Outline

Overview

This unit of study focuses on the meaning and management of life-limiting illness, palliation and end-of-life care. Palliative care is a concept of care that is relevant across many different healthcare settings. This unit will examine a palliative approach together with end-of-life care, in the community and across a variety of healthcare settings. The most common life-limiting conditions will be identified and their management options investigated. Clinical guidelines for palliation and symptom management used nationally and internationally will be examined. The role nurses play as members of the interdisciplinary healthcare team delivering person-centred care, and their relationships with patients, families and other members of the healthcare team are focussed on in this unit. With a lifespan approach, person-centred care and communication in managing life-limiting conditions, and the notion of dignity as a core component of the nurse's therapeutic relationship will be explored in this unit. Dying, death, loss, grief and bereavement will also be explored within a global perspective.

Unit details and rules

Unit code	NURS3012
Academic unit	Nursing and Midwifery
Credit points	6
Prohibitions ?	None
Prerequisites ?	48 Year 1 credit points and 36 Year 2 credit points and NURS3010
Corequisites ?	None
Assumed knowledge ?	None
Available to study abroad and exchange students	No

Teaching staff

Coordinator	Peta McVey, peta.mcvey@sydney.edu.au
Tutor(s)	Jay Balante, jay.balante@sydney.edu.au

Type	Description	Weight	Due	Length
Online task	MCQ 10 MCQs post lecture Week 2, 3, 5, 6 & 9	25%	-	15 minutes
Outcomes assessed:
Final exam (Record+)	Final exam Written exam will assess the student's knowledge of the unit content	45%	Formal exam period	2 hours
Outcomes assessed:
Presentation	Presentation Oral presentation during tutorial. PDF copy by Mon 12 Oct 23:59.	15%	Week 10 Due date: 12 Oct 2020 at 23:59	15 minutes
Outcomes assessed:
Assignment	Cultural Diversity Information Sheet for Health Professionals A short reference sheet to guide practice of other health professionals.	10%	Week 10 Due date: 12 Oct 2020 at 23:59	500-800 words.
Outcomes assessed:
Online task	SparkPlus Online peer evaluation	5%	Week 11 Closing date: 20 Oct 2020	5 - 10 minutes
Outcomes assessed:
= group assignment ? = Type B final exam ?

Assessment summary

Post-lecture MCQs: Consisting of 10 multiple choice questions, these quizzes will test your understanding of material covered in that lecture and associated readings. These quizzes need to be completed before your scheduled tutorial class. MCQs will be conducted Week 2, 3, 5, 6 & 9.
Group Presentation: This presentation requires students to work in teams to search the literature and consider how culture may shape a patient/families’ views when faced with a life-limiting condition and their transition towards end of life in relation to their selected cultural group.
Cultural Diversity Information Sheet: Students are required to develop a simple short quick reference sheet to guide the practice of other health professionals when they encounter a person from your chosen cultural diverse background.
Peer Evaluation via SparkPlus: Online SparkPlus® will be used for students to confidentially rate their own and their peers' contributions the group assessment
Exam: A two hour written examination in the form of case scenarios with associated short answer questions will access student’s knowledge of the content of the four units interconnected modules.

Detailed information for each assessment can be found on Canvas.

Assessment criteria

The University awards common result grades, set out in the Coursework Policy 2014 (Schedule 1).

As a general guide, a high distinction indicates work of an exceptional standard, a distinction a very high standard, a credit a good standard, and a pass an acceptable standard.

Result name	Mark range	Description
High distinction	85 - 100
Distinction	75 - 84
Credit	65 - 74
Pass	50 - 64
Fail	0 - 49	When you don’t meet the learning outcomes of the unit to a satisfactory standard.

For more information see sydney.edu.au/students/guide-to-grades.

For more information see guide to grades.

Late submission

In accordance with University policy, these penalties apply when written work is submitted after 11:59pm on the due date:

Deduction of 5% of the maximum mark for each calendar day after the due date.
After ten calendar days late, a mark of zero will be awarded.

Academic integrity

The Current Student website provides information on academic integrity and the resources available to all students. The University expects students and staff to act ethically and honestly and will treat all allegations of academic integrity breaches seriously.

We use similarity detection software to detect potential instances of plagiarism or other forms of academic integrity breach. If such matches indicate evidence of plagiarism or other forms of academic integrity breaches, your teacher is required to report your work for further investigation.

You may only use artificial intelligence and writing assistance tools in assessment tasks if you are permitted to by your unit coordinator, and if you do use them, you must also acknowledge this in your work, either in a footnote or an acknowledgement section.

Studiosity is permitted for postgraduate units unless otherwise indicated by the unit coordinator. The use of this service must be acknowledged in your submission.

Learning support

Simple extensions

If you encounter a problem submitting your work on time, you may be able to apply for an extension of five calendar days through a simple extension.  The application process will be different depending on the type of assessment and extensions cannot be granted for some assessment types like exams.

Special consideration

If exceptional circumstances mean you can’t complete an assessment, you need consideration for a longer period of time, or if you have essential commitments which impact your performance in an assessment, you may be eligible for special consideration or special arrangements.

