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  2. Older Adult Health [NCS2201]

Faculty of Health, Engineering and Science

School: Nursing and Midwifery

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

    Older Adult Health

  • Unit Code

    NCS2201

  • Year

    2015

  • Enrolment Period

    1

  • Version

    4

  • Credit Points

    15

  • Full Year Unit

     N

  • Mode of Delivery

    On Campus
    Online

Description

This unit will enable students to develop their knowledge of normal ageing and the health challenges commonly experienced in older age. An emphasis on promoting health and wellness even in the presence of chronic illness will be prominent in this unit. Global ageing, legal and ethical care and a palliative approach will also be considered in relation to the older adult. Care provided across a variety of settings including hospital, home and residential will also be explored.

Prerequisite Rule

Students must pass 1 units from NSC1103

Equivalent Rule

Unit was previously coded NNI1101, NNI1102, NNS1201

Learning Outcomes

On completion of this unit students should be able to:

  1. Examine the issue of global ageing and the impact of the ageing population in the local context.
  2. Explain the impact of the ageing, multicultural population on healthcare resources.
  3. Explain the value of a palliative approach for aspects of elder care, including end of life care.
  4. Justify a position on legal and ethical issues that have particular relevance to the nursing care of older adults.
  5. Prepare nursing plans of care for persons experiencing chronic illness and co morbidities, includingalterations to respiratory, cardiac, renal orthopaedic, diabetes (type II), cognitive and sensory function.
  6. Promote wellness and quality of life in old age by integrating an understanding of traditional and complementary nursing interventions.
  7. Recommend appropriate ways of caring for older adults across a variety of settings.

Unit Content

  1. A palliative approach for care of the elderly, including the philosophical underpinnings of palliative care and the use of this approach to promote quality of life for the older person including end of life care for the elderly and bereavement care for the family.
  2. Chronic wounds.
  3. Common health challenges faced in old age including frailty, degenerative disease, acute and chronic illness, comorbidity, polypharmacy and cognitive impairment.
  4. Creating elder friendly environments including falls and injury assessment prevention and management.
  5. Ethical and legal issues that are of particular relevance to the care of older people, including nurses responsibilitiesassociated with advanced directives in reporting abuse and neglect.
  6. Nursing care of the client experiencing: Immune suppression, Common nervous system dysfunctions related to ageing (including cerebrovascular and degenerative e.g. Parkinsons and Alzheimers), visual impairment including eye surgery, Type II Diabetes Mellitus, Common alterations in urologic and renal function associated with ageing including bladder catheterisation, irrigation and continence management, Chronic respiratory disorders including COPD, Common musculoskeletal disorders including arthritis, osteoporosis, fracture and joint surgery and chronic wounds.
  7. Nursing interventions including health education and promotion for the elderly, fostering independence and rehabilitation in preparation for clinical experience.

Additional Learning Experience Information

Lectures, guest presentations and workshops with e-learning material.

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
Creative WorkHealth promotion brochure30%
ReportDiscussion Board Summary20%
ExaminationEnd of semester examination50%
ONLINE
TypeDescriptionValue
Creative WorkHealth promotion brochure30%
ReportDiscussion Board Summary20%
ExaminationEnd of semester examination50%

Text References

  • ^ Hunter, C. A. (2012). Miller's nursing for wellness in older adults. Sydney, NSW: Lippincott Williams & Wilkins.
  • Nay, R., Garratt, S. & Fetherstonhaugh, D. (2014). Older people: Issues and innovations in care (4th ed.). Chatsworth, NSW: Churchill Livingstone Elsevier.
  • Johnson, A. & Chang, E. (2014). Caring for older people in Australia. Milton, QLD: John Wiley & Sons.
  • Brown, D. & Edwards, H. (2012). Lewis's medical-surgical nursing: Assessment and management of clinical problems (3rd ed.). Chatsworth, NSW: Mosby Elsevier.

Journal References

  • Journal of Gerontological Nursing
  • Journal of Palliative Nursing
  • Journal of Dementia Care
  • Journal of Advanced Nursing
  • Australasian Journal on Ageing
  • Geriaction
  • Health and Social Care in the Community

Website References

^ Mandatory reference

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.

