Unit rationale, description and aim
Transitioning effectively from a student nurse to a registered nurse is a complex and multidimensional process. To function effectively in the graduate workforce, registered nurses must develop an underpinning knowledge of professional expectations and understand how to employ specific skills at a graduate level.
The key issues addressed in this unit relate to knowledge and strategies in the areas of leadership, teamwork, clinical decision making, critical thinking, advocacy and responding to change in the healthcare environment. In addition, this unit supports and challenges students to comprehend the clinical leadership expectations and opportunities in their professional role, with reference to leadership in nursing, practice development, the interprofessional team and the wider health care environment.
Leadership skills are essential in any occupation. In nursing, they are vital to drive change, leading to more efficient and safe care which has a positive effect on patient outcomes. Students will have an opportunity to apply leadership skills within a team context to negotiate, or resolve conflict, manage resources, and advocate for change. This unit will assist students in making the transition to professional nursing and help them to understand the context of their future practice.
The aim of this capstone unit is to extend and consolidate concepts from both theory and nursing practice units to develop students’ understanding of the full context of the registered nurses professional role and to assist transition to being a registered nurse.
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.
Appraise strategies to support the transition from...
Learning Outcome 01
Demonstrate a comprehensive understanding of the k...
Learning Outcome 02
Examine clinical leadership expectations and oppor...
Learning Outcome 03
Analyse and apply leadership attributes to challen...
Learning Outcome 04
Synthesise evidence to support proposals for innov...
Learning Outcome 05
Content
Topics will include:
- Student to graduate - managing the transition from student to graduate nurse
- Becoming part of an interprofessional team
- Preparing for role transition
- Resilience and building capacity in self
- Promoting wellbeing
- Mentorship
- Leading & managing self
- Leading and managing others (teamwork)
- Knowledge, skills, and attitudes for professional practice
- Managing approaches to nursing practice
- Communication
- Time management
- Resource management
- Prioritisation of care
- Reflective practice
- Leadership and management – similarities and differences
- Clinical leadership
- Delegation
- Leadership Attributes: autonomy and accountability
- Empowerment of self and others
- Emotional intelligence
- Conflict management
- Leading in a digital age
- Establishing and maintaining a professional identity
- Continuing professional development
- Practice development
- Professional practice portfolios
- Networking
- Career progression
Roles & responsibilities of a registered nurse
- Regulatory frameworks for nursing
- Australian health practitioner regulation agency (Ahpra)
- National Board: Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia (NMBA)
- Registered Nurse Standards for Practice, Codes & Guidelines
- National Standards for Quality and Safety
- Continuous quality improvement
- Organisational environment
- Leadership approaches and their application to nursing
- Transformational leadership
- Transactional leadership
- Congruent leadership
- Other leadership theories
- Clinical leadership
- Making decisions
- Empowerment
- Conflict management
- Accountability
- Innovation and change
- Change theories
- Understanding organisational change - barriers and enablers
- Information source, literacies and other relevant technologies
- Health and nursing informatics
Assessment strategy and rationale
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.
Students in third year continue their transition towards independent learning. In this unit, there are two assessment items, linking the theoretical content and practical application of clinical leadership with the achievement of unit learning outcomes and graduate attributes.
The Written Assessment provides an opportunity to discuss current and contemporaneous issues that impact on graduate nurses as they transition to contemporary practice and both experience and assume responsibilities of clinical leadership.
The Professional Discourse is an opportunity for students to explore current professional issues, critically reflect and structure arguments around an aspect of the future graduate environment in which they will practice.
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
Written Assignment Enables students to articula...
Written Assignment
Enables students to articulate an understanding of potential challenges for new nursing graduates and their application to the various levels of nursing and healthcare leadership.
50%
Professional Discourse This assessment enables ...
Professional Discourse
This assessment enables students to demonstrate sound written communication skills and synthesis of concepts, through contribution, reflection and response to discussions about professional and leadership issues in nursing and health care.
50%
Learning and teaching strategy and rationale
Modes of delivery in this unit include online lectures, workshops, online activities 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 exiting university need significant life-long learning skills to deliver sound, ongoing, evidence-based graduate practice as a member of the professional workforce. To embed life-long learning skills students must demonstrate increasing reflective capacity to identify what is being done well and what requires additional work in progressing toward required learning outcomes. Located in the third year of the programme, this theory unit includes some face-to-face teaching hours and an increased online component of learning. Lectures are utilised to convey content and central principles while tutorials deliver interactive and student-driven learning sessions to extend the community of learners, and increase their self-reliance, critical reflection and debate. Online materials provide students with the opportunity to undertake directed, self-motivated study and continue to transition to independent study and life-long learning.
Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia Registered Nurse Standards for Practice
In connection to the learning outcomes, these are the national Registered nurse standards for practice for all RNs. Together with NMBA standards, codes and guidelines, these Registered nurse standards for practice should be evident in current practice, and inform the development of the scopes of practice and aspirations of RNs.
