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

Continually advancing health care combined with changing lifestyles means cardiothoracic complaints either directly contribute to hospital admission or form part of the ever expanding list of patient comorbidities. The aim of this unit is to provide you with an overview of the principles of cardiothoracic nursing. Building upon past content delivered in the Bachelor of Nursing programme, this unit will explore the concepts and clinical skills of cardiothoracic care and firmly link them with practice.

Aims

The aim of this unit is to provide you with knowledge specific to cardiothoracic care. More importantly, it is expected this unit will consolidate and link existing knowledge with new knowledge and clinical skills to direct your clinical practice.

Objectives

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

1. Demonstrate knowledge of how physiology and cardiothoracic dysfunction will direct patient interventions and management strategies (GC 1, 2, 4, 5; ANMC 3-4);



2. Discuss possible pharmacological management for a patient displaying cardiothoracic dysfunction (GC 1, 2, 4; ANMC 1-2, 3-4, 9-10);



3. Perform cardiothoracic clinical assessment skills (GC 1, 4; ANMC 1-2);



4. Demonstrate an understanding of electrocardiograph (ECG) principles and interpret basic lead II rhythm strips (GC 1, 2, 4, 7; ANMC 1-2, 3-4); and



5. Apply critical thinking skills to the management of patients experiencing cardiothoracic dysfunction (GC 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7; ANMC 3-4, 9-10).

Skills addressed in this unit key:

QUT Graduate Capabilities:
GC 1 knowledge and skills
GC 2 critical and creative thinking
GC 3 effective communication
GC 4 lifelong learning
GC 5 independence and collaboration
GC 6 social & ethical responsibility
GC 7 self reliance and leadership

ANMC Competency Domains (2005):
Professional practice 1-2
Critical thinking and analysis 3-4
Provision and co-ordination of care 5-8
Collaborative and therapeutic practice 9-10

Content

This unit will have an emphasis placed on the acute care setting. Cardiac and thoracic content includes: physiology and pharmacology; clinical assessment skills, investigations and monitoring; disease process and medical/surgical management; and resuscitation and management of a cardiac arrest.

Approaches to Teaching and Learning

This unit combines lectures, tutorial discussions and clinical practice laboratories. To ground theory contained within this unit each lecture will be accompanied by a tutorial. Clinical practice providing practical application of what you have learnt will follow. It is an expectation you read widely around the lecture and tutorial topics using this content to guide critical thinking and the clinical application of your skills.

Assessment

NANA

Assessment name: Oral Presentation
Description: TBA
Relates to objectives: TBA
Weight: 30%
Internal or external: Internal
Group or individual: Individual
Due date: TBA

Assessment name: Clinical Skill Examination
Description: TBA
Relates to objectives: TBA
Weight: 10%
Internal or external: Internal
Group or individual: Individual
Due date: TBA

Assessment name: Exam
Description: Multiple choice and short answer exam.
Relates to objectives: TBA
Weight: 60%
Internal or external: Internal
Group or individual: Individual
Due date: TBA

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

There is no set text for this unit. It is not suggested that you purchase a text for this unit. The following recommended references can be found in the library:

Bryant, B., & Knights, K. (2010). Pharmacology for health professional (3rd ed.). Hong Kong: Mosby Elsevier.

Hatchett, R., & Thompson, D.R. (2007). Cardiac nursing: A comprehensive guide (2nd ed.). China: Churchill Livingstone Elsevier.

Huether, S.E., & McCance, K.L. (2007). Understanding pathophysiology (4th ed.). St. Louis, Missouri: Mosby Elsevier.

Lewis, P.A., & Foley, D. (eds) (2011). Weber and Kelley's health assessment in nursing (Australasian version) e1. Broadway, N.S.W. : Lippincott Williams and Wilkins.

Moser, D.K., & Riegel, B. (2008). Cardiac nursing: A companion to Braunwald's heart disease. St. Louis, Missouri: Saunders Elsevier.

Sidebottom, D., McKee, A., Gillham, M., & Levy, J.H. (2007). Cardiothoracic critical care. Philadelphia: Butterworth Heinemann.

Springhouse. (2008). Cardiovascular care made incredibly easy. Philadelphia: Lippincott Williams & Wilkins.

Woods, S.L., Sivarajan Froelicher, E.S., Underhill Motzer, S., & Bridges, E.J. (2005). Cardiac nursing (5th ed.). Philadelphia: Lippincott Williams & Wilkins.

Risk assessment statement

There are no out of the ordinary risks associated with this unit.

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: 03-Jan-2013