NRSG373 - Integrating Practice 5

Year

Credit points

Campus offering

Prerequisites

NRSG264 Integrating Practice 3 , NRSG267 Integrating Practice 4

Unit rationale, description and aim

In the nursing profession, it is a requirement that the nurse is able to link theory with practice and perform clinical duties which are underpinned by a theoretical understanding. To perform these skills well, the nurse must be able to reflect critically on their practice and appraise their performance to identify best practice moving forward. This unit is required by students to assist them to use theory to drive their clinical practice and to understand how practice is guided by a continual process of assessment, diagnosis, planning, implementation and evaluation - skills critical for the nurse to deliver best practice. Foundational nursing practice skills will be developed and extended through scenario based learning in the laboratory. Students will be required to apply their theoretical knowledge during their clinical experience comprising 160 hours.

The aim of this fifth 'Integrating Practice' unit is to build on students' previous and current learning to further contextualize their theoretical knowledge through clinical practice.

Learning outcomes

To successfully complete this unit you will be able to demonstrate you have achieved the learning outcomes (LO) detailed in the below table.

Each outcome is informed by a number of graduate capabilities (GC) to ensure your work in this, and every unit, is part of a larger goal of graduating from ACU with the attributes of insight, empathy, imagination and impact.

Explore the graduate capabilities.

On successful completion of this unit, students should be able to:

LO1 - critically apply the clinical reasoning cycle to the care of individuals or groups utilising an advanced knowledge of pathophysiology; (GA4, GA5, GA6, GA8)  

LO2 - practice using principles of quality and safety, quality use of medicines and caring when undertaking patient care and/or performing clinical responsibilities; (GA1, GA2)

LO3 - practice using ethical, legal, cultural and professional principles when undertaking patient care and/or performing clinical responsibilities; (GA3) 

LO4 - demonstrate advanced oral, electronic and written communication capabilities when undertaking patient care and/or clinical responsibilities; (GA9, GA10) 

LO5 - critically apply the principles of teamwork and self-management when planning, implementing and evaluating patient care and/or clinical responsibilities; (GA7) 

LO6 - critically reflect on their learning within a professional portfolio to evaluate effective learning and self-care strategies for themselves and others. (GA4, GA10)

Graduate attributes

GA1 - demonstrate respect for the dignity of each individual and for human diversity

GA2 - recognise their responsibility to the common good, the environment and society 

GA3 - apply ethical perspectives in informed decision making

GA4 - think critically and reflectively 

GA5 - demonstrate values, knowledge, skills and attitudes appropriate to the discipline and/or profession 

GA6 - solve problems in a variety of settings taking local and international perspectives into account

GA7 - work both autonomously and collaboratively 

GA8 - locate, organise, analyse, synthesise and evaluate information 

GA9 - demonstrate effective communication in oral and written English language and visual media 

GA10 - utilise information and communication and other relevant technologies effectively.

NMBA REGISTERED NURSE STANDARDS FOR PRACTICE 

The Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia’s Registered Nurse Standards for Practice developed in this unit are: 

Content

Topics will include: 

• Person-centred practice 
• Application of person-centered practice in the provision of care: 
• Respecting the persons choices for their treatment and care  
• Supported decision making within mental health context.  
• Understanding personal recovery & support personal recovery goals & collaborative care. 

• Professional & therapeutic communication 
• Identifying and communicating in complex family or relationship dynamics and roles) 
• Therapeutic use of self - advanced communication of working with a person who has altered cognitive, emotional and behavioural thinking) 
• Promoting and advocating and the principles of open disclosure 
• Communication within multidisciplinary teams (e.g. clinical review processes - leadership and advocacy)  

• Nursing assessment 
• Applying principles of nursing assessment - focused & integrated  
• Complete health assessment - Head to toe, complexity and multi-system 
• Family and Social Assessment  

• Provision, coordination & evaluation of care 
• Principles of Advance Life Support  
• Advanced airway management (e.g. tracheostomy; oxygenation LMA and ETT and CPAP) 
• Managing aggression and domestic violence (includes de-escalation techniques and therapeutic communication focus) 
• Emotional pain 
• Dealing with complexity - psychiatric illness & substance use.  
• Management of metabolic syndrome  
• Management of chronic/complex wounds 

