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Health Assessment for Advanced Practice1 (NURS90067)
Graduate courseworkPoints: 12.5Dual-Delivery (Parkville)
Overview
| Availability | Semester 1 - Dual-Delivery |
|---|---|
| Fees | Look up fees |
The aim of this subject is to develop advanced health assessment skills in nursing that are relevant to the student’s area of clinical practice.
The subject provides the foundation for the development of health assessment knowledge and skills that are required to practice in an advanced practice nursing role.
The subject will explore diagnostic decision-making processes taking into consideration factors that impact on health and health assessment outcomes, such as: age, gender, culture, socioeconomic status and life-style.
Students will use a client focused approach to health assessment and apply a structured framework to guide health assessment. History taking, general examination skills, diagnostic testing, and communication of assessment findings to the health care team and patient (written and verbal) will form the core content of the subject.
Students will have the option of selecting areas that are relevant to their own area of practice. These topics will include: cardiovascular, respiratory, neurological, cognitive and developmental, abdominal, alimentary and nutritional, genitourinary, musculoskeletal, integument and psychosocial assessment.
The subject will provide students with strategies to assist them to develop advanced health assessment skills. Workshops, online activities, reading and resource material will be provided to assist students to develop the necessary knowledge and skills for advanced health examination and patient assessment. Students will also require clinical supervisors in their practice environment to support their learning, in particular the development of advanced specialty assessment skills and to assess their clinical performance.
Intended learning outcomes
Following completion of this subject it is expected that the student will be able to:
- Adapt their approach to practice to recognise the impact of physical, psychological, social, economic, emotional and cultural factors on a client's health, health literacy and practices, and communication.
- Demonstrate a systematic approach to comprehensive advanced health assessments and integrate available health-related information to identify the consumer's healthcare needs.
- Clearly articulate and apply principles of clinical decision-making approaches and diagnostic reasoning to clinical practice.
- Integrate contemporary evidence when approaching consumer assessments and formulating a diagnosis.
- Initiate and maintain collaborative and effective relationships with healthcare consumers, their families and other healthcare providers to achieve optimal health outcomes.
- Demonstrate advanced oral and written communication skills to support professional practice and academic scholarship.
Generic skills
On completion of the subject students should be able to demonstrate:
- Highly developed cognitive, analytic and problem-solving skills with the capacity to apply them to scholarship and clinical practice;
- An ability to evaluate, synthesise and apply the research and professional literature to practice;
- Advanced skills for effective teamwork and leadership;
- Highly developed oral and written communication skills;
- The capacity for independent critical thought, rational inquiry and self-directed learning; and
- A capacity to manage competing demands on time and negotiate with others to meet clinical and professional goals.
Last updated: 4 March 2025