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DEGREE REGULATIONS & PROGRAMMES OF STUDY 2021/2022

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DRPS : Course Catalogue : School of Health in Social Science : Nursing Studies

Postgraduate Course: Pathophysiology and Nursing Care in Acute Settings (NUST10063)

Course Outline
SchoolSchool of Health in Social Science CollegeCollege of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences
Credit level (Normal year taken)SCQF Level 10 (Postgraduate) AvailabilityNot available to visiting students
SCQF Credits20 ECTS Credits10
SummaryThe aim of this course, is to enhance understanding of the pathophysiology and nursing care of patients diagnosed with particular acute disease conditions and associated lived realties. This course builds on the previous Life Sciences content and skills alongside practice experiences. Key to this course is the co-construction of the content with the students. By drawing on their past learning and knowledge and skills acquisition they will be meaningful contributors to the planning and/or approval processes. With appropriate support, students will be able, to apply and integrate their content knowledge of the pathophysiological processes in health deviation acquired in year 1 of the Masters of Nursing with pre-registration (Adult), and experiential knowledge from practice placements, and become equipped to deepen their understanding and critical appraisal of care to meet the desired and shared learning outcomes. Conceptually this will draw on Shor (1992) Weimer's learner centred teaching (Weimer 2002), Fink's model of significant learning experiences (Fink 2003) and Bovill (2017).
Course description The aim of this course, is to enhance understanding of the pathophysiology, treatment and nursing care, and care experiences, of patients diagnosed with particular acute disease conditions. The course has associated practice learning which contributes to the achievement of proficiency for practice. The taught content of the course sits in semester 1, with students consolidating their knowledge through continued associated reflection on practice across semesters 2 and 3.

Taught content includes pathophysiology, aetiology, epidemiology, diagnostic and therapeutic approaches, pharmacology and related patient care. Critically students gain an understanding of complex, acute clinical situations, the dependence of patients in vulnerable situations and the autonomy of patients whenever possible. The course focuses on identified pathological changes, investigations, therapeutic interventions and the care patients require in order to manage their illness and emphasises the importance of working in partnership with patients and their families in the delivery of holistic care. This co-constructed course is designed, therefore, to foster an assimilation of this material into an existing cognitive framework, drawing on a sound knowledge of life sciences, and nursing care from the earlier courses in the programme. Learning will be part lectures, part student-led seminars and relate to the learning outcomes and how these will be assessed.

Placement learning occurs across the semesters and students will meet for facilitated reflective practice sessions where they will bring their academic learning to reflect on their practice experience.
Entry Requirements (not applicable to Visiting Students)
Pre-requisites Co-requisites
Prohibited Combinations Other requirements None
Additional Costs All placement learning costs to be met by the student.
Course Delivery Information
Not being delivered
Learning Outcomes
On completion of this course, the student will be able to:
  1. an ability to critically discuss how the normal physiology can be altered in acute disease
  2. a detailed, evidence based knowledge of the diagnostic and treatment interventions and the nurse's role in supporting the patient through such interventions
  3. an appreciation the psychosocial and emotional implications of acute physical illness for the patient and family and offer insightful interpretations and solutions to help them cope with illness.
  4. the ability to practise a person-centred, compassionate approach in assessment, implementation and evaluation of care and therapeutic effects of prescribed treatments.
  5. a standard of practice that demonstrates both an analytical and intuitive approach to the care of patients/clients and families in the clinical context.
Reading List
Brooker C Nicol M (eds) (2011) Alexander¿s Nursing Practice (4th ed) Churchill Livingstone Elsevier Edinburgh (5th edition in press)

Garden OJ JLR parks RW (2017) Principles and Practice of Surgery (7th ed) Elsevier Edinburgh

National Institute for health and Care Excellence (2018) Acutely ill patients in hospital: an overview http://pathways.nice.org.uk/pathways/acutely-ill-patients-in-hospital

Nielsen A. Stragnell S Jester p (2007) Guide for Reflection Using the Clinical Judgment Model Journal of Nursing Education 46 (11) 513-516
Ralston SH Penman ID Strachan MWJ Hobson RP (2018) Davidson¿s Principles and Practice of Medicine (23rd ed) Elsevier Edinburgh
Shor I (1992) Empowering Education The University of Chicago Press Ltd London

Smith P (2012) The Emotional Labour of Nursing Revisited: can nurses still care? 2nd edition, Palgrave MacMillan

Weimer M (2002). Learner-centered teaching: Five key changes to practice Jossey-Bass San Francisco CA
Additional Information
Graduate Attributes and Skills - Curiosity for learning that makes a positive difference
- Through engaging with a real patient care problems
- Through seeing how their studies actually apply to the reality of patient experiences and nursing care
- Through engagement with the content and its reality in practice, they will develop the capacity and empowerment
to plan their own learning and demonstrate
- creative problem solving and research
- critical and reflective thinking
- effective, compassionate and person centred care delivery
KeywordsPathophysiology,Acute nursing care,clinical decision making,person-centred care,compassion
Contacts
Course organiserProf Tonks Fawcett
Tel: (0131 6)50 3883
Email: T.Fawcett@ed.ac.uk
Course secretary
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