Course Outline

NUR551 Community and Primary Healthcare

Course Coordinator:Apil Gurung (agurung@usc.edu.au) School:School of Health - Nursing

2026Session 4

Online

Online You can do this course without coming onto campus, unless your program has specified a mandatory onsite requirement.

Please go to unisc.edu.au for up to date information on the
teaching sessions and campuses where this course is usually offered.

What is this course about?

Description

This course provides an opportunity to explore different models of primary and community health care used within the Australian health care system. Using an illustrative case, aligned to a National/State health priority area, you will design a business case to examine a number of concepts associated with implementing a primary health care/community initiative. These include social determinants of health, political and economic implications, a community analysis, multidisciplinary health care planning, health education and promotion.

How will this course be delivered?

Activity Hours Beginning Week Frequency
Online
Online – Online asynchronous learning and teaching materials and self-directed study. 3hrs Week 1 13 times

Course Topics

  • The Australian health care system
  • Primary Health Care
  • Community Nursing
  • National Health priorities and initiative
  • Community & Primary Healthcare Initiatives

What level is this course?

500 Level (Advanced)

Engaging with new discipline knowledge and skills at an advanced level or deepening existing knowledge and skills within a discipline. Independent application of knowledge and skills in unfamiliar contexts.

What is the unit value of this course?

12 units

How does this course contribute to my learning?

Course Learning Outcomes On successful completion of this course, you should be able to... Graduate Qualities Completing these tasks successfully will contribute to you becoming...
1 Analyse the Australian health care system and the role of primary health care and community nursing within the system Knowledgeable
Engaged
2 Analyse current national and state health priorities and initiatives and their broader health implications Engaged
Sustainability-focussed
3 Develop a business case for a community health initiative underpinned with the primary healthcare philosophy and informed by the social determinants of health. Creative and critical thinker
Sustainability-focussed

Am I eligible to enrol in this course?

Refer to the UniSC Glossary of terms for definitions of “pre-requisites, co-requisites and anti-requisites”.

Pre-requisites

Enrolled in Program SC514, SC546, GC011 or SC742

Co-requisites

Not applicable

Anti-requisites

Not applicable

Specific assumed prior knowledge and skills (where applicable)

Not applicable

Microcredential Information

Not applicable

How am I going to be assessed?

Grading Scale

Standard Grading (GRD)

High Distinction (HD), Distinction (DN), Credit (CR), Pass (PS), Fail (FL).

Details of early feedback on progress

Prior to submission of Task 1 feedback will be given by staff on the suggested initiative. 

Assessment tasks

Delivery mode Task No. Assessment Product Individual or Group Weighting % What is the duration / length? When should I submit? Where should I submit it?
All 1 Written Piece Individual 0%
400 words
Week 1 Online Assignment Submission with plagiarism check
All 2 Written Piece Individual 50%
2500 words
Week 4 Online Assignment Submission with plagiarism check
All 3 Report Individual 50%
2500 words
Week 8 Online Assignment Submission with plagiarism check
All - Assessment Task 1:Online summary of Community or Primary Health Care initiative
Goal:
This formative assessment is to provide you with feedback on the applicability of a current primary health care initiative chosen for Task 2.
Product: Written Piece
Authorship Statement:
Format:
The summary will be posted on the course discussion board and:
•	Identify a primary health care initiative 
•	Discuss the rationale for choosing the initiative 
•	Identify the Practitioners role in translating the initiative into everyday practice
•	Adhere to the APA 7th referencing style.
Criteria:
No. Learning Outcome assessed
1
The appropriateness of the of initiative
2
2
Understanding of the role of the Practitioners
1
Generic Skills:
All - Assessment Task 2:Critique of a Community/Primary Healthcare intiative
Goal:
You will critique a Community/ Primary Healthcare initiative and develop your knowledge on the role of the Practitioners in the team implementing the initiative.
Product: Written Piece
Authorship Statement:
Format:
The essay will be 2500 words and adhere to the APA 7th referencing style.
Criteria:
No. Learning Outcome assessed
1
Identify the key elements of the Community/Primary Health care initiative
2 3
2
Analyse the implications of the Community/Primary health care initiative for the key stakeholders in the community
2 3
3
Discuss the roles of Practitioners in terms of the initiative
1
4
Critique the potential issues and solutions that impact on Practitioners translating the initiative into practice utilising the social determinants of health.
3
Generic Skills:
All - Assessment Task 3:Business Case for a National/State or Local initiative
Goal:
You will develop a Business Case that Practitioners would use to support a $250,000.00 startup funding application for a Community/Primary Healthcare initiative/ activity.
Product: Report
Authorship Statement:
Format:
The Business Case will be 2500 words and use APA 7th referencing style.
Criteria:
No. Learning Outcome assessed
1
Assess the need for and provide an evidence based rationale for the initiative using the social determinants of health as a framework
3
2
Utilise publicly available information to develop the Business Case
2 3
3
Analyse the implications of the primary healthcare activity/initiative for the community
2
4
Design a strategy to implement/develop the activity/initiative
3
5
Identify the enablers and barriers to successful implementation of the activity/initiative
1 2 3
6
Development and Inclusion of a realistic time frame and budget
3
Generic Skills:

