NRS174 Clinical Reasoning in Nursing 2 (8)

This subject builds on the content of Clinical Reasoning 1 (NRS163), and will form the foundation of the knowledge, skills and attitudes required to promote safety, healing and caring in practice, mindful communication, and the use of clinical reasoning to aid clinical decision-making across the lifespan.

Availability

* Offering has a residential school. Please view following information for further details.

Session 2 (60)
On Campus
Albury-Wodonga Campus
Bathurst Campus
Dubbo Campus
Port Macquarie Campus
Wagga Wagga Campus
Online *
Bathurst Campus

Continuing students should consult the SAL for current offering details: NRS174. 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

Bachelor of Nursing

Prerequisites

( NRS162 and NRS163 ) or ( NRS113 and NRS123 )

Learning Outcomes

Upon successful completion of this subject, students should:
  • be able to explain and demonstrate nursing care that promotes a healing, caring environment, including provision for physical, socio-cultural and spiritual needs for people across the lifespan in a simulated environment;
  • be able to identify and demonstrate selected evidence-based nursing interventions to promote safety, healing and caring in practice in relation to the prevention and management of wounds and post-operative complications in a simulated environment;
  • be able to identify and demonstrate selected evidence-based nursing interventions to ensure safety in the administration of oral, topical, subcutaneous and intramuscular medications in a simulated environment;
  • be able to apply selected assessment frameworks and the Clinical Reasoning Cycle to aid clinical decision-making and problem-solving in basic clinical and simulated scenarios; and
  • be able to document assessment findings and nursing care in accordance with legal and professional requirements.

Syllabus

This subject will cover the following topics:
  • MODULE 1: COLLECTING CUES - ASSESSMENT FRAMEWORKS (WEEKS 1 AND 2)
  • This module introduces students to the nursing assessment frameworks commonly used in a range of care environments, including:
  • Overview of types and settings for assessment (comprehensive patient assessment, focused system assessments, head-to-toe assessments, risk assessments, primary/secondary/tertiary survey);
  • Primary/Secondary/Tertiary Survey in detail; Risk Assessments (pressure areas, falls, delirium); and
  • Documentation of assessment findings - Aged Care Mandatory Quality Indicator Program and Aged Care standards.
  • MODULE 2: NURSING CARE TO CREATE A HEALING & CARING ENVIRONMENT (WEEKS 3 AND 4)
  • This module introduces students to a range of important principles and practices related to the provision of nursing care that maintains patient comfort and dignity including:
  • The meaning and importance of maintaining patient comfort and dignity;
  • Hygiene (showering, washing in bed, changing linen, eye care, mouth care);
  • Pressure injury prevention Nutrition - assessing swallowing, food preferences, assisting with feeding;
  • Supporting the socio-cultural and spiritual needs of the patient, family or community, including Indigenous Australians and people with culturally and linguistically diverse background;
  • Introduction to inter-professional collaboration;
  • Documentation and handover; and
  • Implications of poor practice.
  • MODULE 3: CLINICAL REASONING: PROVIDING CARE IN THE ACUTE ENVIRONMENT (WEEK 5)
  • This module introduces students to a range of important principles and practices required for the planning and provision of care in the acute care environment, including:
  • Introduction to the acute care environment;
  • Introduction to the perioperative period, including pre and post-operative assessment and care for patients across the life span;
  • Using the clinical reasoning cycle to prioritise care;
  • Prevention of complications - deep breathing and coughing exercises, early mobilisation, spirometry, DVT prevention, delirium; and
  • Handover and documentation.
  • MODULE 4: FOUNDATIONS OF WOUND ASSESSMENT AND CARE (WEEK 6 AND 7)
  • This module introduces students to a range of important principles and practices required for basic wound assessment and care, including:
  • Introduction to the stages of wound healing;
  • Introduction to wound inflammation;
  • Impediments to wound healing;
  • Wound types and wound assessment;
  • Principles of wound care;
  • Dressing types; and
  • Wound care techniques.
  • MODULE 5: FOUNDATIONS OF MEDICATION ADMINISTRATION (WEEKS 8 AND 9)
  • This module introduces students to a range of important principles and practices required for the safe administration of medications, including:
  • Legal considerations - medication orders, relevant legislation, scope of practice;
  • Introduction to key pharmacological principles;
  • Introduction to lifespan considerations;
  • Medication orders and the National Medication Chart;
  • Medication calculations;
  • Oral and topical medication administration; and
  • Subcutaneous and intramuscular medication administration.

Residential School

This subject contains a 3 day Compulsory Residential School.

At the compulsory residential school, students will undertake simulation learning experiences in the simulation spaces, which may be permanent nursing labs each campus and/or other simulation learning spaces that replicate where nurses may work.

Each of the clinical case studies or health-related scenarios used to support the simulation learning experiences will focus on the role as a nurse. While there are times that there is consideration of the multidisciplinary team in the scenarios, the focus will be on nursing and the nursing interventions implemented to care for or support the patient.

There are many different simulation approaches used in the SNMIH, including peer-to-peer, task trainers, role playing, human patient simulators, actors and computer-based simulation.

Students may find the clinical case study or health-related scenario, used as part of the simulation learning experience, includes a hybrid approach that includes the lecturer / facilitator employs more than one type of simulation. To complete the whole scenario, students may move from one learning station to the next to finish the scenario.

Special Resources

For online students there is a compulsory residential school which will require students to expend money, time and travel in order to undertake the residential school.

The information contained in the CSU Handbook was accurate at the date of publication: May 2021. The University reserves the right to vary the information at any time without notice.

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