Units

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Sample subject outline - Semester 1 2013

Note: Subject outlines often change before the semester begins. Below is a sample outline.

Rationale

The culture of our health care system is based on the western scientific world view of the dominant Anglo-Australian culture. An understanding of the impact of culture on all of us and the historical and cultural issues that influence the health and wellness of Aboriginal people, Torres Strait Islanders and other Australians is essential to the provision of culturally safe nursing care across all practice settings. Australia is a culturally diverse nation and respecting and valuing diversity is an essential aspect of living and working here. To be effective health care providers, nurses need knowledge, skills and values which enable them to provide person-centered, holistic nursing care to clients from all backgrounds and lifestyles. The conceptual and critical frameworks developed in this unit carry over into the learning you do throughout your program of study.

Aims

The aims of this unit is to provide you with an introduction to health sociology, the principles of culture and social justice and their implications for health care, to enable you to review your own beliefs and values about people and health, and to appreciate a range of perspectives different from your own. We introduce you to comprehensive primary health care as a vehicle for understanding Indigenous health in terms of self-determination.

Objectives

On completion of this unit it is expected that you will be able to:

1. Analyse and identify the dominant values, assumptions and processes that shape health systems and nursing care in Australia;



2. Describe historical, social and policy issues and their impact on health and wellness focusing on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander issues;



3. Use theoretical frameworks to reflect critically on how personal factors and nurses' cultural identity may influence cultural safety when caring for people from diverse backgrounds and lifestyles; and



4. Apply the principles of cultural safety to contexts of nursing care.

Content

Module 1: Culture, Self and Diversity
An exploration of culture and identity formation; nurses' values clarification; marginalization and power relationships; discrimination, racism, stereotyping; epistemological construction of Western medical knowledge and this might differ between cultures; cultural safety and nursing practice.

Module 2: Understanding and Valuing Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Cultures
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander history and contemporary identity; societies, languages, decision making and spirituality within the context of Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander cultures; acknowledgement of the limitations of one's own knowledge and perspectives, and incorporation of new ways of seeing, valuing and understanding with regard to Indigenous cultures.

Module 3: Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health and Wellness and Comprehensive Primary Health Care
Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander perspectives on health & wellbeing; health issues for Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander peoples; historical, political and social issues that have impacted on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health and wellbeing; Indigenous medicine and implications for patient-health worker interactions; role of Indigenous primary health care including self-determination, community control, collaboration, partnership and ownership; key Indigenous health policies

Module 4: Cultural Perspectives on health and wellness including gay, lesbian and disability perspectives; understanding domains of practice, community outreach and community contexts.

Approaches to Teaching and Learning

This unit is designed to encourage you to take responsibility for, and adopt a deep approach to, your own learning. The unit involves lectures, tutorials, readings and other learning activities. Large-group lectures expose you to a range of diverse perspectives, some of which may be challenging and new to you. Small-group tutorials use structured exercises, readings and other 'prompts' to lead you to critical reflection on a range of issues. The Blackboard website for this unit is used to complement face-to-face teaching in this unit.

Assessment

The tutorial activities in this unit provide you with the opportunity to discuss content, activities, and assessment issues as outlined in the study guide. In addition, assessment item one is designed to provide you with early feedback on your understanding of the concepts and principles being addressed.The Unit Coordinator and tutors are available for consultation throughout the semester by telephone, email and in person. Participating and attending tutorial discussions throughout the semester are important aspects of checking your progress and understanding. An online quiz will be on Blackboard for you to check your understanding of key concepts and principles. Note that the quiz is formative assessment and no marks attach to it. Written feedback and correction is given on both written summative assessments. In the lecture following the first summative assessment item, general feedback will be also given any problematic areas and how to improve them.

Assessment name: Reflective Essay
Description: This assignment requires students to reflect on their learning in terms of both their own experiences and the new knowledge gained from the unit's learning readings, tutorials and lectures.

Frameworks for the reflective assessment are supported by exercises conducted in tutorials. These exercises are designed to facilitate student directed learning and students' exploration of ideas about culture, particularly as they relate to their understanding of their own cultural identity, values and positioning in society.
Relates to objectives: 3 & 4.
Weight: 50%
Internal or external: Internal
Group or individual: Individual
Due date: Mid semester

Assessment name: Essay
Description: An essay of 1500 words asks you to demonstrate an understanding of theoretical, historical, social and/or policy issues and their impact on health and wellbeing and/or health care.
Relates to objectives: 1-4.
Weight: 50%
Internal or external: Internal
Group or individual: Individual
Due date: End of semester

Academic Honesty

QUT is committed to maintaining high academic standards to protect the value of its qualifications. To assist you in assuring the academic integrity of your assessment you are encouraged to make use of the support materials and services available to help you consider and check your assessment items. Important information about the university's approach to academic integrity of assessment is on your unit Blackboard site.

A breach of academic integrity is regarded as Student Misconduct and can lead to the imposition of penalties.

Resource materials

Eckermann, A-K., Dowd, T., Chong, E., Nixon, L., Gray, R., & Johnson, S. (2010). Binan goonj: Bridging cultures in Aboriginal health ( 3rd ed.). Chatswood, NSW: Elsevier Australia.

Willis, K., & Elmer, S. (2011). Society, culture and health: An introduction to sociology for nurses. Melbourne: Oxford University Press.

Risk assessment statement

Students will be advised that if they are distressed by issues explored in the content of this unit they should approach staff or consult the University counselling service.

Disclaimer - Offer of some units is subject to viability, and information in these Unit Outlines is subject to change prior to commencement of semester.

Last modified: 15-Jan-2013