93216 Clinical Practice 3A
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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): 93211 Clinical Practice 2B
These requisites may not apply to students in certain courses.
There are course requisites for this subject. See access conditions.
Description
This subject builds on the knowledge and skills gained in the first and second-year subjects to extend students’ critical thinking and clinical reasoning skills in caring for patients with higher acuity and more complex health breakdown. The importance of comprehensive assessment is particularly emphasised together with nurse-initiated interventions that are based on both physiological and pathophysiological processes, the best literature and clinical judgement. Students expand their ability to identify and respond to clinically deteriorating patients across the lifespan and to initiate and escalate care appropriately. Students practice within the framework of the Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia (NMBA) Registered Nurse Standards for Practice and the Patient Safety Competency Framework (PSCF).
Subject learning objectives (SLOs)
| A. | Apply knowledge of physiological, pathophysiological and psychosocial concepts to patients with complex needs and/or life threatening conditions (RN Standards for Practice 1.1-1.6,4.1-4.4). |
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| B. | Demonstrate clinical reasoning and critical thinking skills for people with complex needs and/or life threatening conditions (RN Standards for Practice 1.1-1.6, ,6.1-6.6, 7-7.3). |
| C. | Demonstrate the role and responsibilities of the registered nurse in the coordination and provision of care for patients with higher acuity and/or complex needs (RN Standards for Practice 1-7). |
| D. | Demonstrate safe and appropriate communication, teamwork, nursing practice in accordance with the Registered Nurse Standards for Practice (2016) (RN Standards for Practice 1-7). |
| E. | Practice with increasing independence in accordance with the UTS BN scope of practice for third year and the Registered Nurse Standards for Practice (2016) (RN Standards for Practice 1-7). |
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)
- 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)
- The intellectual capacity to use theoretical knowledge to address complex and non-routine clinical issues (6.0)
- Critically reflects on and learns from previous experiences to improve future practice. (6.3)
- The knowledge and skills required for safe and effective patient care (7.0)
Contribution to the development of graduate attributes
This subject also contributes specifically to the following graduate attributes:
- Person-centred care
- Evidence based practice
- Critical thinking
- Professional competence
Teaching and learning strategies
In this subject, students will participate in various teaching and learning strategies designed to encourage them to engage in the nursing care of patients with higher acuity and complex health breakdowns.
Lectures
Online lectures are provided to enable students to clarify, discuss and develop subject concepts.
Online Learning Activities
Via the online platform Canvas, students will be exposed to a variety of online materials that have been specifically developed to support students' progress. Students access online learning resources, including pre/post-class activities, videos, readings, clinical websites, and guidelines. Students will be required to undertake the set activities before coming to the clinical laboratories.
Clinical skills, collaboration, communication and simulation
Students participate in clinical laboratory sessions focusing on integrating key concepts and clinical skills. Simulated activities will be incorporated to provide practical learning experiences and are designed to give exposure to a range of scenarios that may be encountered in practice. Activities include using audio-visual aids, clinical equipment set-ups with mannequins, and teaching staff or students as patients/families. Students learn and practice clinical and interpersonal skills, and practice scenarios incorporate the development of professional communication skills, including professional and therapeutic communication required for nursing practice. Students are provided feedback and the opportunity to collaborate and develop skills to work effectively as team members.
Patient stories and clinical case scenarios
Patient stories are used to help students explore health-related scenarios. Students use these scenarios to learn concepts, interpret information, form clinical judgements and develop creative solutions. Critical thinking is developed through analysis, interpretation, and reflection on issues or situations.
