NURSING 2011 - Health Assessment and Clinical Nursing IV

North Terrace Campus - Semester 2 - 2014

Health Assessment and Clinical Nursing IV continues the student's exposure to advanced form of nursing assessment and intervention. The development of core assessment skills enables students to maximise their placement experience to identify potential health problems, respond confidently to situations requiring comprehensive and possibly emergency assessment of cardiac and neurological dysfunction. Students conduct a number of assessments during clinical placement in liaison and with the support of their clinical lecturer. Learning in a simulated learning environment provides a safe approach to skills and provides students with a pre clinical opportunity for placement. Students will have the opportunity to practice in accordance with the ANMC National Nursing Competency Standards for the Registered Nurse

  • General Course Information
    Course Details
    Course Code NURSING 2011
    Course Health Assessment and Clinical Nursing IV
    Coordinating Unit Adelaide Nursing School
    Term Semester 2
    Level Undergraduate
    Location/s North Terrace Campus
    Units 3
    Contact Up to 4 hours per week
    Restrictions Available to B.Nurs students only
    Course Description Health Assessment and Clinical Nursing IV continues the student's exposure to advanced form of nursing assessment and intervention. The development of core assessment skills enables students to maximise their placement experience to identify potential health problems, respond confidently to situations requiring comprehensive and possibly emergency assessment of cardiac and neurological dysfunction. Students conduct a number of assessments during clinical placement in liaison and with the support of their clinical lecturer. Learning in a simulated learning environment provides a safe approach to skills and provides students with a pre clinical opportunity for placement. Students will have the opportunity to practice in accordance with the ANMC National Nursing Competency Standards for the Registered Nurse
    Course Staff

    Course Coordinator: Professor Frank Donnelly

    Course Coordinator: Frank Donnelly
    Phone: +61 8313 3639
    Email: frank.donnelly@adelaide.edu.au
    Location: Level 3, Eleanor Harrald Building, Royal Adelaide Hospital

    Tutor: Kirstie Howland 
    Phone: +61 8313 3595
    Email: kirstie.howland@adelaide.edu.au

    School Office
    Phone: +61 8313 3595
    Email: nursing_preregistration@adelaide.edu.au
    Location: Level 3, Eleanor Harrald Building, RAH
    Course Timetable

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

  • Learning Outcomes
    Course Learning Outcomes
    1 Perform a cardiovascular assessment including a 12 lead ECG and recognition of life threatening arrhythmias
    2 Demonstrate comprehensive nursing care of the unconscious patient
    3 Conduct a Neurological assessment GCS / recognise signs of elevated ICP
    4 Compare the care of patients with distributive and non-distributive forms of shock
    5 Demonstrate safe practice in administration of blood products
    6 Provide a rationale for nursing care during endocrine emergencies
    7 Develop a care plan for the patient with endocrine dysfunction or an endocrine emergency
    8 Conduct a primary and secondary survey and examine principles of traction
    9 Examine forms of dialysis for the patient with renal dysfunction
    10 Identify cues that suggest a deterioration in patient care
    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)
    Knowledge and understanding of the content and techniques of a chosen discipline at advanced levels that are internationally recognised. 1
    The ability to locate, analyse, evaluate and synthesise information from a wide variety of sources in a planned and timely manner. 2-4
    An ability to apply effective, creative and innovative solutions, both independently and cooperatively, to current and future problems. 7-10
    Skills of a high order in interpersonal understanding, teamwork and communication. 2, 7-8
    A proficiency in the appropriate use of contemporary technologies. 4-6, 9
    A commitment to continuous learning and the capacity to maintain intellectual curiosity throughout life. 1-10
    A commitment to the highest standards of professional endeavour and the ability to take a leadership role in the community. 1, 6, 10
    An awareness of ethical, social and cultural issues within a global context and their importance in the exercise of professional skills and responsibilities. 1
  • Learning Resources
    Required Resources
    Brown, D. & Edwards, H. (eds) 2012, Lewis’s medical-surgical nursing, 3rd. edn, Sydney, Elsevier

    Lewis, P. & Foley, D. 2011, “Weber & Kelly's Health Assessment in Nursing”1st Australian edn, Wolters Kluwer Health | Lippincott Williams & Wilkins, Broadway.

    Tollefson, J. 2012, “Clinical psychomotor skills: assessment skills for nurses,” 5th edn, Cengage Learning Australia, South Melbourne.

    Intelli+Learn, 2013. Medication Management for Health Professionals. CD, An interactive course to develop and assess skills in medication management. Australia
    Online Learning
    Some material in the latter part of this course will be offered on line. This will be accompanied by some compulsory tutorial work.
  • Learning & Teaching Activities
    Learning & Teaching Modes
    This course uses a blend of lectures, tutorials and workshops (some are delivered online) to identify situations that inform and are informed by clinical practice. The opportunity for students to recognise aspects of clinical care issues and consider these in the light of lecture material is significant. Student observations reinforce aspects of nursing theory and contribute to the wider development of the group. Differences between hospitals and other health care settings also form an educational aspect to support the lecture content.
    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 1 hour lecture / week
    • 1 x 2 hour tutorial / week
    • 2 x 2 hour SLE
    Non-contact hours for assessment and tutorial preparation will be 6 hours per week.
    Learning Activities Summary
    Week Lecture Topics Tutorials
    Week 1 1. Nursing assessment – Cardiovascular

