Off Campus Unit
This unit was a work integrated learning experience where I completed a period (2 weeks / 80 hours) of immersive learning in clinical practice in an off-campus health care context. Positioned at the developing stage of my course, it built on all preceding units. I was expected to draw on knowledge and skills gained in previous units, incorporating them into practice and further developing my knowledge and skills. This unit had a concurrent requisite of NSB231 Integrated Nursing Practice 2 – On Campus. My knowledge of and ability to apply the NMBA Registered Nurse Standards for Practice, National Health Priority Areas, Aged Care Standards, and National Safety and Quality Health Service Standards were crucial to nursing practice.
This unit was a work integrated learning experience, where my learning experiences were predominantly off campus within health care contexts. Experiential learning took precedence in this unit, with me attending practice for a continuous period of time in the off-campus healthcare environment. Healthcare environments ranged from clinics and home-based to community, mental health, and acute-care facilities. Preparation for this unit involved reviewing theoretical concepts explored in previous units to facilitate their application to practice. I prepared for the off-campus experience in this unit through simulated clinical situations and small group clinical skills sessions and practice activities that incorporated the use of a range of health care technologies, including digital health records.
I was also directed to revisit the safe and quality use of medicines and their administration, drawing on the learning activities and resources from my previous integrated on-campus units, including the on campus unit. A peer learning community of practice was used to encourage active collaboration and provide additional support and engagement during placement off campus. Clinical supervisors facilitated and supported the transfer of knowledge and skills to the real-world context, aligning with the requirements to satisfactorily complete the clinical assessment tool. Learning experiences included a focus on promoting the implementation of evidence-based practice, critical inquiry, health informatics competencies, and interprofessional collaboration.
Attendance at an off-campus clinical placement was required for this unit.
On Campus Unit
This unit was in the developing stage of the course and built upon preceding units. Participants were expected to draw on knowledge and skills gained in previous units to enhance their understanding of nursing practice and people's experiences with health and illness. Emphasis was placed on people's experiences within the continuum of care in different healthcare contexts to highlight chronic and acute dimensions of illness through unfolding clinical cases. A thorough understanding of the NMBA Registered Nurse Standards for Practice, National Health Priority Areas, and National Safety and Quality Health Service Standards was deemed essential to nursing practice and underpinned success in this unit.
Throughout this unit, I engaged in a combination of face-to-face and online activities aimed at cultivating essential knowledge and skills. I actively participated and collaborated with peers in tutorials and simulation sessions, exploring various clinical situations and the corresponding nurse role. The learning experiences provided valuable opportunities to enhance and apply my multimodal communication skills. Specifically, I honed skills for collaborative practice and communication through teamwork in clinical practice groups, simulations, and other small group activities within tutorials. I received encouragement to apply the insights gained from the communication module studied in Health Assessment or Introduction to Clinical Practice.
Tutorials presented occasions for me to work with case studies and scenarios, fostering the development of critical inquiry skills. These activities served as crucial experiential learning opportunities, enabling me to apply my knowledge and skills, evaluate, and refine my thinking in preparation for off-campus clinical placement. I utilized a structured framework to undertake critical reflection on my experiential learning, with the clinical reasoning cycle framework and its key components—Assessment, Planning, Implementation, and Evaluation (APIE)—forming the foundation for my critical inquiry across a range of learning activities.
see https://www.qut.edu.au/courses/bachelor-of-nursing for full unit information
Learning outcomes
Apply and integrate knowledge of the key NMBA Registered Nurse Standards for Nursing Practice, National Safety and Quality Health Service Standards, and National Health Priority Areas to enable effective clinical reasoning in a range of situations that reflect the diversity of contemporary health care settings and challenges
Apply knowledge of anatomy, physiology, and pathophysiology to support clinical reasoning and the delivery of safe person-centred care in a range of clinical situations across the life span
Demonstrate clinical reasoning in line with safe and effective person-entered care, across the lifespan
Apply knowledge and skills in effective communication and collaboration with consumers and their families.
Demonstrate evidence-based practice, clinical reasoning and decision making to provide culturally safe, quality, person-centred care consistent with the NMBA Registered Nurse Standards for Practice and the National Safety and Quality Health Service Standards at a developing level of practice.
Safely and accurately perform medication calculations and demonstrate safe administration of medicines in both the simulated environment and the clinical practice setting.
Demonstrate developing level provision of safe, appropriate, and responsive quality nursing care for consumers, families, and the broader community, across contexts of nursing practice.
Projects - Off Campus Unit
Project One
Med+Safe.
The test questions centered on calculations and the development of knowledge and skills associated with medication administration and the quality use of medicines.
I provided evidence of successfully completing the required test in the Med+Safe application during the invigilated school-based assessment period.
Project Two
Objective Structured Clinical Examination.
I was expected to utilize my existing knowledge, skills, and attributes, developed through mandatory attendance at clinical laboratory sessions, to apply principles of safe practice and demonstrate satisfactory performance of one selected skill in an OSCE context.
I underwent assessment on my performance of the skill according to relevant best practice guidelines and performance criteria. The OSCE was conducted under exam conditions, and I was not prompted during the assessment. Additionally, I was not allowed to bring or review resources external to those provided at the OSCE station.
Project Three
Placement performance.
During my assigned clinical placement, I was assessed on my ability to demonstrate a range of knowledge, skills, and attributes concerning the provision of safe, quality, person-centred care. My performance in assessments was evaluated in accordance with the NMBA Registered Nurse Standards for Practice, utilizing the Australian Nursing Standards Assessment Tool (ANSAT). It was necessary for me to demonstrate satisfactory achievement of the seven standards and their related criteria at this level. I had to achieve each criterion of the ANSAT satisfactorily, and 100% attendance was mandatory during the off-campus clinical placement.
Projects - On Campus Unit
Project One
Quizzes.
Topic one: Cardiovascular system & nursing
Topic two: Obesity, Diabetes & Renal Disease & nursing
Project Two
Care plan case study.
In response to a provided case situation, I applied my knowledge and skills to analyze, plan, and act, adopting a person-centered approach in delivering care. The planning and action I undertook were evidence-based, showcasing an understanding of the engagement time frame. I systematically evaluated the ongoing care provision and adjusted plans based on patient data and outcomes.
Project Three
Exam.
I took a centrally timetabled, written examination that included multiple-choice questions and case studies demanding concise short answers.
Overall Grading
Mark: 77
Grade: 6
Grade Description: Distinction