NURSING 2011 - Health Assessment and Clinical Nursing IV

North Terrace Campus - Semester 2 - 2025

Health Assessment and Clinical Nursing IV continues the student's exposure to advanced form of nursing assessment and intervention. The development of core assessment skills enables students to maximise their placement experience to identify potential health problems, respond confidently to situations requiring comprehensive and possibly emergency assessment of cardiac and neurological dysfunction. Students conduct a number of assessments during clinical placement in liaison and with the support of their clinical lecturer. Learning in a simulated learning environment provides a safe approach to skills and provides students with a pre clinical opportunity for placement. Students will have the opportunity to practice in accordance with the NMBA National Nursing Competency Standards for the Registered Nurse

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Course Details

Course Code	NURSING 2011
Course	Health Assessment and Clinical Nursing IV
Coordinating Unit	Adelaide Nursing School
Term	Semester 2
Level	Undergraduate
Location/s	North Terrace Campus
Units	3
Contact	Up to 4 hours per week
Available for Study Abroad and Exchange	N
Prerequisites	NURSING 2007
Restrictions	Bachelor of Nursing
Assessment	Clinical record, team gaming, RSD level 3, clinical assessment sheets, OSCE

Course Staff

Course Coordinator: Ms Sally-Anne Bessell

Course Coordinator: Dr David Foley
Phone: +61 8313 6285
Email: david.foley@adelaide.edu.au
Location: Level 4, AHMS Building

Course Timetable

The full timetable of all activities for this course can be accessed from Course Planner.

Course Learning Outcomes

1	Perform a cardiovascular assessment including a 12 lead ECG and recognise life life-threatening arrhythmias
2	Demonstrate comprehensive nursing care of the unconscious patient
3	Conduct a Neurological assessment including use of the Glasgow Coma Scale & recognise signs of elevated ICP
4	Compare the care of patients with distributive and non-distributive forms of shock
5	Provide a rationale for nursing care during endocrine emergencies
6	Develop a care plan for the patient with endocrine dysfunction or an endocrine emergency
7	Conduct a primary and secondary survey
8	Examine forms of dialysis for the patient with renal dysfunction
9	Identify cues that suggest a deterioration in patient care

University Graduate Attributes

This course will provide students with an opportunity to develop the Graduate Attribute(s) specified below:

University Graduate Attribute	Course Learning Outcome(s)
Attribute 1: Deep discipline knowledge and intellectual breadth Graduates have comprehensive knowledge and understanding of their subject area, the ability to engage with different traditions of thought, and the ability to apply their knowledge in practice including in multi-disciplinary or multi-professional contexts.	1,2,3,4,5,7,8
Attribute 2: Creative and critical thinking, and problem solving Graduates are effective problems-solvers, able to apply critical, creative and evidence-based thinking to conceive innovative responses to future challenges.	3, 4, 8.9
Attribute 3: Teamwork and communication skills Graduates convey ideas and information effectively to a range of audiences for a variety of purposes and contribute in a positive and collaborative manner to achieving common goals.	5,9
Attribute 4: Professionalism and leadership readiness Graduates engage in professional behaviour and have the potential to be entrepreneurial and take leadership roles in their chosen occupations or careers and communities.	4,8
Attribute 5: Intercultural and ethical competency Graduates are responsible and effective global citizens whose personal values and practices are consistent with their roles as responsible members of society.	2,6
Attribute 6: Australian Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultural competency Graduates have an understanding of, and respect for, Australian Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander values, culture and knowledge.	2
Attribute 7: Digital capabilities Graduates are well prepared for living, learning and working in a digital society.	1, 8
Attribute 8: Self-awareness and emotional intelligence Graduates are self-aware and reflective; they are flexible and resilient and have the capacity to accept and give constructive feedback; they act with integrity and take responsibility for their actions.	6,7,8,9