NCS2201|4|1

Faculty of Health, Engineering and Science

School: Nursing and Midwifery

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

    Older Adult Health

  • Unit Code

    NCS2201

  • Year

    2015

  • Enrolment Period

    2

  • Version

    4

  • Credit Points

    15

  • Full Year Unit

     N

  • Mode of Delivery

    On Campus
    Online

Description

This unit will enable students to develop their knowledge of normal ageing and the health challenges commonly experienced in older age. An emphasis on promoting health and wellness even in the presence of chronic illness will be prominent in this unit. Global ageing, legal and ethical care and a palliative approach will also be considered in relation to the older adult. Care provided across a variety of settings including hospital, home and residential will also be explored.

Prerequisite Rule

Students must pass 1 units from NSC1103

Equivalent Rule

Unit was previously coded NNI1101, NNI1102, NNS1201

Learning Outcomes

On completion of this unit students should be able to:

  1. Examine the issue of global ageing and the impact of the ageing population in the local context.
  2. Explain the impact of the ageing, multicultural population on healthcare resources.
  3. Explain the value of a palliative approach for aspects of elder care, including end of life care.
  4. Justify a position on legal and ethical issues that have particular relevance to the nursing care of older adults.
  5. Prepare nursing plans of care for persons experiencing chronic illness and co morbidities, includingalterations to respiratory, cardiac, renal orthopaedic, diabetes (type II), cognitive and sensory function.
  6. Promote wellness and quality of life in old age by integrating an understanding of traditional and complementary nursing interventions.
  7. Recommend appropriate ways of caring for older adults across a variety of settings.

Unit Content

  1. Common health challenges faced in old age including frailty, degenerative disease, acute and chronic illness, comorbidity, polypharmacy and cognitive impairment.
  2. Nursing interventions including health education and promotion for the elderly, fostering independence and rehabilitation in preparation for clinical experience.
  3. Creating elder friendly environments including falls risk assessment, prevention and management.
  4. Nursing care of the client experiencing: common nervous system dysfunctions related to ageing, sensory impairment, Type II Diabetes Mellitus, common alterations in renal function including continence management. Chronic respiratory disorders, musculoskeletal disorders and chronic wounds.
  5. A palliative approach for care of the elderly, including the philosophical underpinnings of palliative care and the use of this approach to promote quality of life for the older person including end of life care for the elderly and bereavement care for the family.
  6. Ethical and legal issues that are of particular relevance to the care of older people, including nurses responsibilitiesassociated with advanced directives in reporting abuse and neglect.

Additional Learning Experience Information

Lectures, guest presentations and workshops with e-learning material.

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
Creative WorkHealth promotion brochure30%
ReviewDiscussion Board Summary20%
ExaminationEnd of semester examination50%
ONLINE
TypeDescriptionValue
Creative WorkHealth promotion brochure30%
ReviewDiscussion Board Summary20%
ExaminationEnd of semester examination50%

Text References

  • ^ Hunter, C. A. (2012). Miller's nursing for wellness in older adults. Sydney, NSW: Lippincott Williams & Wilkins.
  • Brown, D. & Edwards, H. (2014). Lewis's medical-surgical nursing: Assessment and management of clinical problems (4th ed.). Chatsworth, NSW: Mosby Elsevier.
  • Johnson, A. & Chang, E. (2014). Caring for older people in Australia. Milton, QLD: John Wiley & Sons.
  • Nay, R., Garratt, S. & Fetherstonhaugh, D. (2014). Older people: Issues and innovations in care (4th ed.). Chatsworth, NSW: Churchill Livingstone Elsevier.

Journal References

  • Geriaction
  • Australasian Journal on Ageing
  • Health and Social Care in the Community
  • Journal of Advanced Nursing
  • Journal of Dementia Care
  • Journal of Palliative Nursing
  • Journal of Gerontological Nursing

Website References

^ Mandatory reference

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.

NCS2201|4|2