Directed study hours

A 12-unit course will have total of 150 learning hours which will include directed study hours (including online if required), self-directed learning and completion of assessable tasks. Student workload is calculated at 12.5 learning hours per one unit.

What resources do I need to undertake this course?

Please note: Course information, including specific information of recommended readings, learning activities, resources, weekly readings, etc. are available on the course Canvas site– Please log in as soon as possible.

Prescribed text(s) or course reader

You need regular access to the resource(s) below. Many texts are available as ebooks through the Library at no additional cost.

Required? Author Year Title Edition Publisher
Recommended Diana Guzys,Rhonda Brown,Elizabeth Halcomb,Dean Whitehead 2021 An Introduction to Community and Primary Health Care 3rd Cambridge University Press

Specific requirements

Not applicable

How are risks managed in this course?

Health and safety risks for this course have been assessed as low. It is your responsibility to review course material, search online, discuss with lecturers and peers and understand the health and safety risks associated with your specific course of study and to familiarise yourself with the University’s general health and safety principles by reviewing the online induction training for students, and following the instructions of the University staff.

What administrative information is relevant to this course?

Assessment: Academic Integrity

Academic integrity is the ethical standard of university participation. It ensures that students graduate as a result of proving they are competent in their discipline. This is integral in maintaining the value of academic qualifications. Each industry has expectations and standards of the skills and knowledge within that discipline and these are reflected in assessment.

Academic integrity means that you do not engage in any activity that is considered to be academic fraud; including plagiarism, collusion or outsourcing any part of any assessment item to any other person. You are expected to be honest and ethical by completing all work yourself and indicating in your work which ideas and information were developed by you and which were taken from others. You cannot provide your assessment work to others. You are also expected to provide evidence of wide and critical reading, usually by using appropriate academic references.

In order to minimise incidents of academic fraud, this course may require that some of its assessment tasks, when submitted to Canvas, are electronically checked through Turnitin. This software allows for text comparisons to be made between your submitted assessment item and all other work to which Turnitin has access.

Assessment: Additional Requirements

Eligibility for Supplementary Assessment

Your eligibility for supplementary assessment in a course is dependent of the following conditions applying:
(a) The final mark is in the percentage range 47% to 49.4%; and
(b) The course is graded using the Standard Grading scale

Eligibility for Supplementary Assessment Your eligibility for supplementary assessment in a course is dependent of the following conditions applying: The final mark is in the percentage range 47% to 49.4% The course is graded using the Standard Grading scale You have not failed an assessment task in the course due to academic misconduct

Assessment: Submission penalties

Late submissions may be penalised up to and including the following maximum percentage of the assessment task’s identified value, with weekdays and weekends included in the calculation of days late:
(a) One day: deduct 5%;
(b) Two days: deduct 10%;
(c) Three days: deduct 20%;
(d) Four days: deduct 40%;
(e) Five days: deduct 60%;
(f) Six days: deduct 80%;
(g) Seven days: A result of zero is awarded for the assessment task.

The following penalties will apply for a late submission for an online examination:
Less than 15 minutes: No penalty
From 15 minutes to 30 minutes: 20% penalty
More than 30 minutes: 100% penalty

Links to relevant University policy and procedures

For more information on Academic Learning & Teaching categories including:

  • Assessment: Courses and Coursework Programs
  • Review of Assessment and Final Grades
  • Supplementary Assessment
  • Central Examinations
  • Deferred Examinations
  • Student Conduct
  • Students with a Disability

For more information, visit https://www.usc.edu.au/explore/policies-and-procedures#academic-learning-and-teaching

Student Charter

UniSC is committed to excellence in teaching, research and engagement in an environment that is inclusive, inspiring, safe and respectful. The Student Charter sets out what students can expect from the University, and what in turn is expected of students, to achieve these outcomes.

General Enquiries

For course-specific questions, contact your teaching staff or Course Coordinator.  

For other enquiries or to access support, please contact Student Central: