NURSING 744 : Specialty Nursing Practicum

Medical and Health Sciences

2023 Semester Two (1235) (30 POINTS)

Course Prescription

Gives nurses the opportunity to extend their clinical skills and practice knowledge and to advance clinical decision making by utilising a range of guided learning experiences. The focus is on continued development of clinical expertise, using a practice development approach emphasising person-centred, evidence-based practice, and critical thinking practice to improve health outcomes.

Course Overview

During this course, the student develops an individual learning contract and works in partnership with both an academic and a clinical mentor. The course design is dependent on the principles and philosophies of action learning. The clinical mentor helps the student to develop their learning contract and supports them in the achievement of the specified learning outcomes for the advancement of nursing practice. The clinical mentor is an experienced senior clinician who will support student learning, facilitate problem-solving and verify completed skills and activities.

This course is delivered as five taught study days alongside day-to-day clinical practice development over one semester. An essential component is a focus on the development of nursing practice and the associated support and facilitation provided by academic and clinical mentors. On the first study day, the course lecturer discusses the appointment of clinical mentors.

The host organisation recognises and acknowledges that the student is enrolled in a programme of learning and will receive time for learning separate from employment time in order to complete the requirements of the course. A minimum of five days is recommended.


Course Requirements

To complete this course students must enrol in NURSING 744 A and B, or NURSING 744

Course Contacts

postgradnursing@auckland.ac.nz 

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. Demonstrate skilled client/family centred clinical decision making in practice, based on evidence and rationale. (Capability 1.1, 1.2, 1.3, 2.1, 2.2 and 2.3)
  2. Demonstrate 2.Advancing practice skills and knowledge in an identified clinical practice setting demonstrating responsiveness to Maori and a capacity to build on health gain/healthy future for Maori. (Capability 2.1, 2.2, 2.3, 3.1, 3.2, 4.1, 4.2, 6.1, 6.2 and 6.3)
  3. Demonstrate leadership in clinical practice (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)
  4. Demonstrate scholarly practice in an identified practice setting. (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
Learning Contract Individual Coursework
Clinical Decision Analysis 30% Individual Coursework
Quality Project 40% Individual Coursework
Portfolio 30% Individual Coursework
Assessment Type Learning Outcome Addressed
1 2 3 4
Learning Contract
Clinical Decision Analysis
Quality Project
Portfolio

Workload Expectations

This course is a standard 30 point course and students are expected to spend 10 hours per week involved in each 15 point course that they are enrolled in.

For this course, you can expect40  hours of lectures, 100 hours of reading and thinking about the content and 160 hours of work on assignments including guided learning with a mentor.

Delivery Mode

Campus Experience

Attendance is expected at scheduled activities including tutorials to complete components of the course.
Lectures will be available as recordings. Other learning activities including seminars/tutorials will be available as recordings.
The course will include live online events including group discussions/tutorials.
The activities for the course are scheduled as a block delivery.

Learning 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.

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.

Students rate this course favourably. Teaching staff recognise the student mentor's valued role throughout the semester. It is important that students negotiate their learning agreement and learning contract with their mentor so that they can meet their career aspirations as they complete this course.

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.

Class Representatives

Class representatives are students tasked with representing student issues to departments, faculties, and the wider university. If you have a complaint about this course, please contact your class rep who will know how to raise it in the right channels. See your departmental noticeboard for contact details for your class reps.

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 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.

Learning Continuity

In the event of an unexpected disruption, we undertake to maintain the continuity and standard of teaching and learning in all your courses throughout the year. If there are unexpected disruptions the University has contingency plans to ensure that access to your course continues and course assessment continues to meet the principles of the University’s assessment policy. Some adjustments may need to be made in emergencies. You will be kept fully informed by your course co-ordinator/director, and if disruption occurs you should refer to the university website for information about how to proceed.

The delivery mode may change depending on COVID restrictions. Any changes will be communicated through Canvas.

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 students may be asked to submit 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. In exceptional circumstances changes to elements of this course may be necessary at short notice. Students enrolled in this course will be informed of any such changes and the reasons for them, as soon as possible, through Canvas.