Part A: Course Overview

Course Title: Complex Nursing

Credit Points: 12.00

Terms

Course Code

Campus

Career

School

Learning Mode

Teaching Period(s)

NURS2214

Bundoora Campus

Undergraduate

173H School of Health and Biomed

Face-to-Face

 Sem 1 2025

Course Coordinator: Basil George

Course Coordinator Phone: +61 3 9925

Course Coordinator Email: basil.george@rmit.edu.au


Pre-requisite Courses and Assumed Knowledge and Capabilities

Enforced Pre-Requisite Courses 

Successful completion of the following courses:

Note: it is a condition of enrolment at RMIT that you accept responsibility for ensuring that you have completed the prerequisite/s and agree to concurrently enrol in co-requisite courses before enrolling in a course. 

For information go to RMIT Course Requisites webpage.


Course Description

This course will continue your development of key nursing concepts through the hyper-acute stage of care and the management of the person with complex care needs. This course will explore the impact of comorbidities on the complex patient, and the recognition of acute deterioration. You will apply critical thinking, clinical reasoning and the prioritisation of nursing care for the unstable, complex patient.


Objectives/Learning Outcomes/Capability Development

This course will contribute to Program Learning Outcomes for BP032P24 Bachelor of Nursing through the following learning outcomes: 

PLO1. Demonstrate a breadth and depth of nursing knowledge and concepts in a variety of real-world settings using an evidence-based approach   

PLO2. Apply evidence-based nursing knowledge to conceptualise and deliver safe and effective practice in a variety of contexts, independently and collaboratively, using emerging technological advancements  

PLO3. Generate and evaluate solutions to all aspects of interprofessional nursing practice while complying with ethical, legal, and regulatory standards  

PLO4. Communicate to diverse audiences employing integrity, inclusivity, and culturally safe practices to deliver quality patient care.  

PLO5. Demonstrate responsibility and accountability for professional decisions through critical thinking and reflection to resolve challenges as part of a multidisciplinary and interprofessional team  

PLO6. Evaluate and critically reflect on the concepts of reconciliation and cultural intelligence considering the experience and perspectives of health and wellbeing for First Nations people  

PLO7. Demonstrate professionalism through lifelong learning to deliver safe, quality, holistic, and person-centred nursing care  

PLO8. Examine and evaluate theories fundamental to lifespan development and practices that enhance lifespan transition, disability, and public health advocacy. 


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

  1. Discuss the role of clinical decision making and the practice of physical assessment and prioritisation in the circumstance of the complex co-morbid patient.  
  2. Explore and apply the evidence for treatment strategies used in the acutely ill patient. 
  3. Identify the principles of intra professional, interprofessional and human factors encountered in the care of acutely ill patients. 
  4. Demonstrate (by means of simulated practice) the application of requisite nursing knowledge and skills in the acutely ill patient.  
  5. Apply the principles of safe medication management and complex medication calculations.  


Overview of Learning Activities

This course will use a range of learning activities including lectures, virtual and face to face lectorial, Simulation Based Education (SBE), discussions and self-directed learning. Throughout the course you will be able to work both independently and in groups to aid development of your theoretical knowledge and its application to clinical practice whilst developing collaboration and communication skills in peer-based learning.  

RMIT has state of the art simulated learning facilities for student learning and practice. You will participate in simulated practice within these facilities in preparation for placement. As a part of participation, you may be filmed for learning, teaching, reflection and assessment and this is considered an inherent part of our learning and teaching program. Recordings will be maintained in accordance with our assessment, document retention and privacy policies. 

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 Site. 


Overview of Learning Resources

Recorded lectures and on-line material: The recorded lectures and reading material provided are intended to be supported by the prescribed text.  

The prescribed texts will form the major suggested reading resource for this course. Advice will be provided on which sections are relevant for each topic. Advice will also be given about additional and/or alternate reading resources.    

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

This course contains hurdle requirements. All hurdle requirements for this course are indicated clearly in the assessment regime that follows, against the relevant assessment task(s) and all have been approved by the Associate Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Learning Teaching & Quality). 

 

Assessment Tasks:  

Assessment Task 1: Medication Calculations test  

Weighting 10% 

This assessment task supports CLOs 1, 2, 3, 4, & 5 

Assessment Task 2: Written Assignment 

Weighting 40% 

This assessment task supports CLOs 1, 2, 3 &4. 

Assessment Task 3: 

Simulated health environments learning attendance and Medication Calculations test (HURDLE Requirements) 

Assessment Task 4: Objective Structured Clinical Examination (OSCE)

Weighting 50% 

This assessment task supports CLOs 1, 2, 3, 4, & 5.