Course Title: Apply legal and ethical parameters to nursing practice

Part B: Course Detail

Teaching Period: Term1 2017

Course Code: NURS5386C

Course Title: Apply legal and ethical parameters to nursing practice

School: 174T School of VE Engineering, Health & Science

Campus: Bundoora Campus

Program: C5365 - Diploma of Nursing

Course Contact: Jaye Keating

Course Contact Phone: +61 3 9925 4845

Course Contact Email: jaye.keating@rmit.edu.au


Name and Contact Details of All Other Relevant Staff

Nominal Hours: 30

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

There are no pre-requisites for this unit of competency.

Course Description

This course describes the skills and knowledge required to within work legal and ethical parameters in professional nursing practice, including supporting rights and meeting duty of care requirements.

 

This course applies to enrolled nursing work carried out in consultation and collaboration with registered nurses, and under supervisory arrangements aligned to the Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia regulatory authority legislative requirements.

 

This course includes a Work Integrated Learning experience in which your knowledge and skills will be applied and assessed in a real or simulated workplace context and where feedback from industry and/or community is integral to your experience.


This course includes clinical placement.


National Codes, Titles, Elements and Performance Criteria

National Element Code & Title:

HLTENN008 Apply legal and ethical parameters to nursing practice

Element:

1. Perform within scope of professional nursing practice.

Performance Criteria:

1.1 Identify legal and regulatory requirements including Acts and guidelines, and explain how these requirements impact own nursing practice.

1.2 Comply with requirements of current legislation related to nursing practice and identify implications of non-compliance.

1.3 Apply codes of ethics, codes of conduct and the content of enrolled nurse competency standards for practice in own nursing practice.

1.4 Function within the scope of jurisdictional requirements for enrolled nurse practice.

1.5 Respond to each person in accordance with organisation policy and procedures, including responding appropriately and sensitively to complaints.

1.6 Refer outside requests for a person’s information to a registered nurse.

1.7 Complete all documentation in accordance with State/Territory legislation and organisation policy and procedures.

1.8 Monitor own compliance with legal obligations and requirements.

Element:

2. Apply knowledge of the legal framework to nursing practice.

Performance Criteria:

2.1 Demonstrate knowledge of relevant law, including legal processes, principles and penalties in own nursing practice.

2.2 Accurately apply concepts of negligence, duty of care and vicarious liability to professional practice as an enrolled nurse.

2.3 Obtain required consent to treatment from each person before undertaking treatment or processes.

2.4 Apply principles of restraint appropriately, demonstrating the correct intent and application of restraint.

2.5 Use correct common legal terms associated with nursing practice, and correctly interpret their meaning and implications for nursing practice.

2.6 Apply legal requirements and organisation expectations and requirements in writing reports in own nursing practice.

2.7 Apply mandatory reporting processes in line with jurisdictional requirements.

2.8 Observe the person’s privacy and confidentiality requirements in accordance with legislative requirements and organisation policy and procedures.

2.9 Interpret referrals or requests for tests on receipt, ensuring the nature and requirements of tests are correctly identified, and seek clarification where required.

 

Element:

3. Apply ethical concepts to clinical practice.

Performance Criteria:

3.1 Identify and describe the concept of ethics and its place in nursing practice.

3.2 Demonstrate ethical practice in own interactions with the person and their family or carers and colleagues.

3.3 Maintain own awareness of contemporary ethical issues and potential conflicts of interest that may impact nursing practice.

3.4 Identify, document and report potential ethical issues in accordance with organisation policies and procedures.

3.5 Develop and implement strategies to resolve ethical issues within own nursing practice in accordance with role parameters.

 

Element:

4. Support the rights, interests and needs of the person and their family.

Performance Criteria:

4.1 Comply with legal responsibilities and duty of care requirements in all care activities and other interactions with the person, their family and carer.

4.2 Support the person’s rights, interests and decisions.

4.3 Encourage the person to exercise their right to make informed decisions about their care.

4.4 Demonstrate respect and support for the dignity of the person and their family members.

4.5 Advocate for the person, their family or carer in accordance with jurisdictional enrolled nurse scope of practice.

 

Element:

5. Apply open disclosure processes.

Performance Criteria:

5.1 Research and reflect on the practice of open disclosure and how it applies to own role as an enrolled nurse.

5.2 Apply the principles and processes of open disclosure in own work in a health care environment.

5.3 Identify the roles of other health care workers in relation to open disclosure.

Learning Outcomes


The critical learning for this course takes place in clinical placement within the health sector and within simulations in RMIT laboratories.

