NS5607 - Clinical Management of the Older Adult in Health Care Facilities

Credit points:	03
Year:	2011
Student Contribution Band:	Band 1
Administered by:	School of Nursing, Midwifery & Nutrition

This subject will introduce the student to the principles of clinical management of major physiological and emotional disruptions to health status associated with the care of the older adult requiring admission to health care facilities including acute, sub-acute and institutionalised residential care facilities. The focus will include the complex management of often inter-related co-morbidities, exacerbated by acute conditions requiring hospital admission or long term conditions requiring transition to residential care. A holistic, multi-disciplinary approach will be used to minismise any further complications and to restore the optimum health status and maximum level of independence possible for the client at this time. Challenges of nursing the older adult, including reduced physiological reserve, multi-system pathology and the accumulated effects of lifestyle risk factors will also be addressed.

Learning Outcomes

• identify and execute contemporary clinical management of a range of common physiological and emotional health problems that often present in the older adult requiring admission to a health care facility;
• integrate complex nursing care to comprehensively address both pre-existing co-morbidities as well as the acute issue(s) that precipitated admission;
• identify older adults at risk for further complications in the in-patient setting and initiate nursing interventions to maintain and optimise their current health status;
• utilise the results of a comprehensive advanced assessment of the older adult to plan holistic care that is appropriate to their current health status, their risk factors and their current health goals.

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 communicate effectively with a range of audiences;
• 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 25-Aug-2011
Coordinator:	Mrs Kristin Wicking
Lecturer:	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.