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Unit of study_
NURS1010: Experiencing Illness
2026 unit information
This unit of study has a focus on the different ways in which individuals subjectively experience health, illness, and health care across the lifespan. Attention will be drawn to factors arising in illness and lived experiences, such as issues of self-identity and biographical disruption. Social attitudes to illness and mental health issues, including stigma and discrimination, and how these can impact on the individual experience will also be explored. Person-centred practice and the culture of nursing will be critically examined in terms of their impact on care, and in the context of people having diverse social and cultural backgrounds and age groups and being partners in their care. Consideration will be given to the health and illness experiences of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, people from other various cultural groups, people living with mental health issues, and people from varied socioeconomic backgrounds. This unit includes Mental Health First Aid training to equip students with basic knowledge and skills to recognise early indications of mental health changes in another student or adult, learn to openly speak about mental health, reduce stigma and increase support for people living with mental health issues, and recognise when another student or adult may be in crisis.
Unit details and rules
Managing faculty or University school:
Medicine and Health
| Study level | Undergraduate |
|---|---|
| Academic unit | Nursing and Midwifery |
| Credit points | 6 |
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Prerequisites:
?
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None |
|---|---|
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Corequisites:
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None |
| Prohibitions:
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NURS1006 |
| Assumed knowledge:
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None |
At the completion of this unit, you should be able to:
- LO1. appraise and engage in research and critically examine evidence - both quantitative and qualitative, in order to determine evidence-based conclusions to support beginning level practice.
- LO2. demonstrate information literacy in the searching out and appraising of the qualitative research literature on illness and lived experience to determine evidence based and person-centred and family/carer and community centred approaches to care.
- LO3. consider features of nursing and midwifery professional culture, as well as clinical practice and service delivery factors, that impact on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health.
- LO4. identify and explore the relationship between ethical reasoning, illness experience and person-centred and family-centred practice within a cultural safety framework that recognises and engages with the values, beliefs and illness experience of individuals, families, and communities as partners in care in a socially and culturally diverse healthcare context.
- LO5. demonstrate an ability to think critically about the ways in which patients, families and nurses can relate to, and interact with, each other, and an understanding of the relationship between trust, accountability and vulnerability and the associated professional responsibilities of a registered nurse.
- LO6. demonstrate beginning skills in therapeutic listening and micro-skills in communication and conflict management with socially and culturally diverse patients, families/carers and communities, and within interprofessional healthcare teams.
Unit availability
This section lists the session, attendance modes and locations the unit is available in. There is a unit outline for each of the unit availabilities, which gives you information about the unit including assessment details and a schedule of weekly activities.
The outline is published 2 weeks before the first day of teaching. You can look at previous outlines for a guide to the details of a unit.
| Session | MoA ? | Location | Outline ? |
|---|---|---|---|
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Semester 2 2026
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Normal day | Camperdown/Darlington, Sydney |
Outline unavailable
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There are no availabilities for previous years.
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Modes of attendance (MoA)
This refers to the Mode of attendance (MoA) for the unit as it appears when you’re selecting your units in Sydney Student. Find more information about modes of attendance on our website.
Disclaimer
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