University of Technology Sydney

92447 Navigating Transition

Warning: The information on this page is indicative. The subject outline for a particular session, location and mode of offering is the authoritative source of all information about the subject for that offering. Required texts, recommended texts and references in particular are likely to change. Students will be provided with a subject outline once they enrol in the subject.

Subject handbook information prior to 2025 is available in the Archives.

UTS: Health
Credit points: 6 cp

Subject level:

Undergraduate

Result type: Grade and marks

Requisite(s): ((92430 Assessment and Therapeutics in Health Care 1 OR 92433 Assessment and Therapeutics in Health Care 2 OR 92438 Medical Surgical Nursing OR 92454 Medical Surgical Nursing) AND (6 credit points of completed study in 6Credit Points spk(s): CBK91093 c 6 cp Electives OR 6 credit points of completed study in 6Credit Points spk(s): CBK91913 c 6cp Electives) AND 92442 Complex Nursing Care: Medical Surgical AND (92436 Fundamentals of Mental Health Nursing OR 92451 Fundamentals of Mental Health Nursing (Graduate Entry) OR 92457 Fundamentals of Mental Health Nursing OR 93213 Fundamentals of Mental Health Nursing OR 93227 Fundamentals of Mental Health Nursing) AND (92437 Nursing Care of the Older Person OR 92464 Nursing Care of the Older Person OR 92460 Nursing Care of the Older Person OR 93223c Nursing Care of the Older Person OR 93209c Nursing Care of the Older Person)) OR (92450 Medical Surgical Nursing (Graduate Entry) AND 92449 Health Assessment and Nursing Therapeutics)
The lower case 'c' after the subject code indicates that the subject is a corequisite. See definitions for details.
These requisites may not apply to students in certain courses. See access conditions.

Description

Students explore the challenges and opportunities associated with transitioning to the role of registered nurse through innovative teaching and learning strategies. In addition, there is also an emphasis on developing resilience and self-care and a plan for ongoing professional development.

Laboratories and clinical experiences are aimed at integrating and consolidating learning from previous clinical subjects to ensure all graduates deliver optimal evidence-based care across a variety of health settings. Whilst on this final clinical placement, students further develop their clinical reasoning and critical thinking skills by competently caring for an allocated patient load overseen by a registered nurse.

In this subject, students are required to demonstrate competence to practice according to the Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia (NMBA) Registered Nurse Standards for Practice (2016) and the Faculty of Health graduate attributes.

Subject learning objectives (SLOs)

Upon successful completion of this subject students should be able to:
A. Reflect on their professional development needs and develop strategies to improve knowledge, skill and competence to facilitate a transition from student nurse to registered nurse (RN Standards for Practice 1, 3).
B. Demonstrate the ability to communicate and collaborate professionally with patients/families, peers and members of the health care team (RN Standards for Practice 2, 5, 7).
C. Demonstrate comprehensive, safe, effective, evidence based nursing care for an allocated group of patients and their families (as determined by the clinical setting) using effective clinical reasoning and critical thinking skills ( 1, 4, 5, 6, 7).
D. Identify and use appropriate self-care strategies and support networks to manage the pressures associated with health professional practice (RN Standards for Practice 3).
E. Demonstrate competence to practice according to the Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia (NMBA) Registered Nurse Standards for Practice (2016) including English language proficiency and the Faulty of Health graduate attributes (RN Standards for Practice 1-7).

Course intended learning outcomes (CILOs)

This subject also contributes specifically to the following graduate attributes:

  • Embody a professional disposition committed to excellence, equity and sustainability (1.0)
  • Engage in person-centred care that is appropriately sensitive to the needs of individuals, families and communities (2.0)
  • Communicate and collaborate effectively and respectfully with diverse groups (3.0)
  • Communicate fluently and effectively for safe therapeutic and collaborative practice (3.1)
  • Inquire critically to assess a body of evidence to inform practice (4.0)
  • Competently apply knowledge and skills to ensure safe and effective nursing practice (5.0)

Contribution to the development of graduate attributes

  • Embody a professional disposition committed to excellence, equity and sustainability (1.0)
  • Engage in person centred care that is appropriately sensitive to the needs of individuals, families and communities (2.0)
  • Communicate and collaborate effectively and respectfully with diverse groups (3.0)
  • Inquire critically to assess a body of evidence to inform practice (4.0)
  • Competently apply knowledge and skills to ensure safe and effective nursing practice (5.0)

Teaching and learning strategies

In this subject, students will participate in a range of teaching and learning strategies that are designed to encourage them to engage with the transitional learning process from student to competent Registered Nurse.

