Undergraduate - UnitNUR1001 - Professional and scholarly communication

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Level	Undergraduate
Faculty	Faculty of Medicine, Nursing and Health Sciences
Offered	Berwick First semester 2012 (Day) Peninsula First semester 2012 (Day)
Coordinator(s)	Ms Katrina Recoche (Peninsula)

Synopsis

Health professionals need to be able to communicate effectively with patients and their families, and with colleagues in the health care team. They also need to communicate with a wider scholarly community in order to implement evidence-based approaches in their practice and contribute to research evidence to advance the nursing knowledge base. These instances of communication require that professionals engage in a process of lifelong learning facilitated by reflection and critical thinking and by independent learning skills.
The aim of this unit is to enable students to develop as independent learners and competent communicators in four areas:

• Communication with self;
• Communication with researchers;
• Communication with patients and their families; and
• Communication with peers and other health professionals.

This unit explores the knowledge and skills needed to communicate effectively in each of these four areas as well as the way in which these areas interact with one another.
Following a brief introduction to the concepts of research and the nature of research evidence, this unit covers the essential elements of reflective practice and critical thinking, academic and information literacies, developmental psychology and oral and written communication including electronic patient records and telehealth,. Effective listening, body language, professional and therapeutic relationships, anger management, coping and conflict resolution are also explored.

Outcomes

On completion of this unit, it is expected that the student will be able to:

1. Explain the modes of communication employed by health practitioners in professional relationships as well as the key issues and strategies that must be considered in each.
2. Demonstrate knowledge of the basic psychological processes related to human behaviour.
3. Demonstrate an awareness of the importance of evidence-based practice in the provision of safe, effective, holistic health care as well as the role of practise in enhancing the evidence base available.
4. Effectively use a broad range of resources, including literature, information technologies and peers, to enhance scholarship and development as a professional.
5. Demonstrate competency in academic skills at a beginning level.
6. Apply, at a beginning level, critical thinking and reflection in the development of self as an independent learner and a future health professional.

Assessment

Individual electronic portfolio including a range of tasks:

Annotated bibliography: 15%
Essay (1,500 words): 30%
Reading and reflective activities: 45%
Integration of portfolio: 10%

Chief examiner(s)

Ms Katrina Recoche

Contact hours

One (1) hour lecture per week supported with two (2) hour of tutorials and one (1) hour of online guided learning activities per week for thirteen (1) 3 weeks and 104 hours of private study over the semesterThis unit applies to the following area(s) of study

Co-requisites

Only available to students enrolled in: Bachelor of Nursing, Bachelor of Nursing/ Bachelor of Emergency Health (Paramedic), Bachelor of Nursing Community Health or Bachelor of Midwifery.