NS5604 - Contemporary Issues in Care of the Older Adult

Credit points:	03
Year:	2013
Student Contribution Band:	Band 1
Administered by:	School 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 older adult 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 older adult in Australia, the ethical dilemma of resource distributions, the needs of the Indignenous older adult, health care access and the rural older adult. 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

• describe the major policies which have influenced the provision of care for the aged in Australia;
• analyse the concept of holistic nursing as it relates to models of care, quality of life and a dignified death in caring for the older adult;
• identify the needs of specific groups of older adults: those living in rural locations and those of Indigenous and immigrant descent;
• outline the impact of demographic trends in caring for the older adult in Australia;
• recognise the myths of ageing and explain the effects of stereotyping of the older adult in their health and well being.

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 1
Census Date 28-Mar-2013
Coordinator:	Dr Kristin Wicking
Method of Delivery:	WWW - LearnJCU
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.