Preparatory activities
Students will be required to undertake preparatory work prior to each laboratory to ensure that they are ready to participate in the active and collaborative learning activities planned for each session. Pre-laboratory activities will be outlined in the learning modules available on Canvas. Access to websites, online videos and evidence-based literature contribute to this preparatory activity.

Clinical Laboratories and Simulation
Students participate in collaborative clinical laboratories and simulation activities that focus on integration of preparatory activities and learning, knowledge, clinical reasoning and critical thinking skills. Simulation activities will be integrated to provide authentic learning experiences that give students exposure to situations that may be encountered in practice and the importance of teamwork. Valuable opportunities to receive teacher and peer feedback during debriefing to guide their nursing practice will also be key focus for students' learning. Activities include the use of audio-visual aids, online modules and a variety of simulation modalities will be utilised by students to complete their in class activities.

Lectures
Online lectures enable students to quickly clarify complex descriptions and terminology, and engage with sensitive or confronting topics.

Information Technologies
Students will use information technologies to access relevant evidence based literature that will inform their clinical practice and their transition to professional practice.

Independent learning plan
Students create their own plans for learning, developed via feedback and self-reflection. Guided self-evaluation experiences are also used to help students recognise the connections between their prior knowledge and experiences and new information. This enables students to regulate and monitor their own learning, articulate their own learning processes and identify what they have learnt.

Clinical Placement
In this subject students complete 160 hours of clinical placement. Placements are provided in a range of healthcare facilities in mostly metropolitan locations. Students provide nursing care within their scope of practice alongside multidisciplinary teams to develop and consolidate their knowledge, skills and attributes relevant to the clinical field.

All clinical placements are managed under the UTS Internships Management Policy and students must comply and act in accordance with the Student Rules, the Student Rights and Responsibilities Policy and the Equity, Inclusion and Respect Policy.

Content (topics)

Transitioning to professional practice

  • “transition shock” The role of the RN
  • Collaborative nursing model –the roles of team members
  • Teamwork and Delegation
  • From student to teacher
  • Effective communication, empathy and patient safety
  • Difficult conversations and challenging situations
  • Planning and time management
  • Clinical reasoning, critical thinking, decision-making, evidence-based practice
  • Reflective practice
  • Self-care strategies, mindfulness and the development of resilience
  • Lifelong learning strategies

Activity sets/key skills consolidated in this subject:

Personal care: assisted ambulation; Hygiene: bed making, shower/bath, bed bath and oral care; Skin integrity: positioning, assessment and pressure area care; Nutrition and feeding: Feeding a dependent patient, and enteral feeding; Elimination: continence management, indwelling catheter care and bowel care.

Clinical communication and documentation: Therapeutic communication; Admission; Clinical handover; Care planning; Recording vital signs; Recording fluid intake/output; Using and maintaining patient records; Communicating clinical reasoning; Interprofessional communication; Negotiating care with patient/client families; Discharge planning; Managing a group of patients/clients; Delegation of nursing care.

Clinical assessment and monitoring: Vital signs: TPR & BP, Physical assessment, Pain assessment, Respiratory assessment and Pulse oximetry; Using a stethoscope; Cardiovascular assessment; Cardiac monitoring: lead attachment and 12 lead ECG; Blood glucose monitoring; Haematological results; Neurological assessment; Neurovascular assessment; Abdominal assessment; Nutritional assessment; Assessment of fluid balance; Ward urinalysis.

Clinical interventions and management: Wound care: aseptic non-touch technique, dry dressing technique, removal of sutures/staples; Oxygen therapy; Deep breathing and coughing exercises

Privacy and dignity: Respectful care; Confidentiality; Cultural and transcultural care; Care of the dying/deceased person.

Risk and safety: Hand Hygiene; Hand washing for invasive procedures; Infection control; Manual handling.

Medications, intravenous therapy and blood products: Safe checking, administration, documentation and disposal of medications; Medication calculations; Oral medication administration; Other non-parenteral medications; Intramuscular injections; Subcutaneous injections; Subcutaneous infusions; Intravenous therapy calculations; Intravenous therapy; Intravenous injections; Blood product administration.

Assessment

Assessment task 1: Student Reflection

Intent:

Students will enhance their reflective skills.

