NSB102 Professional Practice and Cultural Safety
To view more information for this unit, select Unit Outline from the list below. Please note the teaching period for which the Unit Outline is relevant.
| Unit code: | NSB102 |
|---|---|
| Equivalent(s): | NSB018 |
| Credit points: | 12 |
| Timetable | Details in HiQ, if available |
| Availabilities |
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| CSP student contribution | $578 |
| Domestic tuition unit fee | $4,356 |
| International unit fee | $4,848 |
Unit Outline: Semester 1 2025, Kelvin Grove, Internal
| Unit code: | NSB102 |
|---|---|
| Credit points: | 12 |
| Equivalent: | NSB018 |
| Coordinator: | Audra de Witt | a.dewitt@qut.edu.au |
Overview
As healthcare providers, nurses need knowledge, skills, and attributes to implement culturally safe, person-centred, inclusive care for people from all backgrounds across the lifespan. To meet regulatory requirements, ethical, professional, and quality standards, this foundational unit introduces cultural safety as a model underpinning professional nursing practice. Knowledge of the impact of our own cultures and those of professions and systems is essential to provide inclusive nursing care that is respectful and compassionate, free of racism, stigma, and other forms of discrimination across all practice settings. This unit introduces social determinants of health that underpin cultural safety, societal responses to diversity and the impacts of these responses on health. The significance of nurses providing culturally safe care that improves peoples' health outcomes is emphasised throughout the unit.
Learning Outcomes
On successful completion of this unit you will be able to:
- Apply knowledge of the NMBA Standards of Practice (2016), NMBA Code of Conduct (2018), National Health Priority Areas, National Safety and Quality Health Service Standards, and Aged Care Quality Standards that underpin the nursing profession, and explain how they relate to the provision of culturally safe, person-centred care
- Apply theoretical frameworks to develop a foundational capacity for personal cultural self-reflection, and acknowledge the relationship of self to professionalism, inter- and intra-professional practice, and the provision of inclusive, culturally safe, person-centred care
- Analyse, reflect on, and explain how your personal social position, experience, and cultural identity influence the provision of culturally safe nursing care across primary, secondary, and tertiary health care contexts
- Apply knowledge of historical, social, and political issues (social determinants of health) to explain the socio-political context of health care and the impact of these structures on human health and consumer experiences of health systems
- Identify and analyse the dominant values, assumptions, and processes that shape health systems, care-delivery models, and nursing practice in Australia across primary, secondary, and tertiary healthcare contexts.
Content
Course themes: Person-centred care and therapeutic communication; cultural safety;
evidence-based foundations of safe practice
NMBA Registered Nurse Standards for Practice: 1, 2, 3, 4
National Safety and Quality Health Service Standards: 2) Partnering with consumers; 5. Comprehensive care
Aged Care Standards: 1. Consumer dignity & choice; 5, Organization Service Environment: 6, Feedback and Complaints.
Introductory: Culturally safe, inclusive practice; Learning that supports development of skills that include searching and reviewing research and other evidence for translation into practice.
This unit introduces the social determinants of health that underpin cultural safety and focuses on societal responses to diversity and the impacts of these responses on the health of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and all Australians. These concepts lead into a focus on regional, national, and global health care priorities. The unit provides a foundation for developing intra- and interprofessional practice to produce knowledgeable, capable, and safe service provider, so that people feel comfortable and respected and their dignity is protected at all times .
Module 1: Culture, Self and the Nurse
An exploration of what is meant by culture; identity formation and values (including self-awareness); important concepts (worldview, values, attitudes, beliefs and lifeworld; the limitations of one's knowledge and perspective and reflection on self and nursing as a career option. The role of the nurse independently; the nature of nursing, historical influences, and core nursing values; caring and nursing practice; core concepts and attributes of contemporary nursing practice including person-centred care, evidence-based practice; why it all matters; the importance of language we use when relating to others; cultural sensitivity and cultural safety; what does all this have to do with me and nursing practice.
Module 2: The Australian Health Care System and Nursing Regulations in Australia
An overview of the Australian health care system: primary, secondary, and tertiary contexts of care; urban, regional, and remote settings and health care. Healthcare funding models: Federal government (e.g., aged care, Medicare, Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS), primary care); state government (public hospitals); local government / community level (e.g., Immunisations, child health, parks); overview of public and private sector health. Health care policies: national health priorities – what are they and how priorities are determined and how is funding prioritised. Variety of models of health exist: biomedical and sociological (holistic) approaches to heath care; the sociological perspectives on health systems; dominant models of health (within Western systems).
