Nursing and the Health Care System 2

Subject 514-763 (2009)

Note: This is an archived Handbook entry from 2009. Search for this in the current handbook

Credit Points: 6.25
Level: 9 (Graduate/Postgraduate)
Dates & Locations:

This subject has the following teaching availabilities in 2009:

On campus
For information about these dates, click here.
Time Commitment: Contact Hours: 18 hours lectures/seminars
Total Time Commitment:

In addition to the subject contact hours, students are expected to devote approximately 3 hours a week to this subject.

Prerequisites: n/a
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.

Contact

School of Nursing and Social Work
The University of Melbourne
Level 5, 234 Queensberry St
Carlton Victoria 3053 AUSTRALIA
T: +61 3 8344 9400
F: +61 3 9347 4375
W: www.nursing.unimelb.edu.au
W: www.socialwork.unimelb.edu.au
Subject Overview: This subject enables students to examine the health care system from the perspective of factors affecting patient outcomes. Using safety and quality as a framework students will examine trends in critical incidents in healthcare that result in adverse outcomes for patients. The subject will also introduce students to emerging strategies in health care that seek to improve the safety and quality of patient care and to consider particular roles of nurses in leading these efforts at a clinical and organisational level.
Objectives:

At the completion of this subject students should be able to;

  • understand the health care system as a potential source of adverse events for patients;
  • demonstrate knowledge of the key contemporary safety and quality issues in Australian and International healthcare;
  • describe processes for examining patient adverse events;
  • examine an adverse event and develop improvement strategies for event prevention;
  • discuss the role of clinical governance as an organisational framework for reducing adverse events in health care.
Assessment:
  1. 500-word written assignment (20%) - Due week 4
  2. 2,000-word written assignment (80%) - Due week 12
Prescribed Texts: This subject will largely draw on public documents produced at State and Australian government level along with relevant quality improvement literature.
Breadth Options:

This subject is not available as a breadth subject.
Fees Information: Subject EFTSL, Level, Discipline & Census Date
Generic Skills:

At the completion of this subject, students should be able to demonstrate:

  • the capacity for information seeking, retrieval and evaluation;
  • critical thinking and analytical skills;
  • an openness to new ideas;
  • planning and time management skills;
  • the ability to communicate knowledge through classroom and web-based discussions and written material.
Related Course(s): Master of Nursing Science

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