Study-Unit Description

Study-Unit Description


CODE NUR3272

 
TITLE Final Nursing Placement

 
UM LEVEL 03 - Years 2, 3, 4 in Modular Undergraduate Course

 
MQF LEVEL 6

 
ECTS CREDITS 14

 
DEPARTMENT Nursing

 
DESCRIPTION In this study-unit student will care for a case load (between 3 - 5) of patients with varying levels of dependency under the supervision of a qualified nurse who will be appointed as the student's mentor.

By the end of this placement, the students will be expected to independently practice in a safe and competent manner using the nursing process by assessing, planning the immediate as well as longterm care, carrying out nursing interventions and evaluating the care delivered to their assigned patients. Care delivery will include a holistic approach to the physical, psychological, social and spiritual needs of their patients.

Students are expected to practice together with other members of the multi-disciplinary team as appropriate in delivering care and demonstrate good communication skills.

The students will also be expected to demonstrate knowledge of the specialty they are assigned to and in so doing, provide education to clients, their carers as well as junior students.

This placement consists of 420 hours over a 13 - 14 week period in which the student must complete a minimum of 330 hours in order to be eligible for assessment. During this final placement, students will be assessed in a continuous manner by three nursing professionals: the mentor and two external assessors. Students will receive feedback throughout the placement from the mentor and the first assessor.

Study-Unit Aims:

The aim of this study-unit is for the students to learn to deliver safe, competent and holistic evidence-based nursing care to patients allocated to their care.

Learning Outcomes:

1. Knowledge & Understanding:

By the end of the study-unit the student will be able to:

- Critically reflect on and discuss the nursing care delivered, to improve own professional practice and meet learning needs;
- Demonstrate leadership in the various aspects of clinical practice;
- Address holistically all the physical, psychological, emotional, spiritual and social aspects of patient care at each stage of the nursing process;
- Independently prioritise nursing care appropriately;
- Independently make decisions related to the provision of nursing care;
- Work pro-actively and independently under supervision;
- Integrate comprehensive theoretical knowledge into practice, according to the specific clinical setting;
- Independently recognise acute deterioration or crisis situations, and immediately initiate and/or articulate life-preserving measures;
- Independently recognise improvement and re-evaluate the nursing plan accordingly;
- Demonstrate an understanding of nursing responsibilities and practices within professional boundaries;
- Determine and express own professional and personal views about ethical and legal challenges associated with the delivery of nursing care;
- Independently educate and support patients and relatives in techniques that enable and facilitate self-care;
- Independently give advice and empower patients and relatives towards a healthier life-style and self-care.

2. Skills:

By the end of the study-unit the student will be able to:

- Demonstrate a professional attitude and professional behaviour;
- Independently identify own learning needs and seek learning opportunities, as well as create and follow on learning opportunities for others;
- Communicate confidently, effectively and in a professional manner with nurses, other health-professionals, patients and relatives in the clinical setting;
- Function effectively as a full team member the ward/unit;
- Independently give complete and comprehensive information to patients and relatives with regards to nursing interventions being performed, and is able to address queries;
- Delegate care to other members of staff appropriately and effectively, and evaluate the appropriateness and effectiveness of such delegation;
- Act lawfully and ethically demonstrating responsibility and accountability in patient care.

Main Text/s and any supplementary readings:

General Nursing:

- Hogston, Richard, and Penelope M. Simpson. Foundations of Nursing Practice : Making the Difference. 2nd ed. Palgrave Macmillan, 2002.
- McCormack, B. & McCance, T. (2016) Person-Centred Practice in Nursing and Health Care: Theory and Practice.
- Ellis, P. (2020) Understanding Ethics for Nursing Students (Transforming Nursing Practice Series).
- Burnard, Chapman, and Chapman, Christine M. Professional and Ethical Issues in Nursing. 3rd ed. Baillière Tindall, 2003.
- Howatson-Jones, L & Standing, M (2015) Patient Assessment and Care Planning in Nursing (Transforming Nursing Practice Series).
- Jarvis, Carolyn. Physical Examination & Health Assessment. 7th ed. Elsevier, 2016.
- Wilson, Susan Fickertt., and Jean. Giddens. Health Assessment for Nursing Practice. 6th ed. Elsevier, 2017.