Nursing in Australia. Nurses work across all sectors and settings and work within interprofessional teams and interprofessional collaboration (there are potentially many job opportunities across various settings for graduate nurses). Nursing – the largest health workforce; nursing regulations and professional practice standards and nursing codes; the role of the professional regulatory authorities (NMBA); scope of practice; safety and quality and the professional use of social media. What does all this have to do with me and nursing practice.
Module 3: Social Determinants of Health (SDH) and an Equitable Health Care System
An exploration of factors that impact health and wellbeing of populations. Respecting and valuing historical and contemporary socio-political issues and their impact on health, including dimensions of socioeconomic disadvantage; racism and white privilege; the impact of marginalisation of less represented population groups (such as lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, people with disabilities and mental health challenges), and the resultant/related inequities in health that often exist. Global socio-political context, mobile populations, impacts of war, displacement, refugees and climate change. Impact of SDH on access to care in context of the Australian health system – who may be missing out? What does this have to do with me and nursing practice. How do nursing regulations promote equity in health.
Module 4: Power, Corporations and Culture
Power relationships (history, dominant cultures, and power relations). Reflect on the dominant models in western health (historical tendency toward disease-based and treatment and cure rather than social/wellness focus) social construction of medical and nursing knowledge and principles of collaboration, partnerships, advocacy, and cultural safety. Nursing culture; organisations, workplace culture and policies and provision of culturally safe health care. What does this have to do with me and nursing practice. Nursing regulations in relation to power, principles of collaboration, partnership, and cultural safety.
Module 5: Culturally Safe Nurses
Bringing it all together. Preparing for professional practice as nursing students and readiness for placements. What does culturally safe nursing practice look like in action? We apply what we have learned in this unit into practice. How culturally safe nursing practice impact patients and their experience of care, benefit loved ones, health professionals and the community at large. Nursing regulations in context of supporting culturally safe practices. Charter of patient rights, reporting obligations and professional boundaries.
Learning Approaches
This is a foundational unit in the Professional Practice stream. The unit will use a blend of face-to-face and online activities to develop analytical skills, self-reflection skills, and a collaborative approach to learning. You will develop and practice reflection skills and reflective writing. You will engage in group discussions and activities in class to begin to confront and explore key themes and ideas, and to apply models, frameworks, and standards for inquiry and practice.
So that you appreciate the value and diversity of peers, and the knowledge and experience they bring, you will work in small group tutorials using structured exercises, evidence, and resources to support collaborative learning and inquiry. The unit coordinator and tutors are available for consultation throughout the semester in on-campus and online contexts.
Feedback on Learning and Assessment
You will be provided with feedback and guidance to assist your learning throughout the semester through:
- Formative feedback online or in class interactions throughout semester individually and/or as a group
- Summative feedback from online quiz results.
- Individual written feedback to develop your self-reflection and academic writing skills.
- Peer and teacher interactions and feedback including individual consultations with teaching staff as requested.
- The unit coordinator and tutors are available for consultation throughout the semester in on-campus and online contexts.
Assessment
Overview
This unit has three summative assessments. Assessment one comprises two online quizzes where you demonstrate your understandings of person-centred care and cultural safety in the context of the nursing profession. Assessment two requires you to reflect on your own beliefs and attitudes in preparation for providing nursing care that meets professional standards. Assessment three is an exam consisting of both multiple choice and short answer questions. This will test your understanding of unit content from across the semester.
Unit Grading Scheme
7- point scale
Assessment Tasks
Assessment: Online Engagement activity
You will engage in self-reflection and a cultural safety-related interactive activity in class and online. You will familiarise yourself with online resources including available academic and personal supports at QUT.
Assessment: Individual Reflection
You will analyze and explain the influence of self and, identify and discuss the real-world implications of your reflections for implementing culturally safe nursing practice. To do this you will draw on provided nursing professional standards and code of ethics documents, relevant to person-centred care and principles of cultural safety.
This is an assignment for the purposes of an extension.
Assessment: Exam
You will undertake an invigilated exam consisting of multi-choice and short answer questions.
