NURSING 744A/B : Specialty Nursing Practicum

Medical and Health Sciences

2024 Semester One (1243) / Semester Two (1245) (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 speciality area.  The course builds on the theoretical knowledge gained in the NURSPRAC 702AB 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.   Students work with both an academic and clinical mentor(s) to develop an individual learning contract based around advancing their practice supported by classroom based learning sessions.   
Recommended Entry Criteria for NURSING 744A and NURSING 744B: 
  • Approval from nurse manager/charge nurse for support in completion  
  • A 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 NURSING 744B in conjunction with NURSPRAC 702 A and NURSING 702B or following completion of NURSPRAC 702A and NURSING 702B. 
NURSING 744AB 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 NURSPRAC 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.
NURSING 744 AB involves students working with both an academic and clinical mentor(s) to develop an individual learning contract based around advancing ICU clinical practice. The course will also involve some classroom‐based learning sessions.

Course Requirements

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

Course Contacts

All enquiries:  postgradnursing@auckland.ac.nz
To enter the Course please contact Matthew Baker:  matthew.baker@auckland.ac.nz    

Capabilities Developed in this Course

Capability 1: People and Place
Capability 3: Knowledge and Practice
Capability 4: Critical Thinking
Capability 5: Solution Seeking
Capability 6: Communication
Capability 7: Collaboration
Capability 8: Ethics and Professionalism
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 1.2, 1.3, 1.4, 3.1, 3.2, 3.3, 4.1, 4.2 and 5.1)
  2. Provide nursing leadership and accountability of critical care patients or complex practice situations (Capability 1.1, 1.2, 1.3, 1.4, 3.1, 3.2, 3.3, 4.1, 4.2, 8.1, 8.2 and 8.3)
  3. Apply and influence local policy and/or clinical practice guidelines (Capability 3.1, 3.2, 3.3, 4.1, 4.2, 5.1, 5.2, 6.1, 6.2, 7.1, 8.1, 8.2 and 8.3)
  4. Demonstrate self-directed learning skills for professional development of a qualified critical care nurse (Capability 4.1, 4.2, 5.1, 5.2, 6.1 and 6.2)

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

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.

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.
Attendance on campus is required for the presentation.
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 have previously rated this course well because of the clinical learning content and direction provided by clinical and academic mentor.

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 for potential plagiarism or other forms of academic misconduct, 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.

Published on 06/11/2023 10:06 a.m.