Learning Resources
Required Resources
1. Tollefson, J. 2019 Clinical psychomotor skills: assessment skills for nurses 7th edn, Cengage Learning Australia, South Melbourne.
2. Brown, D. & Edwards, H. Buckley, T. & Aitken, R.L. (eds) 2019 Lewis’s medical-surgical nursing, 5th edn, Sydney, Elsevier
  OR
  LeMone, K Burke, T Dwyer, T Levett-Jones, L Moxham, K Reid-Searl, K Berry, K Carville, M Hales, N Knox, Y Luxford & D Raymond (eds) 2014 Medical-Surgical Nursing: Critical Thinking for Person Centred Care, Pearson Australia, Frenchs Forrest
3. Lewis, P. & Foley, D. 2020 Weber & Kelly's Health Assessment in Nursing 3rd Australian edn, Wolters Kluwer Health Lippincott Williams & Wilkins, Broadway.
4. Intelli+Learn, 2013. Medication Management for Health Professionals. CD, An interactive course to develop and assess skills in medication management. Australia
Online Learning

Some material in this course will be offered on line.

Learning & Teaching Modes

This course uses a blend of lectures, tutorials and workshops (some are delivered online) to identify situations that inform and are informed by clinical practice. The opportunity for students to recognise aspects of clinical care issues and consider these in the light of lecture material is significant. Student observations reinforce aspects of nursing theory and contribute to the wider development of the group. Differences between hospitals and other health care settings also form an educational aspect to support the lecture content.

Workload

The information below is provided as a guide to assist students in engaging appropriately with the course requirements.

The workload for this course requires attendance at:
• 11 x 3 hour lecture or tutorial / semester
• 5 x 2 hour practical / semester

Non-contact hours for assessment and tutorial preparation will be approximately 6 hours per week.

Learning Activities Summary

Topics	Practicals
Primary and secondary survey Deteriorating patient Haemodynamics 12 lead ECG Shock – distributive Shock – non distributive Traumatic Injury Neurological assessment Pain & Neurovascular Assessment Restraints and patient care Intracranial pressure The unconscious patient Renal Dialysis Endocrine dysfunction Deteriorating patient cases Complex patient management	Primary and secondary survey 12 lead ECG & cardiac monitoring Shock & Haemodynamic Monitoring Neurovascular & Pain Assessment Neurological Assessment, Restraint & the Unconscious Patient Diabetic Ketoacidosis & IDC Insertion OSCE revision

Specific Course Requirements

All students will be required to attend clinical placement as part of the course requirements.

The University's policy on Assessment for Coursework Programs is based on the following four principles:

Assessment must encourage and reinforce learning.
Assessment must enable robust and fair judgements about student performance.
Assessment practices must be fair and equitable to students and give them the opportunity to demonstrate what they have learned.
Assessment must maintain academic standards.

Assessment Summary

Assessment Tasks	Task Type	Weighting	Learning Outcome being assessed
1. NCAS / Summative assessment / Employer Competencies	Summative	0%
2. Clinical Assessment – Description of the Deteriorating Patient Using the Rapid Detection and Response Adult Observation Chart	Summative	30%
3. Clinical Assessment – ISBAR and Care Plan for the patient, from assessment 2	Summative	50%
4. Practical preparation, participation & attendance	Summative	20%
5. Clinical Examination	Summative (Hurdle)	0%

Assessment Related Requirements

Marking guides will be provided with each assignment and available in the Study Guides. All assessments must be submitted with correct referencing. The required reference style is Author Date (Harvard) not Vancouver. All assessments will be submitted through TurnitIn and checked for plagiarism.

Assessment Detail

ASSESSMENT 1: Clinical record / NCAS / Clinical Summative Assessment
The Clinical Record identifies a range of competencies as required by the Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia Competency Standards of the Registered Nurse 2016. Students will have a range of skills records to complete during their clinical placement.
In addition to the skills record, each student is to obtain a completed NCAS (National Competency Assessment Schedule) at the end of each placement. There are a total of 8 competencies to be completed over the 3-year program. A written Summative Assessment must also be obtained at the end of each placement which will be completed by the supervising Registered Nurse and Clinical Lecturer.

ASSESSMENT 2: Description of the Deteriorating Patient using an RDR Chart
In this online assignment quiz, you will chart the deterioration of a fictional patient. This will be accomplished using a Rapid Detection and Response Adult Observation Chart. On this chart, the student will create observations that describe the clinical deterioration of the patient introduced to them at the beginning of the quiz. Within the quiz assignment on MyUni students will be given initial patient details and some additional events that they will need to add to the chart. The quiz assignment will also ask students to upload rhythm strips that will fit the scenario.

