Foundations in Cancer & Palliative Care1

This subject has the following teaching availabilities in 2008:

Key content relates to understanding the pathophysiology of cancer and carcinogenesis, and the principles of cure, control, symptom management and palliation. Surgery, chemotherapy and radiation will be described as core treatments and elements of a multi-modal approach. The impact of diagnosis, treatment, prognosis and survivorship on the person confronted with a life threatening illness and their family, as well as the ethico-legal aspects of care will be explored. Emphasis is placed on health assessment for implementing and evaluating physical and psychosocial care across the disease trajectory. Throughout the subject the development of knowledge and skills in therapeutic communication will be promoted.

Interventions initiated by nurses at a beginning level of specialty practice will be described in terms of the research evidence underpinning practice and the technical knowledge that is a pre-requisite for skill development. Students engage in field practice to address learning objectives focussing on the application of theoretical knowledge to skill development and the practice of caring for patients in the cancer and palliative care practice setting.

This subject is not available as a breadth subject.

• integration of the theoretical content covered within the subject to develop new knowledge that supports safe practice as a beginning specialty nurse in cancer or palliative care settings;
• the ability to integrate knowledge and skills learnt in the subject to recognise and plan a response to patients experiencing alterations to health and wellness that occur in the specific context of cancer or palliative care settings;
• the ability to understand and evaluate specialised interventions as described in the subject content to provide a foundation for participating in the delivery of care at the beginning level of cancer or palliative care nursing practice;
• the capacity to use skills in problem-solving, critical thinking, rational inquiry and self-directed learning to apply knowledge learnt in the theoretical component of the subject to beginning level cancer or palliative care nursing clinical practice;
• an understanding of the changing knowledge base in the specialist area;
• the ability to apply scientific knowledge to understand skills and techniques applicable to the specialist area.

On completion of the subject students should have developed the following generic skills of the Melbourne graduate and postgraduate coursework student:

• a capacity to articulate their knowledge and understanding in written modes of communication;
• a capacity to manage competing demands on time, including self-directed project work.

This subject has a multi-media tutorial component delivered via the University's on-line Learning Management System (LMS). 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):

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.