If you have a passion for healthcare and are looking to make a real difference in the lives of others, UQ might be the best place to study nursing for you.
Our innovative Bachelor of Nursing program provides you with hands-on experience right from the start, so you can develop a highly sought-after skill set within a vital field.
Let’s explore the advantages of studying nursing at UQ so you can determine if it’s the right place to prepare you for a rewarding career as a future nurse.
Exciting placements and work experience
UQ’s Bachelor of Nursing incorporates 880 hours of supervised clinical practice across diverse healthcare settings. You could find yourself gaining experience in hospitals, critical care units, emergency, paediatrics, aged care, mental health and more. There are also exciting placement opportunities in regional, rural, and remote areas through our partnership with Southern Queensland Rural Health.
These placements provide invaluable opportunities to apply the knowledge you will gain from coursework to real-world scenarios and hone your clinical skills. You’ll also build your confidence and assess your performance in simulation sessions.
Clinical placements begin in your first year and occur throughout your 3 years of study. In your final year, you’ll undertake an extended placement to help you transition seamlessly from student to registered nurse.
For Claire Hytten, what made UQ the best university to study nursing at was the opportunity to go on an exchange semester to VID Specialised University in Oslo, Norway.
I thoroughly enjoyed the placement as it gave me the opportunity to learn about another country's health system and to practice my clinical skills.
“During my time there, I completed a clinical placement in a home-based care setting, where I was able to work alongside experienced nurses to provide care to patients in their own homes,” Claire says.
“This experience allowed me to gain a deeper understanding of the Norwegian healthcare system, which emphasised patient-centred care and the integration of advanced technologies in healthcare delivery.”
The benefits of studying nursing abroad are numerous, and the experience helps our students gain a broader view of healthcare outside of Australia’s borders. It can be transformative personally and professionally and will influence your future practice as a nurse.
Explore UQ’s semester-based international exchange opportunities for nursing students.
Make a positive difference in people’s lives
Nursing is a profession that gives you a sense of purpose and fulfillment through providing patient care. At UQ, you’ll learn how to make a positive difference in the lives of your patients in many ways. It isn’t only about changing bandages and administering immunisations. Though these are important aspects of direct patient care, at UQ you’ll also learn to advocate for your patients' rights, teach them about their health and contribute to healthcare policy and research.
You may even want to delve into a fascinating summer or winter research project with UQ’s leading researchers. Taking part in one of these projects means you’re contributing to the forefront of healthcare, benefitting patients around the globe.
For me the most rewarding and fulfilling aspect of my nursing practice is through provided education – seeing my patient’s health knowledge increase over time as well as their ability to better manage their own health and wellbeing.
Graduate career ready
With a growing demand for healthcare services and an aging population, the need for skilled nurses is continuously increasing. Job opportunities for registered nurses are expected to grow by 13.9% by 2026.
One of the top benefits of studying nursing at UQ is that you’ll graduate with a competitive skill set highly sought after by employers. Our graduates are competent, capable, and caring professional registered nurses who work in partnership with healthcare providers and patients. Employers recognise these skills and attributes when our nursing students are on placement, and as a result, many of them secure positions with the same hospitals and organisations upon graduation.
“Our nursing programs ensure that students graduate career ready, equipped with the skills needed to work effectively with individuals, families, and communities,” says UQ’s Professor Fiona Coyer.
Many of our graduates help patients and their families navigate through complex health conditions, providing critical care in life-and-death scenarios.
Did you know that you can study a dual degree in nursing and midwifery at UQ? Find out more about the Bachelor of Nursing / Bachelor of Midwifery.
State-of-the-art learning facilities
The iconic Whitty Building at Woolloongabba is home to a unique teaching environment for UQ nursing and midwifery students. This is where you’ll participate in clinical-based learning sessions, while your lectures and tutorials will take place on UQ’s beautiful St Lucia campus.
The Whitty Building is the first of its kind in Australia as a collaboration between UQ and Mater Health Services and allows for delivery of customised UQ/Mater nursing and midwifery programs.
The environment allows medical, nursing, midwifery and allied health students to experience the best of theory and practice in a tertiary teaching hospital. You’ll be right in the thick of it, with convenient access to fantastic learning facilities in a building dedicated to health and nursing.
Explore UQ’s Bachelor of Nursing to discover more reasons it should be your first QTAC preference.
