NSN439 Integrated Professional Practice 2 (Clinical Mastery and Leadership)

Unit Outline: Semester 2 2027, Online

Overview

This final Integrated Professional Practice unit, inclusive of 130 supernumerary, supervised clinical hours, extends previous learning to enhance your clinical capability and progress your mastery of assessment, diagnosis, management, use of clinical diagnostics and implementation of therapeutic interventions. You will have the opportunity to advance your leadership and education skills in the clinical domain and extend your knowledge of digital capabilities (NMBA, 2021). This capstone unit prepares you to transition to the nurse practitioner role under the supervision of your clinical support team and nurse practitioner academic mentor. It will build on the knowledge and skills attained in NSN435 Integrated Professional Practice 1.

This is a designated unit which is essential to your course progression. Designated units include professional experience units, units requiring the development of particular skills, and units requiring demonstration of certain personal qualities. If you fail to achieve a satisfactory level of performance in a designated unit, you may be excluded from enrolment or will be put on academic probation. If you fail a designated unit twice within your course, you may be excluded. Supplementary assessment is not available on designated units.

Learning Outcomes

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

1. Explore digital health technologies and demonstrate advanced written and oral presentation skills to support interdisciplinary education in alignment with the Nurse Practitioner Standards for Practice (NMBA, 2021).
2. Apply a systematic and evidence‑informed approach to holistic health assessment during supervised clinical hours, demonstrating advanced diagnostic reasoning and accurate interpretation of assessment findings through the effective use of relevant digital technologies, in accordance with the Nurse Practitioner Standards for Practice (NMBA, 2021).
3. Formulate and defend evidence‑based, person‑centred management plans—including pharmacological and non‑pharmacological interventions, interdisciplinary referral, and follow‑up and appropriate use of relevant digital technology—demonstrating advanced clinical reasoning, alignment with the Nurse Practitioner Standards for Practice (NMBA, 2021) and as assessed through a comprehensive Viva Voce examination.

Content

Learning Approaches

This unit provides supervised and supported clinical practice experience to develop mastery in clinical practice and leadership. This integrated professional practice unit comprises a total of 130 hours of integrated professional practice in your approved clinical placement setting.

During the professional placement, you are expected to collaborate and manage direct consumer care under decreasing levels of supervision, across the semester. Your clinical support team will continue to conduct regular clinical practice reviews on your management of consumer cases and verify your clinical log. You will have an opportunity to demonstrate leadership capacity through the delivery of a professional educational event.

Feedback on Learning and Assessment

Assessment will be spaced throughout the semester to provide the opportunity for feedback on your learning at key points. You will receive formative verbal and written feedback on your progress throughout the placement for this unit from your NP Tutor and CST members and have the opportunity for self and peer review during presentation of online case studies. A structured approach to assessment and marking will be applied to provide you with detailed feedback on your progress.

Assessment

Overview

There are three summative assessments to be completed in this unit. You must submit all assessment items to a satisfactory level and attend 100% of your integrated professional practice in order to achieve an overall pass grade for this unit.

Unit Grading Scheme

S (Satisfactory) / U (Unsatisfactory)

Assessment Tasks

Assessment: Professional development presentation

Identify a professional development learning opportunity highlighting innovative digital health technologies that will impact patient outcomes in your area of practice. You will prepare an educational session on your chosen professional development topic. You will deliver this presentation to a group of peers in your workplace. At the end of your presentation, you will elicit feedback on the quality of your presentation from at least three members of your audience. You will video-record your presentation and submit the video file and a written reflection. You must use QUT approved GenAI tools in the development of presentation and survey.

At the end of the semester you are required to upload your digital portfolio inclusive of your professional development presentation,completed Viva Voce CRA signed by your CST and QUT academic representative,summative Integrated Professional Practice Reports (IPPAR) x 2,  (and formative IPPARs if available), and  a log of 130 clinical hours.

