Clients with Acute and Chronic Illness

This subject has the following teaching availabilities in 2015:

340 hours

Completion of a Level 2 First Aid Certificate prior to clinical placement.

And a pass in the following prior to enrolment:

None

None

This subject requires students to actively and safely contribute to clinical activities. Students who think their disability will impact on meeting this requirement are encouraged to discuss this matter with the Nursing Course Coordinator and the Disability Liaison Unit.

This subject introduces students to the concepts of acute and chronic illness in individuals across the life-span. The subject focuses on the National Health Priorities, giving students the opportunity to examine the principles and practices underpinning the sociocultural context of patient care. Knowledge is developed in relation to high risk groups, including patients experiencing cardiovascular disorders, asthma and diabetes. Content includes strategies for injury prevention and control, risk reduction and early detection of key health issues, peri-operative care, admission and discharge planning, self-care management, community health and support services and models of collaborative care. Students will continue to refine and expand their knowledge and competency in patient assessment, problem identification, clinical decision making, nursing intervention selection, medication administration and practice evaluation in the context of acute and chronic illness. Knowledge and skills related to fundamental nursing practices will be consolidated and extended. Concepts are patient focused, evidence based and designed to give students the skills to deliver safe, effective high quality care to individuals with acute and chronic health issues.

In the simulated learning laboratory students will develop skills relating to specific medical/surgical nursing interventions.

During the professional experience placement, under the guidance of clinical educators and clinical preceptors, students will gain experience in settings that enable them to meet the learning outcomes specific to this subject. The major focus for the professional experience placement component of this subject is the integration of the principles of medical/surgical nursing, clinical decision making, and more complex nursing interventions. On completion of the subject it is expected that students, while providing therapeutic interventions, are able to incorporate the further collection of health assessment data and adjust care accordingly for 2 to 3 patients.

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

• identify and be cognisant of the National Health Priorities and integrate clinical practices guidelines where relevant;
• identify ethical and legal principles of autonomy, confidentiality and informed consent as they apply to nurse-patient interactions;
• utilise strategies that facilitate a therapeutic nurse patient relationship, refine patient assessment by using a comprehensive nursing framework and utilise assessment data to develop nursing care plans for patients experiencing acute or chronic illness including Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander and other vulnerable populations;
• demonstrate analytical skills by incorporating the theoretical principles of clinical decision making into patient care plans;
• implement appropriate nursing assessment and care for patients requiring pre, peri and post operative management;
• demonstrate competence in selected nursing skills including administration of selected subcutaneous, intramuscular, intravenous and enteral medications;
• communicate verbally, and in writing, in a professional manner with the patient, their families and other members of the health care team;
• understand resource use and sustainability issues that require management within the healthcare system.

Theoretical Component 60%

1. 2,000 word Assignment - (20%) (Week 6)
2. 3 hour exam - (40%) (Exam period) (Must pass component)

Professional Experience Component 40%

1. Professional Experience Preparatory Practice Performance Assessment (PEPPA)(10 minute psychomotor examination conducted in the simulated laboratory) (20%) (On completion of all simulated laboratory sessions)

2. Professional Experience Placement Appraisal (PEP) (Pass/Fail) (Final Week of Professional Experience Placement)

3. Professional Experience Practice Analysis - 2000 words (20%) (Week following completion of Professional Experience)

Hurdle Component

1. Attendance at all Simulated Learning Laboratory sessions (During the theory block of the semester)

2. PEPPA (Must pass component for attendacne at PEP) (On completion of all simulated learning laboratory experiences)

3. Attendance at all Professional Experience Placement (PEP) days is compulsory (On completion of prescribed Professional Experience Placement)

Perrin, R. (2012). Pocket guide to APA style (4th ed.). Boston: Houghton Mifflin College.

Stedman’s medical dictionary for the health professions and nursing Australian and New Zealand Edition. (5th ed.). (2005). Philadelphia: Lippincott, Williams and Wilkins.

Education Innovations. (2007). Nursing Calculations (Version 6.3.0). (General Relativity Pty Ltd, CD-ROM).

Brown, D., & Edwards, H. (2011). Lewis’ medical-surgical nursing. (3rd ed.). Sydney: Elsevier Mosby.

Bullock, S., Manias, E., & Galbraith, A. (2007). Fundamentals of pharmacology (5th ed.). Australia: Frenchs Forest: Pearson Education.

Brotto V, Rafferty K. Clinical dosage calculations: for Australia and New Zealand. (2012). Cengage Learning.

This subject is not available as a breadth subject.

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;
• consideration of cultural variations;
• planning and time management skills;
• the ability to work effectively in a team;
• the ability to communicate knowledge through classroom and web-based discussions and written material.