body of knowledge of how legislation, policies, frameworks, codes, and guidelines are applied to nursing practice in Australia.

Content in this unit incorporates a number of professional nursing requirements

Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia Registered Nurse Standards for Practice

Thinks critically and analyses nursing practice

Engages in therapeutic and professional relationships

Maintains the capability for practice

Evaluates outcomes to inform nursing practice

Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia Nursing Code of Conduct

Legal compliance

Person-centred practice

Cultural practice and respectful relationships

Professional behaviour

Teaching, supervising and assessing

Research in health

Health and wellbeing

International Council of Nursing Code of Ethics for Nursing

Nurses and People

Nurses and Practice

Nurses and the Profession

Nurses and co-workers

National Safety and Quality Health Service Standards

Clinical governance

Partnering with consumers

Preventing and Controlling healthcare-associated infection

Medication safety

Comprehensive care

Communicating for safety

Patient Safety Competency Framework

Person-centred care

Therapeutic communication

Cultural competence

Teamwork and collaborative practice

Clinical reasoning

Evidence-based practice

Preventing, minimising and responding to adverse events

Infection prevention and control

Medication safety

Aged Care Quality Standards

Organisation’s service environment

Feedback and complaints

Human resources

Organisation governance

Alignment of Assessment Tasks to Learning Outcomes
Assessment Tasks Learning Outcomes
1 2 3
1 - Online Quiz(zes) •
2 - Presentation • •
3 - Written Assessment • • •
Alignment of Graduate Attributes to Learning Outcomes
• Introductory Level
• Intermediate Level
• Graduate Level
Graduate Attributes Learning Outcomes
1 2 3
1 - Communication • •
2 - Problem Solving • •
3 - Critical Thinking • • •
4 - Information Literacy •
6 - Information Technology Competence • •
8 - Ethical practice • • •
Alignment of Assessment Tasks to Graduate Attributes
• Introductory Level
• Intermediate Level
• Graduate Level
Assessment Tasks Graduate Attributes
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10