    2. 12 lead ECG

    3. Application and care of patients with restraints

    4. Care of the patient with renal dysfunction

    5. Nursing care of the unconscious patient

    6. Neurological assessment part 1

    7. Neurological assessment part 2

    8. Complex care patients – shock part 1

    9. Complex care patients - shock part 2

    10. Care of the patient with endocrine dysfunction

    11. Care of the patient with significant orthopaedic trauma

    12. Recognising and responding to clinical deterioration in acute health care

    13. Blood products and transfusion
    1. 12 lead ECG analysis

    2. Patient restraint – principles and care

    3. Recognition of neurological deterioration

    4. Haemodynamics, technology and the response to shock

    5. Assessment of the musculoskeletal system

    6. Care of the patient in traction

    7. Neurological System – Nerves and reflexes

    8. Neurological System – recognition and response to CVA (stroke)

    9. Cardiac and neurological in children and infants

    10. Assessment of Male and female Genitalia

    11. The complete health assessment
    Simulated Learning Environment
    1. Conducting a comprehensive neurological assessment

    2. ADLs for a patient in traction
    Specific Course Requirements
    All students will be required to attend clinical placement as part of the course requirements.
  • 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
    Team Gaming - response to the deteriorating patient Formative N/A 1-3, 5, 10
    Clinical record / NCAS / Clinical Summative Assessment Summative NGP 1-10
    Health Numeracy – RSD Level 3 Summative 25% 3, 6
    Clinical assessment sheets – cardiac and neuro Summative 25% 1-10
    Objective structured clinical examination Summative 50% 1-10
    Assessment Related Requirements
    Marking guides will be provided with each assignment and available in the Study Guides
    Assessment Detail
    ASSESSMENT 1: Clinical record / NCAS / Clinical Summative Assessment

    The Clinical Record (Tollefson) identifies a range of competencies as required by the Australian Nursing and Midwifery Council Competency Standards of the Registered Nurse 2006. Students will have a range of skills records to complete during their clinical placement. The Clinical Record provides evidence that the student has demonstrated the required level of competency standard. Consistent with competency type assessments a non – graded pass is awarded. Some remedial opportunities will be available to those students who fail or are not exposed to certain competencies in the clinical setting. The Clinical Record forms part of the broader portfolio developed across each year of the program and provides a consistent reference for students nursing skill development. Due to the allocation of clinical placements from an external body, CLINEDSA, some components of the Clinical Record may be completed across Health Assessment and Clinical Nursing 3 and 4 however students must make satisfactory progress towards completing the record wherever possible. The Clinical Record also provides the 4Rs reflective framework for clinical teaching staff and students.


    In addition to the skills record each student is to obtain a completed NCAS (National Competency Assessment Schedule) at the end of each placement. There are a total of 8 competencies to be completed over the 3 year program. A written Summative Assessment must also be obtained at the end of each placement which will be completed by the supervising Registered Nurse and Clinical Tutor.

    ASSESSMENT 2: Team Gaming – response to the deteriorating patient

    Team Gaming – response to the deteriorating patient: Gaming is an innovative learning method where effective game design can ‘...provide integrated assessment and contextual feedback....and incorporate established pedagogical techniques including scaffolded instruction’ (Sheldon, 2102, p84). Within the skills labs students will compete in teams to identify clinical signs and symptoms that may suggest a patient’s health is deteriorating. Teams will compete for skill points as identified in a marking rubric with higher points awarded for more sophisticated recognition, assessment and management of hazards. Teams will compete against each other in a progressive tournament where teams that are knocked out become the assessors. The emphasis of this assessment is not to reduce the implications of a serious situation, rather to enable students to gain some confidence in their assessment and interventional skills in an engaging, novel and stimulating assessment format.

    ASSESSMENT 3: Health Numeracy RSD Level 3

    Health Numeracy RSD Level 3 – the RSD extends the students development of research skills in respect of health numeracy. The exercises developed in line with Level 3 of the RSD require students to analyse patient medication charts, tabulate the findings, identify numerical operators and examine the social and ethical implications of errors in drug administration. The framework provides students with context and engagement in relation to health numeracy. In line with Level 3 of the RSD a number of tasks requiring research skills such as data retrieval and presentation are provided with some degree of direction and structure.

    ASSESSMENT 4: Clinical Assessment sheets

    A series of clinical assessment sheets will challenge students to relate theory and practice issues around cardiac and neurological presentations.

    ASSESSMENT 5: Objective Structured Clinical Examination (OSCE)

    Objective Structured Clinical Examination (OSCE): students will attend a 30 min OSCE in which they will demonstrate a range of nursing interventions especially in relation to skills taken from the course objectives. Along with skills demonstrations students will provide a rationale for the tasks. Students will be assessed by Lecturer A (Clinical Tutor staff) in the skill laboratory using a marking template common to all students. To ensure consistency in marking two assessors are present with one able to take the role of the ‘patient’ as required.
    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. Cover sheets are required for all assignments and can be accessed from the School of Nursing website. Extension of 1 week for submission of assignments can automatically be granted when an online request is submitted. (Please see Study Guide for details) Requests must be made before the due date of the assignment. In principle, all assignments should be submitted by the due date. Late submission without an approved extension will be penalised at the rate of 10% of available marks for each working day after the due date. Work submitted more than ten days after the due date may be returned unmarked. This action will be taken to prevent students who do get their work in on time being disadvantaged.
    The policy for applying for extensions is outlined in the School Manual and the Study Guides.
    Whenever possible staff will turn around marked assignments within 4 weeks or earlier.
    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.

    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.

  • 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.