Relating toThinks critically and analyses nursing practice
Relevant Learning OutcomeLO1, LO2, LO3, LO4, LO5
Relating toAccesses, analyses, and uses the best available evidence, that includes research findings, for safe, quality practice
Relevant Learning OutcomeLO1, LO2, LO3, LO4, LO5
Relating toDevelops practice through reflection on experiences, knowledge, actions, feelings and beliefs to identify how these shape practice
Relevant Learning OutcomeLO1, LO2, LO3, LO4, LO5
Relating toRespects all cultures and experiences, which includes responding to the role of family and community that underpin the health of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and people of other cultures
Relevant Learning OutcomeLO1, LO2, LO3, LO4, LO5
Relating toComplies with legislation, regulations, policies, guidelines and other standards or requirements relevant to the context of practice when making decisions
Relevant Learning OutcomeLO1, LO2, LO3, LO4, LO5
Relating toUses ethical frameworks when making decisions
Relevant Learning OutcomeLO1, LO2, LO3, LO4, LO5
Relating toMaintains accurate, comprehensive and timely documentation of assessments, planning, decision-making, actions and evaluations, and
Relevant Learning OutcomeLO1, LO2, LO3, LO4, LO5
Relating toContributes to quality improvement and relevant research.
Relevant Learning OutcomeLO1, LO2, LO3, LO4, LO5
Relating toEngages in therapeutic and professional relationships
Relevant Learning OutcomeLO2, LO3, LO4
Relating toEstablishes, sustains and concludes relationships in a way that differentiates the boundaries between professional and personal relationships
Relevant Learning OutcomeLO2, LO3, LO4
Relating toCommunicates effectively, and is respectful of a person’s dignity, culture, values, beliefs and rights
Relevant Learning OutcomeLO2, LO3, LO4
Relating toRecognises that people are the experts in the experience of their life
Relevant Learning OutcomeLO2, LO3, LO4
Relating toProvides support and directs people to resources to optimise health-related decisions
Relevant Learning OutcomeLO2, LO3, LO4
Relating toAdvocates on behalf of people in a manner that respects the person’s autonomy and legal capacity
Relevant Learning OutcomeLO2, LO3, LO4
Relating toActively fosters a culture of safety and learning that includes engaging with health professionals and others, to share knowledge and practice that supports person-centred care
Relevant Learning OutcomeLO2, LO3, LO4
Relating toMaintains the capability for practice
Relevant Learning OutcomeLO1, LO2, LO3, LO4, LO5
Relating toProvides the information and education required to enhance people’s control over health
Relevant Learning OutcomeLO1, LO2, LO3, LO4, LO5
Relating toUses a lifelong learning approach for continuing professional development of self and others
Relevant Learning OutcomeLO1, LO2, LO3, LO4, LO5
Relating toAccepts accountability for decisions, actions, behaviours and responsibilities inherent in their role, and for the actions of others to whom they have delegated responsibilities
Relevant Learning OutcomeLO1, LO2, LO3, LO4, LO5
Relating toIdentifies and promotes the integral role of nursing practice and the profession in influencing better health outcomes for people.
Relevant Learning OutcomeLO1, LO2, LO3, LO4, LO5
Relating toComprehensively conducts assessments
Relevant Learning OutcomeLO2, LO5
Relating toConducts assessments that are holistic as well as culturally appropriate
Relevant Learning OutcomeLO2, LO5
Relating toUses a range of assessment techniques to systematically collect relevant and accurate information and data to inform practice
Relevant Learning OutcomeLO2, LO5
Relating toWorks in partnership to determine factors that affect, or potentially affect, the health and wellbeing of people and populations to determine priorities for action and/ or for referral, and
Relevant Learning OutcomeLO2, LO5
Relating toAssesses the resources available to inform planning.
Relevant Learning OutcomeLO2, LO5
Relating toDevelops a plan for nursing practice
Relevant Learning OutcomeLO2, LO4, LO5
Relating toUses assessment data and best available evidence to develop a plan
Relevant Learning OutcomeLO2, LO4, LO5
Relating toDocuments, evaluates and modifies plans accordingly to facilitate the agreed outcomes
Relevant Learning OutcomeLO2, LO4, LO5
Relating toProvides safe, appropriate and responsive quality nursing practice
Relevant Learning OutcomeLO2, LO5
Relating toProvides comprehensive safe, quality practice to achieve agreed goals and outcomes that are responsive to the nursing needs of people
Relevant Learning OutcomeLO2, LO5
Relating toEvaluates outcomes to inform nursing practice
Relevant Learning OutcomeLO4, LO5
Relating toEvaluates and monitors progress towards the expected goals and outcomes
Relevant Learning OutcomeLO4, LO5
Relating toRevises the plan based on the evaluation, and
Relevant Learning OutcomeLO4, LO5
Relating toDetermines, documents and communicates further priorities, goals and outcomes with the relevant persons.
Relevant Learning OutcomeLO4, LO5