Units

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Sample subject outline - Semester 2 2013

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

Rationale

Competency standards for the advanced nurse, as described by the Australian Nursing and Midwifery Council (ANMC), have been established by the profession in recognition of the need to provide a framework that reflects the practice of nurses beyond entry level. These standards reflect the need for the advanced nurse to demonstrate competence in decision making, collaborative practice, mentorship, resource management, ethical practice, establishing therapeutic relationships, and advocacy. The advanced nurse is also required to participate in professional development and contribute to activities and projects that advance their practice. This unit provides the opportunity for you to further develop and consolidate your professional knowledge and skills by completing an assignment of clinical relevance and undertaking an extended period of clinical practice in a selected clinical specialty.

Aims

This unit aims to further develop and consolidate your knowledge and skills in a selected clinical speciality.

Objectives

This unit will enable you to:

1. Demonstrate an advanced level of competence in clinical judgment and decision-making in a specialty area of practice;



2. Demonstrate skills in establishing and maintaining effective relationships with clients and other health professionals;



3. Demonstrate a reflective, self-evaluative approach to practice;



4. Critically discuss strategies that would enable the advanced practice registered nurse to facilitate a positive workplace culture with respect to their specialty area of practice; and



5. Critically analyse the advanced practice role of the registered nurse with respect to their speciality area of practice.

* The specialist practice standards of your professional organisation provide a framework for achievement of the learning outcomes.

Successfully completing this unit will contribute to your attainment of the following postgraduate capabilities:

• Access the knowledge and skills pertinent to your specialty area of practice;


• Think critically, creatively and analytically;


• Undertake effective problem solving;


• Use effective communication in a variety of contexts and modes;


• Work independently and collaboratively with colleagues in the health system; and


• Responsibly practice within a socially and ethically accountable frame of reference.

Content

The content in this unit focuses on advanced nursing practice issues through an exploration of the scope of advanced nursing practice, the role of professional organisations in speciality practice, and workplace cultures. This is underpinned by the principles of critical reflection. You will undertake a clinical practicum (either workplace-based or a negotiated placement) in your clinical speciality, which will facilitate achievement of the unit objectives. This includes undertaking an extended period of clinical experience to develop the clinical skills that demonstrate achievement of a more advanced practice level in the context of your speciality.

Approaches to Teaching and Learning

This unit uses a variety of approaches including seminars, clinical experiences and workplace-based learning. The unit is delivered through the on-line teaching environment, QUT Blackboard. Through the unit Blackboard site you will receive study modules that provide a framework for your further reading, encourage critical analysis through a program of learning activities, as well as links to useful readings. On-line discussion groups and seminars may also be available. You will be facilitated by your study area coordinator to apply the concepts learned in the unit to your specialty area. You will be expected to engage in an extended period of clinical learning, with the support of individualised and group feedback on your progress. Further information for each specialty area is outlined below.

ACUTE CARE NURSING:
You will undertake a workplace-based clinical experience in your area of acute nursing practice.
Coordinator : Dr Ann Bonner, ph 3138 0823, email: ann.bonner@qut.edu.au

AGEING AND DEMENTIA NURSING:
You will undertake a clinical experience in aged care.
Coordinator: Lisa Hee, ph: 3138 5956, email: lisa.hee@qut.edu.au

CANCER NURSING:
Clinical experiences will be undertaken in a variety of oncology-related settings and include the opportunity for you to experience institutional or community-based care for individuals and families with cancer.
Coordinator: Dr Alexandra (Sandie) McCarthy, ph: 3138 3850, email: al.mccarthy@qut.edu.au

EMERGENCY NURSING:
You will undertake workplace-based clinical experience to explore advanced concepts of emergency nursing.
Coordinator: Dr Karen Theobald, ph: 3138 3904, email: k.theobald@qut.edu.au.

INTENSIVE CARE NURSING:
You will undertake workplace-based clinical experience to explore advanced concepts of intensive care nursing.
Coordinator: Margaret Wheeler, ph: 3138 9757, email: mk.wheelerr@qut.edu.au.

