Leader: Mrs Mollie Burley

Offered

Gippsland Second semester 2008 (Off-campus)
Mildura Second semester 2008 (Off-campus)

Synopsis

This on-line unit is designed to sensitize students to the dynamics of expanded rural health practice roles, enable them to negotiate the rural practice environment and sustain a career in rural health practice. The unit focuses on the dynamics of rural health practice by exploring the impact that living and working in a rural environment has on individuals, health services and rural health outcomes. The unit requires students to undertake a clinical health project relevant to a contemporary health issue within a rural or remote community.

Objectives

On completion of this unit students are expected to be able to:

1. discuss the impact that living and working in a rural environment has on nursing and nurses;
2. critically appraise the issues confronting health professionals who work in rural settings;
3. describe the range of expanded practice roles that rural nurses undertake;
4. critically examine the contribution of rural nursing practice to improving health outcomes of rural communities;
5. evaluate the impact of the rural environment on health service planning and delivery;
6. critically analyse the dynamics of expanded rural health practice roles; and
7. integrate concepts of dynamics of rural practice in development of a clinical project that addresses a specific health need of a rural/remote community.

Assessment

Assignment: 20%
Assignment: 40%
Clinical poster: 40%