92477 Introduction to Specialty Practice: Paediatric 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.
Description
This subject has been designed to enable students to gain knowledge and clinical nursing skills in an area of interest to them. Through this experience, students have the opportunity to develop their expertise in the specialty of paediatric nursing (caring for sick children and their families) and to understand the experience of illness and hospitalisation from the perspective of the child and family. This subject extends the student's paediatric knowledge and experience and gives students the opportunity to determine their preference for the specialty of paediatric nursing. It also has the potential to assist students in their quest for future employment.
Subject learning objectives (SLOs)
| A. | Demonstrate the capacity to assess, plan, deliver and evaluate both clinical nursing care and therapeutic interventions of sick children, in partnership with their families (RN Standards for Practice 1.1,1.4,1.6,2.1,2.2,2.3,2.5,2.6,3.1,4.1,4.2,4.3,5.1,5.2,6.1,6.2,6.5,7.1) |
|---|---|
| B. | Identify the contribution of the interprofessional healthcare team in providing safe clinical care (RN standards for Practice 1.1,1.4,2.1,2.2,2.6,2.7,3.3,3.4,7.3) |
| C. | Demonstrate an understanding of the relevant developmental, legal, ethical, social and environmental factors that impact the delivery of best practice nursing care to children and families (RN Standards for Practice 1.2,1.3,1.4,1.5,5.1,5.2,5.5,7.1,7.3) |
| D. | Recognise the importance of promoting and maintaining the wellbeing of infants and children, including responsibilities related to child protection and mandatory reporting (RN Standards for Practice 1.1,1.2,1.4,2.2,2.3,2.5,4.1,4.3,5.1,5.2,6.1,6.2,6.5) |
| E. | Examine the concept of family and family-centred care in contemporary Australian society and recognise common issues faced by vulnerable families (RN Standards for Practice 1.1,1.2,1.3,1.4,1.5,3.1,3.2,4.1,4.2,4.3,4.4,5.1,5.2,5.5) |
Course intended learning outcomes (CILOs)
This subject also contributes specifically to the following graduate attributes:
- The ability to plan and provide care that is respectful of each individuals’ needs, values and life experiences (1.0)
- Demonstrates an ability to provide holistic and compassionate care that takes into account people's lived experience, views and feelings. (1.1)
- The embodiment of a professional disposition committed to ethical, equitable and legal nursing practice (2.0)
- Demonstrates accountability and responsibility while working within professional codes and standards. (2.1)
- The ability to communicate and collaborate safely, compassionately and respectfully. (3.0)
- Works in partnership with healthcare providers and other stakeholders toward common goals that prioritise patients' values, needs and preferences. (3.3)
- Plans and provides care based on the best available evidence including clinical expertise and patients' individual needs, values and preferences. (4.3)
- Demonstrates technical and non-technical skills in the provision of safe effective, legal and ethical nursing care. (7.1)
Teaching and learning strategies
This subject is designed for students who would like further paediatric nursing experience and/or would like to pursue a career in paediatric nursing. In this subject, students participate in a range of teaching and learning strategies that are designed to encourage engagement with sick babies, children, adolescents and their families.
Lectures and Online Learning Materials
This subject benefits from both the real time delivery of content and access to resources via Canvas, including podcasts, videos and learning modules. Face to face lectures enable students to engage with experts within the field of contemporary paediatric nursing, and the guest lecturers will help students put theory into practice by sharing their professional clinical journey. Class sessions help students to quickly clarify complex descriptions and terminology, and engage with sensitive or confronting topics such as paediatric oncology and palliative care.
Pre-session Learning
Students access online learning resources such as podcasts, videos and literature prior to attending face-to face sessions to facilitate discussion in class resulting in shared learning, experiences and reflections.
Clinical Scenarios
In laboratories, students are introduced to a range of case scenarios based on infants, children and adolescents with acute conditions. Cases are used to help students collaborate and to learn concepts, interpret information, form clinical judgements and develop solutions. Critical thinking is developed through analysis, interpretation of and reflection on issues or situations.
Simulation and Debrief
Use of low and high fidelity simulation will be used to immerse and engage students into the most common paediatric scenarios as identified in the NSW Health Clinical Practice Guidelines. This format supports and encourages communication skills, collaborative learning, critical analysis and judgement, formulation and implementation of interventions and evaluation. Debriefing will be carried out as part of the simulation process to enable reflective learning and reflective practice, and provides opportunities for regular and timely feedback.
Regular Feedback
Interactive critical-thinking based case studies will be used to provide opportunities for students to practice their existing and newly acquired skills, and to identify areas for improvement. Feedback will be provided on assessments to ensure students can identify areas for development and areas of sufficient expertise.
Clinical Placement
In this subject students complete 80 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.
In this subject, the following students are not required to complete a clinical placement for the Introduction to Specialty Practice subject:
- Students enrolled in the STM91471 Bachelor of Nursing Standard Program in 2021 or thereafter
- Students enrolled in the STM91472 Bachelor of Nursing Enrolled Nurse Accelerated program in 2022 or thereafter.
Content (topics)
Nursing care of children with acute and chronic illnesses including, congenital, psychosocial and physical health conditions (respiratory, sepsis, trauma, mental health) and care of children requiring surgery, intensive care, palliative care and care of the sick newborn/neonate.
Growth and development in the context of acute care paediatric health services and the importance of developmentally appropriate care and family-centred care.
Assessment
Assessment task 1: Domestic and Family Violence Online Module and Quiz
| Intent: | Students will develop their understanding of domestic and family violence in Australia, as well as the role of the Paediatric/C&FH nurse in the assessment and support of vulnerable families. |
|---|---|
| Objective(s): | This assessment task addresses subject learning objective(s): B, C, D and E This assessment task contributes to the development of graduate attribute(s): 1.0, 1.1 and 2.0 |
| Type: | Quiz/test |
| Weight: | 10% |
| Length: | Part A- Self-paced online module |
Assessment task 2: Multiple Choice Quizzes
| Intent: | The purpose of this assessment is to provide students with an opportunity to demonstrate their ability to interpret data and make clinical decisions in caring for sick children and their families. It is expected that students will draw upon the subject content from previous weekly preparation activities, lectures and laboratory activities to demonstrate their understanding. |
|---|---|
| Objective(s): | This assessment task addresses subject learning objective(s): A, B and C This assessment task contributes to the development of graduate attribute(s): 3.3 and 4.3 |
| Type: | Quiz/test |
| Weight: | 30% |
| Length: | Each quiz will have an allocation of 25 minutes and take place during allocated lab in week 2 and 3. |
Assessment task 3: Practical Case Study Assessment
| Intent: | The purpose of this assessment is for students to demonstrate sound clinical reasoning and critical thinking skills in the provision of safe and effective nursing care to unwell children and their families. |
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| Objective(s): | This assessment task addresses subject learning objective(s): A, B and C This assessment task contributes to the development of graduate attribute(s): 2.1, 3.0 and 7.1 |
| Type: | Laboratory/practical |
| Weight: | 60% |
| Length: | Assessment period is 90 minutes. |
Assessment task 4: Clinical Placement
| Type: | Laboratory/practical |
|---|---|
| Length: | 80 hours |
Recommended texts
The following textbook is recommended as a reference for those students considering paediatric and/or family nursing and/or midwifery. (NB: it is not otherwise necessary to purchase this textbook as all reading material is provided).
Hockenberry, M. J., & Wilson, D. (eds) (2018). Wong’s Nursing Care of Infants and Children, 11th edn, Elsevier Mosby, St. Louis.
Other resources
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Improve your academic and English language skills
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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.
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