You will be instructed in skills through demonstration, modelling and role-play. Skills development is supported by lectures on theory and underpinning knowledge, classroom discussions, group work, research and reflective practice.

 

 

On completion of this course you should be able to:

  1. Perform within scope of professional nursing practice.

    1.1 Identify legal and regulatory requirements including Acts and guidelines, and explain how these requirements impact own nursing practice.

    1.2 Comply with requirements of current legislation related to nursing practice and identify implications of non-compliance.

    1.3 Apply codes of ethics, codes of conduct and the content of enrolled nurse competency standards for practice in own nursing practice.

    1.4 Function within the scope of jurisdictional requirements for enrolled nurse practice.

    1.5 Respond to each person in accordance with organisation policy and procedures, including responding appropriately and sensitively to complaints.

    1.6 Refer outside requests for a person’s information to a registered nurse.

    1.7 Complete all documentation in accordance with State/Territory legislation and organisation policy and procedures.

    1.8 Monitor own compliance with legal obligations and requirements.

  2. Apply knowledge of the legal framework to nursing practice.

    2.1 Demonstrate knowledge of relevant law, including legal processes, principles and penalties in own nursing practice.

    2.2 Accurately apply concepts of negligence, duty of care and vicarious liability to professional practice as an enrolled nurse.

    2.3 Obtain required consent to treatment from each person before undertaking treatment or processes.

    2.4 Apply principles of restraint appropriately, demonstrating the correct intent and application of restraint.

    2.5 Use correct common legal terms associated with nursing practice, and correctly interpret their meaning and implications for nursing practice.

    2.6 Apply legal requirements and organisation expectations and requirements in writing reports in own nursing practice.

    2.7 Apply mandatory reporting processes in line with jurisdictional requirements.

    2.8 Observe the person’s privacy and confidentiality requirements in accordance with legislative requirements and organisation policy and procedures.

    2.9 Interpret referrals or requests for tests on receipt, ensuring the nature and requirements of tests are correctly identified, and seek clarification where required.

  3. Apply ethical concepts to clinical practice.

    3.1 Identify and describe the concept of ethics and its place in nursing practice.

    3.2 Demonstrate ethical practice in own interactions with the person and their family or carers and colleagues.

    3.3 Maintain own awareness of contemporary ethical issues and potential conflicts of interest that may impact nursing practice.

    3.4 Identify, document and report potential ethical issues in accordance with organisation policies and procedures.

    3.5 Develop and implement strategies to resolve ethical issues within own nursing practice in accordance with role parameters.

  4. Support the rights, interests and needs of the person and their family.

    4.1 Comply with legal responsibilities and duty of care requirements in all care activities and other interactions with the person, their family and carer.

    4.2 Support the person’s rights, interests and decisions.

    4.3 Encourage the person to exercise their right to make informed decisions about their care.

    4.4 Demonstrate respect and support for the dignity of the person and their family members.

    4.5 Advocate for the person, their family or carer in accordance with jurisdictional enrolled nurse scope of practice.

  5. Apply open disclosure processes.

    5.1 Research and reflect on the practice of open disclosure and how it applies to own role as an enrolled nurse.

    5.2 Apply the principles and processes of open disclosure in own work in a health care environment.

    5.3 Identify the roles of other health care workers in relation to open disclosure.


Details of Learning Activities

Class lectures, group discussions, group activities, online self directed learning. 


Teaching Schedule

 

WEEK

CONTENT

ASSESSMENT

(7) Session 1

Course outline and requirements, including resubmissions, extensions, plagiarism

·         Blackboard access

·         Student/teacher expectations

·         Access to teachers

·         Resources

Introduction to Nursing and the Law

·         Legislation

·         Legal terms

·         Organisational requirements in documentation

Outline of assessment 1, 2 & 3

(11) Session 2

·         Civil law

·         Life and death

·         Complaints

Assessment 1 due Week 11

(14) Session 3

·         Confidentiality

·         Consent

·         Vicarious liability

·         Restraint

·         Mandatory reporting

Assessment 2 due Week 15

(17) Session 4

·         Introduction to ethics

·         Code of ethics

 

(18) Session 5

·         Ethical decision making

·         Moral concepts in nursing

·         Human rights

 

 


Learning Resources

Prescribed Texts


References


Other Resources

www.coronerscourt.vic.gov.au

McDonald, F. Then, S N (2014). 1st ed. Ethics, Law and Health Care A guide for nurses and midwives. Palgrave Macmillan, South Yarra.

