Course Title: Implement and monitor nursing care for older clients

Part B: Course Detail

Teaching Period: Term1 2011

Course Code: NURS5182C

Course Title: Implement and monitor nursing care for older clients

School: 155T Vocational Health and Sciences

Campus: Bundoora Campus

Program: C5246 - Diploma of Nursing (Enrolled/Division 2 nursing)

Course Contact: Erica Keen

Course Contact Phone: +61 3 9925 7643

Course Contact Email: erica.keen@rmit.edu.au


Name and Contact Details of All Other Relevant Staff

Nominal Hours: 75

Regardless of the mode of delivery, represent a guide to the relative teaching time and student effort required to successfully achieve a particular competency/module. This may include not only scheduled classes or workplace visits but also the amount of effort required to undertake, evaluate and complete all assessment requirements, including any non-classroom activities.

Pre-requisites and Co-requisites

This unit is recommended to be assessed in conjunction with the following related competency units.
HLTAP 501A Analyse Health information.
HLTEN 509A Apply legal and ethical parameters to nursing practice.
This competency unit incorporates the content of:
HLTEN414A Deliver nursing care to older clients.

Course Description

This competency unit describes the skills and knowledge required for the enrollled nurse to perform nursing interventions to support the health care needs of the older person in both acute care settings and residential aged care environments.


National Codes, Titles, Elements and Performance Criteria

National Element Code & Title:

HLTEN515A Implement and monitor nursing care for older clients

Element:

1. Respond to the special health requirements of the older adult

Performance Criteria:

1.1 Work within the scope of practice for the enrolled nurse with the aged care client within any health care setting
1.2 Work with an understanding of physical changes that take place as part of the ageing process, associated age-related adjustments and transitions and psychosocial needs of the older persons and their families
1.3 Allow for the fact that drugs and medicines have different effects in the older person
1.4 Reflect an understanding of pathophysiological disorders and how they may affect older persons and their family
1.5 Communicate effectively with older person experiencing sensory loss
1.6 Perform preventive health checks in consultation/collaboration with a registered nurse
1.7 Assist the older person to maintain health lifestyle practices
1.8 Work with an awareness of own values, attitudes and beliefs towards ageing and the aged person
1.9 Work with an awareness of common stereotypes associated with ageing and the influences they can have on the care of the older adult
1.10 In planning and implementing care for the older person, use work practices that reflect an understanding of theories of aging and best practice care guidelines
1.11 Take action to manage factors which may tend to segregate and disadvantage the older adult

Element:

2. Contribute to care plan development for the older person

Performance Criteria:

2.1 Assess the older client to determine their health status in consultation/collaboration with registered nurse
2.2 Complete appropriate health assessment tools used specifically in the aged care environment
2.3 Assist the older client to identify self-care abilities and disabilities
2.4 Develop the nursing care plan within the context of the health care setting using organisation policies and procedures
2.5 Ensure client, family and/or significant other understand the implications of their admission to the health care setting
2.6 Discuss with older client or their family representative psychological, social and/or physical needs
2.7 Discuss with older person or their family representative the impact of the ageing process and/or pathophysiological disorders on the performance of activities of daily living
2.8 Share information regarding older person’s health status with other members of health care team
2.9 Implement care as per nursing care plan and monitor work allocated to others
2.10 Provide support, comfort for grieving family/client
2.11 Take into account the impact of complex issues involved in aged care on carer(s)

Element:

3. Assist to evaluate outcomes of planned nursing care of the older client

Performance Criteria:

3.1 Document responses of older client to nursing actions
3.2 Report changes in older client response to nursing actions to registered nurse
3.3 Convey information clearly and accurately to appropriate staff member
3.4 Take in account complex and dual diagnosis issues in addressing aged care
3.5 Provide information on community services available to older person and their family

Element:

4. Practise within the aged care environment

Performance Criteria:

4.1 Work with an understanding of the funding mechanisms impacting on aged care provision
4.2 Take into account the variety of areas of practice within the aged care environment
4.3 Take into account the changes and impacts of those changes to the delivery of health care for the older person
4.4 Work with an understanding of the changing demographics of the aging population
4.5 Work with an awareness of own values, attitudes and beliefs towards ageing and the aged person
4.6 Promote health maintenance for older person and their family
4.7 Provide information on community services available to older person and their family
4.8 Provide care of deceased person
4.9 Provide support, comfort for grieving family/client
4.10 Take into account the impact of complex issues involved in aged care on carer(s)

Element:

5. Address contemporary issues in aged care practice

Performance Criteria:

5.1 Work with an awareness of the current legal and ethical issues involved in aged care practice
5.2 Work with accurate knowledge of the role of guardianship, advanced health directives and legislation in aged care practice
5.3 Recognise and support the rights and responsibilities of the older person
5.4 Work with an awareness of elder abuse as a significant contemporary issue for older persons
5.5 Act as an advocate for the client and their family
5.6 Demonstrate respect for individual culture, spiritual and religious practice for the older person
5.7 Observe and respond appropriately to physical, emotional and mental signs of stress in the older adult

Element:

6. Use strategies which relate to the progressive and variable nature of dementia

Performance Criteria:

6.1 Work with an awareness of dementia as a neurological condition
6.2 Provide activities appropriate for gender, culture and age reflecting likes and dislikes of the individual
6.3 Design activities that provide the client with opportunities for autonomy and risk-taking where they can maintain safety, dignity and comfort
6.4 Use a range of validation strategies to relieve distress and agitation in clients

Element:

7. Develop and implement strategies to minimise impact of challenging behaviours

Performance Criteria:

7.1 Observe and document behaviours to determine triggers which may be related to: physical and emotional health; environment; tasks; and communication
7.2 Consider the potential impact of the behaviours on the person or other persons in determining an appropriate response
7.3 Consider a range of options when developing effective responses for inclusion in the person’s care plan
7.4 Implement best practice strategies which minimise the impact of behaviours
7.5 Regularly review strategies that are implemented to ensure maximum effectiveness


Learning Outcomes


On completion of this learning unit participants should demonstrate skills and knowledge required for the enrollled nurse to provide nursing care and perform nursing interventions to support the health care needs of the older person in in a range of health care environments.


Details of Learning Activities

Participation in formal lectures, case study, small group discussion, self directed learning
Perform elements of competence as designated for this learning segment to the required standard during clinical placement
Online work


Teaching Schedule

Semester 1


Learning Resources

Prescribed Texts

Brown, D., Edwards, H. (eds) 2008, 2nd ed., Lewis’s medical surgical nursing; assessment and management of clinical problems, Marrickville, N.S.W. : Elsevier Australia.
Crisp, J and Taylor, C. 2009. Potter & Perry’s Fundamentals of Nursing. 3rd Ed Elsevier
Funnell, R., Koutoukidis, G., Lawrence, K. 2009, Tabner’s Nursing Care: Theory and Practice, 5th Ed., Australia : Churchill Livingstone: Elsevier
Hutton, A. R. (2006) Introduction to Medical Terminology for Health Care (4th Ed.) Chruchill Livingstone Elsevier
Webster, M. (2005) Merriam-Webster’s Medical Desk Dictionary. Revised Edn. New York: Thompson-Delamar.


References


Other Resources


Overview of Assessment

Case study, Clinical practice skills assessment


Assessment Tasks

Case study  and clinical placement skills assessments


Assessment Matrix

Case study and clinical placement competency assessments

Other Information

Competency must be acheived in both theoretical and clinical assessments

Course Overview: Access Course Overview