Academic Integrity
Academic integrity is a commitment to undertaking academic work and assessment in a manner that is ethical, fair, honest, respectful and accountable.
The Academic Integrity Policy sets out the range of conduct that can be a failure to maintain the standards of academic integrity. This includes, cheating in exams, plagiarism, self-plagiarism, collusion and contract cheating. It also includes providing fraudulent or altered documentation in support of an academic concession application, for example an assignment extension or a deferred exam.
You are encouraged to make use of QUT’s learning support services, resources and tools to assure the academic integrity of your assessment. This includes the use of text matching software that may be available to assist with self-assessing your academic integrity as part of the assessment submission process.
Breaching QUT’s Academic Integrity Policy or engaging in conduct that may defeat or compromise the purpose of assessment can lead to a finding of student misconduct (Code of Conduct – Student) and result in the imposition of penalties under the Management of Student Misconduct Policy, ranging from a grade reduction to exclusion from QUT.
Resources
Resource Materials
Reference book(s)
Crisp, J., Douglas, C., Rebeiro, G., & Waters, D. (2021). Potter & Perry’s fundamentals of nursing (6th edition ; Australia and New Zealand). Elsevier Australia a division of Reed International Books Australia Pty Ltd.
Risk Assessment Statement
If you are distressed by issues explored in this unit, you should approach academic staff or consult the university counselling service. You will be made aware of evacuation procedures and assembly areas in the first few lectures. In the event of a fire alarm sounding, or on a lecturer's instruction, you should leave the room and assemble in the designated area, which will be indicated to you. You should be conscious of your health and safety at all times while on campus. More information on health and safety can be obtained from http://www.hse.qut.edu.au/.
Standards/Competencies
This unit is designed to support your development of the following standards\competencies.
Registered Nurse Standards for Practice
1: Thinks critically and analyses nursing practice.
- The RN develops practice through reflection on experiences, knowledge, actions, feelings and beliefs to identify how these shape practice
Relates to: Online Engagement activity, Individual Reflection - The RN respects all cultures and experiences, which includes responding to the role of family and community that underpin the health of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and people of other cultures
Relates to: Online Engagement activity, Individual Reflection - The RN complies with legislation, regulations, policies, guidelines and other standards or requirements relevant to the context of practice when making decisions
Relates to: Online Engagement activity, Individual Reflection - The RN uses ethical frameworks when making decisions
Relates to: Online Engagement activity, Individual Reflection
2: Engages in therapeutic and professional relationships.
- The RN communicates effectively, and is respectful of a person’s dignity, culture, values, beliefs and rights
Relates to: Online Engagement activity, Individual Reflection - The RN recognises that people are the experts in the experience of their life
Relates to: Individual Reflection - The RN advocates on behalf of people in a manner that respects the person’s autonomy and legal capacity
Relates to: Online Engagement activity, Individual Reflection
3: Maintains the capability for practice.
- The RN identifies and promotes the integral role of nursing practice and the profession in influencing better health outcomes for people.
Relates to: Online Engagement activity, Individual Reflection
4: Comprehensively conducts assessments.
- The RN conducts assessments that are holistic as well as culturally appropriate
Relates to: Individual Reflection - The RN works in partnership to determine factors that affect, or potentially affect, the health and wellbeing of people and populations to determine priorities for action and/ or for referral
Relates to: Individual Reflection - The RN assesses the resources available to inform planning.
Relates to: Individual Reflection
6: Provides safe, appropriate and responsive quality nursing practice.
- The RN practises within their scope of practice
Relates to: Online Engagement activity, Individual Reflection - The RN practises in accordance with relevant policies, guidelines, standards, regulations and legislation
Relates to: Online Engagement activity, Individual Reflection
Course Learning Outcomes
This unit is designed to support your development of the following course/study area learning outcomes.NS42 Bachelor of Nursing
- Apply scientific knowledge and skills from nursing and related disciplines to the provision of safe, person-centred, evidence-based nursing care across the lifespan
Relates to: Online Engagement activity, Individual Reflection - Apply critical thinking, clinical reasoning, and digital literacy skills to make evidence- based decisions and evaluate outcomes
Relates to: Online Engagement activity, Individual Reflection - Practice as an ethical, socially inclusive, and culturally safe practitioner, reflective of your professional nursing identity across a range of health service settings.
Relates to: Individual Reflection