92474 Introduction to Specialty Practice: Child and Family 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
92474 ISP Child & Family Health is not offered in 2024.
Description
This subject is designed to enable students to gain knowledge and clinical nursing practice in an area of child and family nursing. Students have the opportunity to develop their expertise in this area of practice and extend their foundational knowledge. Students considering a career caring for well infants, children and families in a primary health care setting consolidate their knowledge of psychosocial and health issues in family life, parenting and child rearing, and social and emotional wellbeing in infancy and early childhood. A primary health care and health promotion perspective to the nursing care of infants and children is used throughout the subject.
Subject learning objectives (SLOs)
| A. | Analyse health and psychosocial wellbeing in childbearing and child rearing families in diverse settings, understanding the relevance of key health policies in child protection and mandatory reporting |
|---|---|
| B. | Apply relevant knowledge of normal patterns of growth and development in children 0 – 5 years of age |
| C. | Examine issues in early parenting, including the development of attachment and the transition to parenthood |
| D. | Appraise the application of knowledge and skills in promoting and maintaining the wellbeing of infants and children |
| E. | Examine the interface between midwifery, community child and family health services and paediatric services in the provision of health care to children and families |
Teaching and learning strategies
In this subject, students will participate in a variety of teaching and learning strategies that are designed to enable students to actively engage with child and family health nursing in the clinical setting. 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.
Lectures and on-line learning materials
Students benefit from both the real time delivery of content and access to online resources including podcasts and videos. Face-to-face lectures and interactive workshops enable students to quickly clarify new and complex descriptions and terminology, and engage with sensitive or confronting topics. Online materials include problem-based progressive case studies that unfold at the student's pace as pre-learning activities. We will draw on this learning in tutorials. Students locate and review relevant topic materials, and present and discuss their reviews with other students in online discussions that provide timely feedback.
Case scenarios
Students are introduced to a range of case scenarios of well infants, children and families in tutorials and as pre-class learning activities. Cases are used to help students to collaborate in exploring child and family health nursing scenarios based in clinical community and home settings. Students use these scenarios to learn concepts, interpret information, form clinical judgements and test creative solutions, working collaboratively with one another. Critical thinking is developed through analysis, interpretation of and reflection on issues or situations. Immediate feedback is given by peers and teachers.
Personal, professional and expert narratives
Students will have the opportunity to engage in dialogue with key informants from community based care organisations to build on knowledge and gain new insights into difficult and sensitive topics. Professional and consumer speakers will discuss personal and/or professional stories in relation to their experience. Students will have the opportunity to explore topics with the speaker.
Clinical placement
Students complete 80 hours of clinical placement experience in child and family health nursing practice settings. Placements are provided in a range of contexts including universal child and family health and family care centres. Students provide nursing care within interprofessional teams to develop and consolidate their knowledge, skills and attributes relevant to child and family health nursing practice and receive feedback on their performance.
Information Technologies
Information technologies will be used by students to access relevant evidence based policy and practice guidelines related to health assessment and health promotion in addition to resources suitable for encouraging parent participation in health management.
Content (topics)
Primary health care and promotion for child bearing and child rearing families
Promotion of health and wellbeing of families with children in the community, supporting parents in their adjustment to new roles and the demands of rearing young children. Prevention, detection and treatment of postnatal depression, family violence, disability and chronic illness in families with young children.
Child health
Supporting the establishment of breastfeeding, infant feeding and growth. Sleep and settling in infancy and early childhood. Common health issues in well infants and children.
Nurturing and wellbeing in infancy and childhood
Promoting infant mental health and the attachment relationship. Keeping children safe and child protection.
