NURSING 7200 - Nursing Science

North Terrace Campus - Semester 1 - 2019

This course will introduce cultural, health beliefs and practices, epidemiological, immunological, pharmacological, and psychological and social science concepts that are relevant to nursing care.

  • General Course Information
    Course Details
    Course Code NURSING 7200
    Course Nursing Science
    Coordinating Unit Adelaide Nursing School
    Term Semester 1
    Level Postgraduate Coursework
    Location/s North Terrace Campus
    Units 3
    Contact Up to 4 hours per week
    Available for Study Abroad and Exchange N
    Restrictions Available to M.Clin Nurs students only
    Course Description This course will introduce cultural, health beliefs and practices, epidemiological, immunological, pharmacological, and psychological and social science concepts that are relevant to nursing care.
    Course Staff

    Course Coordinator: Professor Frank Donnelly

    Course Coordinator: Frank Donnelly
    Phone: +61 8 8313 3639
    Email: frank.donnelly@adelaide.edu.au
    Location: AHMS, University of Adelaide, Adelaide Nursing School
    Course Timetable

    The full timetable of all activities for this course can be accessed from Course Planner.

  • Learning Outcomes
    Course Learning Outcomes
    1 Effectively communicate with clients, community members, nursing colleagues and other health professionals, including managing conflict
    2 Identify epidemiological terms and concepts and discuss the importance of epidemiological data in health care including how diseases can be transmitted and effective principles to control infection
    3 Discuss culturally sensitive and safe health care for clients from culturally diverse backgrounds and acknowledge individual variances in beliefs and practices
    4 Discuss the concepts of caring, stress and coping as it pertains to clients receiving nursing practice and identify indicators of stress and strategies to assist in their reduction
    5 Discuss the concept of a person centred approach as an underlying prinicple when providing nursing care
    6 Differentiate between primary health care, health promotion and illness prevention
    7 Discuss primary health in an Australian healthcare context and discuss the nurse’s role in health promotion and illness prevention
    8 Identify determinants of health within Australian and global populations
    9 Identify the basic classifications of drugs and distinguish between pharmacodynamics and pharmacokinetics
    10 Consider the administration of oral medications and recognise and respond to adverse drug reactions.
    University Graduate Attributes

    This course will provide students with an opportunity to develop the Graduate Attribute(s) specified below:

    University Graduate Attribute Course Learning Outcome(s)
    Deep discipline knowledge
    • informed and infused by cutting edge research, scaffolded throughout their program of studies
    • acquired from personal interaction with research active educators, from year 1
    • accredited or validated against national or international standards (for relevant programs)
    2,4-5, 10
    Critical thinking and problem solving
    • steeped in research methods and rigor
    • based on empirical evidence and the scientific approach to knowledge development
    • demonstrated through appropriate and relevant assessment
    6-7, 9
    Teamwork and communication skills
    • developed from, with, and via the SGDE
    • honed through assessment and practice throughout the program of studies
    • encouraged and valued in all aspects of learning
    1, 5
    Career and leadership readiness
    • technology savvy
    • professional and, where relevant, fully accredited
    • forward thinking and well informed
    • tested and validated by work based experiences
    1,2
    Intercultural and ethical competency
    • adept at operating in other cultures
    • comfortable with different nationalities and social contexts
    • able to determine and contribute to desirable social outcomes
    • demonstrated by study abroad or with an understanding of indigenous knowledges
    3, 8
    Self-awareness and emotional intelligence
    • a capacity for self-reflection and a willingness to engage in self-appraisal
    • open to objective and constructive feedback from supervisors and peers
    • able to negotiate difficult social situations, defuse conflict and engage positively in purposeful debate
    3-4, 6
  • Learning Resources
    Required Resources
    Crisp, J Taylor, C, Douglas, C & Rebeiro, G, 2017 Potter and Perry’s Fundamentals of Nursing 5th edn, Mosby Elsevier, Australia.

    Broyles, B Reiss, B Evans, M McKenzie G Pleunik, S Page, R 2017 Pharmacology in Nursing 2nd edn, Cengage, South Melbourne

    Lee, G & Bishop, P 2016, Microbiology and Infection Control for Health Professionals, 6th edn, Pearson Prentice Hall, Frenchs Forest.
    Recommended Resources
    Harris, P, Nagy, S & Vardaxis, N (eds) 2014, Mosby's Dictionary of Medicine, Nursing & Health Professions, 3rd edn, Mosby, Sydney.

    McMurray, A & Clendon, J, 2014, Community Health and Wellness, 5th Edition: Primary health care in practice, Mosby Australia.
  • Learning & Teaching Activities
    Learning & Teaching Modes
    This course uses a blend of lectures, tutorials and workshops to identify situations that impact the daily environment of nursing practice. Students are encouraged to consider their ‘arrival’ at the career of nursing and to actively reflect on what they consider to be the professional skills and attributes. Role plays and self -directed learning opportunities help to facilitate the reflective nature of this course.
    Workload

    The information below is provided as a guide to assist students in engaging appropriately with the course requirements.

    The workload for this course requires attendance at:
    • 1 x 2 hour lecture / week
    • 1 x 2 hour tutorial / week

    Non contact hours for assessment and tutorial preparation will be 6-9 hours per week.
    Learning Activities Summary
    The tables below indicate the lecture and tutorial outlines for Nursing Science. Please refer to the timetable above for details on class and time. Other tutorials may be provided as required.

