NUR4501

Acute care clinical skills

Ms R Fairhall

6 points · 9 hours per week (3 contact hours, 6 study hours) plus 80 hours clinical · First semester · Peninsula

Objectives On completion of this subject students are expected to identify areas in acute care services for which nurses have significant responsibility; identify appropriate nursing interventions based on nursing principles informed from literature reviews of valid scientific research; demonstrate competent utilisation of technology and therapeutics employed in patient care delivery; plan, implement and evaluate nursing actions and outcomes for selected patients from pre-admission to post-discharge; maintain a physical and psychosocial environment which promotes safety, security and optimal health in a simulated practice environment; demonstrate documentation skills which effectively communicate with other members of the health team; demonstrate an awareness of the requirement for collaborative relationships with other health-care providers.

Synopsis The subject is aimed at nurses employed in non-acute areas who wish to revise and update acute care skills and at those planning to re-enter the nursing workforce after a break in practice. This subject will provide for clinical practice development in nursing care commonly delivered in acute care settings at a generalist nurse level. The subject will enable the student to safely practise clinical skills, from pre-admission to post-discharge of patients in a simulated laboratory environment and in a supervised health-care environment. The acute care practice skills revised and developed will be related to those required for the care of acutely ill individuals and will incorporate research based principles. The application of theory to clinical practice will be facilitated in the clinical laboratory with the use of problem-based learning teaching strategies. The student will further develop confidence and proficiency with clinical nursing skills through a clinical placement at an appropriate hospital/daycare venue.

Assessment Classroom presentation: 25% · Assignment: 25% · Practical examination (OSCE): 50% · Clinical placement: pass/fail

Prescribed texts

Meyer H M Nursing the critically ill adult 4th edn, Addison-Wesley, 1993
Stinson K P and Dorman W K High acuity nursing 2nd edn, Appleton and Lange, 1997

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