The ethical and responsible use of generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) tools is authorised in this assessment. See the relevant assessment details in Canvas for specific guidelines.

This assignment is eligible for the 48-hour late submission period and assignment extensions.

Threshold Assessment:

Satisfactory performance in this assessment item is a condition for passing this unit as it demonstrates your ability to apply the NP Standards for Practice within the domains of education and leadership (NMBA, 2021). You will be eligible for one resubmission.

You must submit all assessment items to a satisfactory level and attend 100% of your integrated professional practice in order to achieve an overall pass grade for this unit.

Assessment: Viva voce

You will undertake a comprehensive oral clinical examination (i.e. Viva Voce) that will be assessed by your Clinical Support Team (CST) and your QUT academic representative. You will assess a patient chosen by your CST and undertake autonomous assessment, diagnosis (including differentials), ordering of diagnostics and development of a comprehensive pharmacological and non-pharmacological management plan. You will access the electronic medical record and digitial tools available in your health service to inform this process. You will then present your findings to a panel comprised of a minimum of two CST members and a Nurse Practitioner  QUT Academic representative. The Viva Voce demonstrates whether your depth of knowledge and range of skills are commensurate with those of a nurse practitioner in your specialty area of practice, and demonstrates the NP Standards for Practice (NMBA, 2021). .

You are required to upload an electronic portfolio that includes your completed Viva Voce CRA signed by your CST and QUT academic representative, along with your summative IPPARs (2), formative IPPARs (if available) log of 130 clinical hours and professional development presentation. 

The use of generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) tools is prohibited during this assessment.

This assignment is eligible for the 48-hour late submission period and assignment extensions.

Threshold Assessment:

Satisfactory performance with achievement of all elements of the Viva Voce criterion referenced assessment tool is a condition for passing this unit as it demonstrates your ability to apply the NP Standards for Practice in the care of your patients. If your assessment is unsatisfactory your Unit Coordinator will meet with you and your Clinical Support Team to assess the potential for reassessment within two weeks of the original assessment. 

You must submit all assessment items to a satisfactory level and attend 100% of your integrated professional practice in order to achieve an overall pass grade for this unit.

Assessment: Integrated Professional Practice Reports (IPPAR)

You will provide patient-centred care for a number of consumers applying the nurse practitioner standards for practice. You will use health informatics and technology to engage with consumers and communicate with other health professionals. You will submit  two formative and a summative Integrated Professional Practice Assessment Reports (IPPARs) ) that provide evidence of your ability to effectively apply the Nurse Practitioner Standards for Practice (NMBA, 2021). The formative IPPARs are to be submitted mid-semester. The summative IPPARs must be completed by two members of your CST independently and must be submitted by the end of semester. You must demonstrate satisfactory achievement of each standard of the Nurse Practitioner Standards for Practice. 

You are required to upload two completed summative IPPARs (and formative if available) as part of your electronic Portfolio along with your log of 130 clinical hours that demonstrates evidence of comprehensive health assessment, diagnosis, management, and implementation of therapeutic interventions. You will also upload evidence of your professional presentation and feedback.

The use of generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) tools is prohibited during this assessment.

This assignment is eligible for the 48-hour late submission period and assignment extensions.

Threshold Assessment:

Satisfactory performance with achievement of elements of the Integrated Professional Practice Assessment Report is a condition for passing this unit as it demonstrates your ability to apply the NP Standards for Practice in the care of your patients. If your assessment is unsatisfactory your Unit Coordinator will meet with you and your Clinical Support Team to assess the potential for a six-week extension of clinical placement and reassessment of the IPPAR. 

You must submit all assessment items to a satisfactory level and attend 100% of your integrated professional practice in order to achieve an overall pass grade for this unit.

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.

Requirements to Study

Requirements

You must submit mandatory documentation (including placement registration, Clinical Support Team documentation and Executive Director of Nursing or equivalent documentation) into QUT InPlace  before semester census date (end of week 4). If this documentation is not submitted by this time you will be ineligible for continuing enrollment in this unit. 

