92472 Introduction to Specialty Practice: Community Health Nursing
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Subject handbook information prior to 2025 is available in the Archives.
Credit points: 6 cp
Subject level:
Undergraduate
Result type: Grade and marksRequisite(s): (92438 Medical Surgical Nursing OR 92450 Medical Surgical Nursing (Graduate Entry) OR 92024 Medical Surgical Nursing (Graduate Entry) OR 92322 Medical Surgical Nursing OR 92454 Medical Surgical Nursing)) OR ((93211 Clinical Practice 2B OR 93225 Clinical Practice 2B) AND (93207 Foundations of Nursing Practice 2A OR 93200 Foundations of Nursing Practice 2A) AND (93224 Foundations of Nursing Practice 2B OR 93210 Foundations of Nursing Practice 2B) AND (93214c Foundations of Nursing Practice 3A OR 93228c Foundations of Nursing Practice 3A)
The lower case 'c' after the subject code indicates that the subject is a corequisite. See definitions for details.
Note
92472 Introduction to Specialty Practice: Community Health Nursing is not offered in 2023
Description
Community health nursing is a synthesis of nursing practice, within the context of public health and primary health care. Community nursing is founded on a social view of health, and upholds the values of access, equity and self-determination. The nature of community health nursing is comprehensive and directed towards the individual, families and the community at large. Community health nurses empower people to understand and respond effectively to those areas having a negative impact on their health and wellbeing by assisting people with accessing information, resources and services appropriate to their needs. Community health nurses assist people in the local community to maximise their health potential and wellbeing through; health assessment, counselling, screening, health promotion/education and community development.
Subject learning objectives (SLOs)
| A. | Understand the scope of community health nursing practice |
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| B. | Participate in the planning, delivery and evaluation of health care in a community context |
| C. | Explore the range of health resources available for, and appropriate to, the needs of diverse client populations |
| D. | Analyse the specific community health nursing activities and differing approaches used in meeting the health care needs of a community and reflecting on this experience |
| E. | Explore the range of health care interventions available to a community in the specialty environment |
| F. | Reflect on learning experiences, including an analysis of own learning needs and outcomes |
| G. | Appreciate the complexity of the specialty environment in terms of client needs and resources, and environmental and ethical issues |
| H. | Explore the use of strengths based approaches within nursing practice in the community context |
| I. | Demonstrate nursing knowledge through reading, questioning and using relevant professional and scholarly evidence to describe, explain and apply key nursing concepts, writing in a style appropriate to purpose and context |
Teaching and learning strategies
Each 6-unit subject requires at least 140 hours of work (including face-to-face and self-directed learning activities) to successfully complete academic requirements.
In this subject, students will participate in a range of teaching and learning strategies that are designed to encourage you to engage with nursing care of adults in an acute care clinical setting.
Lectures
Online lectures are provided to enable students to clarify, discuss and develop subject concepts.
Clinical skills, collaboration, communication and simulation
Students participate in clinical laboratory sessions that focus on integration of key concepts and skills. In these sessions, students are introduced to a range of nursing skills, including assessment and interventions and simulation activities. Simulation activities are practical learning experiences designed to give students exposure to a range of scenarios that may be encountered in practice. Activities include the use of audio-visual aids and clinical equipment set-ups with mannequins, teaching staff or students as simulated patients/consumers. Students learn and practice clinical and interpersonal skills in groups with case scenarios in the laboratories. These practice scenarios incorporate the development of professional communication skills including professional and therapeutic communication required for nursing practice. Students are provided feedback and with the opportunity to collaborate and develop skills to work effectively as a team member.
Patient stories and clinical case scenarios
Cases are used to help students explore health related scenarios. Cases depict patients/consumers and their families in the community. Students use these scenarios to learn concepts, interpret information, form clinical judgements and develop creative solutions. Critical thinking is developed through analysis, interpretation of and reflection on issues or situations
Content (topics)
- Background to community health nursing practice, including its social, political and historical antecedents
- Examination of the principles and frameworks that inform community health nursing practice, in particular, an emphasis on the socio-ecological health perspective
- Health assessment and needs analysis within a community context
- The potential for community health nursing to contribute to sustainability, the development of social capital and public good
- The diversity and scope of community health nursing practice: an examination of roles and contexts for practice
- Community involvement and empowerment through health promotion and education and community development
- The role of policy within community health nursing
- The process of evaluation and evidence based practice within community health nursing
Assessment
Assessment task 1: Photo Essay
| Intent: | The empowerment of community groups relies in part on the success of allowing people a ‘voice’ to express information, opinion and emotion about issues around them. In this assignment, you are going to experience what it is like to articulate your concerns and ideas about a chosen health issue using photography, and then reflect on the process of doing so. |
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| Weight: | 40% |
| Length: | 2000 words plus photographs |
Assessment task 2: Health Promotion Project
| Intent: | An important part of being a Community Health Nurse is your ability and willingness to initiate and collaborate on projects that would improve or promote the health of community members. This assignment invites students to investigate a problem that they identify on their community health clinical placement (or another placement if required) and develop a project plan, as if they were to have an ongoing role in the service. |
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| Weight: | 60% |
| Length: | 2000-2500 words |
Assessment task 3: Clinical Assessment
| Length: | 80 hours |
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Required texts
No required text for this subject
References
AHPRA. (2016). Registered nurses standards for practice. Retrieved Feb 2020 from https://www.nursingmidwiferyboard.gov.au/Codes-Guidelines-Statements/Professional-standards/registered-nurse-standards-for-practice.aspx
AIHW. (2018). Improving Australia's burden of disease. https://www.aihw.gov.au/getmedia/28c917f3-cb00-44dd-ba86-c13e764dea6b/Improving-Australia-s-burden-of-disease-9-01-2019.pdf.aspx
AIHW. (2019). Australia's health 2018. Autralian Institute of Health and Welfare. https://www.aihw.gov.au/getmedia/7c42913d-295f-4bc9-9c24-4e44eff4a04a/aihw-aus-221.pdf.aspx?inline=true
Clendon, J., & Munns, A. (2018). Community Health and Wellness: Principles of primary health care. Elsevier Health Sciences.
Guzys, D., Brown, R., Halcomb, E., & Whitehead, D. (2017). An introduction to community and primary health care. Cambridge University Press.
Liamputtong, P., Fanany, R., & Verrinder, G. (2012). Health, illness and well-being: perspectives and social determinants. Oxford University Press.
Organization, W. H. (2002). Declaration of Alma-Ata, 1978.
Wang, C., & Burris, M. A. (1997). Photovoice: Concept, methodology, and use for participatory needs assessment. Health education & behavior, 24(3), 369-387.
Wilkinson, R. G., & Marmot, M. (2003). Social determinants of health: the solid facts. World Health Organization.
Links to references are provided on UTSOnline.
Other resources
UTS Student Centres
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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), the Health Student Guide (www.uts.edu.au/sites/default/files/uts-health-student-guide.pdf) and UTSOnline at: https://online.uts.edu.au/webapps/login/
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.