NRS551 Diagnostic Reasoning 1 (8)

This subject is the first of two subjects about diagnostic reasoning. In this subject, students will synthesise advanced assessment, pharmacology and pathophysiology knowledge from pre-requisite courses and develop the skills needed for advanced nursing practice as a Nurse Practitioner. The subject will focus on the clinical presentation of the cardiac, respiratory and endocrine systems. Students will practise performing comprehensive health assessments and develop appropriate treatment plans under supervision of a registered prescriber (Nurse Practitioner (NP) or Medical Practitioner if no NP is available). The subject includes a clinical practicum component under the supervision of a Nurse Practitioner or Medical Practitioner for 80 hours. Students will attend a two day residential school in this subject.

No offerings have been identified for this subject in 2020.

Where differences exist between the Handbook and the SAL, the SAL should be taken as containing the correct subject offering details.

Subject Information

Grading System

HD/FL

Duration

One session

School

School of Nursing, Midwifery and Indigenous Health

Enrolment Restrictions

Master of Clinical Nursing (Nurse Practitioner). Not available to international students.

Prerequisites

BMS511 and BMS536 and NRS532

Learning Outcomes

Upon successful completion of this subject, students should:
  • Demonstrate proficiency in performing a focused health assessment that is pertinent to the presenting cardiac, respiratory or endocrine problems and conditions of a patient.
  • Perform a patient risk assessment which takes into consideration life circumstances and cultural, ethnic and developmental variations.
  • Differentiate normal physiological alterations from pathological findings for cardiac, respiratory and endocrine conditions.
  • Utilise the diagnostic reasoning process in the selection and interpretation of appropriate screening and diagnostic tests in cardiac, respiratory and endocrine conditions.
  • Develop an evidence-based and safe treatment plan and medication prescribing plan for clients with cardiac, respiratory or endocrine conditions.
  • Critically apply a comprehensive knowledge of pharmacology and pharmacokinetics related to the nurse practitioner scope of practice.
  • Safely prescribes indicated non-pharmacological and pharmacological interventions for clients with cardiac, respiratory or endocrine conditions.
  • Demonstrate proficiency in using a SOAPE format to document clinical assessment, differential diagnosis, treatment and medication plan.
  • Monitors, evaluates and documents practice to identify gaps in the provision of care and/or services.
  • Articulates and promotes the nurse practitioner role in clinical, political and professional contexts.

Syllabus

This subject will cover the following topics:
  • Module 1: Diagnostic Reasoning for Cardiac Issues. This module will assist students in diagnostic reasoning for acute and chronic cardiac issues, including review of pathophysiology, assessment and pharmacology for common cardiac conditions. This will include cardiac differential diagnoses, appropriate use of imaging, ECG interpretation, related laboratory testing and prescribing of common pharmacological and non-pharmacological interventions.
  • Module 2: Diagnostic Reasoning for Respiratory Issues. This module will assist students to diagnostic reasoning for acute and chronic respiratory issues, including review of pathophysiology, assessment and pharmacology for common respiratory conditions. This will include common respiratory differential diagnoses, clinical tests such as spirometry, imaging respiratory related laboratory testing and prescribing of common pharmacological and non-pharmacological interventions.
  • Module 3: Diagnostic Reasoning for Endocrine Issues. This module will assist students in diagnostic reasoning for acute and chronic endocrine Issues, including review of pathophysiology, assessment and pharmacology for common endocrine issues. A review of common endocrine differential diagnoses, clinical tests, imaging endocrine related laboratory testing and prescribing of pharmacological and non-pharmacological interventions will be included.
  • Professional Experience. Professional experience will be under the supervision of a prescribing nurse practitioner or medical practitioner for 80 hours. This experience must allow the registered nurse to see patients under supervision, formulate differential diagnoses treatment plans for pharmacological and non-pharmacological interventions and present patient cases, in real time to their professional experience supervisor for advice, guidance and confirmation. This experience is designed to be outside normal nursing working hours unless the nurse is in a NP transition role. The student will discuss with the academic mentor the logistics of this professional experience. A professional experienced supervisor will be identified by the student and the academic mentor will liaise with them to explain the professional supervision requirements, review the Professional Experience Supervisor Guidelines and the objectives of the professional experience.

Workplace Learning

This subject contains a 10 days Compulsory Workplace Learning component.

Students will be mentored in their clinical practice for 80 hours (10 days) by an experienced Nurse Practitioner (NP) and where required a physician. They will be required to develop a collaborative competency based learning contract. A two day residential school will support their learning process.

This experience must allow the nurse to see patients under supervision, formulate differential diagnoses, formulate treatment plans and present patient cases (in real time) to the professional experience supervisor for advice and guidance and confirmation. This experience is outside normal nursing working hours unless the registered nurse is in a NP transition role.

The student will discuss with the academic mentor the logistics of this professional experience.   The professional experience supervisor and the academic mentor will liaise with the student to explain the professional experience supervision requirement, review the Professional Experience Supervisor Handbook and the objectives of the professional experience. 
 

Residential School

This subject contains a 2 day Compulsory Residential School.

The  Simulation Lab will be utilised for practising and assessment of assessment skills and diagnostic reasoning.

Special Resources

Students will be required to attend a two day Residential School for this subject.

The information contained in the CSU Handbook was accurate at the date of publication: October 2020. The University reserves the right to vary the information at any time without notice.

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