Acute Nursing Care
Overview
This unit builds on students’ knowledge of the pathophysiology of the human body and its application to the nursing care of an adult person. Students will use a solution focused case-based approach to explore typical and atypical acute presentations of a range of selected respiratory, cardiovascular, endocrine, gastrointestinal, reproductive, renal neurological and musculoskeletal conditions and related pharmacology. Students will be introduced to a number of fundamental concepts, processes and skills required for nursing practice. Students will develop skills in nursing assessment and the nursing interventions required to support the independence of persons who are acutely ill.
Requisites
14-June-2026
14-June-2026
Learning outcomes
Students who successfully complete this unit will be able to:
- Apply nursing knowledge of the underlying pathophysiology and clinical manifestations of a person presenting with acute conditions.
- Utilise an evidence-based systematic approach to prioritise the nursing care needs of a person with an acute presentation.
- Implement safe nursing practice when caring for a person with an acute presentation.
- Analyse clinical data and research to support the provision of comprehensive, safe and effective evidence based nursing care to achieve identified health outcomes
Teaching methods
Hawthorn
| Activity Type | Activity | Total Hours | Number of Weeks | Hours Per Week | Venue Type and Activity Detail |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| On-campus | Class | 16 | 8 weeks | 2 | Tutorial |
| Online | Directed Online Learning and Independent Learning | 8 | 8 weeks | 1 | |
| On-campus | Practical | 16 | 8 weeks | 2 | Clinical Learning Environment |
| Specified Activities | Group Meetings | 12 | 12 weeks | 1 | Discussion boards, Readings, Group work |
| Unspecified Activities | Independent Learning | 90 | 12 weeks | 7.5 | Independent study, Presentation preparation, Revision |
| Online | Lecture | 8 | 8 weeks | 1 | asynchronous |
| Total Hours: | 150 | Total Hours (per week): | 14.5 | ||
Assessment
| Type | Task | Weighting | ULO's |
|---|---|---|---|
| Examination | Individual | 40% | 1,2,3,4 |
| Scenarios | Individual | 40% | 1,2,3,4 |
| Online Quizzes | Individual | 20% | 1,2,3,4 |
Hurdle
To pass this unit students must successfully complete the Objective Structured Clinical Examination (OSCE).
Content
- Pathophysiology, nursing management and complications of acute presentations related to cardiovascular, respiratory, endocrine, neurological, gastro-intestinal, renal musculoskeletal systems
- Pathophysiology and nursing management of people with acute presentations, including presentation variations related to their sex
- Pathophysiology, nursing management and complications of acute presentations related to fluid and electrolyte balance
- Nursing care and management of the person experiencing pain
- Nursing care and management of the person with naso-gastric tubes and under water sealed drainage in situ
Graduate Attributes:
- Communication 2 - Communicating using different media (GA2)
- Digital Literacies 1 - Information literacy (GA5)
- Digital Literacies 2 - Technical literacy (GA6)
Study resources
Reading materials
A list of reading materials and/or required textbooks will be available in the Unit Outline on Canvas.