    Nursing Science
    Lecture Series
    Science of Caring 
    Epidemiology in health care
    Introduction to infection control
    Principles of disease transmission
    Asepsis and sterile fields 
    Introduction to pharmacology
    Pharmacology legislation and classification of drugs
    Pharmacodynamics
    Pharmacokinetics
    Administration of medications
    Adverse reactions to medications
    Stress and illness
    Tutorial Series
    Numeracy diagnostic test
    Infection control
    Cultural awareness workshop
    Primary Health Care
    Pharmacology dynamics and kinetics 
    Drug calculations (this session will contain examinable material)
    Preparation of medications for administration
  • Assessment

    The University's policy on Assessment for Coursework Programs is based on the following four principles:

    1. Assessment must encourage and reinforce learning.
    2. Assessment must enable robust and fair judgements about student performance.
    3. Assessment practices must be fair and equitable to students and give them the opportunity to demonstrate what they have learned.
    4. Assessment must maintain academic standards.

    Assessment Summary
    Assessment Task Assessment Type Weighting Learning Outcome(s) being addressed
    Numeracy diagnostic test Formative NGP 9-10
    Patient case study Summative 40% 1, 4-7
    Drug Calculations Test  Summative 10% 9-10
    Exam Summative 50% 2, 3, 6, 9-10
    Assessment Detail

    ASSESSMENT 1: NUMERACY DIAGNOSTIC TEST
    Due Date: Week 1, Tutorial session
    Weighting: NGP
    Length: 30 mins (300 word equivilent)
    Students are required to achieve 100% accuracy in a test held in Tutorial 6 (week 13). The numeracy diagnostic test will identify any areas you may need assistance with in your understanding of basic mathematics including addition, times tables, division and conversions.


    ASSESSMENT 2: PATIENT CASE STUDY

    Due Date: Week 6
    Weighting: 40%
    Length: 1750 words
    Review the patient case study on Canvas addressing the key points noted.
    This report should include an introduction, main body and conclusion. All key points need to be researched and supported by suitable literature. Diagrams, pictures and graphs to support and illustrate the report may be included (these do not contribute to word count). All references need to be in line with the School Style and Referencing Guidelines.

    This report should include an introduction, main body and conclusion. All key points need to be researched and supported by the literature. Diagrams, pictures and graphs to support and illustrate the report may be included. All references need to be in line with the School Styling and Referencing Guide.


    ASSESSMENT 3: DRUG CALCULATION TEST
    Due Date: Week 13, Tutorial session
    Weighting: 10%
    Length: 500 word equivalent
    Students will be required to achieve full marks prior to any participation in administration of medications. If students do not pass the drug calculation test they will be restircted from sitting the examination and therefore fulfilling the course requirements. This test will be held in Tutorial 6.


    ASSESSMENT 4: EXAM

    Due Date: Exam Week
    Weighting: 50%
    Length: 2 hours (1500 word equivilent)
    The exam will be mainly based on infection control and pharmacological content and the venue will be advised closer to the date.
    Submission
    Unless otherwise indicated all submission of assignments is to be through the assignments portal of MyUni. TurnItin will be used to check student assignments. Students MUST keep an electronic copy of all assignments submitted. 

    Extensions are generally awarded for no more than 10 working days unless there are exceptional circumstances.

    To apply for an Assessment Extension, a student must submit an application for extension form prior to the assessment deadline. You will find this on the School of Nursing Website or use the link provided here.

    See the Modified Arrangements for Coursework Assessment Policy http://www.adelaide.edu.au/policies/3303/.
    Course Grading

    Grades for your performance in this course will be awarded in accordance with the following scheme:

    M10 (Coursework Mark Scheme)
    Grade Mark Description
    FNS   Fail No Submission
    F 1-49 Fail
    P 50-64 Pass
    C 65-74 Credit
    D 75-84 Distinction
    HD 85-100 High Distinction
    CN   Continuing
    NFE   No Formal Examination
    RP   Result Pending

    Further details of the grades/results can be obtained from Examinations.

    Grade Descriptors are available which provide a general guide to the standard of work that is expected at each grade level. More information at Assessment for Coursework Programs.

    The following marking guides will be used for the assignments:

    Marking Guide - Patient case study - refer to guide within MyUni

    Final results for this course will be made available through Access Adelaide.

  • Student Feedback

    The University places a high priority on approaches to learning and teaching that enhance the student experience. Feedback is sought from students in a variety of ways including on-going engagement with staff, the use of online discussion boards and the use of Student Experience of Learning and Teaching (SELT) surveys as well as GOS surveys and Program reviews.

    SELTs are an important source of information to inform individual teaching practice, decisions about teaching duties, and course and program curriculum design. They enable the University to assess how effectively its learning environments and teaching practices facilitate student engagement and learning outcomes. Under the current SELT Policy (http://www.adelaide.edu.au/policies/101/) course SELTs are mandated and must be conducted at the conclusion of each term/semester/trimester for every course offering. Feedback on issues raised through course SELT surveys is made available to enrolled students through various resources (e.g. MyUni). In addition aggregated course SELT data is available.

    • More interactive tutorials and lectures, student attendance is low. Content has been reviewed, student attendance may be assisted by this, but is also reliant on many other factors.
    • Less infection control lectures as it is covered by all other classes. The only other infection control specific criteria is included within Clinical nursing Practice I where the theory learnt in Nursing Science is integrated with practice.


  • Student Support
  • Policies & Guidelines
  • Fraud Awareness

    Students are reminded that in order to maintain the academic integrity of all programs and courses, the university has a zero-tolerance approach to students offering money or significant value goods or services to any staff member who is involved in their teaching or assessment. Students offering lecturers or tutors or professional staff anything more than a small token of appreciation is totally unacceptable, in any circumstances. Staff members are obliged to report all such incidents to their supervisor/manager, who will refer them for action under the university's student’s disciplinary procedures.

The University of Adelaide is committed to regular reviews of the courses and programs it offers to students. The University of Adelaide therefore reserves the right to discontinue or vary programs and courses without notice. Please read the important information contained in the disclaimer.