New nursing facilities to support the return to onsite training – TAFE SA

Premier Steven Marshall and Health Minister Stephen Wade speak with TAFE SA nursing students at the City Campus during a tour of our new state-of-the-art health learning precinct.

A new health learning precinct at TAFE SA’s City Campus took on classes this week, as part of a phased approach for students to attend campuses for the practical and assessment components of their course.

Following the successful transitioning of courses to digitally enabled learning since the beginning of Term 2, TAFE SA has implemented blended training delivery which means that students will continue their learning via digitally enabled methods, while also participating in face-to-face training where effective digital delivery isn’t possible.

From this week, priority courses, including those unable to successfully transition to effective digitally enabled delivery, have re-commenced practical training on campuses across the state. 

This includes TAFE SA’s nursing program, which is utilising its new health learning precinct at the city campus, to deliver the Diploma of Nursing, currently TAFE SA’s third most popular course.

 

The new facilities for nursing students at the campus include two clinical skills labs with 16 nursing beds and a skills lab for aged care training with a home care room. The site also includes a simulated health clinic for pathology collection.

The nursing clinical area includes mannequins and is built to replicate the industry environment with treatment rooms and functioning wet areas.

TAFE SA Chief Executive, David Coltman, said that TAFE SA welcomed the opportunity to re-introduce face-to-face training, however its focus will remain on the safety of staff and students.

“Our focus is on keeping our students and staff safe and for all program areas, including nursing – this will mean social distancing, hygiene protocols, and reduced time spent on site,” Mr Coltman said.

“The blended digitally enabled delivery will enable students to participate in face-to-face activities while also continuing digital learning.

“For nursing, students will continue receiving the theory training using online platforms and 3D clinical skills simulation software, while attending onsite for practical activities and assessments.

“The new health learning precinct provides the environment and scenarios that students will experience in their nursing careers, preparing them to be ready from the minute they walk into their new workplace.

“Our teaching is always focussed on quality and innovation, as well as providing state-of-the-art facilities, including simulation labs so that our students are learning skills for the future.

“The alternative delivery methods and models that we have adopted to respond to COVID-19 has resulted in new ways students can learn and this will shape the future delivery of training at TAFE SA.”

Where future course content can be effectively delivered digitally, this will continue. Where this isn’t possible, on campus options will be implemented.  

The phased approach of blended learning has seen the delivery of VET in Schools training and priority courses re-commence, where effective digital delivery cannot be achieved. 

From Monday 1 June 2020, the majority of courses resumed on-site access for only the practical components of training that couldn’t be effectively delivered digitally. Students are attending campuses to access specific facilities, equipment or software requirements of their courses. All education and training will continue to be supported with digitally enabled learning components.   

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