NURSING 740 : Prescribing in Advanced Nursing Practice

Medical and Health Sciences

2020 Semester Two (1205) (30 POINTS)

Course Prescription

The knowledge and competencies that form the basis of prescribing in advanced nursing are developed under supervision.

Course Overview

This course is the final practicum course for nurses pursuing registration as a Nurse Practitioner (NP) in accordance with the New Zealand Gazette notice (No. 22, 2nd March 2017 Notice of Replacement and Revocation of Notice for Nurse Practitioners) which enabled authorised prescribing within the scope of NP.
The emphasis for this course is on the utilisation of critical decision making and evidence-based clinical practice knowledge to formulate differential diagnoses, and therapeutic planning especially prescription of pharmacotherapy.
The Registered Nurse will demonstrate competent management skills for clients in their area of practice with common and complex health problems. Practical experience is crucial for the development of advanced nursing skills in diagnostic reasoning, differential diagnoses and the development of treatment plan(s) that include pharmacologic and non-pharmacologic interventions. This experience enables the application of clinical knowledge along with the opportunity to critique their practice in an appropriate, supported clinical and academic framework.
This practicum includes a minimum of 150 hours of direct clinical supervision (minimum of 250 hours for those in NPTP) by a Medical or Nurse Practitioner (the Clinical Supervisor) in the relevant area of practice.

Course Requirements

No pre-requisites or restrictions

Capabilities Developed in this Course

Capability 1: Disciplinary Knowledge and Practice
Capability 2: Critical Thinking
Capability 3: Solution Seeking
Capability 4: Communication and Engagement
Capability 5: Independence and Integrity
Capability 6: Social and Environmental Responsibilities
Graduate Profile: Master of Nursing

Learning Outcomes

By the end of this course, students will be able to:
  1. Support, Educate, Coach, Counsel and work in partnership with the health consumer and their family/whanau regarding diagnoses, prognoses, and self-management, including their personal responses to illness, injuries, risk factors and therapeutic interventions demonstrating responsiveness to Maori and capacity to eliminate health inequities. (Capability 1.1, 1.2, 1.3, 2.1, 2.2, 2.3, 3.1, 3.2, 4.1, 4.2, 5.1, 5.2, 5.3, 6.1, 6.2 and 6.3)
  2. Demonstrate and apply advanced knowledge of pharmacology to make safe and appropriate risk-benefit prescribing decisions including considerations of antibiotic stewardship and drug dependency where appropriate. Apply concepts of de-prescribing to manage polypharmacy where appropriate. (Capability 1.1, 1.2, 1.3, 2.1, 2.2, 3.1, 4.1, 4.2, 5.1, 5.2 and 6.2)
  3. Critically analyse risk/benefit for co-prescription of multiple medications (Capability 1.1, 1.2, 1.3, 2.1, 2.2, 4.1, 5.1, 5.2 and 6.2)
  4. Apply and critique knowledge of age-related pharmacokinetic differences and the implications of prescriptive practice on clients in special populations (older adult and children) (Capability 1.1, 1.2, 1.3, 2.1, 2.2, 3.1, 4.2, 5.1, 5.2, 6.2 and 6.3)
  5. Verify the suitability of evidence-based treatment options including medicines when commencing, maintaining/titration, or ceasing treatment/interventions (Capability 1.1, 1.2, 1.3, 2.1, 2.2, 2.3, 3.1, 3.2, 4.1, 4.2, 5.1, 5.2, 5.3, 6.1, 6.2 and 6.3)
  6. Practice in accordance with legislation, professional standards and health policy relevant to nurse practitioner practice (Capability 1.1, 1.2, 2.1, 2.2, 2.3, 3.1, 5.1, 5.2, 5.3, 6.1, 6.2 and 6.3)
  7. Demonstrate advanced interpersonal, leadership and management skills to foster and maintain collegial relationships by communicating and engaging effectively and professionally with diverse groups and communities to improved healthcare outcomes (Capability 1.1, 1.2, 1.3, 2.1, 2.2, 2.3, 3.1, 3.2, 4.1, 4.2, 5.1, 5.2, 5.3, 6.1, 6.2 and 6.3)

