Master of Nursing Science @ The University of Melbourne - Opinions? Reviews?

Hey lea, I'm in the same boat as you and would be really interested to hear what other people have to say. I got my acceptance letter but saw those reviews on hotcourses.com and panicked! I can't really seem to find any feedback about the course and starting to think perhaps it's better to do another undergrad in Nursing instead. Better safe than sorry? Although those reviews could just be from students who had a gripe over grades?

I totally understand about wanting a great Nursing experience as I feel the same way. I mean Nursing's so practical and theoretical based you want to make sure you want your education to be a great foundation and prepare you as much as possible before you start working. Yeah, I've applied via VTAC and booked for the STAT test. I didn't realise Monash had that Masters course - Thanks! I missed that one! Yeah I saw La Trobe had a grad entry degree. Deakin's got a great undergrad program but it's 3yrs. But I hear really great things about the course and it's teaching staff! I'm really looking forward to studying Nursing and i don't want to be miserable in the program I choose!

I'm so confused!!!

Thanks sra for your input.

I'm not afraid of hard work. My concerns were mainly related to the quality of the course and the teaching staff.

I'm still weighing up my options anyway.

Hi Everyone,

I have just applied for this course. Just wondering if anyone has completed/ studying this course. Would love to hear your thoughts/ reviews etc.

Thanks!

Sorry about the last post, not sure what happened but it was cut short.

Continuing on, I have also read the reviews on hotcourses.com and was slightly disheartened and concerned. I am due to start in Feb/March 2012 if I accept the offer and pass Human Anatomy and Physiology this year.

For those who have done the course, or at least attempted, how did you find it? What were the contact hours like (full time Monday to Friday, or part-time contact)

Did clinical placements begin straight away or later in the Semester? How many days a week are placements versus contact hours at uni? Can you elect where you want to go for placements? Or are you placed by the university?

Can you work part time during this course? or is it too much of a load?

For those that attempted but dropped out, or transferred, what was your reason? Was it due to difficulty, intense workload, university being unorganised or another reason?

How did you find lecturers?

Is there a research component involved, like a thesis as it is a Master's or is it purely coursework?

Any insight would be much appreciated before I make the final decision to accept or decline my offer.

Thanks in advance!!

Hi All,

I'm in 1st year of the course now, and overall, I'm having a good experience.

The course is very heavy on the theory, the workload is intense, and the science for me has been particularly challenging. I'm not going to lie, I think the course isn't for the faint hearted, and it pretty much dominates my life, lol! But the upside is that I really do think I'm learning a lot that will hold me in good stead for years to come. I transferred to this course after doing 1 semester of a Grad Entry Bachelor of Nursing (basically they threw us into a hybrid of 1st & 2nd year subjects with no bridging course) at Qut in Brisbane, though I transferred for other reasons, not because of Qut! However, I truly believe I'm getting a better grounding in science that I would ever have at Qut, and compared to the pracs I did in Brisbane, that alone has made me feel enormously more confident on placement, as someone who has a background in Arts.

In response to your questions:

Clinical placement is done in blocks, and falls all over the place from semester to semester, have a look at this for timetables of the entire 2 years: http://www.nursing.unimelb.edu.au/current_students/timetables

See the timetables in the above link for the contact hours, and placement vs contact hours. (For tutes and labs, you're in either a, b, c, or d; and either 1, 2, 3, or 4; not all of them)

You can put in preferences for the hospitals you want to go to, and generally get your first or second preference. They work on a 'zones' basis, and you're not supposed to go in the same zone twice in a row (so that the same people don't keep getting stuck with the northern suburbs for example, while others only have to commute to the city), but I'm pretty sure I know a few who were in the city zone twice.

Which ward you go to, in my case, worked out on the day with your clinical educator where you might have a preference, but if the hospital is bigger you may be placed beforehand. They try not to put you in a ward you've already been in, for the sake of varied experience.

Like most courses, we've had some great lecturers who really knowledgeable and dedicated to teaching and to the nursing profession, and some that haven't been so interesting.

A lot of people in our year work part time. It depends on how organised a student you are! If you're like me, you'll get stressed during the busy times, but my job is really flexible, so it's not a problem. I think during prac it could be quite tiring and stressful. (I was able to put work off for 2 of the 3 weeks of prac). I think for me the hardest thing is maintaining a social life on top of everything, I tend to get sucked into the 'should be studying' guilty mind frame sometimes, but I was as poor at managing that in undergrad, so nothing new there. Officially the uni recommends you don't work.