PAEDIATRIC, CHILD AND YOUTH HEALTH NURSING:
You will have the opportunity to complete workplace- based clinical experience in your chosen area. The options of community child health and acute paediatric nursing can be accommodated within this unit.
Coordinator Elizabeth Forster, ph: 3138 5958, email: e.forster@qut.edu.au

WOMEN'S HEALTH:
Clinical experience will be undertaken in a variety of women's health settings and will provide the opportunity for you to evaluate the effectiveness of resources in women's health.
Coordinator: Dr Charrlotte Seib, ph: 3138 8209, email: c.seib@qut.edu.au.

Assessment

There are three assessments to be completed throughout the semester. Refer below to individual assessment items for weighting. You are required to successfully pass both the theoretical and clinical assessment components in order to pass this unit.Assessment will be spaced throughout the semester to provide the opportunity for feedback on your learning at key points. A structured approach to formative and summative assessment and marking will be applied to provide you with detailed feedback on your progress.

Assessment name: Essay
Description: The assignment will enable you to demonstrate integration of theoretical and clinical knowledge relating to the modules of study in this unit. On-going formative assessment will provide clear and specific feedback concerning your progress.
Relates to objectives: 1-5.
Weight: 60%
Internal or external: Both
Group or individual: Individual
Due date: Week 9

Assessment name: Reflective Journal
Description: Written reflection on CPAT: The written reflection will enable you to critically reflect on theoretical and conceptual knowledge and advanced performance in relation to the CPAT.
Relates to objectives: 1-5.
Weight: 40%
Internal or external: Both
Group or individual: Individual
Due date: Week 12

Assessment name: Placement Performance
Description: Clinical Performance Assessment Tool (CPAT): This assessment will enable you to demonstrate an advanced level of competence in clinical judgment and decision-making by undertaking specific clinical competencies using the specialist competency standards from the relevant study areas (e.g.: Australian Nursing Federation's Competency Standards for the Advanced Nurse, College of Emergency Nurses Australasia (CENA) specialist practice standards, Australian College of Critical Care Nurses (ACCCN Ltd.) specialist competencies, Australian Women's Health Association Competency Standards for Women's Health Nurses). Specific clinical competencies relating to advanced paediatric and child youth health practice will be assessed when students undertake a leadership role within their clinical specialty with an education, consultation, coordination or quality/research focus. The CPAT will be assessed by QUT-appointed Clinical Lecturers in the clinical venue.
Weighting: Achieved / Not Achieved (You must achieve competency in all areas of the CPAT to pass this assessment item)
Relates to objectives: 1-5.
Internal or external: Both
Group or individual: Individual
Due date: Week 13

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

Please refer to the Unit Blackboard site or your Study Area Coordinator for the reference material for your specialty area.

Risk assessment statement

During this unit you may be required to participate in off-campus clinical practice in a health care setting. Whilst undertaking this placement you will be exposed to a range of hazards, which are normally encountered by registered nurses practising in health settings. During the course of the practicum you are automatically subject to the workplace health and safety policies and procedures of the health care agency in which you are placed or currently work and it is an expectation that you will comply with these policies and procedures at all times.

Students are at all times required to practice according to the guidelines and regulations of the relevant state/territory nurse regulatory authority.

Emergency procedures
All facilities require that their health workers become familiar with local emergency procedures. It is your responsibility to locate fire exits, emergency procedures and complete CPR competencyl and fire safety as required.

Health status and immunisation requirements
It is strongly recommended that students will:

• Endeavour at all times to maintain their personal health at a high level;


• Are fit to work and have had a reasonable rest period between shifts;


• Review their current immunisation status; and


• Inform the Unit Coordinator, Study Area Coordinator or Clinical Lecturer if they are aware of any personal condition which may present a risk to themselves or clients, other students, health care agency staff or the general public while on clinical placement.

The management of your health facility has the right to send you home if, in their opinion, it is unsafe for you to work that day.

Confidentiality
As a student in the clinical area, you must treat all information regarding clients and their families with the utmost confidentiality. Information that is documented as part of your learning experiences must preserve client anonymity and confidentiality. Classroom discussion should also adhere to these principles.

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: 13-Jul-2012