Special consideration applications will not be affected by a simple extension application.

Using AI responsibly

Co-created with students, AI in Education includes lots of helpful examples of how students use generative AI tools to support their learning. It explains how generative AI works, the different tools available and how to use them responsibly and productively.

Weekly schedule

WK	Topic	Learning activity
Week 01	1. Unit of study introduction; 2. Introduction to life-limiting conditions and palliative care: principles, models of care and a global perspective	Lecture (2 hr)
Week 02	Overview of common life-limiting conditions and illness trajectories	Lecture (2 hr)
Week 03	Symptom assessment and management of life-limiting conditions	Lecture (2 hr)
Week 04	1. Nutrition in palliative care; 2. The role of allied health	Lecture (2 hr)
Week 05	1. Palliative care in the aged care setting; 2. Palliative care in the community setting	Lecture (2 hr)
Week 06	Palliative care for children	Lecture (2 hr)
Week 07	1. Communication: breaking bad news; 2. Psychological issues and care	Lecture (2 hr)
Week 08	Culturally and linguistically diverse issues in palliative care	Lecture (2 hr)
Week 09	The role of nurses at end-of-life	Lecture (2 hr)
Week 10	1. Loss and grief across different cultures 2. Exam Revision	Lecture (2 hr)

Attendance and class requirements

Attendance: The Sydney Nursing School Resolutions specifically outline attendance requirements. Resolution 8.2 states that if students are absent without leave for more than 10% of classes in a particular unit of study in any one semester, the Dean may call upon them to show cause why they should not be deemed to have failed that unit of study. Students must also attend 100% of all clinical simulation laboratories (CSL) and off campus clinical, which are supplemented with online and group activities.
Referencing: The Sydney Nursing School has adopted the American Psychological Association (APA) Referencing style, 6th Edition, 2010 as its official referencing style. This is an author-date style of referencing.

Study commitment

Typically, there is a minimum expectation of 1.5-2 hours of student effort per week per credit point for units of study offered over a full semester. For a 6 credit point unit, this equates to roughly 120-150 hours of student effort in total.

Required readings

All readings for this unit can be accessed through Library eResearve, available on Canvas.

Learning outcomes

Learning outcomes are what students know, understand and are able to do on completion of a unit of study. They are aligned with the University's graduate qualities and are assessed as part of the curriculum.

At the completion of this unit, you should be able to:

LO1. integrate and critically apply a palliative approach to care
LO2. compare and contrast common disease trajectories and demonstrate the significance of these to the care of a person with a life limiting illness
LO3. demonstrate an understanding and apply knowledge from biomedical science together with psycho-social understanding of life limiting conditions and evidence-based best practice to enhance practice thinking in the delivery of care to people with such conditions
LO4. analyse and apply systematic assessment and management of common symptoms experienced by people with life-limiting conditions, with consideration of the many cultural/social factors that affect care
LO5. investigate the features/issues involved in the terminal phase of an illness and analyse the clinical evidenced-based strategies commonly used during this time
LO6. conduct and communicate a comparative understanding of death, grief and bereavement in different cultural and social contexts
LO7. further develop skills in therapeutic communication and engagement with patients and families.

Graduate qualities

The graduate qualities are the qualities and skills that all University of Sydney graduates must demonstrate on successful completion of an award course. As a future Sydney graduate, the set of qualities have been designed to equip you for the contemporary world.

GQ1	Depth of disciplinary expertise Deep disciplinary expertise is the ability to integrate and rigorously apply knowledge, understanding and skills of a recognised discipline defined by scholarly activity, as well as familiarity with evolving practice of the discipline.
GQ2	Critical thinking and problem solving Critical thinking and problem solving are the questioning of ideas, evidence and assumptions in order to propose and evaluate hypotheses or alternative arguments before formulating a conclusion or a solution to an identified problem.
GQ3	Oral and written communication Effective communication, in both oral and written form, is the clear exchange of meaning in a manner that is appropriate to audience and context.
GQ4	Information and digital literacy Information and digital literacy is the ability to locate, interpret, evaluate, manage, adapt, integrate, create and convey information using appropriate resources, tools and strategies.
GQ5	Inventiveness Generating novel ideas and solutions.
GQ6	Cultural competence Cultural Competence is the ability to actively, ethically, respectfully, and successfully engage across and between cultures. In the Australian context, this includes and celebrates Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures, knowledge systems, and a mature understanding of contemporary issues.
GQ7	Interdisciplinary effectiveness Interdisciplinary effectiveness is the integration and synthesis of multiple viewpoints and practices, working effectively across disciplinary boundaries.
GQ8	Integrated professional, ethical, and personal identity An integrated professional, ethical and personal identity is understanding the interaction between one’s personal and professional selves in an ethical context.
GQ9	Influence Engaging others in a process, idea or vision.

