Advanced Nursing Practice in Context 1

Subject 514-724 (2008)

Note: This is an archived Handbook entry from 2008.Search for this in the current handbook

Credit Points:

12.500

Level:

Graduate/Postgraduate

Dates & Locations:

This subject has the following teaching availabilities in 2008:

Semester 1, - Taught on campus.

Pre-teaching Period Start	not applicable
Teaching Period	not applicable
Assessment Period End	not applicable
Last date to Self-Enrol	not applicable
Census Date	not applicable
Last date to Withdraw without fail	not applicable

On campus

Timetable can be viewed here. For information about these dates, click here.

Time Commitment:

Contact Hours: Contact hours are determined by the goals set in the collaborative competency based learning contract. Students are expected to devote approximately 6-10 hours per week to this subject.
Total Time Commitment: Students are expected to devote 6-10 hours per week

Prerequisites:

The student is required to have concurrent employment as a Registered Nurse and be engaged in or working towards an advanced practice role. The student must also provide documentation of employer support and multidisciplinary mentorship arrangements necessary to undertake the extensions to practice in the clinical component of the subject within their workplace or related agencies. Students complete a competency based learning contract that is tailored to achievement within one semester. Students may or may not need to take the partner subject 514725 Advanced Nursing Practice in Context 2 to achieve the full skill set required to meet specific role extension profiles.

Corequisites:

None

Recommended Background Knowledge:

None

Non Allowed Subjects:

None

Core Participation Requirements:

It is University policy to take all reasonable steps to minimise the impact of disability upon academic study and reasonable adjustments will be made to enhance a student's participation in the University's courses. Students who feel their disability will impact on meeting this requirement are encouraged to discuss this matter with the Course Coordinator and the Disability Liaison Unit.

 CoordinatorProfessor Linda Johnston 

Subject Overview:	This subject focuses on knowledge and skill development for specific advanced practice roles in specific health service delivery settings. Students enter this subject with an extensive practice history supported by specialty theoretical knowledge in a specific area of nursing. With collegial support from a multidisciplinary team this subject takes place largely in the workplace environment using a collaborative competency based learning contract to assist students to extend their scope of practice across stable, unpredictable and complex situations. The Australian and New Zealand core competency standards for Nurse Practitioners and competency standards for advanced practitioners issued by specialty professional groups are used to guide the formulation and completion of the collaborative competency based learning contract. The learning contract includes both a theoretical and practical component formulated around skill sets relating to therapeutic interventions that meet both health service delivery requirements and identified core competency standards. Students demonstrate achievement of knowledge and skills described in the contract through compilation of a practice portfolio that includes (but is not limited to) clinical practice guidelines, formulary and referral guidelines, and outcomes of competency assessments and viva challenges.
Assessment:	Completion of learning contract 30% (formulated in the first four weeks of the semester and undertaken over the duration of the semester) Graded completion of professional practice portfolio 70% (commencing at the beginning of semester and due at the end of semester)
Prescribed Texts:	n/a
Recommended Texts:	References and recommended readings are supplied according to the requirements identified in the collaborative competency based learning contract.
Breadth Options:	This subject is not available as a breadth subject.
Fees Information:	Subject EFTSL, Level, Discipline & Census Date
Generic Skills:	On completion of the subject students should have developed the following generic skills of the Melbourne graduate and postgraduate coursework student: Highly developed cognitive, analytic and problem-solving skills in the discipline area, characterised by flexibility of approach; The ability and self-confidence to comprehend complex concepts, to express them lucidly, whether orally or in writing, and to confront unfamiliar problems; Where appropriate, advanced working skills in the application of computer systems and software and a receptiveness to the opportunities offered by new technologies; An ability to evaluate and synthesise the research and professional literature in the discipline; Advanced skills and techniques applicable to the discipline; Advanced competencies in areas of professional expertise and/or scholarship; The capacity for independent critical thought, rational inquiry and self-directed learning; The capacity to value and participate in projects which require team-work; A capacity to manage competing demands on time, including self-directed project work. The student should particularly be able to apply these generic skills to support their advanced nursing practice by demonstrating: The capacity for information seeking, retrieval and evaluation to complete contracted competency based assessments during simulated and real life patient encounters; Technical proficiency in advanced nursing practice techniques, and use of and interpretation of diagnostic tools; A sound understanding of how the physical, psychological, social, emotional and cultural influences on health and illness contribute to the assessment, planning, implementation and evaluation of therapeutic interventions at an advanced practice level for specific client groups in specific health service settings; The capacity to integrate knowledge of scientific research based underpinnings of health and illness and highly developed cognitive, analytic, problem-solving and diagnostic reasoning skills to assess, plan, implement and evaluate therapeutic interventions at an advanced practice level for specific client groups in specific health service settings; Integration of scientific research based evidence, clinical decision making, legal, ethical and health education/promotion frameworks to formulate culturally appropriate clinical practice guidelines for advanced practice therapeutic interventions for specific client groups in specific health service settings; The capacity to express assessment findings, therapeutic plans and therapeutic interventions in language shared by the multi-disciplinary team both orally and in writing; The initiation and maintenance of collaborative relationships with other health care providers to establish effective communication skills and multidisciplinary relationships to achieve optimal health outcomes for patient care in the context of advanced practice beyond traditional nursing roles; A comprehensive knowledge of referral processes and flexibility when confronting unfamiliar problems; Comprehensive pharmacological knowledge through the development of a formulary to be used in advanced nursing practice for specific client groups in specific health service settings; Where appropriate, advanced working skills in the application of computer systems and software and a receptiveness to the opportunities offered by new technologies; The capacity and confidence to participate effectively in collaborative learning as a team-member, while respecting individual differences; The capacity to manage competing demands on time, including self-directed project work; Proficiency in negotiating clinical learning needs with multi-disciplinary health care professionals to ensure appropriate clinical supervision for development of advanced practice skills and knowledge.
Links to further information:	http://www.nursing.unimelb.edu.au
Notes:	Special computer requirements: Multi-media resources may be delivered on-campus or as distance learning packages. Students must have access to appropriate computer facilities and the Internet. The minimum computer hardware and software specifications for the subject are consistent with the University's guidelines on the expected standard of computer equipment (http://www.unimelb.edu.au/student/CompStd.htm): Hardware Pentium PC or equivalent 500MHZ Windows 98 Sound card 16 bit video 128MB RAM 10GB hard disk Software Any word-processing program A web-browser program, either Netscape (version 4.7 or later) or Internet Explorer (version 6.0 or later). No special computer skills are required. Students are required to have skills consistent with the University's Statement of "Basic Expectations of Student Computer Skills" : http://www.infodiv.unimelb.edu.au/stuskills.html which includes basic knowledge of computer operating systems, word-processing skills, email use, and the internet. Specifically students need to be able to write, edit and save an essay on the computer and be competent in the use of standard WWW browsers and should be able to use information searching techniques.

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