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)
- Airway management - an introduction to artificial airways and tracheostomy care
- Safe and quality use of medicines including administration via intravenous bolus and S4D and S8 administration in a simulated environment (students cannot administer S4D and/or S8 medications on clinical placement)
- Urethral catheter insertion (female)
- Bladder irrigation
- Recognising and responding to the deterioration of patients with rapidly changing conditions and escalation of care
- Introduction to blood gas analysis
- Coordination and provision of care for patients with higher acuity and complex health breakdown
- Care of a person receiving blood and blood products
- Introduction to central vascular access devices (CVADs) management in a simulated environment (students cannot access and/or administer medications via CVADs on clinical placement)
Assessment
Assessment task 1: Collaborative in-class quizzes
| Intent: | This assessment task is to provide students feedback on their understanding of the preparation activities and online subject material. It is also designed to improve mutual trust, cooperation and communication among students in a team environment, which contributes to collaborative learning and teamwork skills. This assessment encourages students to participate and engage during on-campus clinical laboratories. |
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| Objective(s): | This assessment task addresses subject learning objective(s): A, B, C and D This assessment task contributes to the development of graduate attribute(s): 2.0, 3.0, 4.0 and 6.0 |
| Type: | Quiz/test |
| Groupwork: | Group, group and individually assessed |
| Weight: | 40% |
| Length: |
|
Assessment task 2: Antimicrobial modules
| Intent: | Inappropriate use, and overuse of antimicrobials contribute to an increase in resistant bacteria and may result in patient harm. Patients with antimicrobial-resistant infections are more likely to experience ineffective treatment, recurrent infection, delayed recovery, or even death. Antimicrobial stewardship (AMS) programs have been shown to decrease inappropriate antimicrobial usage, improve patient outcomes and reduce adverse consequences of antimicrobial use (including antimicrobial resistance, toxicity and unnecessary costs). Together with infection prevention and control, hand hygiene and surveillance, antimicrobial stewardship is considered a key strategy in local and national programs to prevent the emergence of antimicrobial resistance and decrease preventable healthcare-associated infection. |
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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): 1.0, 6.0 and 7.0 |
| Type: | Exercises |
| Groupwork: | Individual |
| Weight: | 10% |
| Length: | There is no specific time limit. This is dependent on the time required for the individual student to complete the two modules. |
Assessment task 3: Open book Faculty-based exam
| Intent: | This assessment task is designed to provide students with the opportunity to demonstrate their understanding of the content covered in this subject, including preparation activities, tutorials and lectures. Students are to demonstrate an understanding of the content covered in the subject and an ability to apply this knowledge correctly to patient stories and clinical case studies. This exam is not designed to test students' ability to memorise and recall facts. Instead, it tests students' ability to consider a situation, synthesise information and draw conclusions. |
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| Objective(s): | This assessment task addresses subject learning objective(s): A, B, C and D This assessment task contributes to the development of graduate attribute(s): 1.0, 4.0, 6.0 and 7.0 |
| Type: | Examination |
| Groupwork: | Individual |
| Weight: | 50% |
| Length: | 1.5 hours (including reading time) |
Assessment task 4: Clinical placement + Clinical competency assessment (hurdle requirement)
| Intent: | Students undertake clinical placement experience (160 hours) that will prepare them for practice in the real clinical workforce. Feedback from clinicians and clinical facilitators will support and reinforce student learning and the development of confidence in their practice. Reflection on and in practice is encouraged to enhance personal development. Clinical Placement is Pass/Fail. 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 final session of the BN course. |
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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, 6.0 and 6.3 |
| Type: | Laboratory/practical |
| Groupwork: | Individual |
| Length: | 160 clinical placement hours |
Required texts
Bauldoff, Burke, K. M., Bauldoff, G., Gubrud-Howe, P., Levett-Jones, T., Dwyer, T., Moxham, L., Reid-Searl, K., Berry, K., Carville,
K., Hales, M., & Knox, N. (2019). Lemone and Burke’s medical-surgical nursing : critical thinking for person-centred care (Fourth
edition.). Pearson Australia.
Berman, Snyder, S., Levett-Jones, T., Burton, T., & Harvey, N. (2021). Skills in Clinical Nursing. Pearson Education Australia
Levett-Jones, T. (ed.) (2023). Clinical reasoning: learning to think like a nurse. (3rd ed). Pearson Australia.
Recommended texts
Levett-Jones, T & Reid-Searl, K. (2022). The Clinical Placement: An Essential Guide for Nursing Students 5e. Elsevier Australia.
Other resources
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