Course overview
This course introduces the emergency nurse to the provision of care to those patients presenting to the emergency department. The concepts of patient assessment, care delivery and ongoing management of the emergency department patient priorities will be explored. The content will be primarily oriented toward the adult patient. Reference to physiological changes throughout the age span including neonates, infants, paediatrics and geriatrics will be made when appropriate, and reference will be made to the approaches to clinical management and care delivery. There will be practical clinical workshops in assessment and skills that build on the theory taught with greater small group focus and Nursing / Medical professional input through specialty guest presenters.
Course learning outcomes
- Demonstrate the provision of patient focussed culturally competent and integrated holistic care across a range of emergency department patient presentations.
- Integrate advanced theoretical and clinical knowledge required for the coordination of care delivery across throughout the emergency department environment.
- Actively, assertively implement and/or coordinate appropriate advanced emergency assessment and emergency care as a member and/or leader of the multidisciplinary care team.
- Identify and articulate the clinical concepts that make emergency nursing unique.
- Evaluate care with consideration given to revision of the care plan in response to the observed or measured alterations in the patient's physiological/ psychological/ emotional status.
- Integrate advanced theoretical and clinical knowledge in order to undertake assessment and implement nursing care for specific patient presentations with consideration to ethical and legal constraints- for example: violent crime, sexual assault, drug and alcohol, mental health presentations and child protection.
- Select and perform with confidence and competence the necessary clinical skills required for specific emergency patient presentations or emergency situations.
- Appraise, select and utilise health care and information technologies to ensure the delivery of advanced emergency assessment, emergency care delivery and communication throughout the health care setting.
- Evaluate the current clinical issues in emergency nursing and consider the implications for the local, national and international context.