NSB600 Introduction to Nursing Children and Childbearing Families


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Unit Outline: Semester 1 2024, Kelvin Grove, Internal

Unit code:NSB600
Credit points:12
Pre-requisite:Successful completion of 144cp including NSB131
Coordinator:Ibi Patane | i.patane@qut.edu.au
Disclaimer - Offer of some units is subject to viability, and information in these Unit Outlines is subject to change prior to commencement of the teaching period.

Overview

This unit provides an overview of the theoretical concepts and clinical application principles for practice in nursing and midwifery care for children and childbearing families. It addresses the childbearing process and the developmental stages of childhood and family dynamics, allowing the nursing role to contribute to maintenance and promotion of family health. Learning activities in this unit aim to develop your understanding of the role of the nurse or midwife as provider of care for women and their families during the normal childbearing process and during childhood. The unit is offered in blended mode and a large amount of independent study is required using online resources.

Learning Outcomes

On successful completion of this unit you will be able to:

  1. Assess patterns of human growth and development commencing with conception and extending to adolescents
  2. Identify physiological, psychological, social, and cultural implications of, and changes to the childbearing process as they affect women and their families in Australia
  3. Discuss the role of the midwife in providing primary care for the childbearing woman and her family
  4. Outline the implications of physiological, psychological, social, and cultural factors on critical events and milestones during childhood

Content

The content of this unit will be explored and discussed from biopsychosocial, cultural, ethico-legal, historical, economic, and educational perspectives.

Scope of practice

An introduction to the role of the midwife in caring for women and their families during the childbearing process: the role of the nurse in caring for children and their families within a primary healthcare framework.

Clinical problem solving

Module 1

  • Adaptational changes in the woman during pregnancy, transition to parenthood, parturition, and puerperium
  • Principles of caring for the woman, foetus, and family (including health education).

Module 2

  • Human patterns of growth and development from infancy through primary school
  • Factors that lead to changes in or influence patterns of growth and development
  • Anatomical and physiological changes beginning with conception through to the beginning of adolescence.

Module 3

  • Principles of caring for children, including adaptation
  • Thermoregulation, fluid, and nutrition
  • Psychological, physiological, social, and cultural effects, and responses to chronic and acute health problems
  • Common infectious diseases during childhood
  • Immunisation
  • Common acute and chronic health problems during neonatal period and childhood.

Learning Approaches

A variety of approaches will be used to facilitate your learning during this unit. These have been developed to allow for flexibility. The unit will be taught through a series of self-paced modules supported by on-campus seminars and online supports. The teaching approaches during the seminars may include case presentations, discussions, and small group activities. Throughout these seminars, discussion will be used to encourage you to critically reflect on your clinical experiences and apply principles learnt during first and second year to specialty areas of practice. The application of relevant competencies, codes of practice, and ethics will also be discussed during the seminars.

Feedback on Learning and Assessment

Feedback on your progress in the first assessment will inform your development of the second assessment piece.

Assessment

Overview

There are two summative assessments in this unit, short answer questions to develop your conceptual understanding and an essay drawing upon critical engagement with nursing children, childbearing and related family issues. Additionally, a formative online quiz will be made available early in semester and will help you gauge your progress prior to the summative assessments.

Unit Grading Scheme

7- point scale

Assessment Tasks

Assessment: Short answer questions

You will be required to respond to short answer questions drawn from the self-directed module activities. Responses should reflect your understanding of evidence-based nursing care provision for these vulnerable populations. In your responses you are required to demonstrate an understanding of concepts particularly relevant to provision of nursing care to children and mothers during the childbearing process, and their families.

This is an assignment for the purposes of an extension.

Weight: 40
Length: 1000 words
Individual/Group: Individual
Due (indicative): Week 8
Related Unit learning outcomes: 1, 2

Assessment: Essay

You will be required to submit a written assessment focusing on discussion of a selected topic.

This is an assignment for the purposes of an extension.

Weight: 60
Length: 1500 words
Individual/Group: Individual
Due (indicative): Week 13
Related Unit learning outcomes: 1, 3, 4

Academic Integrity

Students are expected to engage in learning and assessment at QUT with honesty, transparency and fairness. Maintaining academic integrity means upholding these principles and demonstrating valuable professional capabilities based on ethical foundations.

Failure to maintain academic integrity can take many forms. It includes cheating in examinations, plagiarism, self-plagiarism, collusion, and submitting an assessment item completed by another person (e.g. contract cheating). It can also include providing your assessment to another entity, such as to a person or website.

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.

Further details of QUT’s approach to academic integrity are outlined in the Academic integrity policy and the Student Code of Conduct. Breaching QUT’s Academic integrity policy is regarded as student misconduct and can lead to the imposition of penalties ranging from a grade reduction to exclusion from QUT.

Resources

Online resources will be recommended for this unit.

Resource Materials

Recommended text(s)

Fraser, J., Waters, D., Forster, E., & Brown, N. (2022). Paediatric nursing in Australia: Principles for practice (3rd ed.). Cambridge University Press.

Risk Assessment Statement

If you are distressed by issues explored in the content of 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 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/.