NURSPRAC 703A/B : Paediatric Cardiac Specialty Nursing

Medical and Health Sciences

2024 Semester One (1243) / Semester Two (1245) (30 POINTS)

Course Prescription

Draws on evidence from biomedical and social science research to equip nurses for the care and treatment of paediatric cardiac patients. Students will be expected to integrate evidence from a range of sources and apply this to the practice of paediatric cardiac nursing.

Course Overview

Advanced nursing practice is the ability to apply the latest evidence to nursing practice and knowledge in order to contribute to advances in specialist nursing areas. Advanced nursing practice roles have continued to develop over recent years to accommodate the increasing complexity of the healthcare needs of the population. Preparation of nurses for advanced specialty roles has, therefore, become a priority for the profession, the Nursing Council of New Zealand – as the statutory body – and healthcare providers. 

This course draws on evidence from biomedical and social science research to equip nurses for the care and treatment of patients in paediatric cardiac specialty areas.  Students enrolling in this course are Registered Nurses who are currently practising in the paediatric cardiac setting. This course is delivered over two semesters and both part A (15 points) and part B (15 points) must be completed.

Course Requirements

Restriction: NURSING 730 To complete this course students must enrol in NURSPRAC 703 A and B, or NURSPRAC 703

Course Contacts

Course Coordinator Nic Gini NicolaG@adhb.govt.nz
Course Director Lesley Doughty l.doughty@auckland.ac.nz
Course Administrator Matt Baker matthew.baker@auckland.ac.nz
General PG nursing enquiries: postgradnursing@auckland.ac.nz

Capabilities Developed in this Course

Capability 1: People and Place
Capability 2: Sustainability
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. Apply an understanding of pathophysiological processes of specific disease states to individual clients and client groups. (Capability 4.1 and 4.2)
  2. Demonstrate the care of clients with complex and specific health care needs including client learning and the development of overall client health care plans. (Capability 1.1, 1.2, 1.3, 1.4, 2.1, 3.1, 3.2, 3.3, 4.1, 4.2, 5.1, 6.2, 7.1, 8.1 and 8.2)
  3. Demonstrate competency in speciality-based paediatric cardiac client assessment skills. (Capability 3.2, 4.1 and 4.2)
  4. Demonstrate competency in specialty-based skills or the use or management of specialty-based technology. (Capability 3.2, 4.1, 4.2, 5.2 and 6.1)
  5. Analyse the impact of illness and health care experience on the client, family and whanau. (Capability 1.1, 1.2, 1.3, 1.4, 2.1, 6.2 and 7.1)
  6. Evaluate the ethical and legal parameters of current nursing practice. (Capability 8.1 and 8.3)
  7. Demonstrate an understanding of scientific concepts and pathophysiological processes for paediatric cardiac clients, apply this knowledge to client’s signs, symptoms and presentations, including the interpretation of diagnostic tests (Capability 4.1 and 4.2)
  8. Develop an understanding of social, economic and political factors related to specialty area. (Capability 1.1, 1.2, 1.3, 1.4, 2.1, 2.2, 2.3 and 2.4)
  9. Apply concepts such as caring, ethics, advocacy to the paediatric cardiac client. (Capability 1.1, 1.2, 1.3, 1.4, 2.1, 3.1, 3.3, 4.1, 6.1, 6.2, 7.1, 8.1, 8.2 and 8.3)

Assessments

Assessment Type Percentage Classification
Assignments - Case Study 25% Individual Coursework
Assignments - Client Needs and Specialty Nursing Practice 25% Individual Coursework
Assignments - Clinical Practice Review 25% Individual Coursework
Assignments - Clinical Viva Exam 25% Individual Examination
Assessment Type Learning Outcome Addressed
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9
Assignments - Case Study
Assignments - Client Needs and Specialty Nursing Practice
Assignments - Clinical Practice Review
Assignments - Clinical Viva Exam
All assessments must be submitted to pass the course. You are required to pass the clinical viva exam to gain and overall pass in the course.  

Workload Expectations

This course is a standard 30-point course and students are expected to spend 15-20 hours per week involved in each 30-point course that they are enrolled in.
This course is delivered over semester one and two, you can expect 8 days (4 days each semester) of lectures plus one day which is allocated for the clinical viva examination at the end of semester two. You will need to allow time during each semester for reading and thinking about the content plus to work on assignments and exam preparation.

Delivery Mode

Campus Experience

Attendance is expected at scheduled activities including lectures and tutorials to complete components of the course. Lectures will be available as recordings for all study days delivered onsite at the university. Other learning activities including tutorials may be available as recordings. The course may include extra online events including group discussions/tutorials.

Where possible, study material will be available at course commencement and be released progressively throughout the course. The activities for the course are scheduled as a block delivery and attendance on campus is required for the clinical exam. 


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.

Each time the course is delivered the resources/reading lists and course content are updated to reflect current practice. 

Other Information

This course provides an in-depth understanding of the unique clinical and contextual complexities of providing health care in the paediatric intensive care/ paediatric cardiac settings. Students are required to be working in a paediatric intensive care/paediatric cardiac setting to gain concession entry into NURSPRAC 703AB. Please email the Course Administrator explaining your practice setting (include your Student ID or if you are new to the University of Auckland).

Please note:

  • NURSPRAC 703 A is offered in semester one.
  • NURSPRAC 703 B is offered in semester two.

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.