Medical/surgical:

- Ackley, Betty J. Evidence-based Nursing Care Guidelines : Medical-surgical Interventions. Mosby, 2008.
- Brunner, Lillian Sholtis, Doris Smith Suddarth, and Suzanne C. O'Connell Smeltzer. Brunner & Suddarth's Textbook of Medical-surgical Nursing. - 12th Ed. Wolters Kluwer/Lippincott Williams & Wilkins, 2010.
- Ignatavicius, Donna D. Clinical Decision-making Study Guide for Medical-surgical Nursing : Patient-centered Collaborative Care. 6th ed. Elsevier, 2010.
- LeMone, Priscilla, Karen M. Burke, and Gerene Bauldoff. Medical-surgical Nursing : Critical Thinking in Patient Care. 5th Ed., International ed. Pearson, 2011.
- Lewis, Harding, Lewis, Sharon Mantik, and Harding, Mariann. Medical-surgical Nursing : Assessment and Management of Clinical Problems. 9th ed. Elsevier, 2014.

Nursing the older adults:

- Meiner, Sue. Gerontologic Nursing. 4th ed. Mosby Elsevier, 2011.
- Touhy, Theris A., and Kathleen Freudenberger Jett. Ebersole & Hess' toward Healthy Aging : Human Needs & Nursing Response. 9th ed. Elsevier, 2016.

Rehabilitation:

- Mauk, Kristen L. Rehabilitation Nursing : A Contemporary Approach to Practice. Jones & Bartlett Learning, 2012.

Oncology and palliative care:

- Jevon, and Jevon, Philip. Care of the Dying and Deceased Patient : A Practical Guide for Nurses. Wiley-Blackwell, 2010.
- Matzo, Sherman, Matzo, Marianne, and Sherman, Deborah Witt. Palliative Care Nursing : Quality Care to the End of Life. 3rd ed. Springer Pub., 2010.
- Payne, Sheila, Jane Seymour, and Christine Ingleton. Palliative Care Nursing : Principles and Evidence for Practice. 2nd ed. Open U.P., 2008.

Caring for Children and Adolescents:

- Glasper, Richardson, Glasper, Edward Alan, and Richardson, Jim. A Textbook of Children's and Young People's Nursing. 2nd ed. Churchill Livingstone, 2010.
- Glasper, Aylott, Battrick, Glasper, Edward Alan, Aylott, Marion, and Battrick, Cath. Developing Practical Skills for Nursing Children and Young People. Hodder Arnold, 2010.

Pharmacology:

- Barber, Paul, and Deborah Robertson. Essentials of Pharmacology for Nurses. Open U.P., 2009.
- Burchum, Jacqueline Rosenjack, Laura D. Rosenthal, and Richard A. Lehne. Lehne's Pharmacology for Nursing Care. 10th ed. Elsevier, 2019.
- Davison, N. (2014) Numeracy and Clinical Calculations for Nurses Paperback.

Clinical Skills:

- Altman, Gaylene, Patricia Kerestzes, and Mary A. Wcisel. Fundamental & Advanced Nursing Skills. 3rd Ed., International ed. Delmar, 2010.
- Dougherty, Lister, West-Oram, Dougherty, Lisa, Lister, Sara E., West-Oram, Alex, and The Royal Marsden, NHS Foundation Trust. The Royal Marsden Manual of Clinical Nursing Procedures. 9th ed. Wiley Blackwell, 2015.
- Elkin, Perry, Potter, Perry, Anne Griffin, and Potter, Patricia A. Nursing Interventions & Clinical Skills. 4th ed. Mosby Elsevier, 2007.
- Perry, Potter, Ostendorf, Potter, Patricia Ann, and Ostendorf, Wendy R. Clinical Nursing Skills & Techniques. 8th ed. Elsevier/Mosby, 2014.
- Randle, Coffey, Bradbury, Randle, Jacqueline, Coffey, Frank, and Bradbury, Martyn. Oxford Handbook of Clinical Skills in Adult Nursing. Oxford U.P., 2009. Print. Oxford Medical Publications.
- Toca, Carmen. Skills Performance Checklists for Clinical Nursing Skills & Techniques. Mosby, 2010.

 
STUDY-UNIT TYPE Placement

 
METHOD OF ASSESSMENT
Assessment Component/s Assessment Due Sept. Asst Session Weighting
Clinical Assessment SEM2 Yes 100%

 
LECTURER/S Trevor Abela Fiorentino
Michelle Camilleri
Adrienne Grech

 

 
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It should be noted that all the information in the description above applies to study-units available during the academic year 2023/4. It may be subject to change in subsequent years.

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