Faculty of Health, Engineering and Science

School: Medical Sciences

This unit information may be updated and amended immediately prior to semester. To ensure you have the correct outline, please check it again at the beginning of semester.

  • Unit Title

    Safety and Quality in Healthcare
  • Unit Code

    MMS3112
  • Year

    2015
  • Enrolment Period

    1
  • Version

    1
  • Credit Points

    15
  • Full Year Unit

    N
  • Mode of Delivery

    On Campus
    Online

Description

This unit will examine the factors associated with safety and quality in healthcare. Students will consider how they can contribute to safe and high quality systems in their roles as part of an interprofessional healthcare team, as patients, carers and members of the community. Students will analyse strategies to achieve patient centred care, informed consent and effective communication in healthcare through clinical scenarios, rational inquiry and teamwork.

Learning Outcomes

On completion of this unit students should be able to:

  1. Analyse the factors which contribute to safety and quality in healthcare.
  2. Compare the safety and quality systems in healthcare in Australia and another country.
  3. Construct a process to communicate risks and to obtain and document informed consent.
  4. Determine the characteristics of patient centred care.
  5. Discuss the barriers and facilitators to effective interprofessional teams.
  6. Recommend actions which improve communication in healthcare.

Unit Content

  1. Communication in healthcare.
  2. Contributing factors in safety and quality in healthcare.
  3. Informed consent and risk communication.
  4. Interprofessional teams.
  5. Patient centred care and advocacy.
  6. Safety and quality systems in healthcare in Australia and another country.

Additional Learning Experience Information

This unit will be taught through interactive tutorials, the analysis of clinical scenarios, and the development of resources using teamwork.

Assessment

GS1 GRADING SCHEMA 1 Used for standard coursework units

Students please note: The marks and grades received by students on assessments may be subject to further moderation. All marks and grades are to be considered provisional until endorsed by the relevant Board of Examiners.

ONLINE
TypeDescriptionValue
Case StudyCritical analysis of a clinical scenario.20%
AssignmentConstruction of a risk communication strategy and informed consent process.40%
EssayComparative analysis of an aspect of safety and quality systems in the healthcare.40%

Text References

  • Australian Communications and Media Authority. (2011). Community research on informed consent. Melbourne: Commonwealth of Australia.

Journal References

  • Jorm, C. M., White, S., & Kaneen, T. (2009). Clinical handover: critical communications. The Medical Journal of Australia, 190(11), 108-109.
  • Haidet, P., Fecile, M. L., West, H. F., & Teal, C. F. (2009). Reconsidering the team concept: educational implications for patient-centred cancer care. Patient Education and Counseling, 77(3), 450-455.
  • BMJ Quality and Safety
  • Bertakis, K. D., & Azari, R. (2011). Determinants and outcomes of patient-centred care. Patient Education and Counseling, 85(1), 46-52.
  • Medical Journal of Australia
  • Skene, L., & Smallwood, R. (2002). Informed consent: lessons from Australia. British Medical Journal, 324, 39-41.
  • British Medical Journal
  • Reason, J. (2000). Human error: models and management. British Medical Journal, 320, 768-770.
  • Patient Education and Counselling

Website References


Disability Standards for Education (Commonwealth 2005)

For the purposes of considering a request for Reasonable Adjustments under the Disability Standards for Education (Commonwealth 2005), inherent requirements for this subject are articulated in the Unit Description, Learning Outcomes and Assessment Requirements of this entry. The University is dedicated to provide support to those with special requirements. Further details on the support for students with disabilities or medical conditions can be found at the Access and Inclusion website.

Academic Misconduct

Edith Cowan University has firm rules governing academic misconduct and there are substantial penalties that can be applied to students who are found in breach of these rules. Academic misconduct includes, but is not limited to:

  • plagiarism;
  • unauthorised collaboration;
  • cheating in examinations;
  • theft of other students' work;

Additionally, any material submitted for assessment purposes must be work that has not been submitted previously, by any person, for any other unit at ECU or elsewhere.

The ECU rules and policies governing all academic activities, including misconduct, can be accessed through the ECU website.

MMS3112|1|1

Faculty of Health, Engineering and Science

School: Medical Sciences

This unit information may be updated and amended immediately prior to semester. To ensure you have the correct outline, please check it again at the beginning of semester.

  • Unit Title

    Safety and Quality in Healthcare
  • Unit Code

    MMS3112
  • Year

    2015
  • Enrolment Period

    2
  • Version

    1
  • Credit Points

    15
  • Full Year Unit

    N
  • Mode of Delivery

    On Campus
    Online

Description

This unit will examine the factors associated with safety and quality in healthcare. Students will consider how they can contribute to safe and high quality systems in their roles as part of an interprofessional healthcare team, as patients, carers and members of the community. Students will analyse strategies to achieve patient centred care, informed consent and effective communication in healthcare through clinical scenarios, rational inquiry and teamwork.

Learning Outcomes

On completion of this unit students should be able to:

  1. Analyse the factors which contribute to safety and quality in healthcare.
  2. Compare the safety and quality systems in healthcare in Australia and another country.
  3. Construct a process to communicate risks and to obtain and document informed consent.
  4. Determine the characteristics of patient centred care.
  5. Discuss the barriers and facilitators to effective interprofessional teams.
  6. Recommend actions which improve communication in healthcare.

Unit Content

  1. Communication in healthcare.
  2. Contributing factors in safety and quality in healthcare.
  3. Informed consent and risk communication.
  4. Interprofessional teams.
  5. Patient centred care and advocacy.
  6. Safety and quality systems in healthcare in Australia and another country.

Additional Learning Experience Information

This unit will be taught through interactive tutorials, the analysis of clinical scenarios, and the development of resources using teamwork.

Assessment

GS1 GRADING SCHEMA 1 Used for standard coursework units

Students please note: The marks and grades received by students on assessments may be subject to further moderation. All marks and grades are to be considered provisional until endorsed by the relevant Board of Examiners.

ON CAMPUS
TypeDescriptionValue
Case StudyCritical analysis of a clinical scenario.30%
EssayComparative analysis of an aspect of safety and quality systems in the healthcare.30%
Examination ^End of Semester Examination40%
ONLINE
TypeDescriptionValue
Case StudyCritical analysis of a clinical scenario.30%
EssayComparative analysis of an aspect of safety and quality systems in the healthcare.30%
Examination ^End of Semester Examination40%

^ Mandatory to Pass

Other References

  • Kohn, L.T., Corrigan, J.M., Donaldson, M.S. 2000. To err is human: Building a safer health system. Washington. The National Academies Press.

Disability Standards for Education (Commonwealth 2005)

For the purposes of considering a request for Reasonable Adjustments under the Disability Standards for Education (Commonwealth 2005), inherent requirements for this subject are articulated in the Unit Description, Learning Outcomes and Assessment Requirements of this entry. The University is dedicated to provide support to those with special requirements. Further details on the support for students with disabilities or medical conditions can be found at the Access and Inclusion website.

Academic Misconduct

Edith Cowan University has firm rules governing academic misconduct and there are substantial penalties that can be applied to students who are found in breach of these rules. Academic misconduct includes, but is not limited to:

  • plagiarism;
  • unauthorised collaboration;
  • cheating in examinations;
  • theft of other students' work;

Additionally, any material submitted for assessment purposes must be work that has not been submitted previously, by any person, for any other unit at ECU or elsewhere.

The ECU rules and policies governing all academic activities, including misconduct, can be accessed through the ECU website.

MMS3112|1|2