NURSPRAC 707 : Registered Nurse First Surgical Assist
Medical and Health Sciences
2020 Semester One (1203) (30 POINTS)
Course Prescription
Course Overview
- Approval from unit nurse manager for support in completion of NURSPRAC 707 (Semester 1) and Nursing 744 (Semester 2).
- Identified surgeon mentor to supervise the student in practice .
- A registered nurse employed within the perioperative environment who is able to complete 120 hours of clinical work for the duration of the semester, in the role of the RNFSA (see definition provided below).
- A learning agreement signed by the student, employer, surgeon mentor, academic coordinator, and clinical co-ordinator.
- Works in collaboration with the surgeon and other health care team members to achieve optimal patient outcomes;.
- Has acquired the necessary knowledge, judgement and skills specific to the expanded role of the RNFSA clinical practice.
- Intraoperatively, practices under the direction of the surgeon.
- Does not concurrently function as a scrub nurse (AORN 2013).
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 |
Learning Outcomes
- Apply an understanding of scientific concepts and disease processes that are commonly treated with surgery. (Capability 1.1, 1.2, 1.3, 2.1, 2.2 and 2.3)
- Apply an understanding of the overall care of clients undergoing surgery. (Capability 1.1, 1.2, 4.1, 4.2, 5.1, 5.2 and 5.3)
- Demonstrate competency in specified intraoperative clinical skills and accountability appropriate to the ‘registered nurse first surgical assist’ role. (Capability 1.1, 1.2, 1.3, 4.1, 4.2, 5.1, 5.2 and 5.3)
- Demonstrate competency in the use and management of intraoperative technology. (Capability 1.1, 1.2, 1.3, 2.1, 2.2, 2.3, 5.1, 5.2 and 5.3)
- Analyse the impact of illness, surgery and health care experience on the client/family. (Capability 2.1, 2.2, 2.3, 5.1, 5.2, 5.3, 6.1, 6.2 and 6.3)
- Evaluate the ethical and legal parameters of their nursing practice. (Capability 2.1, 2.2, 2.3, 3.1, 3.2, 5.1, 5.2 and 5.3)
- Interpret the results of diagnostic tests relevant to clients undergoing surgery. (Capability 1.1, 1.2, 1.3, 2.1, 2.2 and 2.3)
- Apply knowledge of caring, ethics, and advocacy in the operating room environment (Capability 1.1, 1.2, 1.3, 2.1 and 2.2)
- Discuss the ethico‐legal social, cultural, economic and political factors relating to the role of RNFSA. (Capability 2.1, 2.2, 2.3, 5.1, 5.2, 5.3, 6.1, 6.2 and 6.3)
Assessments
| Assessment Type | Percentage | Classification |
|---|---|---|
| Assignments - Clinical Practice Review | 30% | Individual Coursework |
| Assignments - Verbal Presentation | 25% | Individual Coursework |
| Assignments - Long Answer Questions | 35% | Individual Coursework |
| Practical - Clinical Skills Log Book and Log of Clinical Hours | 10% | Individual Coursework |
| 4 types | 100% |
| Assessment Type | Learning Outcome Addressed | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | ||
| Assignments - Clinical Practice Review | ||||||||||
| Assignments - Verbal Presentation | ||||||||||
| Assignments - Long Answer Questions | ||||||||||
| Practical - Clinical Skills Log Book and Log of Clinical Hours | ||||||||||
- All course work (including all assignments) must be submitted to pass the course.
- Please read this course outline and postgraduate instructions carefully.
- Please also read the information in the student Postgraduate Study Guide regarding assessment processes within the School of Nursing, Faculty of Medical and Health Sciences.
Course Contacts
Workload Expectations
This course is a standard 30point 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 expect 48 hours of lectures, which will include tutorials, small group work and simulation, 32 hours of reading and thinking about the content, 100 hours of work on assignments and 120 hours for clinical skill development.
Other Information
The clinical practice experience will be within the nurse’s current employment setting under the direct supervision of a nominated surgeon. The nominated surgeon will support the nurse to put into practice what they have learned in class and in simulated settings, observe their surgical assistance practice and verify the competencies.
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.