Johnstone, M J (2015). 6th ed. Biothics a nursing perspective. Elsevier, Sydney.

Chiarella, M (2016). 7th ed. Law for Nurses and Midwives. Elsevier, Sydney.

 


Overview of Assessment

 This assessment will incorporate a variety of methods including written, oral, practical tasks and activities.

 

You will be asked to personally demonstrate to your teacher/assessor the practical skills gained during this course to the relevant industry standards. Assessment activities will occur throughout this course and feedback will be provided at regular intervals

Students must pass each of the following assessment tasks to demonstrate competent.

Assessment tasks

 

Assessment

Weight %

Assessment 1

Written research (Online)

40

Assessment 2

Case study (Online)

40

Assessment 3

Clinical practice/placement

20

 

these tasks assesses the following Course Learning Outcomes (CLOs):

 

Assessment Matrix

 

Element / Performance Criteria Covered

Assessment 1

Assessment 2

Assessment 3

1.1

X

X

X

1.2

X

X

X

1.3

X

X

X

1.4

X

X

X

1.5

X

 

X

1.6

X

 

X

1.7

X

 

X

1.8

X

 

X

2.1

X

X

X

2.2

X

X

X

2.3

 

X

X

2.4

 

X

X

2.5

X

X

X

2.6

X

X

X

2.7

 

X

X

2.8

 

X

X

2.9

 

X

X

3.1

 

X

X

3.2

 

X

X

3.3

 

X

X

3.4

 

X

X

3.5

 

X

X

4.1

X

X

X

4.2

X

X

X

4.3

X

X

X

4.4

X

X

X

4.5

X

X

X

5.1

X

X

X

5.2

X

X

X

5.3

X

X

X

                       

To be deemed competent you must demonstrate an understanding of all aspects required of the competency. Assessment methods have been designed to measure your achievement of each competency in a flexible manner over multiple tasks.

 

 

 

 


Assessment Tasks

Assessment task one is a research assignment based on a legal topic. Students are to chose one coroners inquest case from the ones provided and answer the research questions. Students are to follow the assessment criteria provided. Assessment 1 due week 11.

Assessment task two is a case study based on a patient and family scenario. Students are to identify the ethical issues within the case study and answer the questions. Students are to follow the assessment criteria provided. Assessment 2 due week 15.

Assessment task three is clinical placement. Date for placement will be notified throughout the course. 

 

 


Assessment Matrix

Elements

Performance Criteria

Related assessment task A

Related assessment task B

Related assessment task C

1

1.1

Ö         

 

 

 

1.2

 

 

Ö         

 

1.3

 

Ö         

Ö         

 

1.4

Ö         

 

Ö         

 

1.5

 

 

Ö         

 

1.6

Ö         

 

 

 

1.7

Ö         

 

Ö         

 

1.8

Ö         

 

 

2

2.1

Ö         

 

 

 

2.2

Ö         

 

 

 

2.3

 

 

Ö         

 

2.4

Ö         

 

 

 

2.5

 

 

Ö         

 

2.6

 

 

Ö         

 

2.7

Ö         

 

 

 

2.8

 

 

Ö         

 

2.9

 

 

Ö         

3

3.1

 

Ö         

 

 

3.2

 

Ö         

Ö         

 

3.4

 

Ö         

Ö         

 

3.5

 

Ö         

 

4

4.1

 

Ö         

Ö         

 

4.2

 

 

Ö         

 

4.3

 

 

Ö         

 

4.4

 

 

Ö         

 

4.5

 

Ö         

Ö         

5

5.1

 

 

Ö         

 

5.2

 

 

Ö         

 

5.3

 

 

Ö         

Other Information

Please refer to the RMIT Student Page for extensive information about study support, assessments, extensions, appeals and a range of other matters: http://www1.rmit.edu.au/students

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

Cover Sheet Sheets

You must complete a submission cover sheet for every piece of work submitted in hard copy. For every piece of work submitted online, you will complete an e-Declaration. This cover sheet or e-Declaration acknowledges that you are aware of the plagiarism implications.

You must be competent in all elements to successfully complete the course, however each individual assessment may only be resubmitted once.

You are permitted to have a maximum of 2 re submissions for this course, however each individual assessment may only be resubmitted once. Re submissions are not automatic and will only be approved at the discretion of the program coordinator after consultation with the teacher.   All resubmissions must be completed and submitted no more than 7 days after your work has been assessed.  

 

 

Course Overview: Access Course Overview