NS5604 - Contemporary Issues in Ageing and Health

Credit points:	03
Year:	2009
Student Contribution Band:	Band 4
Administered by:	Discipline of Nursing, Midwifery & Nutrition

In this subject the students are introduced to the current discourse on a number of issues relevant to the role of caring for the aged in Australian society. The content will involve reviewing the ethical, cultural, legal and political perspectives on contemporary problems; these include: ageism and its effects on the aged in Australia, the ethical dilemma of resource distributions, the needs of the Aboriginal aged, health care access and the rural aged. It also explores how holistic nursing can be applied to maintain a quality of life in relation to practice in primary health care in the acute setting and long-term care in a clinical setting and to care in the community.

Learning Outcomes

• analyse the concept of holistic nursing as it relates to models of care, quality of life and a dignified death in caring for the aged;
• apply the principles of health promotion and teaching to the life situations of the aged person;
• describe the major policies which have influenced the provision of care for the aged in Australia;
• identify the needs of specific groups of the elderly; the rural elderly, Aboriginal aged and the aged in other cultural communities;
• outline the impact of demographic trends in caring for the aged in Australia;
• recognise the myths of ageing and explain the effects of stereotyping of the aged in the health and well being of older members of society;
• utilise ethical models and principles as frame works for ethical decision making when caring for the aged.

Graduate Qualities

• The ability to adapt knowledge to new situations;
• The ability to define and to solve problems in at least one discipline area;
• The ability to think critically, to analyse and evaluate claims, evidence and arguments, and to reason and deploy evidence clearly and logically;
• The ability to deploy critically evaluated information to practical ends;
• The ability to find and access information using appropriate media and technologies;
• The ability to evaluate that information;
• An understanding of the economic, legal, ethical, social and cultural issues involved in the use of information;
• The ability to select and organise information and to communicate it accurately, cogently, coherently, creatively and ethically;
• The acquisition of coherent and disciplined sets of skills, knowledge, values and professional ethics from at least one discipline area;
• The ability to reflect on and evaluate learning, and to learn independently in a self directed manner;
• The ability to manage future career and personal development;
• The ability to read complex and demanding texts accurately, critically and insightfully;
• The ability to speak and write clearly, coherently and creatively;
• The ability to generate, calculate, interpret and communicate numerical information in ways appropriate to a given discipline or discourse;
• The ability to lead, manage and contribute effectively to teams;
• The ability to work with people of different gender, age, ethnicity, culture, religion and political persuasion;
• The ability to work individually and independently;
• The ability to select and use appropriate tools and technologies;
• The ability to use online technologies effectively and ethically.

Availabilities
External, Study Period 2
Census Date 28-Aug-2009
Coordinator:	Ms Elspeth Hillman
Lecturers:	Mrs Kristin Wicking, Dr Lea Budden.
Method of Delivery:	and WWW - LearnJCUPrinted materials
Assessment:	assignments.

Note: Minor variations might occur due to the continuous Subject quality improvement process, and in case of minor variation(s) in assessment details, the Subject Outline represents the latest official information.