Registry

Module Specifications

Current Academic Year 2012 - 2013
Please note that this information is subject to change.

Module Title	Core Nursing Skills
Module Code	NS118
School	School of Nursing and Human Sciences
Online Module Resources
Module Co-ordinator	Semester 1: Evelyn Kelleher Semester 2: Evelyn Kelleher Autumn: Evelyn Kelleher
Module Teacher	Evelyn Kelleher
NFQ level	8	Credit Rating	5
Pre-requisite	None
Co-requisite	None
Compatibles	None
Incompatibles	None

Description

The purpose of this module is to examine the theoretical components and practical clinical skills related to meeting the core needs of patients/clients.Students are expected to attend lectures, and participate in skills workshops to develop the necessary skills so that they can provide care to patients/clients in a variety of healthcare settings. This module will also enable the student apply the knowledge gained from semester one and begin to appreciate the complexity of the provision of nursing care. A number of workshops are provided in the clinical education centre during this module and students are expected to attend all of the timetabled sessions. Students are also expected to use the centre to practice the skills demonstrated outside the timetables workshops.

Learning Outcomes

1. Examine the theory underpinning the nurses role in assisting patients/clients in meeting their fundamental needs.
2. Identify the core nursing needs of patients/clients in the health care setting
3. Discuss the concept of need as it relates to peole in health care settings
4. Perform the clinical skills necessary for assisting patients/clients with their fundamental needs.

Workload	Full-time hours per semester
*Type*	*Hours*	*Description*
Lecture	14	Introduction to the theory underpinning the skills taught in the module
Clinical laboratory	22	Clinical skills sessions facilitated by lecturers and videos in the Clincial Education Centre
Clinical laboratory	22	Supervised & Unsupervised skills practice
Independent learning time	67	No Description
Total Workload: 125

All module information is indicative and subject to change. For further information,students are advised to refer to the University's Marks and Standards and Programme Specific Regulations at: http://www.dcu.ie/registry/examinations/index.shtml

Indicative Content and Learning Activities

Recording temperature, pulse, respirations and blood pressure.
In this session the methods for assessing temperature, pulse, respirations and blood pressure will be described and explanations given as to how to measure temperature, pulse, respirations and blood pressure. Normal ranges for each vital sign will be identified and factors that could potentially affect vitalsigns and accurate measurement of vital signs will be discussed. During the practice skills session’s students will have an opportunity to perform and document vital signs..

Attending to patient hygiene and maintaining skin integrity.
In this session factors to consider when attending to a patient/clients personal hygiene will be discussed with particular reference to the maintenance of skin integrity. This will led to defining what a pressure ulcer is, intrinsic and extrinsic causes of and stages/categorization pressure ulcers. Assessment, planning, implementation and evaluation of pressure ulcers and patient/client hygiene needs will be discussed. During the practice skills sessions students will have an opportunity to attend to patient hygiene, patient positioning andpressure area assessment..

Nutrition and hydration.
This section will focus on nutrition and hydration with a particular focus on attending to these core needs. During the practice skills session’s students will have an opportunity to experience different scenarios where patient/client might require assistance with his/her hydration/nutrition needs..

Elimination and collection of specimens.
This session will focus on understanding the role of the nurse in assisting a patient/client with elimination and factors effecting elimination/ deviations from normal elimination. This will led to examining why specimens are collected from patients, the general principles involved in the collection of specimens,including safety considerations and the skill/procedure involved in collecting the most commonly requested specimens in the health care setting. During the practice skills sessions students will have an opportunity to practicethese skills..

Pre and post-operative care and introduction to pain management.
In this session students will be introduced to the knowledge and skills required to prepare a patient safely for theatre (pre-operative care), and care for him / her post-operatively. Students will also be introduced to the concept of acute and chronic pain, including factors you will need to take account of during pain assessment and management..

Oxygen therapy.
This session will identify the main causes of inadequate oxygenation, outline the various methods of oxygen administration and discuss the management of patients receiving oxygen administration, including safety precautions. During the practice skills sessions students will have an opportunity to view the equipment and practice the skills necessary for oxygen administration..

Mobilization.
In this session students will be introduced to the complications associated with immobility the prevention and the treatment. During the skills session student will have the opportunity to practice exercises to prevent the complications and the aids available will be demonstrated..

Aseptic technique and wound care.
During this session students will have an opportunity to build upon the principles of aseptic technique to learn the key principles to consider when attending wound care. Students will have an opportunity to practice attending to the care of a wound aseptically during a practice skills session..

Assessment Breakdown
Continuous Assessment	30%	Examination Weight	70%

Course Work Breakdown
Type	Description	% of total	Assessment Date
Objective structured clinical examination (OSCE)	n/a	30%	n/a

Reassessment Requirement
Resit arrangements are explained by the following categories; 1 = A resit is available for all components of the module 2 = No resit is available for 100% continuous assessment module 3 = No resit is available for the continuous assessment component
This module is category 1

Indicative Reading List

Departement of Health & Children: 2008, Building a Culture of Patient Safety, Departement of Health & Children, Dublin.,
Docherty C and McCallum J: 2009, Foundation Clinical Nursing Skills, Oxford University Press, Oxford,
Health Information & Quality Authority: 2009, National Standards for the Prevention and Control of Healthcare Associated Infections, Health Information & Quality Authority, Dublin.,
Kozier B, Erb G, Berman A, Burke K: 2005, Fundamentals of Nursing: Concepts, Process and Practice, 7th Edition, Prentice Hall, New Jersey,
Mallett J and Dougherty L: 2004, Royal Marsden Hospital Manual of Clinical Nursing Procedures, 6th Edition, Blackhall Science, London,
Potter P and Perry A: 2005, Fundamentals of Nursing, 6th Edition, Elsevier Mosby, Missouri,

Other Resources

None

Array

Programme or List of Programmes

BNCG

BSc in Children's & General Nursing

BNGN

BSc in Nursing (General)

BNID

BSc in Nursing (Intellectual Disability)

BNPY

BSc in Nursing (Psychiatric)