Acute & Critical Care Theory 2

This subject has the following teaching availabilities in 2009:

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.

This subject is designed to consolidate and extend the integration of theoretical and practical aspects of specialty nursing for the beginning acute and critical care nurse. It builds on the knowledge and skills learnt in Acute & Critical Care Theory 1 and expands the student's knowledge with regard to the range of patient's complexity of disease processes, treatments (including pharmacology), symptom management, and subsequent nursing assessments, interventions and supporting technical skills relevant to individual critical care practice settings.

There is a continued emphasis on scientific principles and research evidence underpinning specialty nursing practice and further developing beginning skills in problem-solving, critical thinking, rational inquiry and self-directed learning to solve patient management problems encountered in specific critical care environments.

Students will be expected to be able to demonstrate their beginning specialty nursing practice through:

• integration of the theoretical content covered within the subject to develop new knowledge that supports safe practice as a beginning specialty nurse in acute and critical care;
• 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 acute and critical care;
• 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 acute and critical 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 acute and critical care nursing 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.

1. Written assignment of 2000 words due week 6 (40%)
2. Closed book, 3 hour written examination at the end of semester (60%)

This subject is not available as a breadth subject.

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 oral and 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.