HNN752 - Core Principles of Care for the Critically Ill Patient
Unit details
| Year: | 2022 unit information |
|---|---|
| Important Update: | Unit delivery will be in line with the most current COVIDSafe health guidelines. We continue to tailor learning experiences for each unit to achieve the best possible mix of online and on-campus activities that successfully blend our approaches to learning, working and research. Please check your unit sites for announcements and updates. Last updated: 4 March 2022 |
| Enrolment modes: | Trimester 1: Cloud (online) with significant campus requirements |
| Credit point(s): | 1 |
| EFTSL value: | 0.125 |
| Unit Chair: | Trimester 1: Nicky Hewitt |
| Cohort rule: | Must be enrolled in H771 |
| Prerequisite: | Nil |
| Corequisite: | HNN751 |
| Incompatible with: | Nil |
| Typical study commitment: | Students will on average spend 150 hours over the teaching period undertaking the teaching, learning and assessment activities for this unit. |
| Scheduled learning activities - cloud: | Theoretical component: students will be expected to undertake 150 hours comprised of directed and self-directed study in a combination of classes, cloud (online) modules and seminars. Students are also normally required to complete a minimum of 24 hours a week in specialty clinical practice in their employing hospital. |
| In-person attendance requirements: | Students are also normally required to complete a minimum of 24 hours a week in specialty clinical practice in their employing hospital. |
Note:This unit is part of the Intensive Care, Cardiac Care, Emergency Care and Critical Care Specialty courses nested in the Master of Advanced Nursing for students who are also employed in a suitable clinical area in partnership with Deakin University. ^Students enrol as Cloud (online) students, however there are significant campus requirements. Classes are conducted at Burwood (Melbourne) and are video-conferenced live to other venues. | |
Content
The unit focuses on core principles of nursing and collaborative care and evidence-based practices to optimally manage critically ill patients. Engagement with this unit material and clinical practice will enable students to identify, synthesise, analyse and critically evaluate complex data from patient and technologically-derived sources to inform decision making that delivers safe, high quality person-centred nursing care. The unit also aims to build teamwork and communication skills to establish and maintain collaborative professional respectful relationships with critical care colleagues and to manage risk in order to optimise patient care.
The unit covers the role of specialist nurses in managing critically ill patients in relation to: the implementation and management of therapeutic technologies for major organ insufficiency and failure including oxygen therapy, artificial airways and mechanical and non-invasive ventilation; interventional cardiac procedures; pharmacological therapies including vasoactives, fibrinolytics and antiarrhythmics; and principles of specialist critical care practice in clinical risk management and clinical decision making based on best research evidence.
| ULO | These are the Learning Outcomes (ULO) for this unit. At the completion of this unit, successful students can: | Deakin Graduate Learning Outcomes |
|---|---|---|
| ULO1 | Critically discuss the roles and responsibilities of nurses caring for critically ill patients within the context of the health care team to establish and maintain a safe environment. | GLO1: Discipline-specific knowledge and capabilities |
| ULO2 | Rationalise nursing interventions and implement a range of therapeutic technologies to promote the recovery of critically ill patients based on advanced pathophysiological principles and concepts of holistic health care. | GLO1: Discipline-specific knowledge and capabilities |
| ULO3 | Demonstrate safe clinical assessment, planning, implementation and evaluation skills in time critical and complex patients commensurate with the competency standards of specialty professional organisations and regulatory bodies. | GLO1: Discipline-specific knowledge and capabilities |
| ULO4 | Develop comprehensive knowledge of, and skills in, evidence-based care of critically ill patients and apply these in practice to deliver high quality and safe patient care. | GLO1: Discipline-specific knowledge and capabilities |
| ULO5 | Apply leadership qualities during professional practice; and communicate in a professional and confidential manner with patients, their significant others and multidisciplinary team members to ensure optimal patient outcomes. | GLO1: Discipline-specific knowledge and capabilities |
| ULO6 | Engage in life-long learning through reflective practice and seek learning opportunities to keep abreast of digital and non-digital advances in health care and engagement. | GLO1: Discipline-specific knowledge and capabilities |
In addition to developing the Deakin Graduate Learning Outcomes discussed above this unit aims to prepare specialist critical care nurses for practice. The unit aims to prepare nurses in the following specialities: intensive care, cardiac care, emergency and critical care nursing. Professional governing bodies, the Australian College of Critical Care Nurses (ACCCN) Inc. and the College of Emergency Nurses Australasia (CENA) have developed statements that outline discipline specific graduate learning outcomes that articulate competency standards required of these specialist nurses in Australia.
For intensive care, cardiac care and critical care nurse specialists, competency standards developed by the ACCCN specify the following domains of practice:
- Professional Practice
- Provision and Coordination of Care
- Critical Thinking and Analysis
- Collaboration and Leadership
For emergency nurse specialists, the domains of practice specified by CENA include:
- Clinical expertise
- Communication
- Teamwork
- Resources and the environment
- Professional development
- Leadership
- Lawful practice
- Professional ethics
- Research and quality improvement
Assessment
Trimester 1:| Assessment description | Student output | Grading and weighting (% total mark for unit) | Indicative due week |
|---|---|---|---|
| Assessment 1: Assignment | 1500 words | 40% |
|
| Assessment 2: Examination | 90 minutes | 40% |
|
| Assessment 3: Tests | 3 tests | 20% |
|
| Assessment 4: Clinical assessment | Satisfactory completion of clinical competencies | Pass/Fail |
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Both the theoretical and clinical components of the assessment must be passed in order to successfully gain an overall pass in this unit.
The assessment due weeks provided may change. The Unit Chair will clarify the exact assessment requirements, including the due date, at the start of the teaching period.
Hurdle requirement
- Compulsory clinical hurdles form part of the assessment of this unit. Recognition of the importance of clinical assessments is calculated in the overall student workload.
- Note: Failure of a compulsory practicum component in a unit will normally lead to exclusion.
Learning Resource
The texts and reading list for the unit can be found on the University Library via the link below: HNN752 Note: Select the relevant trimester reading list. Please note that a future teaching period's reading list may not be available until a month prior to the start of that teaching period so you may wish to use the relevant trimester's prior year reading list as a guide only.
Unit Fee Information
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