Assessments

Assessment Type Percentage Classification
Quizzes 15% Individual Coursework
Viva examination 30% Individual Examination
Case Studies 50% Individual Coursework
Portfolio 5% Individual Coursework
Assessment Type Learning Outcome Addressed
1 2 3 4 5 6 7
Quizzes
Viva examination
Case Studies
Portfolio

Learning Resources

The online learning management system, Canvas provides access to multiple sources of information.  There are recommended textbooks as well as clinical resources.  

Course Contacts

Course administrator
Matthew Baker matthew.baker@auckland.ac.nz
Course director
Sandra Oster, NP s.oster@auckland.ac.nz

Workload Expectations

This course is a practicum 30 point course and students are expected to spend 10 hours per week involved in clinical practicum learning as well as 8-10 hours on other learning strategies for a 30 point course that they are enrolled in.

For this course, you can expect 24 hours of lectures, a 1-hour tutorial every other week, 60 hours of reading and thinking about the content and 50 hours of work on assignments and/or test preparation.  An additional 150/250 hours of clinical placement.

Digital Resources

Course materials are made available in a learning and collaboration tool called Canvas which also includes reading lists and lecture recordings (where available).

Please remember that the recording of any class on a personal device requires the permission of the instructor.

Academic Integrity

The University of Auckland will not tolerate cheating, or assisting others to cheat, and views cheating in coursework as a serious academic offence. The work that a student submits for grading must be the student's own work, reflecting their learning. Where work from other sources is used, it must be properly acknowledged and referenced. This requirement also applies to sources on the internet. A student's assessed work may be reviewed against online source material using computerised detection mechanisms.

Inclusive Learning

All students are asked to discuss any impairment related requirements privately, face to face and/or in written form with the course coordinator, lecturer or tutor.

Student Disability Services also provides support for students with a wide range of impairments, both visible and invisible, to succeed and excel at the University. For more information and contact details, please visit the Student Disability Services’ website at http://disability.auckland.ac.nz

Special Circumstances

If your ability to complete assessed coursework is affected by illness or other personal circumstances outside of your control, contact a member of teaching staff as soon as possible before the assessment is due.

If your personal circumstances significantly affect your performance, or preparation, for an exam or eligible written test, refer to the University’s aegrotat or compassionate consideration page: https://www.auckland.ac.nz/en/students/academic-information/exams-and-final-results/during-exams/aegrotat-and-compassionate-consideration.html.

This should be done as soon as possible and no later than seven days after the affected test or exam date.

Student Feedback

At the end of every semester students will be invited to give feedback on the course and teaching through a tool called SET or Qualtrics. The lecturers and course co-ordinators will consider all feedback and respond with summaries and actions.

Your feedback helps teachers to improve the course and its delivery for future students.

Class Representatives in each class can take feedback to the department and faculty staff-student consultative committees.

Student Charter and Responsibilities

The Student Charter assumes and acknowledges that students are active participants in the learning process and that they have responsibilities to the institution and the international community of scholars. The University expects that students will act at all times in a way that demonstrates respect for the rights of other students and staff so that the learning environment is both safe and productive. For further information visit Student Charter (https://www.auckland.ac.nz/en/students/forms-policies-and-guidelines/student-policies-and-guidelines/student-charter.html).

Disclaimer

Elements of this outline may be subject to change. The latest information about the course will be available for enrolled students in Canvas.

In this course you may be asked to submit your coursework assessments digitally. The University reserves the right to conduct scheduled tests and examinations for this course online or through the use of computers or other electronic devices. Where tests or examinations are conducted online remote invigilation arrangements may be used. The final decision on the completion mode for a test or examination, and remote invigilation arrangements where applicable, will be advised to students at least 10 days prior to the scheduled date of the assessment, or in the case of an examination when the examination timetable is published.

Published on 07/07/2020 09:47 a.m.