There is a research component. You do a research project in a group of around 5 people, to which you are allocated. You also have preferences of project, but in the end you get what you are given. I think too much emphasis is put on getting your first preference, as we didn't get ours, and I'm so glad, as I'm loving the one we did get. We started the process in August, and will collect data over the summer and then write up our findings and present to an audience of hospital officials (sorry, so vague! I think they're senior personnel of different hospitals and maybe some academics too) late in semester 1 next year. (Also, they said we can apply for credit for the research component of Melb Uni nursing specialty post grad courses, not sure about other unis, but if I ever do, I'll def try!)

One downside is a summer semester, so it's back to class straight after New Years.

One upside is that in the final semester, you have no exams (just heaps of assignments), and you finish up in late October. The second years who are finishing up now were able to submit their applications for registration with the Board about 4 weeks ago.

Also, there's a 2 week elective placement at the end of the course, where you can choose where you go within what's possible. They say they've got ED, ICU, Theatre etc for us in Melb if we want it, but I heard of a couple of second years who went up to Cairns and combined it with a holiday in the winter break, so they'd be entirely finished by now. And there was someone else who went to remote Central Australia, I think in an indigenous community.

I think personally the best thing for me about this course is that because it's been tough, and because it's post grad and it's fairly small, everyone in our year became really tight knit really quickly. I've made some amazing friends, everyone's been really supportive, and in the midst of all the work, we've been having a heap of fun together. We've got a facebook page that is constantly in overdrive for assignment tips, venting frustration, and social events. I know that depends heaps on the people you get each year, but I think elements of the course mean you do bond pretty quickly.

Ok, sorry for the mega-reply!!! I hope that answers some of your questions. It's hard to keep it all to one or two paragraphs when there's detail to go through. And, you've prob seen my reply above from last year: I flipped when I saw those hot courses reviews too! But being in the course, that's def not how I feel about it. It's a tough course, but it's not awful awful awful :)

I completed the Master of Nursing Science Degree at UoM last year and am glad I did.

I am two weeks into my Grad year and feeling like every bit of hard work was worth it. There are other UoM graduates in the same hospital as me who have finished their Grad year, got a job as Grade 2 and are fantastic nurses.

Any course is tough but at UoM every gradate from the Master of Nursing Science has got a Grad Year position

Hey,

So quick question to those who have completed this course..

I just completed my Bachelor of Science at Melbourne majoring (heavily) in pathology and i did 3 semester worth of anatomy, 2 of physiology and 2 of biochemistry. Will this background help me out in the science part of this course? Will it be abit easier for me and my fellow friends who have also done the same?

Thanks :)

This is about the only review of this course that I found when I was applying last year, so thought I'd come back and update it with my experience thus far!

I'm 3 weeks into second semester, and back into the swing of things. Like the other commenters have said, this course is not for the faint hearted. It requires lots of organisation, time management and hard work!

Most people are really enjoying it, myself included. The clinical placement has been the highlight of the year (3 week in duration). The science subject has probably been the lowlight.The reason being is just that it's tough!! I've found I have to watch and re-watch youtue clips explaining the pathophysiology of certain processes. Even those with a science backgrounds find it a challenge.The problem is everything we're taught in science is really relevant to nursing practice, so you crucial that we understand it!

The course is very much self-directed, so if you have the motivation to keep on top of things you'll thrive. The tutors/lectures expect you to explore all avenues before you go to them with questions (which I guess is fair enough!). They're very much no nonsense, and straight down the line. The come across very knowledgeable, capable and committed to see nursing develop into a well regarded profession.

The drop out this year have ranged from those in the first few weeks (before census date) being totally overwhelmed by the course, those after placement realising that nursing is not for them, and those who failed a first semester subject. If you fail one of the prerequisite subjects in semester 1 it basically means the degree turns into a 3 year course instead of 2, as you have to resit the failed subject the following year. Most of the people I know who failed, failed science.

The written assignments are a step up from a bachelor degree, but the marking's fair. The practical exam is nerve wracking, and requires you to showcase a skill that you've learnt in order for you to be given permission to go on placement. The Uni organises actors or mannequins for you to practice your skill - ie. medication administration, auscultation, wound care etc.

The research subject in second sem 1st year and 1st sem 2nd year, is basically a clinical audit. You'll be based at a hospital, and working out whether X intervention has been successful.

All in all, it's a great course, you just need to be super organised, and committed to some hard work!

Hey Guys! 

I am considering doing MNS at UMLB from Feb 2015. But the website says that only CSP places are on offer (no full fee paying places for domestic student). how many students do they enrol in one sem and how competitive is it to be selected? Those who have completed or are doing program there, share some ideas please!