NRS337 Professional Challenges in High Acuity Nursing (8)
CSU Discipline Area: Nursing, Midwifery and Indigenous Health (NRMIH)
Duration: One session
Abstract:
This subject explores issues and concepts surrounding the holistic care of a person, who experiences a life threatening illness from a acute/critical perspective. The subject covers a range of topics common in managing care of patients and examines the many professional challenges in high acuity nursing care.
+ Subject Availability Modes and Locations
| Session 2 | |
|---|---|
| Distance | Bathurst |
Continuing students should consult the SAL for current offering details: NRS337
Where differences exist between the Handbook and the SAL, the SAL should be taken as containing the correct subject offering details.
Objectives:
Upon successful completion of this subject, students should:
1. be able to define acuity nursing care;
2. be able to discuss the impact of a sudden acute illness on patients, family and significant others;
3. be able to compare and contrast issues and conflicts between the biomedical model of care and nursing model of care in high acuity health areas;
4. be able to identify and discuss professional issues and responsibilities in case managing high acuity patients utilising a multi-disciplinary teams;
5. be able to discuss patient and family rights as they relate to illness and death in high acuity health areas;
6. be able to identity and discuss the relevant ethical issues of care in high acuity nursing care;
7. be able to discuss the ethics of futility and/or aggressive treatment and its impact on the patient, family and the health care team;
8. be able to discuss the impact of sudden and/or unexpected death on family, significant others and the health professionals;
9. be able to explore the challenges experienced by patients surviving a life threatening illness;
10. be able to identify sources of stress for the health care professionals working in high acuity health areas; and
11. be able to identify and discuss adaptive and maladaptive coping mechanisms utilised in high acuity health areas by health professionals.
Syllabus:
The subject will cover the following topics:
Module 1: Concepts and Issues in high acuity health areas * The concept of high acuity nursing care. * The impact of a life threatening illness on an individual and their family. * The evolving roles of nurses in high acuity settings. * Conflicting models of care and attitudes. * The nursing role in case management of acutely ill patients. * The role of multi-disciplinary teams in high acuity health areas. * Relevant professional issues. Module 2: Ethics of care in high acuity nursing * The ethics of futility and aggressive treatment. * Patient and family rights when faced with a sudden life threatening illness. * Ethical care of patients with a life threatening illness from a nursing perspective. * Brain death and organ donation. * Allocation of resources. Module 3: Addressing High acuity nursing care outcomes * Quality of life for survivors. * The impact of sudden and unexpected death. * Sources of stress. * Empowering families and significant others who are experiencing a sudden life threatening illness or death. * Strategies for coping. * Support networks during and beyond the acute illness phase.
The information contained in the 2013 CSU Handbook was accurate at the date of publication: 24 April 2013. The University reserves the right to vary the information at any time without notice.