The Certificate in Health Studies forms the first year of the Bachelor of Nursing. The programme will develop graduates who meet the requirements for award of the WITT Bachelor of Nursing. Graduates will then be eligible to be put forward to the Nursing Council of New Zealand to meet the requirements for Registered Nurse Scope of Practice.

Graduates from the Certificate in Health Studies will be able to:
Demonstrate a range of safe skills and techniques in context of client health care
Work collaboratively in a team to produce effective results
Demonstrate a beginning ability to reflect
Demonstrate a beginning ability to make clinical judgements.
Effectively communicate
Demonstrate beginning attributes of a confident and self-directed lifelong learner
Act in a professional manner
Understand some of the legal, ethical and cultural safety parameters of working in the health care context.

Studies in nursing and health care at Level 6

The following criteria provide entry into the Bachelor of Nursing programme:
5.1.1 Academic achievement
These qualifications and courses of study meet the university entrance standard specified by NZQA.
5.1.1.1 University Entrance, made up of:
* NCEA Level 3
* Three subjects - at Level 3, made up of:
o 14 credits each, in three approved subjects including a minimum of 14 credits (Level 3) from science subjects;
* Literacy - 10 credits at Level 2 or above, made up of:
o 5 credits in reading
o 5 credits in writing
* Numeracy - 10 credits at Level 1 or above, made up of:
o achievement standards - specified achievement standards available through a range of subjects, or
o unit standards - package of three numeracy unit standards (26623, 26626, 26627- all three required).
For more information on the approved subject list and approved literacy credits visit the University Entrance Standard at the NZQA website at
here
Or University Entrance Equivalence; including a minimum of 14 credits (Level 3) from science subjects
Or NZQA approved undergraduate degree
5.1.1.2 English language proficiency
Applicants whose first language is not English, or who come from a country where the language of instruction in secondary school education is not English should achieve a score of 6.5 in an IELTS assessment (or equivalent) in each category: reading, listening, writing and speaking.
5.1.2 Additional entry criteria
5.1.2.1 Criminal, Disciplinary and Health Form declaration
Criminal
The relationship between nurse and patient or client is one of utmost good faith. Any person ultimately accepted for registration as a nurse must be fit for registration in accordance with Clause 16 of the Health Practitioners' Competence Assurance Act 2003.
Applicants are required to complete and sign a New Zealand Police Vetting Service Request and Consent form which the School of Nursing will request. All applicants will be interviewed by the Head of Nursing in regards to a criminal conviction record.
Disciplinary
Applicants are required to declare if they have ever been disciplined by a regulatory body and/or dismissed by a previous employer
Health
Students entering the programme must be physically and psychologically able to engage in clinical practice across diverse settings from the beginning of the programme.
All applicants must declare any past or on-going physical or mental health issues that may impact on their ability to perform competently. The School of Nursing may require an applicant to undergo an independent assessment of fitness as part of the entry process. Applicants may be required to meet any associated costs of such assessment.
5.2 Additional information
Applicants who meet entry criteria will then be required to support their application. The School of Nursing reserves the right to interview any applicant related to the information presented in the application process.
The Head of Nursing will head a nursing panel (which may include a representative from clinical practice) to consider the supporting evidence.
5.2.1 References
Applicants must provide the names and contact details of two referees who will be requested to provide information on the applicant's skills, ability (including academic skills), qualities and questions relating to the Vulnerable Children's Act. They will be asked to make an overall recommendation of suitability for the nursing programme. An applicant may be interviewed to clarify referee's feedback.
One referee must be the applicant's secondary school principal/senior teacher, or current or most recent employer. The other referee must have known the applicant for more than two years and not be a friend or family member.
5.2.2 Other Information
* Applicants must supply brief curriculum vitae (no more than two A4 pages). This is an opportunity for the applicant to support their application with a professional document providing an overview of their life, life experiences and qualifications
5.1 Entry criteria
The following criteria provide entry into the Bachelor of Nursing programme:
5.1.1 Academic achievement
These qualifications and courses of study meet the university entrance standard specified by NZQA.
5.1.1.1 University Entrance, made up of:
* NCEA Level 3
* Three subjects - at Level 3, made up of:
o 14 credits each, in three approved subjects including a minimum of 14 credits (Level 3) from science subjects;
* Literacy - 10 credits at Level 2 or above, made up of:
o 5 credits in reading
o 5 credits in writing
* Numeracy - 10 credits at Level 1 or above, made up of:
o achievement standards - specified achievement standards available through a range of subjects, or
o unit standards - package of three numeracy unit standards (26623, 26626, 26627- all three required).
For more information on the approved subject list and approved literacy credits visit the University Entrance Standard at the NZQA website at
here
Or University Entrance Equivalence; including a minimum of 14 credits (Level 3) from science subjects
Or NZQA approved undergraduate degree
5.1.1.2 English language proficiency
Applicants whose first language is not English, or who come from a country where the language of instruction in secondary school education is not English should achieve a score of 6.5 in an IELTS assessment (or equivalent) in each category: reading, listening, writing and speaking.
5.1.2 Additional entry criteria
5.1.2.1 Criminal, Disciplinary and Health Form declaration
Criminal
The relationship between nurse and patient or client is one of utmost good faith. Any person ultimately accepted for registration as a nurse must be fit for registration in accordance with Clause 16 of the Health Practitioners' Competence Assurance Act 2003.
Applicants are required to complete and sign a New Zealand Police Vetting Service Request and Consent form which the School of Nursing will request. All applicants will be interviewed by the Head of Nursing in regards to a criminal conviction record.
Disciplinary
Applicants are required to declare if they have ever been disciplined by a regulatory body and/or dismissed by a previous employer
Health
Students entering the programme must be physically and psychologically able to engage in clinical practice across diverse settings from the beginning of the programme.
All applicants must declare any past or on-going physical or mental health issues that may impact on their ability to perform competently. The School of Nursing may require an applicant to undergo an independent assessment of fitness as part of the entry process. Applicants may be required to meet any associated costs of such assessment.
5.2 Additional information
Applicants who meet entry criteria will then be required to support their application. The School of Nursing reserves the right to interview any applicant related to the information presented in the application process.
The Head of Nursing will head a nursing panel (which may include a representative from clinical practice) to consider the supporting evidence.
5.2.1 References
Applicants must provide the names and contact details of two referees who will be requested to provide information on the applicant's skills, ability (including academic skills), qualities and questions relating to the Vulnerable Children's Act. They will be asked to make an overall recommendation of suitability for the nursing programme. An applicant may be interviewed to clarify referee's feedback.
One referee must be the applicant's secondary school principal/senior teacher, or current or most recent employer. The other referee must have known the applicant for more than two years and not be a friend or family member.
5.2.2 Other Information
* Applicants must supply brief curriculum vitae (no more than two A4 pages). This is an opportunity for the applicant to support their application with a professional document providing an overview of their life, life experiences and qualifications

* Applicants must complete a 'readiness to study nursing' self-disclosure form. This is an opportunity for the applicant to consider all aspects of the nursing programme, to self-evaluate and confirm they are ready to commence the programme
* All copies of academic records must be certified copies.
* All applicants who are accepted must obtain a First Aid certificate. It must be no older than 9 months from the beginning of the BN programme
* All applicants who are accepted must make an immunisation declaration
* All applicants who are accepted must make a travel declaration. Clinical practice placements are mostly within the New Plymouth region, however some are located around Taranaki and students will be expected to travel (at their own expense) to these. Clinical practice hours take place anytime across the 7 - day week and the 24 hour time period.