Objective(s):

This assessment task addresses subject learning objective(s):

A

This assessment task contributes to the development of graduate attribute(s):

1.0

Type: Reflection
Groupwork: Individual
Weight: 10%
Length:

40 minutes, 350 words +-10%

Assessment task 2: Communication Role Play

Intent:

Students will enhance their communication skills in a group role play exploring challenging conversations within clinical based scenarios.

Objective(s):

This assessment task addresses subject learning objective(s):

B

This assessment task contributes to the development of graduate attribute(s):

2.0, 3.0 and 3.1

Type: Presentation
Groupwork: Group, group assessed
Weight: 30%
Length:

10 minutes

Assessment task 3: Clinical Oral Exam 'VIVA'

Intent:

This task enables students to apply and demonstrate their clinical reasoning and communication skills to a ward based scenario preparing them to practice as effetive team members of the health care team.

Objective(s):

This assessment task addresses subject learning objective(s):

A, C, D and E

This assessment task contributes to the development of graduate attribute(s):

2.0, 3.0 and 5.0

Type: Examination
Groupwork: Individual
Weight: 60%
Length:

45 minutes

Assessment task 4: Clinical Competency Assessment

Intent:

Students undertake an extended and continuous clinical placement experience that will prepare them for practice in the real clinical workforce. Feedback from clinicians and clinical facilitators will support and reinforce student learning and development of confidence in their practice. Reflection on and in practice is encouraged to enhance personal development. During this clinical placement, students will undertake an observational clinical competency assessment, including a clinical viva to ensure that their clinical practice aligns with the NMBA Registered Nurses Standards for Practice (2016) prior to entering their transition year.

Objective(s):

This assessment task addresses subject learning objective(s):

A, C, D and E

This assessment task contributes to the development of graduate attribute(s):

1.0, 2.0, 4.0 and 5.0

Type: Laboratory/practical
Groupwork: Individual
Weight: Mandatory task that does not contribute to subject mark
Length:

160 hours

Assessment task 5: Clinical Placement

Intent:

This assessment task can be removed

Type: Laboratory/practical
Groupwork: Individual
Weight: Mandatory task that does not contribute to subject mark
Length:

160 hours

Required texts

There are no specific required texts for this subject.

References

Refer to Canvas for access to up to date references for this subject.

Other resources

UTS Student Centre
Building 10

Monday to Friday: 9am - 5pm
Tel: 1300 ASK UTS (1300 275 887)

Details for student centres: www.uts.edu.au/current-students/contacts/general-contacts

For other resources/ information refer to the Faculty of Health website (www.uts.edu.au/about/faculty-health) and Canvas at: https://canvas.uts.edu.au

UTS Library
The Library has a wide range of resources, facilities and services to support you including textbooks, subject readings, health literature databases, workshops and bookable study rooms. There is also a team of librarians to help you with your questions available via online chat, phone and in person. W: lib.uts.edu.au, Facebook: utslibrary, Twitter: @utslibrary Tel: (02) 9514 3666.

Improve your academic and English language skills
Marks for all assessment tasks such as assignments and examinations are given not only for what you write but also for how you write. If you would like the opportunity to improve your academic and English language skills, make an appointment with the HELPS (Higher Education Language & Presentation Support) Service in Student Services.

HELPS (Higher Education Language & Presentation Support)
HELPS provides assistance with English language proficiency and academic language. Students who need to develop their written and/or spoken English should make use of the free services offered by HELPS, including academic language workshops, vacation intensive courses, drop-in consultations, individual appointments and Conversations@UTS (www.ssu.uts.edu.au/helps). HELPS staff are also available for drop-in consultations at the UTS Library. Phone (02) 9514 9733.

Please see www.uts.edu.au for additional information on other resources provided to students by UTS.

The Accessibility and Financial Assistance Service
The Accessibility Service can support students with disabilities, medical or mental health conditions, including temporary injuries (e.g., broken limbs). The Accessibility Service works with Academic Liaison Officers in each Faculty to provide ‘reasonable adjustments’ such as exam provisions, assistive technology, requests and strategies for managing your studies alongside your health condition. If you’re unsure whether you need assistance, we recommend getting in touch early and we can provide advice on how our service can assist you. Make an appointment with an Accessibility Consultant (AC) on +61 2 9514 1177 or Accessibility@uts.edu.au.

The Financial Assistance Service can assist you with financial aspects of life at university, including Centrelink information, tax returns and budgeting, interest-free student loans and grants to assist with course-related costs. Check eligibility and apply online and make an appointment on +61 2 9514 1177 or Financial.assistance@uts.edu.au.