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Unit outline_

NURS3008: Community Health Nursing

Semester 1, 2020 [Normal day] - Mallett Street, Sydney

The focus of this unit of study is to prepare students for nursing in community settings. Over recent years acute, chronic and increasingly complex conditions are being managed in the community. Community health nursing is a field of nursing that also combines knowledge and skills from nursing and public health in the promotion of health and illness prevention. It is population orientated, contextual, involves interdisciplinary collaboration and has an emphasis on wellness and the promotion of health and wellness through client engagement in self- care. This unit of study examines the major concepts and principles of community health nursing including self- care, continuity of care, primary healthcare, health promotion/illness prevention, community assessment, family assessment, and home care.

Unit details and rules

Academic unit Nursing and Midwifery
Credit points 6
Prerequisites
? 
48 Year 1 credit points and 36 Year 2 credit points, including NURS3010
Corequisites
? 
None
Prohibitions
? 
None
Assumed knowledge
? 

None

Available to study abroad and exchange students

No

Teaching staff

Coordinator Sue Randall, sue.randall@sydney.edu.au
Tutor(s) Sue Randall, sue.randall@sydney.edu.au
Katrina Baikie, k.baikie@sydney.edu.au
Peta McVey, peta.mcvey@sydney.edu.au
Type Description Weight Due Length
Placement hurdle task Off-campus clinical performance
Professional experience placement
0% - To be added by the unit coordinator
Outcomes assessed: LO2 LO3 LO4 LO7 LO8 LO10
Final exam Written examination
Written examination
30% Formal exam period 1 hour
Outcomes assessed: LO1 LO2 LO3 LO4 LO5 LO9 LO10
Tutorial quiz In-class test 1: individual
MCQ
8% Week 04 30 minutes
Outcomes assessed: LO1 LO9 LO4 LO3
Tutorial quiz group assignment In-class test 1: group
MCQ
2% Week 04 30 minutes
Outcomes assessed: LO1 LO9 LO4 LO3
Tutorial quiz In-class test 2: individual
MCQ
8% Week 05 30 minutes
Outcomes assessed: LO1 LO9 LO4 LO3
Tutorial quiz group assignment In-class test 2: group
MCQ
2% Week 05 30 minutes
Outcomes assessed: LO1 LO9 LO4 LO3
Assignment Community profile essay
Essay
45% Week 07
Due date: 12 Apr 2020 at 23:59
2500 words
Outcomes assessed: LO1 LO2 LO3 LO6
Small test Team contribution evaluation
Evaluation
5% Week 08 30 minutes
Outcomes assessed: LO1 LO9 LO4 LO3
hurdle task = hurdle task ?
group assignment = group assignment ?

Assessment summary

  • In-class tests and team contribution evaluation: Students will complete two in-class tests individually and in groups, based on lecture content and pre-readings provided. Students will also provide an anonymous evaluation of their own teamwork performance and that of their group members.
  • Community profile essay: Students will complete an exercise in social analysis in which the specific characteristics of a geographically defined community of people are researched and analysed.
  • Written examination: An written examination in the form of case scenarios with associated short answer questions.
  • Off-campus clinical performance: Assessed by community health nurses during clinical practicum and completed by attendance at a debrief day at Sydney Nursing School.

Detailed information for each assessment can be found on Canvas.

Assessment criteria

The University awards common result grades, set out in the Coursework Policy 2014 (Schedule 1).

As a general guide, a high distinction indicates work of an exceptional standard, a distinction a very high standard, a credit a good standard, and a pass an acceptable standard.

Result name

Mark range

Description

High distinction

85 - 100

Awarded when you demonstrate the learning outcomes for the unit at an exceptional standard, as defined by grade descriptors or exemplars outlined by your faculty or school.

Distinction

75 - 84

Awarded when you demonstrate the learning outcomes for the unit at a very high standard, as defined by grade descriptors or exemplars outlined by your faculty or school.

Credit

65 - 74

Awarded when you demonstrate the learning outcomes for the unit at a good standard, as defined by grade descriptors or exemplars outlined by your faculty or school.

