Program Overview

---

Bachelor of Nursing Pacific

Programme Overview

The Bachelor of Nursing Pacific programme is designed to integrate knowledge of Pacific communities, cultural practices, and nursing knowledge to improve health outcomes for Pacific peoples and the wider Aotearoa New Zealand community and overseas.

Programme Details

Level

7

Campus

Porirua

Start Date

16/02/2026

Duration

3 years, full-time

Domestic Fees

TBA

Programme Outline

The programme consists of three years of full-time study, with a combination of theory and supported clinical experience. Students will learn clinical skills in simulation suites and attend off-site clinical experiences in rest homes and the community.

Courses

Year One

• Fakavae (Tokelau term of Fakavae, which refers to the concept of foundation)
  • Students will gain insight into their own Pacific identity, introducing them to Te Tiriti o Waitangi, Pacific worldviews, and values and models in the context of Aotearoa.
  • Students will acquire core communication skills and foundational nursing skills, demonstrating them in a diverse range of clinical and cultural learning environments that cover lifespan.

Year Two

• Faiā (Samoan term which highlights the importance of respectful relationships)
  • Students will build on the foundational knowledge and skills acquired in year one, displaying the beginning attributes of nursing praxis, such as effective communication, self-reflection, and ability to interpret and make meaning from interactions with others across a variety of health care settings.

Year Three

• Turanga Neti (Cook Islands, refers to the position, status and responsibilities of the nursing profession)
  • Students will demonstrate that they are successfully transitioning out of their ‘student role’ and into the role of the beginning practitioner.
  • Students will confidently be able to move between their Pacific communities and the world of non-Pacific health care services in ways that add value to both.

Teaching and Learning

A variety of teaching processes are used in the programme, including lectures, tutorials, learning packages, workshops, student presentations, online learning, and practical sessions in the simulation suites.

Clinical Experience

To gain a Bachelor of Nursing degree, students must complete a minimum of 1,100 hours of clinical experience (praxis). The programme has excellent working partnerships with clinical providers, including both the Hutt Valley and Capital & Coast District Health Boards and private, iwi, and community organisations.

Career Options

Our Bachelor of Nursing qualifications enable graduates to work as a beginning staff nurse in all areas where registered nurses are employed, both nationally and internationally.

Entry Requirements

Applicants must meet both the academic and suitability entry requirements.

Academic Entry Requirements

• Whitireia degree academic entry requirements (i.e., University Entrance) or equivalent.
• University entrance or equivalent academic/work experience, and evidence of suitability based on interview, health screening, safety check, and referee reports.

International Students

• Proven equivalence to entry requirements plus IELTS 6.5 in each band, or equivalent.

Interview/Evidence of Suitability

The interview determines the applicant's preparedness for study, their ability to meet the Health Practitioners Competence Assurance Act 2003 (if applicable), and any registration board requirements in terms of being fit for registration. Applicants must be able to demonstrate effective interpersonal communication skills, understanding of, and capability to, work in the professional health and social service providers sector, and commitment and motivation to succeed.

Safety Check

The Children's Act (2014) requires all students, who may work with children during the course of their study, to be safety checked. Safety checking includes reference checking, work history, identity check, police vetting, and an overall assessment of the applicant's safety to work with children.

Course-Related Costs

Prior to starting the programme, students will be required to complete health screening to provide evidence of their current immunisation status, as required by our placement providers. Further information on this and the other course costs will be provided when 2025 costs are confirmed.

• Health screening: $330
• Medical equipment: $185
• Uniform: $200
• Vaccinations (if required by clinical placement): Costs will vary depending on vaccination required i.e., flu, whooping cough
• Stationery: $100
• Clinical Travel Costs: These will vary depending on where you live and where your placements are

Credit Recognition

If students have relevant skills and knowledge through study or experiences in work or other activities, they may be able to receive credit for them. This is done through a process called Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL).