Leader: Dr Virginia Plummer

Offered

Gippsland First semester 2008 (Off-campus)
Peninsula First semester 2008 (Day)
Peninsula First semester 2008 (Off-campus)

Synopsis

In this unit the student explores a range of practices and activities derived from integrated primary care, case management and continuous quality improvement concepts. Participants will review and critically evaluate innovative nursing frameworks and the potential for application of specific models, practices, protocols and tools, such as clinical pathways and using patient data for research and management. Students will complete a case management project in the clinical setting.

Objectives

On completion of this unit the student should be able to :

1. Examine a wide range of health care management concepts and their application to coordinated care, case management and continuous quality improvement in a range of primary and other health care settings.
2. Evaluate patient care delivery systems for their impact on quality improvement and care outcomes.
3. Examine concepts of managed care and their impact on the health care settings.
4. Determine ways in which patient focused care is provided, measured, understood and coordinated by nurses and other members of the multi-disciplinary health care team.
5. Explore the development of new roles for primary care and other health professionals in patient care delivery including running clinics fpr specific health problems or particular patient groups.
6. Evaluate the ways in which nurses are restructuring their organisational and clinical operations within the context of multidisciplinary health care teams and the current health care planning environment.
7. Examine issues surrounding information management and their application to coordinate care,case management and continuous quality improvement.
8. Develop linkage skills to aid the co-ordination of patient care.
9. Develop a component of a quality improvement or case management program in a practice-based context.
10. Compare and contrast methodologies to evaluate program development and implementation.

Assessment

Assignment: 20%
Presentation/on-line activities: 30%
Field-based report: 50%