Cancer Patients in General Health Care

This subject has the following teaching availabilities in 2016:

This subject is taught online only in 2016:

Semester 2, Parkville - Taught online.

Pre-teaching Period Start not applicable

Teaching Period 25-Jul-2016 to 23-Oct-2016

Assessment Period End 18-Nov-2016

Last date to Self-Enrol 05-Aug-2016

Census Date 31-Aug-2016

Last date to Withdraw without fail 23-Sep-2016

170 hours

For the purposes of considering request for Reasonable Adjustments under the Disability Standards for Education (Cwth 2005), and Student Support and Engagement Policy, academic requirements for this subject are articulated in the Subject Overview, Learning Outcomes, Assessment and Generic Skills sections of this entry.

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 programs. Students who feel their disability may impact on meeting the requirements of this subject are encouraged to discuss this matter with a Faculty Student Adviser and Student Equity and Disability Support: http://services.unimelb.edu.au/disability

This subject considers issues of importance for health professionals who deliver care to cancer patients in general health care settings. Addressing issues across the disease trajectory including screening, diagnosis, treatment, survivorship (after treatment care), recurrence and palliative care, this subject will provide information necessary to provide safe and effective care to a growing population of people who are living with cancer. The content will include development of assessment, planning, implementation and evaluation skills in the care of cancer patients in general health care settings. Essential concepts to be covered include health promotion and surveillance; utilisation of chronic care plans; side-effect and symptom recognition and management; cancer treatment modalities including novel treatments; early identification of cancer related problems requiring emergency interventions, survivorship and palliative care issues. Students will engage in problem solving activities and where relevant clinical simulation to apply these concepts to assessment and management of patients being treated for cancer in general health care settings. Students will be challenged to think beyond the physical aspects of medical interventions to consider the essential importance of communication and cancer patient experience (psychosocial, ethical and legal).

On successful completion of this subject students will demonstrate theoretical and technical knowledge of identification and management of issues impacting cancer patients in general health care settings to ensure optimal patient outcomes by:

1. Integrating the theoretical and technical content covered within the subject to develop essential knowledge of cancer biology and cancer treatment mechanisms;
2. Applying knowledge and skills to recognise, prioritise, plan and deliver nursing interventions to cancer patients who present to general health care settings such as Emergency Departments or community settings
3. Demonstrate capacity to use theoretical knowledge and technical skills in problem-solving, critical thinking, rational inquiry and self-directed learning to plan care with people affected by cancer in general health care settings.

• Written assignment (1000 words) Week 5, 20%
• Written assignment (2000 words) Week 12, 40%
• Clinical Skills Hurdles / Audit (4 components) Week 10, Hurdle
• Writing associated with Clinical Skills Hurdles / Audit (4 x 500 words) Week 10, 10% for each hurdle - total of 40%

Students must pass all assessment components

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:

1. Capacity to manage competing demands on time, including self-directed work.
2. Problem-solving and analytical skills including engaging with and responding to unfamiliar problems and ability to identifying relevant strategies.
3. A capacity to articulate their knowledge and understanding in written modes of communication;
4. An ability to evaluate and synthesize the research and professional literature in this discipline.