Course Title: Neuroscience Nursing Studies 2

Part A: Course Overview

Course Title: Neuroscience Nursing Studies 2

Credit Points: 12.00

Course Code	Campus	Career	School	Learning Mode	Teaching Period(s)
NURS1034	Bundoora Campus	Postgraduate	150H Health Sciences	Distance / Correspondence or Face-to-Face	Sem 2 2010
NURS1034	Bundoora Campus	Postgraduate	150H Health Sciences	Face-to-Face	Sem 2 2006, Sem 2 2007, Sem 2 2008, Sem 2 2009

Course Coordinator: Dr Heather Pisani

Course Coordinator Phone: +61 3 9925 7448

Course Coordinator Email: heather.pisani@rmit.edua.u

Course Coordinator Location: Building 201 level 7 room 3 Bundoora West Campus

Course Coordinator Availability: Dr Pisani is generally available between the hours of 9am and 5pm unless alternative arrangements

Pre-requisite Courses and Assumed Knowledge and Capabilities

Registration as a Division 1 Nurse
Employment in an acute Neuroscience Nursing area.
Pass in NURS1033 Neuroscience Nursing Studies 1

Course Description

This course builds on the theoretical learning achieved in Neuroscience Nursing Studies 1.
This course aims to provide the advanced clinical nurse with the information and scientific principles necessary to competently assess and manage patients with complex health needs in the neuroscience setting. As a basis of nursing management, integration of the applied sciences, medicine, pharmacology, social sciences and nursing will be emphasized, in order to promote an understanding of the underlying principles of neurological function and dysfunction. A skill based clinical experience, undertaken in the appropriate health care setting will provide the nurse clinician with the appropriate experience for developing the skills required in assessing and managing patients with neurological conditions or dysfunction

The course has been designed to provide the relevant and core information that underlies neuroscience-nursing practice. The integration of the applied sciences (anatomy and physiology), medicine (trauma, disease/dysfunction, pathogenesis, prognosis), pharmacology, social sciences and nursing will aid the student in the exploration of this nursing specialty. An emphasis will be placed on the importance of the neuroscience nurse as a decision maker and clinician, as well as a member of the multidisciplinary team in providing quality specialised care.

Objectives/Learning Outcomes/Capability Development

1. Ability to apply advanced skills in assessment, planning, implementation and evaluation in a variety of clinical care settings and contexts;

3. Advanced knowledge in specialized area;

4. Professional responsibility and accountability tomake ethical decisions;

5. Apply an evidence-based approach tto advanced practice.

 

• To continue to identify and work within the appropriate legal tenets as applied to Neuroscience Nursing Practice;

• Recognise the role of the nurses Act, Organ Transplantation Act, Privacy Act, Freedom of Information Act, and Equal Opportunity Act in the clinical environment;

• Demonstrate an awareness of ethical issues that relate to the neuroscience nursing specialty and their application in the clinical setting;
• Demonstrate knowledge and practice that complies with the Professional Code of Ethics and code of Conduct for Nurses as specified by the Australian nursing and Midwifery Council (Inc);

• Demonstrate a capacity to translate academic learning and critical thinking to enhance patient outcomes;

• Demonstrate the ability to apply the framework of the Nursing Process to achieve measurable nursing and therapeutic outcomes that are realistic and attainable;

• Demonstrate a capacity to prescribe holistic care for the neuroscience patient based on rational scientific knowledge within the framework of seamless clinical care;

• Identify the role of research h based practice in the neuroscience specialty practice setting;

• Demonstrate the importance of research in academic knowledge and clinical skill translation to the clinical setting.

• Correlate the Legislative boundaries of Neuroscience Nursing Practice within the contemporary health care framework;
• Identify the role of the various pieces of legislation in the patient care environment;
• Be aware of the Code of Ethics for Nurses and the Code of Conduct for Nurses as published by the Australian Nursing and Midwifery Council (Inc);

• Continue to explore and synthesize the complex pathophysiological and psychosocial processes causing a patient to require advanced neuroscience nursing care;
• Continue to acquire and interpret physiological and technical assessment data, including life-threatening electrocardiographic abnormalities;
• Incorporate bioscientific principles in the collaborative management of patients with complex needs;
• Critically apply health assessment findings to specific clinical conditions in order to provide safe and effective neuroscience nursing care;
• Plan, implement and evaluate collaborative Continue to explore and synthesize the complex pathophysiological and psychosocial processes causing a patient to require advanced neuroscience nursing care;
• Continue to acquire and interpret physiological and technical assessment data, including life-threatening electrocardiographic abnormalities;
• Incorporate bioscientific principles in the collaborative management of patients with complex needs;
• Critically apply health assessment findings to specific clinical conditions in order to provide safe and effective neuroscience nursing care;
• Plan, implement and evaluate collaborative management according to the identified health needs of the specific neuroscience patient;
• Analyse the effects and implications for patients, both physical and psychological of therapeutic interventions and regimes;
• Continue to demonstrate an ability to utilize research to enhance identified knowledge and patient care;
• Continue to demonstrate a capacity to apply research-supported knowledge within the patient care environment.

Overview of Learning Activities

Lectures
Class discussion
Directed learning exercises
Additional readings

For students undertaking this course by DE Virtual Classroom sessions will be offered along with a structured learning program

Overview of Learning Resources

Lecture notes
Prescribed and recommended texts,
DLS and "on line" resources

Overview of Assessment

Formative Assessment:
In the form of an assignment on a predetermined topic is required

Summative Assessment: 
A 3 hour written examination