Course Title: Working in Partnership with Families

Part A: Course Overview

Course Title: Working in Partnership with Families

Credit Points: 12.00

Terms

Course Code

Campus

Career

School

Learning Mode

Teaching Period(s)

NURS2185

Bundoora Campus

Postgraduate

150H Health Sciences

Face-to-Face

Sem 1 2016,
Sem 2 2016

NURS2185

Bundoora Campus

Postgraduate

173H School of Health and Biomed

Face-to-Face

Sem 1 2017,
Sem 1 2018,
Sem 1 2019,
Sem 1 2020,
Sem 1 2021,
Sem 1 2022

Course Coordinator: Kerrie Buchanan

Course Coordinator Phone: +61 3 9925 7786

Course Coordinator Email: kerrie.buchanan@rmit.edu.au

Course Coordinator Location: 201.07.015


Pre-requisite Courses and Assumed Knowledge and Capabilities

Assumed Knowledge

Bachelor degree or equivalent, in a related health or community service field.


Course Description

Working in partnership with families is a crucial skill for professionals supporting families with young children. This course consists of online lectorials and on campus workshops. It will focus on both theory and the development of applied knowledge with the microskills of communication, empathy and the recognition and management of constructs in order to develop effective and empowering relationships with families. The course also addresses strategies for working with diverse groups, Motivational Interviewing, mental health first aid and self-care.


Objectives/Learning Outcomes/Capability Development

This course contributes to the development of the Program Learning Outcomes for GD159 Graduate Diploma in Child and Family Health Nursing in the following way: 

  • PLO 3:  Critically evaluate contemporary research findings and integrate these to provide comprehensive, safe and effective evidence based health care for children, families and the community
  • PLO 5:  Conduct individual and family consultations and group sessions in a planned, systematic, professional and timely manner, providing feedback to families and engaging them in decision making regarding their own care.
  • PLO 6:  Communicate effectively with children, families and groups to engage and support clients, working in partnership with families and interdisciplinary health teams to promote, assess and support maternal, child and family health wellbeing.


On successful completion of this course you should be able to:

  1. Critically apply knowledge and skills related to advanced communication skills using a range of simulated and authentic situations involving professional-client relationships.
  2. Demonstrate the appropriate use of communication microskills such as active listening, empathy and questioning when working in partnership with families to help them identify and achieve their goals.
  3. Identify, appraise and exhibit appropriate communication skills to detect and sensitively challenge clients’ unhelpful constructs and emotions to then enable effective and empowering ‘helping’ relationships with families.
  4. Distinguish particular communication strategies which may apply in communication with diverse groups; for example: children and families, families from Indigenous and CALD backgrounds, professional colleagues and individuals and families affected by mental illness.
  5. Critically evaluate motivational interviewing techniques and apply these when working with families.
  6. Apply risk assessment skills and mental health first aid in interactions with families.


Overview of Learning Activities

You will be actively engaged in a range of learning activities such as lectorials, tutorials, practicals, laboratories, seminars, project work, class discussion, individual and group activities. Delivery may be face to face, online or a mix of both.

You are encouraged to be proactive and self-directed in your learning, asking questions of your lecturer and/or peers and seeking out information as required, especially from the numerous sources available through the RMIT library, and through links and material specific to this course that is available through myRMIT Studies Course.


Overview of Learning Resources

RMIT will provide you with resources and tools for learning in this course through myRMIT Studies Course.

There are services available to support your learning through the University Library. The Library provides guides on academic referencing and subject specialist help as well as a range of study support services. For further information, please visit the Library page on the RMIT University website and the myRMIT student portal.


Overview of Assessment

Assessment Tasks

Assessment Task 1: Reflective Journal
Weighting 35%
This assessment task supports CLOs 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 & 6

Assessment Task 2: Reflection on Parent Interview
Weighting 30%
This assessment task supports CLOs 1, 2, 3 & 4

Assessment Task 3: Literature Review
Weighting 35%
This assessment task supports CLOs 1, 2, 3 & 4

If you have a long-term medical condition and/or disability it may be possible to negotiate to vary aspects of the learning or assessment methods. You can contact the program coordinator or Equitable Learning Services if you would like to find out more.