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

As students in healthcare courses and life sciences you need a strong grounding in Biosciences to contribute to the knowledge base that informs clinical practice and basic processes of nursing care, emergency services and fundamentals in basic life processes. This unit is the first in a series of three units that bring together the disciplines of anatomy, physiology, pathophysiology and microbiology, to develop an understanding of normal human structures and their related functions at the cellular, tissue, organ and systems levels. Bioscience 1 commences the study of the human body with respect to health and disease. Provision of a sound background in these concepts is essential for future studies of more complicated or detailed physiological mechanisms, pathophysiology, pharmacology and microbiology. This unit is designed for students in healthcare courses and life sciences, to provide a strong grounding in Biosciences and contribute to the knowledge base that informs clinical practice and basic processed of nursing care, emergency services and fundamental in basic life processes.

Aims

The aims of this unit are to:
1. Provide you with a clear understanding of anatomical terminology used in the health professions.
2. Provide you with a strong background enabling you to apply concepts of anatomy, physiology, microbiology and introductory pharmacology to your future studies of diseases and their treatment.
3. Provide an introduction to infectious agents that impact on human health and infection control.

Objectives

On successful completion of this unit, you should be able to:
1. Identify and describe an extensive range of normal human structures using the appropriate anatomical terminology.
2. Competently discuss the hierarchy of structural organisation that exists in the human body from the level of molecules to organ systems and the relationship between these structures.
3. Describe basic physiological processes that underlie the functions of the major organ systems and their contribution to body homeostasis and the maintenance of life.
4. Demonstrate basic knowledge of infectious agents and their capacity to impact on human health; and infection control protocols.
5. Understand and explain basic concepts in pharmacology.

Content

The content of this unit includes:
- Structural and Functional Organisation of the Human Body: Introduction to the basic concepts of human anatomy and physiology; overview of structural organisation of the human body including directional terms, planes and sections, body cavities, quadrants and regions.
- The Cell: Overview of different cell types in the human body; introduction to the basic physiology of cell membranes including membrane transport; cell organelles and their inclusions.
- Tissues: Overview of the four major tissue types; morphology of epithelial, connective, muscular and nervous tissues and general functions.
- The Integumentery System: Structure and function of normal skin and its relationship to body homeostasis; burns and wound healing.
- The Musculoskeletal System: Organisation of the axial and appendicular skeleton; structure of bones and joints; introduction to skeletal, cardiac and smooth muscle; major skeletal muscles.
- The Endocrine System: Definition, control and integration of body systems; description of the major endocrine glands; overview of hormones and their actions.
- The Nervous System: Overview of neurons and neuroglia; basic structural organisation of the central and peripheral nervous systems and their major functional roles; the structure and function of general and special sensory receptors; sensory processing in the central nervous system; motor divisions of the peripheral nervous system.
- The Visual and Auditory Systems: Overview of visual and auditory system anatomy and physiology; introduction to ocular pathophysiology.
- The Cardiovascular System: Structure of blood vessels and the heart; introduction to basic cardiac physiology including the mechanical and electrical events that maintain normal blood flow.
- Blood: Composition of blood; overview of the general functions of blood.
- The Lymphatic System: General structure and function of the lymphatic vessels; description of lymphoid cells and organs.
- The Respiratory System: Gross features and histology of the respiratory system; the mechanics of breathing and respiratory function tests; lung volumes and capacities.
- Reproductive Systems: Basic anatomy and physiology of the male and female reproductive systems.
- Cell Division: Cell division in multicellular organisms; Overview of mitosis and meiosis. Chromosomes and the human karyotype.
- The Gastrointestinal System: Gross and microscopic features of the gastrointestinal system and accessory glands; function of gastrointestinal tract and accessory organs.
- The Renal System: Gross features and histology of the kidneys and accessory structures; function of the kidneys; overview of fluid and electrolyte balance and its relationship to homeostasis.
- The Microbial World: Introduction to prokaryotic and eukaryotic microorganisms, viruses and prions; their living relationships with the human host and the disease states that they can cause Introduction to methods of infection control.
- Pharmacology: Basic concepts of drug administration and absorption: clearance, half-life, metabolism, bioavailability, therapeutic levels, toxicity, margin of safety.

Approaches to Teaching and Learning

The teaching team will present the subject matter to you as lectures (3 hours/week) and you will be able to reinforce and extend your understanding of the material by attending and participating in laboratory sessions (2 hours/week). These laboratory sessions will include the examination of anatomical models, histological preparations and, where available, specimens of preserved human organs or animal equivalents. Basic physiological experiments, such as the measurement of respiratory function, will also be undertaken.

Assessment

To enable you to determine if you are meeting the unit learning outcomes, regular assessment will be undertaken during the weekly practical sessions. This assessment will provide a mechanism for you to regularly evaluate your understanding of the subject matter presented in the unit.Weekly feedback on worksheet performance will be provided by returning marked worksheets to each student and posting qualitative and quantitative feedback summaries on blackboard each week. Progress exam papers will be available to review upon consultation with the unit coordinator following marking of the exam papers. An in-class feedback session will also be run after the progress exam to discuss challenging questions and provide advice on how to improve.

Assessment name: Portfolio
Description: Weekly set of review activities and questions, generally in form of worksheets, formative and summative.
Relates to objectives: 1, 2 and 3.
Weight: 15%
Internal or external: Internal
Group or individual: Group with Individual Component
Due date: Weekly

Assessment name: Quiz/Test
Description: Practical assessment in form of short answer identification and analysis questions.
Relates to objectives: 1,2 and 3.
Weight: 40%
Internal or external: Internal
Group or individual: Individual
Due date: Exam Periods

Assessment name: Examination (written)
Description: Theory assessment in form of multiple-choice questions.
Relates to objectives: 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5.
Weight: 45%
Internal or external: Internal
Group or individual: Individual
Due date: Exam periods

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

Textbooks:
1. Marieb EN & K Hoehn, Human Anatomy & Physiology, Current Edition, Benjamin Cummings
2. Lee G & P Bishop, Microbiology and Infection Control for Health Professionals, Current Edition, Pearson Education Australia

Risk assessment statement

This unit includes a laboratory component. In order that you become proficient in necessary practical skills, you will be trained in the handling of equipment, materials and specimens normally associated with this discipline. You will be provided with the latest edition of a comprehensive safety booklet pertinent to the laboratories and specifically to this unit and you will be required to adhere to the safety procedures detailed in it. You are referred to the university's health and safety web site http://www.hrd.qut.edu.au/healthsafety/index.jsp for further information.
If you have an underlying health condition you are encouraged to consult the unit coordinator, as you may be required to take additional precautions on occasions.

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: 08-Oct-2012