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 is a diverse specialty practice area that involves the delivery of care to individuals experiencing health conditions that may be life threatening, acute, chronic or episodic. These episodes may involve care of patients' physical and psychosocial domains. The purpose of this unit is to expand your existing theoretical, professional and practice knowledge so that your skills in patient assessment, planning and implementing nursing care in the emergency area, are enhanced.

Aims

The overall aim of this unit is to enable you to further develop an understanding of the specialty area of emergency care nursing. This will be achieved by exploring the theoretical, conceptual and practical knowledge required to provide effective nursing care to unique population groups in the emergency clinical setting.

Objectives

On the successful completion of this unit you will be able to:

1. Critically analyse the advanced concepts that underpin specialist nursing practice in emergency care to unique client populations;



2. Demonstrate clinical judgement through the application of theoretical concepts to health problems experienced by unique client populations requiring emergency care;



3. Initiate plans of care to address frequently experienced problems encountered by unique client populations requiring emergency care; and



4. Demonstrate critical reflection skills in applying theoretical concepts to your own practice.

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

• Knowledge and skills in the area of the specialty of emergency nursing;


• Critical thinking and effective problem-solving skills applied to emergency nursing care;


• Advanced communication skills for the provision of care for the diverse range of emergency patients; and


• Ability to work effectively within the emergency care environment/clinical setting.

Content

This unit provides an opportunity to further develop and consolidate prior learning in an emergency clinical setting. Key conceptual issues addressed in the unit will include: grief and loss; infectious disease care; chronic disease management; poisons management; environmental hazard management; injury and assault; oncology emergencies; ears nose & throat/eyes/dental management; advanced electrocardiograph analysis and management; planning of appropriate strategies/interventions for client care; and the evaluation of care.

Approaches to Teaching and Learning

You will explore the theoretical concepts that underpin the key themes in this unit through a series of study modules. Students will be encouraged to think critically about key issues in their practice context, through analysis of literature and case studies, contributions to class/online discussion and assessment items. The content of each module will be delivered flexibly (online/CD ROM). This will also be interspersed with other relevant unit specific materials, to help reinforce and apply your learning. The online teaching site will be a focal point for your learning in this unit. While working through the learning activities, you will have the opportunity to collaborate with your peers through on-line discussion forums.

Assessment name: Assignment
Description: The assignment will enable you to apply a range of theoretical and conceptual knowledge to the analysis of selected emergency client problems.
Relates to objectives: 1-4.
Weight: 50%
Internal or external: Both
Group or individual: Individual
Due date: Week 9

Assessment name: Examination (Theory)
Description: The examination will include clinical case studies that require you to apply problem-solving skills to a range of unique clinical situations and to demonstrate your integration of theoretical knowledge.
Relates to objectives: 1-4.
Weight: 50%
Internal or external: Both
Group or individual: Individual
Due date: Exam block week

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

The textbook prescribed for this unit is:

Curtis, K. And Ramsden, C. (2011) Emergency and trauma care for nurses and paramedics. Mosby Eslevier: Sydney.

Risk assessment statement

There are no out-of-the-ordinary risks associated with undertaking 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: 05-Jul-2012