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

EMERGENCY NURSING:
Coordinator: Dr Karen Theobald, Ph: 31383904, email: k.theobald@qut.edu.au

INTENSIVE CARE NURSING:
Coordinator: Mss Margaret Wheeler, Ph: 3138 9757, email: mk.wheeler@qut.edu.au

Critical care environments provide care for individuals with a diverse range of health problems. This unit provides you with the opportunity to further develop and consolidate prior learning in a critical care clinical setting of your choice. In this unit you will expand on your theoretical, professional and practical knowledge to assess patients; and plan and implement nursing care in a particular critical care environment.

Aims

The aim of this unit is to further develop your understanding of critical care nursing practice in the speciality areas of emergency or intensive care. This will be achieved by further exploring the theoretical, conceptual and practical knowledge required to provide effective nursing care within these specialty clinical domains.

Objectives

The unit will enable you to:

1. Discuss issues and trends occurring in critical care nursing practice in your selected practice context (emergency or intensive care);



2. Critically analyse the advanced concepts that underpin specialist nursing practice in your selected practice context (emergency or intensive care);



3. Discuss and demonstrate clinical reasoning and reflective skills through the application of theoretical concepts to common health problems experienced by patients and their families in your selected critical care environment (emergency or intensive care) including the culturally and linguistically diverse; and



4. Demonstrate clinical application of knowledge, skills, communication, teamwork and collaboration within the multidisciplinary health care team (emergency nursing study area only).

* The specialist practice standards for the College of Emergency Nursing Australasia (CENA) or clinical competencies for the Australian College of Critical Care Nurses (ACCCN Ltd.) 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

Content that relates to a broad range of concepts relevant to clinical nursing practice in selected critical care environments will be addressed. This will include physiological, pathophysiological and psychosocial underpinnings of specialty practice across emergency (triage, cardiac disease and management, musculoskeletal disorders, gastrointestinal and genitourinary disorders, obstetric and gynaecological emergencies, endocrine emergencies, alcohol and drug abuse/overdose, the mental health patient in ED setting, special populations: paediatric and older adult emergencies, transfer issues) and intensive care (oncologic and haematologic emergencies, endocrine emergencies, the paediatric patient, the older adult, the mental health patient, substance abuse/overdose, transfer issues, nutritional requirements , infection control and brain death and organ donation) . The content will also address the planning, implementation and evaluation of appropriate interventions for patient care in these specialty healthcare environments.

Approaches to Teaching and Learning

A variety of approaches will be adopted to encourage a broad understanding of and skills in specialist critical care nursing practice. You will be encouraged to think critically about key issues in your practice context (emergency or intensive care), through analysis of literature and case studies, and assessment items. A range of flexible approaches will be used for students studying by internal and external mode, which may include seminars, teleconferences and clinical learning experiences in the workplace. You will have access to a study guide, which provides a framework for your further reading and encourages critical analysis through a program of learning activities, and also provides reference to accompanying readings. You are required to undertake suitable workplace based clinical experience in this unit. You will be facilitated to apply the concepts learned to your specialty practice context.

INTERNAL MODE:
A series of seminars will further support your learning in this unit if you are studying via internal mode.

EXTERNAL MODE:
The seminar series supporting this unit, where possible will be audio-recorded and accessed through the unit online teaching site (Blackboard) if you are studying via external mode.

Assessment

There are three assessments for the emergency study area and two assessments for the intensive care study area. These assessments are to be completed throughout the semester. Refer to individual assessment items for weighting. You are required to successfully pass both the theoretical and clinical assessment components (emergency only) 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 requires you to demonstrate a sound understanding of a selected topic area in either emergency or intensive care nursing through analysis of the literature and consideration of implications for nursing practice.
Relates to objectives: 1-3.
Weight: 50%
Internal or external: Both
Group or individual: Individual
Due date: Mid semester

Assessment name: Examination (Written)
Description: The examination will be in the format of short answer questions that require you to analyse advanced clinical concepts in emergency nursing or intensive care nursing.
Relates to objectives: 1-3
Weight: 50%
Internal or external: Both
Group or individual: Individual
Due date: Central exam period

Assessment name: Placement Performance
Description: Emergency Nursing only
[Clinical Performance Assessment Tool (CPAT)]: Clinical assessment will be both formative and summative. A structured assessment format will be used to provide clear and specific feedback regarding your progress. Clinical competencies are based on the College of Emergency Nursing Australasia (CENA) specialist practice standards. 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: 1-4.
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

Recommended texts for Emergency Nursing
Curtis, K., & Ramsden, C. (Eds.). (2011). Emergency and trauma care for nurses and paramedics. Sydney: Mosby Elsevier.

Required text for Intensive Care Nursing
Carlson, K.K. (Ed.). (2009). AACN advanced critical care nursing. St Louis: Elsevier.

Risk assessment statement

As a student undertaking this unit you may be required to undertake accompanying clinical practice experience in your workplace. As such, you will be exposed to risks encountered in the practice of advanced nursing practice. Students undertaking clinical placement are required to follow the same health and safety guidelines that apply to all staff in your workplace. In addition, measures to control exposure to risks include:

• Orientation to the health care agency


• Supervision by clinical lecturers


• Appropriate theoretical and practical preparation


• Act within your scope of practice and the requirements of this unit

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 competency and fire safety as required.

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

• Eendeavour 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 patients, 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 patients 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: 05-Jul-2012