NURSING 744A/B : Specialty Nursing Practicum

Medical and Health Sciences

2020 Semester One (1203) / Semester Two (1205) (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

This course is intended to enable nurses to focus on their clinical/professional practice within the critical care specialty area.  The course builds on the theoretical knowledge gained in the NURS PRAC 702 Critical Care Nursing paper.  The course focuses on extending the nurse’s skill and knowledge while working in the critical care environment as they move toward advancing their critical care nursing practice.   

This course involves students working with both an academic and clinical mentor(s) to develop an individual learning contract based around advancing their practice. The course will also involve some classroom based learning sessions.   

Recommended Entry Criteria for NURSING 744A and B: 
  • Approval from nurse manager/charge nurse for support in completion  
  • Registered nurse employed in a critical care environment and able to complete 600 hours of clinical work for the duration of the course   
  • Students can complete NURSING 744A and B in conjunction with NURSPRAC 702 A and B or following completion of NURSPRAC 702A and B. 

Course Requirements

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

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 advancing clinical nursing practice in critical care (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. Provide nursing leadership and accountability of critical care patients or complex practice situations (Capability 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)
  3. Apply and influence local policy and/or clinical practice guidelines (Capability 1.2, 1.3, 2.2, 2.3, 3.1, 3.2, 4.1, 4.2, 5.1, 5.2, 6.1, 6.2 and 6.3)
  4. Demonstrate self-directed learning skills for professional development of a qualified critical care nurse (Capability 1.1, 2.1, 2.3, 3.1 and 6.3)

Assessments

Assessment Type Percentage Classification
Portfolio 40% Individual Coursework
Essay 30% Individual Coursework
Presentation 30% Individual Examination
Assessment Type Learning Outcome Addressed
1 2 3 4
Portfolio
Essay
Presentation
All course work (including learning contract, skills portfolio and all assignments) must be submitted to pass the course.   
Once enrolled, please read the course outline and postgraduate instructions carefully.   
Please also read the information in the student Postgraduate Student Guide regarding assessment processes within the School of Nursing, Faculty of Medical and Health Sciences. 

Course Contacts

Course Administrator: Matthew Baker:  matthew.baker@auckland.ac.nz    
Course Co-Ordinator: Reena Patel:  reena.patel@auckland.ac.nz  

Workload Expectations

This course is delivered over two semesters and both part A and part B must be completed to achieve 30 points.  Students are expected to spend 15-18 hours per week.  

For this course, you can expect 30 hours of lectures, 150 hours of reading and thinking about the content and 120 hours of work on assignments and/or test preparation.

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 16/01/2020 04:17 p.m.