• Quality use of medicines 
• Drug Calculations (Oral, Parental & Infusion Rates) - Summative  
• Managing medication Oral, S/C, IMI, IV, PCAs, PICCs (CVAD) 
• Focus on beta blockers, antihypertensives, diuretics, cytotoxics  
• Polypharmacy  

• Health promotion & education  
• Patient education (teaching a patient) 

• Diversity & cultural competence 
• Identifying cultural and religious groups and extending knowledge on cultural/religious beliefs and practices  

• Professional capabilities 
• Prioritising care in a changing environment   
• Time Management in a changing environment  
• Resilience  
• Reflective Practice  
• Professional Development  
• Clinical leadership  
• Change Management  

• Clinical reasoning  
• Applying clinical reasoning and judgement 
• Reflecting on practice - clinical decision making/ judgement  

Learning and teaching strategy and rationale

Modes of delivery in this unit include lectures, laboratories, simulations, clinical placement, online activies and self-directed study. Consistent with adult learning principles, the teaching and learning strategies used within these modes of delivery will provide students with foundational knowledge and skills relevant to professional nursing practice.  These strategies will also support students in meeting the aim, learning outcomes and graduate attributes of the unit and the broader course learning outcomes. Learning and teaching strategies will reflect respect for the individual as an independent learner. Students will be expected to take responsibility for their learning and to participate actively with peers.  

Students undertaking a tertiary qualification need skills to assist them in managing their ongoing individual learning. Feedback and critical self-reflection are required to identify what is being done well, what requires additional work and to identify progress toward required learning outcomes. Practicum assists students to link theory with its application. Located in the third year of the programme, this clinical unit includes face-to-face teaching to assist students in linking theory with practice and a large self-directed component of learning to affirm life-long learning skills. Lectures are utilised to convey content and central principles while laboratories and simulation deliver interactive learning sessions which assist student to  apply theory to clinical practice, build critical reflective skills, while also providing an opportunity to continue to build community learning skills. The supervised clinical placement provides a safe environment where students can provide assisted person-centred care essential for successful graduate practice.   

Assessment strategy and rationale

A range of assessment items consistent with University assessment requirements and policy will be used to ensure students achieve the unit learning outcomes and attain the graduate attributes. Competence whilst on clinical placement will be assessed with the Australian Nursing Standards Assessment Tool (ANSAT). 

In real world practice, it is a requirement that the registered nurse have the ability to complete medication calculations with no errors. This requirement exists because errors in the calculations of drug dosages can have severe adverse health consequences for patients. This unit includes a mandatory pass on the ANSAT assessment of your clinical placement because in nursing, your professional competence is a necessary job requirement. Achieving pass as a standard for the skills portfolio is also mandatory. The skills portfolio will help with your employment as well as your continuing professional development which is an ongoing requirement for registration as a Registered Nurse. In order to gain a pass in this unit, all three hurdle tasks must be completed successfully. 

These assessments are required to build student knowledge and skills which, by the conclusion of this programme, will enable the student to graduate as a safe and effective nurse.  

Overview of assessments

Representative texts and references

Crisp, J., Taylor, C., Douglas, C., & Rebeiro, G. (2016). Potter & Perry’s fundamentals of 

nursing (5th ed.). Sydney, N.S.W.: Mosby/Elsevier Australia.  

Forbes, H., & Watt, E. (2016). Jarvis’s physical examination and health assessment (2nd Australian and New Zealand ed.). Chatswood, N.S.W.: Churchill Livingstone/Elsevier. 

Holland, K., Jenkins, J., Solomon, J., & Whittam, S. (2008). Applying the Roper-Logan-Tierney Model in practice. London: Churchill Livingston. (2017 edition will replace this).  

Levett-Jones, T. (2013) Clinical reasoning: Learning to think like a nurse. Frenchs Forest, N.S.W.: Pearson. 

McCabe, C., & Timmons, F. (2013) Communication skills for nursing practice (2nd ed.). London: Palgrave McMillan. 

Rebeiro, G., Jack, L., Scully, N., & Wilson, D. (2016). Fundamentals of nursing clinical skills 

workbook (3rd ed.). Sydney, N.S.W.: Mosby/Elsevier Australia.