3 Clinical teaching/simulation blocks

Clinical teaching blocks (CTBs) are also called simulation blocks (SBs) or “intensives”.

The CTB is an on-campus intensive program providing you with an opportunity to apply knowledge from your other units into simulated practice. There is at least one clinical teaching block or simulation block for each year-level of your course. Successful completion of the CTB/SB is a pre-requisite (i.e. mandatory) for attending the clinical placements in the same year-level. See Table 2 below for nursing units, and Table 3 for midwifery.

The CTB/SB is also a great opportunity for students to meet each other, form friendships and study groups and meet some of your lecturers.

Good preparation is essential. Being away from home and your absence from employment require some practical forward planning. Remember, you will also need to manage the requirements of your other units while attending the CTB/SB. It is therefore a good idea to recheck assessment due dates.

Students will be expected to attend the entire programme, be on time, wear the correct clinical uniform and be compliant with pre-clinical requirements. Please consider the daily start and end times when arranging travel and accommodation. Contact your Unit Coordinator if you have questions.

Booking your clinical teaching/simulation block

The College has clinical laboratories at campuses in Darwin and Sydney¹. You are responsible for the costs and making arrangements for travel and accommodation.

Our clinical laboratories have a safe occupancy limit, so bookings are the only mechanism for attendance. A special unit enrolment and booking process applies.

Bookings for clinical teaching blocks are made available within “nomination periods”. Nomination periods are a range of dates advertised in your Learnline Units and on College Central in Learnline each semester.

When you are ready to nominate for your simulation block, log in to check your pre-clinical status with your login and password.

Every effort is made to meet your nominated time and location, however, due to demand the College reserves the right to vary the request. Attendance without a current booking will be denied.

Assessment during clinical teaching/simulation block

The clinical teaching block is a pre-requisite to clinical placement. This means that a minimum standard of attendance, professional behaviour, application of knowledge and skill is required. Your lecturers in the clinical teaching block will provide feedback to you if additional support needs are identified. Where gaps are identified a Learning Agreement may be negotiated with you for your clinical placement (see your Learnline Unit for more information on your assessments).

Attendance for the entire duration of the programme is usually a hurdle assessment requirement (see your Learnline Unit). If illness occurs, please contact the coordinator for the clinical teaching block (or your Unit Coordinator).

Health and safety requirements for clinical laboratories

Clinical laboratories have mandatory health and safety requirements. The uniform dress standard and behaviour for the clinical laboratories is the same as for attending clinical placement. The uniform requirements are available from the Clinical Placements page on College Central in Learnline.

You will not be permitted entry to the laboratory space if you are non-compliant with health and safety requirements.

Opportunities for additional laboratory practice

Where you or your supervisor identify gaps in skills it may be possible to book additional practice sessions. These can be scheduled outside the clinical teaching block programme times. A booking is essential so that laboratory space can be made available and supervision is arranged. Discuss your needs with your Unit Coordinator.