NRS353 Gerontology and Gerontic Nursing Practice (8)
CSU Discipline Area: Nursing, Midwifery and Indigenous Health (NRMIH)
Duration: One session
Abstract:
This subject expands upon students' existing knowledge of adult nursing and emphasises the older adulthood stage of development. Students will gain an understanding of what it means to grow older as it relates to the developmental tasks, health care needs, and health risk factors associated with the ageing process. The subject takes the students through the theories of ageing, issues and trends in care of persons who are older, principles of health promotion and health teaching and care of the older frail person in acute or aged care facilities.
+ Subject Availability Modes and Locations
No offerings have been identified for this subject in 2013.Continuing students should consult the SAL for current offering details prior to contacting their course coordinator: NRS353
Where differences exist between the handbook and the SAL, the SAL should be taken as containing the correct subject offering details.
Assumed Knowledge:
(NRS243 and NRS250 and SOC108 ) or (NRS243 and NRS250 and PHC200 ) or (NRS243 and NRS244 and EEP200 ) or (NRS243 and NRS250 and NRS116 ) or NRS132
Enrolment restrictions:
Available only to students enrolled in the following courses: Bachelor of Nursing Bachelor of Nursing/Bachelor of Clinical Practice (Paramedic) Bachelor of Early Childhood Teaching (Birth to 5 Years)/Bachelor of Nursing Bachelor of Nursing/Bachelor of Midwifery Bachelor of Health Science (Community and Public Health) Manual overide will be used by course coordinator of the Bachelor of Health Science (Community and Public Health)for subject prerequisites. Bachelor of Nursing Science
Objectives:
Upon successful completion of this subject, students should:
* be able to describe theories of ageing eg. biological, sociological, psychological, and spiritual theories
* understand how social and carer attitudes affect the person as they grow older
* understand care needs of Indigenous Australians and people from different cultures in relation to preferred models of aged care
* understand the care needs of the older person with a disability
* understand the impact current policies and principles of aged care has on the individual, carers, families and the community
* demonstrate an understanding of the Aged Care Act, Privacy Act, Guardianship Act, and the Codes of conduct and ethical practice for aged-care facilities and nurses, through their practice of gerontology
* utilise appropriate assessment tools to assess functional level, pain, cognition, perception and sensation
* analyse and interpret assessment findings and formulate appropriate care based on these findings
* identify the role support groups and community health workers have in assisting people who are older to stay within their own home
* apply a problem solving approach to assist older individuals experiencing selected physical, psychological, developmental and mental health concerns
* differentiate between and plan care for persons with delirium, dementia, depression and acute confusional states
* reminiscence therapies
* discriminate between pharmacological benefits and disadvantages in the treatment of health care problems
* incorporate research based evidence when planning care of persons who are older, especially in relation to building positive self esteem; teaching and learning; prevention of falls, safety, urinary incontinence and constipation: maintaining mobility and a healthy diet
* prepare and implement a health promotion program on an identified health care need
Syllabus:
The subject will cover the following topics:
a) theories of aging and the well older adult b) the social construction of ageing c) aspects of ageing: physical, psychological, stress response, cultural and spiritual aspects d) Aged Care Act, Standards of aged care, Aged care sector code of conduct and ethical practice, and implementing appropriate methods of documentation e) needs of older Indigenous and rural Australians f) family dynamics, carer stress and burnout, elderly abuse g) patterns of health and illness, health education and health promotion strategies for clients who are older h) the effect of the ageing process on pain perception, and body systems including sensory impairments i) effect of drugs on the older person, polypharmacy j) nursing assessment and management of individuals with selected long term health problems pertinent to people who are older eg. delirium, dementia, and acute confusional states, osteoporosis, glaucoma, cataracts, diabetes, hypothermia, urinary tract infection, nutritional problems k) government policies, related to care provisions (Guardianship Act, Age-discrimination Amendment Bill, Aged Care Packages, Advanced Directives or Living Wills) l) Outcome Standards for Australian Nursing Homes and Hostels, and funding and accreditation standards m) contemporary approaches to care: eg. CADE Units, special purpose units for people from different culture, caring in the home etc n) care of the person after death
Residential School
This subject contains a compulsory 2 day residential school.
Lectures, tutorials and/or practical classes that prepare students for two-week clinical placement. Students enrolled in the DE mode of the Bachelor of Nursing are required to attend the residential school. Students enrolled in the Bachelor of Nursing Science will be exempt from the residential school.
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.