92479 Introduction to Specialty Practice: Perioperative Nursing
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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 clinical elective subject is designed to introduce and further students' knowledge and understanding of the nursing management of adults and/or children undergoing surgery. This subject facilitates integration between theory and practice in this specialty area of nursing and closely aligns with the Australian College of Perioperative Nurses (ACORN) standards. It enables students to work within a highly structured and developed area of complex health management as members of a functioning interdisciplinary perioperative team. It also provides students with the opportunity to demonstrate technical competence at a beginning level in the application of safe, effective and efficient use of technology and resources in perioperative nursing practice.
Subject learning objectives (SLOs)
| A. | Discuss the roles and responsibilities of the RN in the operating theatre department and their collaboration with the inter-professional healthcare team (RN Standards of Practice 1.4,1.6, 2.6,2.7). |
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| B. | Develop a beginning understanding of clinical skills within the perioperative environment (RN Standards of Practice 3.4,3.5,5.2, 6.5,6.6,7.1,7.3). |
| C. | Develop knowledge and skills to assist with performing a perioperative nursing assessment and planning patient care with the patient and members of the interprofessional health care team (RN Standards of Practice 1.4,1.6, 2.6,2.7, 3.4,3.5,6.5,6.6,7). |
| D. | Develop and demonstrate perioperative nursing knowledge through evaluating relevant professional and scholarly evidence and using such evidence to plan, explain and justify the management of the perioperative patient (RN Standards of Practice 3.4,3.5,5.2, 6.5,6.6,7.1,7.3). |
| E. | Discuss the legal obligations and ethical considerations of the nurse in the perioperative environment (RN Standards of Practice 1.4,1.6,7.1,7.3). |
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)
- 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)
- The ability to provide patient care premised on the best available evidence (4.0)
- Professional cultural competence that contributes to the health and well-being of Indigenous Australians, inclusive of their physical, social, emotional and spiritual wellbeing (5.0)
Teaching and learning strategies
This subject provides a blend of teaching and learning opportunities through face-to-face laboratories, self-directed and online learning. This subject also provides students with flexibility in assessment choices to support individual learning needs and make connections between prior knowledge and experiences and new information.
Online learning materials
Subject lectures are designed to enage students and enable them to clarify complex descriptions and terminology. This subject benefits from access to online resources. Opportunities will be given during laboratory sessions for any questions or clarification.
Simulated activities
Simulation provides an environment for students to practice new skills learnt through theory and knowledge development. Scenarios from relevant situations are used to depict real life experiences in nursing practice. Students will have the opportunity to interact, observe and provide feedback within the facilitated debriefing, and reflect on their own skills, values and experiences.
Structured decision making activities
Working in small teams students engage in real-time, shared decision-making activities, following a weekly guided case study. This assists students to engage with policies and utilise knowledge to formulate responses to situations, under time pressure, as would be expected within a clinical practice setting. Together, students learn to quickly achieve consensus for decisions. Feedback for decision outcomes is also provided in real-time allowing students to assess and reflect on their decision-making choices.
Communication skills development
Teaching and learning strategies incorporate the development of professional communication skills for all students. This encompasses professional and therapeutic communication required for nursing practice.
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)
Care of the patient during the perioperative period: Students explore the care of the patient in the perioperative environment. This includes caring for a patient in the preoperative, intraoperative and postoperative periods. Attention is paid to developing an understanding of the specific needs of surgical patients during each perioperative phase, with particular emphasis on vulnerable patient groups, namely: The paediatric patient; the older person; the bariatric patient.
Nursing roles and responsibilities in the perioperative environment: Students will gain an understanding of the perioperative nursing roles and responsibilities including: anaesthetic nursing role, circulating nursing role, instrument nursing role and postanaesthesia recovery unit (PARU) nursing role. Students will also be given the opportunity to function in one or more of these roles during their clinical placement.
Legal issues in the perioperative environment: Legal issues specific to this clinical specialty area are explored including documentation requirements, patient consent and the surgical count.
Patient safety in the perioperative environment: The inherently risky perioperative environment will be explored including patient and staff safety as well as risk management strategies related to the type of work and care delivered within it.
Teamwork in the perioperative environment: Emphasis is placed on working within the perioperative environment and more specifically working within interdisciplinary teams.
Assessment
Assessment task 1: Group Presentation- Education Session
| Intent: | Students will work in groups of 3-4 to develop a 10- minute introductory orientation education session for direct entry perioperative new graduate nurses. The education session will form part of the New Graduate Grad Start orientation program. Students will select ONE nursing specialty (anaesthetics, scrub-scout, PACU) and ONE specific topic related to the care of a surgical patient (Anaesthetics: 1. Anaesthetic Monitoring 2. Prevention and Management of Stridor; Scout: 1. Patient Positioning; Scrub: 1. The Surgical Count, 2. Principles of Surgical Asepsis; PACU 1. Prevention and Management of Postoperative Hypothermia, 2. Prevention and Management of Postoperative Nausea and Vomiting). NB: Only one nursing speciality/topic per group, per lab class. |
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| Objective(s): | This assessment task addresses subject learning objective(s): A, B and D This assessment task contributes to the development of graduate attribute(s): 1.0, 4.0 and 5.0 |
| Type: | Presentation |
| Groupwork: | Group, group assessed |
| Weight: | 30% |
| Length: | 10 Minutes |
Assessment task 2: Assessment of a Clinical Skill: Simulated OSCE
| Intent: | The objective of this assessment of a clinical skill- simulated OSCE is to assess the clinical competency, knowledge application, and communication skills of undergraduate nursing students in a simulated perioperative environment. Through this assessment, students will demonstrate their ability to perform a specific clinical skill related to a specific nursing role while adhering to a pre-assigned clinical skills check list. Additionally, students will act as assessors, providing constructive and specific written feedback on a peer's performance. |
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| Objective(s): | This assessment task addresses subject learning objective(s): A and B This assessment task contributes to the development of graduate attribute(s): 1.0, 2.1 and 3.0 |
| Type: | Laboratory/practical |
| Groupwork: | Individual |
| Weight: | 20% |
| Length: | 10 minutes to perform the skill and 5 minutes for assessor feedback |
Assessment task 3: In-class examination
| Intent: | The purpose of this assessment is to enable students to:
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| Objective(s): | This assessment task addresses subject learning objective(s): A, B, C, D and E This assessment task contributes to the development of graduate attribute(s): 1.0, 2.0, 3.0, 4.0 and 5.0 |
| Type: | Quiz/test |
| Groupwork: | Individual |
| Weight: | 50% |
| Length: | 60 Minutes |
Assessment task 4: Clinical Placement
| Objective(s): | This assessment task addresses subject learning objective(s): A, B, C, D and E This assessment task contributes to the development of graduate attribute(s): 1.0, 2.0, 3.0, 4.0 and 5.0 |
|---|---|
| Length: | 80 hours |
Required texts
1. Hamlin, L., Davis, M., Richardson-Tench, M. & Sutherland-Fraser, S. 2021 'Perioperative Nursing: An Introduction', 3rd edn, Chatswood, Elsevier Australia.
2. Australian College of Perioperative Nurses Ltd, 2018 'Standards for Perioperative Nursing in Australia', 15th edn, South Australia, ACORN.
Students will have access to an e-copy of the ACORN standards via the UTS library. Information on how to access the standards will be made available in Canvas.
Recommended texts
Rothrock, J. C. (2022). Alexander's Care of the Patient in Surgery-E-Book. Elsevier Health Sciences.
Other resources
UTS Student Centre
Building 10
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Tel: 1300 ASK UTS (1300 275 887)
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