NUR4001

Rural nursing practice 2: Managing rural health crises ( 12 points, SCA Band 0, 0.250 EFTSL)

Leader: Ms Lorraine Walker

Offered:
Gippsland First semester 2005 (Day)
Gippsland Second semester 2005 (Day)
MILDURA Second semester 2005 (Day)

Synopsis: This unit addresses the need for rural nurses to be formally prepared for an expanded practice role. Unit content has been selected on the basis of health situations commonly encountered in rural nursing practice and identified in the literature by Australian rural nurses as learning priorities. This unit will develop the students' ability to respond appropriately to medical, obstetric, traumatic, farming and industrial, environmental or psychosocial health crises in the context of rural and remote practice. Students will refine knowledge and skills pertinent to effectively triage, manage, refer, transfer, and where appropriate, resuscitate and stabilise clients.

Objectives: On completion of this unit students are expected to be able to: Educational Objectives 1. discuss the implications of rural practice, law and ethics as it relates to nurses' initiation of emergency care in rural health crises; 2. institute appropriate decision making and problem solving skills pertinent to medical, traumatic, obstetric, environmental and psychological emergencies; 3. competently interpret life-threatening ECG changes; 4. accurately recognise and respond to simple fractures and overt cardio-respiratory problems; 5. synthesise practice knowledge as it relates to emergency situations; 6. apply sound clinical reasoning to managing clients with eye injuries, poisoning, burns and drug reactions; 7. identify the pharmacological interventions, reactions and interactions a rural nurse may be required to address in rural practice; Clinical Objectives 8. undertake advanced clinical assessment and first-line treatment of clients of all ages who experience health crises in a rural setting; 9. demonstrate competent resuscitative skills across the lifespan; 10. appropriately triage, manage, refer and transfer clients experiencing a health crisis; and 11. practice safely with increasing independence.

Assessment: Assignment: 20% + Case study: 20% + Clinical OSCA's: 20% + Clinical evaluation: Pass/Fail + Examination: 40%

Prerequisites: NUR2104