Pass

50 - 64

Awarded when you demonstrate the learning outcomes for the unit at an acceptable standard, as defined by grade descriptors or exemplars outlined by your faculty or school.

Fail

0 - 49

When you don’t meet the learning outcomes of the unit to a satisfactory standard.

For more information see guide to grades.

Late submission

In accordance with University policy, these penalties apply when written work is submitted after 11:59pm on the due date:

  • Deduction of 5% of the maximum mark for each calendar day after the due date.
  • After ten calendar days late, a mark of zero will be awarded.

Academic integrity

The Current Student website  provides information on academic integrity and the resources available to all students. The University expects students and staff to act ethically and honestly and will treat all allegations of academic integrity breaches seriously.  

We use similarity detection software to detect potential instances of plagiarism or other forms of academic integrity breach. If such matches indicate evidence of plagiarism or other forms of academic integrity breaches, your teacher is required to report your work for further investigation.

You may only use artificial intelligence and writing assistance tools in assessment tasks if you are permitted to by your unit coordinator, and if you do use them, you must also acknowledge this in your work, either in a footnote or an acknowledgement section.

Studiosity is permitted for postgraduate units unless otherwise indicated by the unit coordinator. The use of this service must be acknowledged in your submission.

Simple extensions

If you encounter a problem submitting your work on time, you may be able to apply for an extension of five calendar days through a simple extension.  The application process will be different depending on the type of assessment and extensions cannot be granted for some assessment types like exams.

Special consideration

If exceptional circumstances mean you can’t complete an assessment, you need consideration for a longer period of time, or if you have essential commitments which impact your performance in an assessment, you may be eligible for special consideration or special arrangements.

Special consideration applications will not be affected by a simple extension application.

Using AI responsibly

Co-created with students, AI in Education includes lots of helpful examples of how students use generative AI tools to support their learning. It explains how generative AI works, the different tools available and how to use them responsibly and productively.

WK Topic Learning activity Learning outcomes
Multiple weeks Clinical placement Clinical practice (80 hr) LO1 LO3 LO4 LO7 LO8
Week 01 Introduction to the unit, primary health care, community health and community nursing roles and settings Lecture (2 hr) LO1 LO2 LO6
1. Introduction to community profile, formation of groups and practice test; 2. Video: variation in health status Tutorial (2 hr) LO1 LO2
Week 02 Introduction to demography and epidemiology in nursing in relation to community assessment Lecture (2 hr) LO1 LO2 LO5
ABS Session in relation to community assessment: library Tutorial (2 hr) LO1 LO2 LO5 LO8
Week 03 1. Screening; 2. Child and Family Health Nursing Lecture (2 hr) LO1 LO8 LO10
Week 04 Rural and remote nursing Lecture (2 hr) LO2 LO3 LO8
RAT test 1 and applied rural and remote Tutorial (2 hr) LO3 LO7 LO8
Week 05 Infectious disease management in the community Lecture (2 hr) LO2 LO9
RAT 2 Application 1: Controlling an infectious disease outbreak Tutorial (2 hr) LO9
Week 06 Case management Lecture (2 hr) LO3 LO7 LO8
Application 2: Case management Tutorial (2 hr) LO3 LO4 LO6 LO7
Week 07 1) Cumulative complexity 2) wound management in the community Lecture (2 hr) LO1 LO3 LO4 LO7 LO8
Legal and ethical considerations in community nursing Online class (2 hr) LO7 LO8
Week 08 1. Clinical placement preparation Tutorial (2 hr) LO3 LO8
1)Family assessment 2) Acute-post acute care Lecture (2 hr) LO3 LO4 LO7
Week 14 (STUVAC) Sexual Health Lecture (2 hr) LO7 LO8 LO9
Exam preparation Tutorial (2 hr) LO1 LO2 LO3 LO4 LO5 LO6 LO7 LO8 LO9 LO10

Attendance and class requirements

  • Referencing guidelines: The Sydney Nursing School has adopted the American Psychological Association (APA) Referencing style, 6th Edition, 2010 as its official referencing style. This is an author date style of referencing. The key mechanics of the style for crediting sources are covered in Chapter 6 of the Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association (2010), only 23 pages, and examples are given in Chapter 7. Here is the full reference for the manual: American Psychological Association. (2010). Publication manual of the American Psychological Association (6th ed.). Washington, DC: American Psychological Association
  • Attendance requirements: The Sydney Nursing School Resolutions specifically outline attendance requirements. Resolution 7.2 states that if students are absent without leave for more than 10% of classes in a particular unit of study in any one semester, the Head of School may call upon them to show cause why they should not be deemed to have failed that unit of study. Students must also attend 100% of all clinical simulation laboratories (CSL) and off campus clinical, which are supplemented with online and group activities.

