93232 Transition to Professional Practice
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Credit points: 6 cp
Subject level:
Undergraduate
Result type: Grade and marksRequisite(s): (93222 Clinical Practice 2A AND (93223 Nursing Care of the Older Person OR 92460 Nursing Care of the Older Person) AND (93227 Fundamentals of Mental Health Nursing OR 92457 Fundamentals of Mental Health Nursing) AND 93225 Clinical Practice 2B AND 93230c Foundations of Nursing Practice 3B AND 93228 Foundations of Nursing Practice 3A AND 93229 Clinical Practice 3A)
The lower case 'c' after the subject code indicates that the subject is a corequisite. See definitions for details.
There are course requisites for this subject. See access conditions.
Description
This is the capstone subject for the Bachelor of Nursing. The subject requires students to integrate and apply the knowledge, concepts and skills associated with their entire sequence of undergraduate study. Transition to the role of registered nurse, clinical competence and safety and quality in health care are the primary focus of this subject. Students explore the challenges and opportunities associated with transitioning to the role of registered nurse through innovative teaching and learning strategies. In addition, there is also an emphasis on developing resilience and self-care and a plan for ongoing professional development. Laboratories and simulations are aimed at integrating and consolidating learning from previous clinical subjects to ensure all graduates deliver optimal evidence-based care across a variety of health settings. Students attend an extended clinical placement in one of a range of clinical areas where they are required to demonstrate their ability to practice at the level of a competent beginning registered nurse in a clinical assessment.
Subject learning objectives (SLOs)
| A. | Reflect on their professional development needs and develop strategies to improve knowledge, skill and competence to facilitate a transition from student nurse to registered nurse (RN Standards for Practice 3, 6) |
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| B. | Demonstrate the ability to communicate and collaborate professionally with peers and members of the health care team (RN Standards for Practice 2, 3, 4, 6) |
| C. | Demonstrate comprehensive, safe, effective, evidence-based nursing care for an allocated patient load (as determined by the clinical setting) using effective clinical reasoning and critical thinking skills (RN Standards for Practice 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7) |
| D. | Demonstrate the ability to communicate effectively with patients and their families in providing person-centred care (RN Standards for Practice 2, 4, 6) |
| E. | Practice in a way that facilitates patient safety according to the Patient Safety Competency Framework (RN Standards for Practice 1, 2, 3, 6) |
| F. | Demonstrate competence to practice according to the Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia (NMBA) 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)
- 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)
- Demonstrates the ability to develop therapeutic relationships while maintaining professional boundaries. (3.1)
- Works in partnership with healthcare providers and other stakeholders toward common goals that prioritise patients' values, needs and preferences. (3.3)
- The ability to provide patient care premised on the best available evidence (4.0)
- Plans and provides care based on the best available evidence including clinical expertise and patients' individual needs, values and preferences. (4.3)
- The knowledge and skills required for safe and effective patient care (7.0)
Teaching and learning strategies
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 an acute care surgical setting. 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.
Clinical Placement
In this subject students complete 240 hours of clinical placement. Placements are provided in a range of healthcare facilities in mostly metropolitan locations. Students provide nursing care within multidisciplinary teams to develop and consolidate their knowledge, skills and attributes relevant to the clinical field.
Content (topics)
This subject is a consolidation of knowledge from all subjects within the course.
Assessment
Assessment task 1: Communication Assessment
| Intent: | Students will enhance their communication skills in a group role play exploring challenging conversations within clinical based scenarios. |
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| Objective(s): | This assessment task addresses subject learning objective(s): B, D and E This assessment task contributes to the development of graduate attribute(s): 2.0, 3.0 and 3.1 |
| Groupwork: | Group, group assessed |
| Weight: | 30% |
| Length: | 10 minutes (including scenario and role introduction) |
Assessment task 2: Continuing Professional Development Assessment
| Intent: | Students to develop a Concept Map identifying a 5 year professional development plan to be undertaken once commencing as a Registered Nurse. |
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| Objective(s): | This assessment task addresses subject learning objective(s): A This assessment task contributes to the development of graduate attribute(s): 2.1 |
| Groupwork: | Individual |
| Weight: | 20% |
| Length: | 1 A3 piece of paper. |
Assessment task 3: Clinical Oral Exam 'VIVA'
| Intent: | This task enables students to apply and demonstrate their clinical reasoning and communication skills to a ward based scenario preparing them to practice as effective team members of the health care team. |
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| Objective(s): | This assessment task addresses subject learning objective(s): C and F This assessment task contributes to the development of graduate attribute(s): 2.0 and 4.3 |
| Groupwork: | Individual |
| Weight: | 50% |
| Length: | 45 minutes |
Assessment task 4: Clinical Competency Assessment
| Intent: | Students undertake an extended and continuous clinical placement experience that will prepare them for practice in the real clinical workforce. Feedback from clinicians and clinical facilitators will support and reinforce student learning and development of confidence in their practice. Reflection on and in practice is encouraged to enhance personal development. 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 transition year. |
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| Objective(s): | This assessment task addresses subject learning objective(s): B, C, D, E and F This assessment task contributes to the development of graduate attribute(s): 1.0, 2.1, 3.1, 3.3 and 4.3 |
| Groupwork: | Individual |
| Weight: | Mandatory task that does not contribute to subject mark |
| Length: | Observation - 1 hour, Clinical viva 30 minutes |
Assessment task 5: Clinical placement
| Objective(s): | This assessment task addresses subject learning objective(s): B, C, D, E and F This assessment task contributes to the development of graduate attribute(s): 1.0, 2.1, 3.0, 4.0 and 7.0 |
|---|---|
| Groupwork: | Individual |
| Weight: | Mandatory task that does not contribute to subject mark |
| Length: | 240 hours. |
Other resources
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Improve your academic and English language skills
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HELPS (Higher Education Language & Presentation Support)
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