UWA Handbook 2024

Unit Overview

Description

This unit builds on the knowledge and skills gained in NURS5821 Nursing Practice I and NURS5831 Clinical Nursing Skills I and complements the unit NURS5832 Nursing Practice 2 in introducing students to the dimensions of medical/surgical nursing of individuals across the lifespan. Students continue to refine and expand their knowledge and skills in patient assessment, clinical decision making, nursing skills and interventions. The theoretical component of the unit also enables students to examine factors affecting patient outcomes. Using safety and quality as a framework, students examine trends in critical incidents in healthcare that result in adverse outcomes for patients. The unit 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. In the clinical skills laboratory, through facilitated clinical practice, students develop skills relating to specific medical/surgical nursing interventions and safe medication administration.

Credit

6 points

Outcomes

Students are able to (1) understand the healthcare system as a potential source of adverse events for patients; (2) discuss the key contemporary safety and quality issues in Australian and international healthcare; (3) apply clinical reasoning and problem-solving skills to the development of nursing-care plans for patients with common clinical conditions; (4) demonstrate increasing levels of competence in physical and psychosocial assessment; (5) accurately and professionally document data collected by applying health assessment principles; (6) incorporate the principles of cultural safety and understanding when developing and implementing care; (7) incorporate the principles of evidence-based practice and apply an evidence-based approach to the planning of nursing care; (8) demonstrate skills in prioritising care and time management; and (9) demonstrate competency (knowledge, attitudes and skills) in selected nursing skills, including medication calculation.

Assessment

The theoretical assessment comprises an examination (50 per cent). The clinical skills assessment includes three clinical skills formative assessments (30 per cent) and an Objective Structured Clinical Examination (OSCE) (20 per cent).

Student may be offered supplementary assessment in this unit if they meet the eligibility criteria.

Unit Coordinator(s)

Associate Professor Helene Metcalfe

Unit rules

Prerequisites

NURS5821 Nursing Practice 1
and NURS5831 Clinical Nursing Skills 1

Co-requisites

NURS5822 Nursing Practice 2, MICR5814 Epidemiology and Infection

Contact hours

68 (seminars: 2 hrs per week
clinical lab sessions: 6 hrs per week for 7 weeks)

Note

Enrolled students can access unit material via the LMS (Learning Management System).

Texts

Brotto, V., and Rafferty, K. Clinical Dosage Calculations for Australia and New Zealand: Cengage 2012

Crisp, J., and Taylor, C., eds. Potter and Perry's Fundamentals of Nursing, 3rd edn: Mosby 2009

Jarvis, C. Physical Examination and Health Assessment: Elsevier 2008 

Tollefson, J. Clinical Psychomotor Skills: Assessment Tools for Nursing Students, 4th edn: Cengage Learning 2010