Resources

Resource Materials

Prescribed text(s)

NMBA (2021). Nurse Practitioner Standards of Practice. Available from the AHPRA website NMBA Professional Standards

Talley, N., & O'Connor, S. (2021). Clinical examination: A systematic guide to physical diagnosis (9th ed.). Sydney: Churchill Livingston, Elsevier.

Recommended text(s)

Ball, J., Dains, J., Flynn, J.A., Solomon, B.S. & Stewart, R.W. (2023). Seidel's guide to physical examination (10th ed.). St Louis: Mosby.

Risk Assessment Statement

As a student undertaking this unit you are required to be working in your nominated clinical speciality area. As such, you will be exposed to risks encountered in the practice of nursing. Students undertaking workplace-based professional practice experience or clinical placement are required to follow the same health and safety guidelines that apply to all staff in the workplace. In addition, measures to control exposure to risks include:

• Orientation to the health care agency
• Supervision by a clinical support team
• Appropriate theoretical and practical preparation.

Emergency procedures

All facilities require that their health workers become familiar with local emergency procedures. It is your responsibility to locate fire exits, emergency procedures and complete CPR drill and fire safety as required.

Health status and immunisation requirements

It is strongly recommended that you will:

• Endeavour at all times to maintain your personal health at a high level. Be fit to work and have had a reasonable rest period between shifts.
• Review your current immunisation status.
• Inform the Unit Coordinator, Course Coordinator or Clinical Support Team if you are aware of any personal condition, which may present a risk to yourself or consumers, other students, health care agency staff or the general public while undertaking professional practice experience or clinical placement.

The management of your health facility has the right to send you home if, in their opinion, it is unsafe for you to work that day.

Confidentiality

As a student in the clinical area, you must treat all information regarding clients and their families with the utmost confidentiality. Information that is documented as part of your learning experiences must preserve client anonymity and confidentiality. Classroom discussion should also adhere to these principles.

Standards/Competencies

This unit is designed to support your development of the following standards\competencies.

NMBA Nurse Practitioner Standards for Practice (2021)

Standard 1: Assesses using diagnostic capability

Relates to: Viva voce, Integrated Professional Practice Reports (IPPAR)

Standard 2: Plans care and engages others

Relates to: Professional development presentation, Viva voce, Integrated Professional Practice Reports (IPPAR)

Standard 3: Prescribes and implements therapeutic interventions

Relates to: Viva voce, Integrated Professional Practice Reports (IPPAR)

Standard 4: Supports health systems

Relates to: Professional development presentation, Viva voce, Integrated Professional Practice Reports (IPPAR)

Course Learning Outcomes

NS90 Master of Nurse Practitioner

1. Integrate and apply advanced health knowledge and clinical practice skills, leveraging digital innovation to deliver culturally safe nurse practitioner services that value diversity and consumer-led health initiatives in varied populations and contexts.
   Relates to: ULO1
2. Utilise independent clinical inquiry and complex, critical reasoning to conduct holistic assessment, formulate differential diagnoses and autonomously develop, implement, and evaluate patient-centred, evidence-based management plans that are effective and safe.
   Relates to: ULO2, ULO3, Viva voce
3. Apply professional communication to cultivate collaborative and inclusive partnerships with health-care consumers and professionals, leveraging digital technology while using advanced knowledge and skills to educate those receiving and delivering care.
   Relates to: ULO1, ULO2, Professional development presentation, Viva voce
4. Design and generate scholarly work that applies research methods, analytical processes, and knowledge translation, fostering lifelong learning and evidence-based practice.
   Relates to: Professional development presentation, Viva voce
5. Lead and advocate for patient-centred, culturally safe, reflective and ethical nursing practice that results in optimal health systems and outcomes for all consumers and communities.
   Relates to: Viva voce, Integrated Professional Practice Reports (IPPAR)