Study commitment

Typically, there is a minimum expectation of 1.5-2 hours of student effort per week per credit point for units of study offered over a full semester. For a 6 credit point unit, this equates to roughly 120-150 hours of student effort in total.

Learning outcomes are what students know, understand and are able to do on completion of a unit of study. They are aligned with the University's graduate qualities and are assessed as part of the curriculum.

At the completion of this unit, you should be able to:

  • LO1. identify various characteristics of a community, such as physical, socio-cultural, politico-economic and environmental which influence the health and wellbeing of populations by completing a community profile
  • LO2. participate in an analysis of how community characteristics impact on a range of public health problems
  • LO3. describe the role of community nurses in the healthcare setting during clinical placement
  • LO4. describe strategies used by the community nurse in assessing client needs and delivering health technology in the home
  • LO5. determine the relationship between the concept of the natural history of disease and primary secondary and tertiary prevention strategies
  • LO6. discuss the function of primary healthcare as theoretical basis for community nursing practice during tutorial exercises
  • LO7. demonstrate competence in communication and teamwork with a variety of clients, families and agency personnel in clinical settings
  • LO8. demonstrate an ability to work in partnership with clients with special needs (e.g. homeless) from diverse cultural and linguistic backgrounds and in various community settings
  • LO9. undertake an infectious disease outbreak investigation by participating in a case presentation
  • LO10. undertake an analysis of the criteria for health screening, including the derivation of sensitivity, specificity and predictive values.

Graduate qualities

The graduate qualities are the qualities and skills that all University of Sydney graduates must demonstrate on successful completion of an award course. As a future Sydney graduate, the set of qualities have been designed to equip you for the contemporary world.

GQ1 Depth of disciplinary expertise

Deep disciplinary expertise is the ability to integrate and rigorously apply knowledge, understanding and skills of a recognised discipline defined by scholarly activity, as well as familiarity with evolving practice of the discipline.

GQ2 Critical thinking and problem solving

Critical thinking and problem solving are the questioning of ideas, evidence and assumptions in order to propose and evaluate hypotheses or alternative arguments before formulating a conclusion or a solution to an identified problem.

GQ3 Oral and written communication

Effective communication, in both oral and written form, is the clear exchange of meaning in a manner that is appropriate to audience and context.

GQ4 Information and digital literacy

Information and digital literacy is the ability to locate, interpret, evaluate, manage, adapt, integrate, create and convey information using appropriate resources, tools and strategies.

GQ5 Inventiveness

Generating novel ideas and solutions.

GQ6 Cultural competence

Cultural Competence is the ability to actively, ethically, respectfully, and successfully engage across and between cultures. In the Australian context, this includes and celebrates Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures, knowledge systems, and a mature understanding of contemporary issues.

GQ7 Interdisciplinary effectiveness

Interdisciplinary effectiveness is the integration and synthesis of multiple viewpoints and practices, working effectively across disciplinary boundaries.

GQ8 Integrated professional, ethical, and personal identity

An integrated professional, ethical and personal identity is understanding the interaction between one’s personal and professional selves in an ethical context.

GQ9 Influence

Engaging others in a process, idea or vision.

Outcome map

Learning outcomes Graduate qualities
GQ1 GQ2 GQ3 GQ4 GQ5 GQ6 GQ7 GQ8 GQ9

This section outlines changes made to this unit following staff and student reviews.

To support students who go on rural placements we have added a lecture and tutorial to build confidence.

Disclaimer

The University reserves the right to amend units of study or no longer offer certain units, including where there are low enrolment numbers.

To help you understand common terms that we use at the University, we offer an online glossary.