Assessment
Assessment task 1: Transition to parenting- Written Submission
| Intent: | This assessment intends to reinforce and extend student knowledge base in the area of early childhood growth and development. This knowledge is essential to inform the process of nursing assessment, health promotion and support of families in child and family health nursing practice. |
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| Type: | Report |
| Groupwork: | Individual |
| Weight: | 50% |
| Length: | 1500 words |
Assessment task 2: Understanding domestic and family violence- Module and quiz
| Intent: | Students will develop their understanding of domestic and family violence in Australia, as well as the role of the C&FH nurse in the assessment and support of vulnerable families.. |
|---|---|
| Type: | Quiz/test |
| Groupwork: | Individual |
| Weight: | 20% |
Assessment task 3: Health Promotion Presentation
| Intent: | Students will develop their understanding of relevant health promotion topics and practise disseminating this information in a supportive group environment. A large part of the role of the C&FH nurse involves educating families of children aged 0-5 years, in accordance with appropriate health literacy expectations. |
|---|---|
| Type: | Presentation |
| Groupwork: | Group, group assessed |
| Weight: | 30% |
| Length: | 10 minutes |
Assessment task 4: Clinical placement
| Objective(s): | This assessment task addresses subject learning objective(s): A, B, C, D and E |
|---|---|
| Type: | Laboratory/practical |
| Groupwork: | Individual |
| Weight: | Mandatory task that does not contribute to subject mark |
| Length: | 80 hours |
References
Barnes, M. & Rowe, J. (eds) 2014, Child, youth and family health: Strengthening communities, Elsevier, Sydney.
Binns, C. & Lee, M.K. 2017, 'The Developmental Origins of Health and Disease (DOHaD) hypothesis: relevance for community nursing', Australian Journal of Child and Family Health Nursing, vol. 14, no 1, pp. 4-8.
Briggs, C. 2007, 'Nursing practice in community child health: Developing the nurse-client relationship.', Contemporary Nurse, vol. 23, no. 2, pp. 303-11.
CAFHNA 2009, Competency standards for child and family health nurses, Child and Family Health Nurses Association (NSW) Inc, Sydney.
Davis, S.W. & Compton, S. 2012, 'What is it about breastfeeding that might protect against later overweight and obesity?', Australian Journal of Child and Family Health Nursing, vol. 9, no. 1, pp.4-11.
Davis, H., Day, C. & Bidmead, C. 2002, Working in partnership with parents: The parent advisor model, Psychological Corporation, London.
Davis, H. Day, C, Bidmead, C,, MacGrath, M. & Ellis, M. 2007, Current Family Partnership Model, Centre for Parent and Child Support, viewed 10th October 2014, http://www.cpcs.org.uk/index.php?page=about-family-partnership-model.
Fraser, J., Waters, D., Forster, E. & Brown, N. (eds) 2014, Paediatric nursing in Australia. Principles for practice, Cambridge University Press, Port Melbourne.
Hayley, C. (ed.) 2013. Pillitteri’s child and family health nursing in Australia and New Zealand. Lippencott, Williams & Wilkins, Sydney.
Kids Research Institute, The Children's Hospital at Westmead, Chronic diseases of childhood, viewed 5th October 2017, http://www.kidsresearch.org.au/research/chronic-diseases-childhood.
Nossar, V. 2015, 'Moving beyond impressions: addressing real determinants of health in children', Australian Journal of Child and Family Health Nursing, vol. 12, no. 2, pp. 7-11.
NSW Health 2011, 'Child and family health nursing. Professional practice framework 2011–2016', viewed 3rd January 2012, http://www0.health.nsw.gov.au/pubs/2011/pdf/cfhn_report_web.pdf.
NSW Health 2008, Supporting families early, Primary and Community Health Branch, NSW Health, Sydney.
NSW Health 2008, Safe start, Primary and Community Health Branch, NSW Health, Sydney.
Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia, 2016, National competency standards for the registered nurse, viewed 15th October 2017, http://www.nursingmidwiferyboard.gov.au/Codes-Guidelines-Statements/Codes-Guidelines.aspx#competencystandards.
Schmied, V. 2014, 'Child and family health nursing services in Australia: current state and future directions from the CHoRUS study', Australian Journal of Child and Family Health Nursing, vol. 11, no. pp. 11-18.2.
Other resources
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