ASSESSMENT 3: Clinical Assessment – ISBAR and Care Plan
Using the details from Assessment 2, students will write an ISBAR formatted handover and care plan for their patient. This care plan will be an academic document, that will be supported by peer-reviewed literature and research evidence.

ASSESSMENT 4: Practical Preparation, Participation & Attendance
Students are required to attend the practicals

ASSESSMENT 5: OSCE (clinical Examination)
OSCE (Oral Structured Clinical Examination): students will attend a 20 min OSCE in which they will demonstrate a range of nursing interventions especially in relation to skills taken from the course objectives. Along with skills demonstrations, students will provide a rationale for the tasks. Students will be assessed by staff in the skill laboratory using the electronic system B-line. This system allows for anonymity of students to facilitators and reduces the bias. The OSCE is a hurdle and must be passed to pass the course.

Submission

Unless otherwise indicated all assignments are to be submitted through MyUni. TurnItin will be used to check student assignments. TurnItin will be used to check student assignments. Students MUST keep an electronic copy of all assignments submitted.

Extensions are generally awarded for no more than 10 working days unless there are exceptional circumstances.
To apply for an Assessment Extension, a student must submit an application for extension form prior to the assessment deadline. You will find this on the School of Nursing Website or use the link provided here.

See the Modified Arrangements for Coursework Assessment Policy http://www.adelaide.edu.au/policies/3303/

Course Grading

Grades for your performance in this course will be awarded in accordance with the following scheme:

M10 (Coursework Mark Scheme)
Grade	Mark	Description
FNS		Fail No Submission
F	1-49	Fail
P	50-64	Pass
C	65-74	Credit
D	75-84	Distinction
HD	85-100	High Distinction
CN		Continuing
NFE		No Formal Examination
RP		Result Pending

Further details of the grades/results can be obtained from Examinations.

Grade Descriptors are available which provide a general guide to the standard of work that is expected at each grade level. More information at Assessment for Coursework Programs.

Final results for this course will be made available through Access Adelaide.

Student Feedback

The University places a high priority on approaches to learning and teaching that enhance the student experience. Feedback is sought from students in a variety of ways including on-going engagement with staff, the use of online discussion boards and the use of Student Experience of Learning and Teaching (SELT) surveys as well as GOS surveys and Program reviews.

SELTs are an important source of information to inform individual teaching practice, decisions about teaching duties, and course and program curriculum design. They enable the University to assess how effectively its learning environments and teaching practices facilitate student engagement and learning outcomes. Under the current SELT Policy (http://www.adelaide.edu.au/policies/101/) course SELTs are mandated and must be conducted at the conclusion of each term/semester/trimester for every course offering. Feedback on issues raised through course SELT surveys is made available to enrolled students through various resources (e.g. MyUni). In addition aggregated course SELT data is available.

Changes made included fewer assessments and a greater emphasis on the patient in a general medical or surgical ward setting.
In response to students requests in SELT feedback for smaller emphasis on the final major assignment (reduced to 50%) and in order to improve student preparation for clinical skills, a greater assessment percentage has been placed on practical preparation, participation & attendance increasing the weight from 10% to 20%.
Student Support
Policies & Guidelines
This section contains links to relevant assessment-related policies and guidelines - all university policies.
Fraud Awareness

Students are reminded that in order to maintain the academic integrity of all programs and courses, the university has a zero-tolerance approach to students offering money or significant value goods or services to any staff member who is involved in their teaching or assessment. Students offering lecturers or tutors or professional staff anything more than a small token of appreciation is totally unacceptable, in any circumstances. Staff members are obliged to report all such incidents to their supervisor/manager, who will refer them for action under the university's student’s disciplinary procedures.

The University of Adelaide is committed to regular reviews of the courses and programs it offers to students. The University of Adelaide therefore reserves the right to discontinue or vary programs and courses without notice. Please read the important information contained in the disclaimer.

Authorised by:	Deputy Vice-Chancellor and Vice-President (Academic)
Maintained by:	Course Outlines Administrator