Outcome map

Learning outcomes	Graduate qualities
Learning outcomes

Alignment with Competency standards

Outcomes	Competency standards
	Registered Nurses Standards for Practice - 1.1. Accesses, analyses, and uses the best available evidence, that includes research findings for safe quality practice 1.3. Respects all cultures and experiences, which includes responding to the role of family and community that underpin the health of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and people of other cultures 1.4. Complies with legislation, common law, policies, guidelines and other standards or requirements relevant to the context of practice when making decisions 2.2. Communicates effectively, and is respectful of a person’s dignity, culture, values, beliefs and rights 2.6. Uses delegation, supervision, coordination, consultation and referrals in professional relationships to achieve improved health outcomes 2.7. Actively fosters a culture of safety and learning that includes engaging with health professionals and others, to share knowledge and practice that supports person- centered care
	Registered Nurses Standards for Practice - 1.1. Accesses, analyses, and uses the best available evidence, that includes research findings for safe quality practice 2.7. Actively fosters a culture of safety and learning that includes engaging with health professionals and others, to share knowledge and practice that supports person- centered care 3.2. Provides the information and education required to enhance people’s control over health 4.1. Conducts assessments that are holistic as well as culturally appropriate 4.2. Uses a range of assessment techniques to systematically collect relevant and accurate information and data to inform practice 5.1. Uses assessment data and best available evidence to develop a plan
	Registered Nurses Standards for Practice - 1.1. Accesses, analyses, and uses the best available evidence, that includes research findings for safe quality practice 1.3. Respects all cultures and experiences, which includes responding to the role of family and community that underpin the health of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and people of other cultures 1.6. Maintains accurate, comprehensive and timely documentation of assessments, planning, decision- making, actions and evaluations 2.3. Recognises that people are the experts in the experience of their life 2.4. Provides support and directs people to resources to optimise health related decisions 3.2. Provides the information and education required to enhance people’s control over health 4.2. Uses a range of assessment techniques to systematically collect relevant and accurate information and data to inform practice 5.1. Uses assessment data and best available evidence to develop a plan 5.2. Collaboratively constructs nursing practice plans until contingencies, options priorities, goals, actions, outcomes and timeframes are agreed with the relevant persons
	Registered Nurses Standards for Practice - 1.1. Accesses, analyses, and uses the best available evidence, that includes research findings for safe quality practice 1.3. Respects all cultures and experiences, which includes responding to the role of family and community that underpin the health of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and people of other cultures 2.2. Communicates effectively, and is respectful of a person’s dignity, culture, values, beliefs and rights 2.8. Participates in and/or leads collaborative practice 4.1. Conducts assessments that are holistic as well as culturally appropriate 4.2. Uses a range of assessment techniques to systematically collect relevant and accurate information and data to inform practice 5.1. Uses assessment data and best available evidence to develop a plan 6.1. Provides comprehensive safe, quality practice to achieve agreed goals and outcomes that are responsive to the nursing needs of people 6.5. Practises in accordance with relevant nursing and health guidelines, standards, regulations and legislation
	Registered Nurses Standards for Practice - 1.1. Accesses, analyses, and uses the best available evidence, that includes research findings for safe quality practice 1.4. Complies with legislation, common law, policies, guidelines and other standards or requirements relevant to the context of practice when making decisions 2.2. Communicates effectively, and is respectful of a person’s dignity, culture, values, beliefs and rights 4.1. Conducts assessments that are holistic as well as culturally appropriate 4.2. Uses a range of assessment techniques to systematically collect relevant and accurate information and data to inform practice 5.1. Uses assessment data and best available evidence to develop a plan 6.1. Provides comprehensive safe, quality practice to achieve agreed goals and outcomes that are responsive to the nursing needs of people 6.5. Practises in accordance with relevant nursing and health guidelines, standards, regulations and legislation
	Registered Nurses Standards for Practice - 1.1. Accesses, analyses, and uses the best available evidence, that includes research findings for safe quality practice 1.2. Develops practice through reflection on experiences, knowledge, actions, feelings and beliefs to identify how these shape practice 1.3. Respects all cultures and experiences, which includes responding to the role of family and community that underpin the health of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and people of other cultures 1.4. Complies with legislation, common law, policies, guidelines and other standards or requirements relevant to the context of practice when making decisions 2.2. Communicates effectively, and is respectful of a person’s dignity, culture, values, beliefs and rights 3.3. Uses a lifelong learning approach for continuing professional development of self and others 3.5. Seeks and responds to practice review and feedback 4.2. Uses a range of assessment techniques to systematically collect relevant and accurate information and data to inform practice 5.2. Collaboratively constructs nursing practice plans until contingencies, options priorities, goals, actions, outcomes and timeframes are agreed with the relevant persons 6.2. Practises within their scope of practice 6.5. Practises in accordance with relevant nursing and health guidelines, standards, regulations and legislation
	Registered Nurses Standards for Practice - 1.2. Develops practice through reflection on experiences, knowledge, actions, feelings and beliefs to identify how these shape practice 1.3. Respects all cultures and experiences, which includes responding to the role of family and community that underpin the health of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and people of other cultures 2.2. Communicates effectively, and is respectful of a person’s dignity, culture, values, beliefs and rights 2.4. Provides support and directs people to resources to optimise health related decisions 2.7. Actively fosters a culture of safety and learning that includes engaging with health professionals and others, to share knowledge and practice that supports person- centered care 3.2. Provides the information and education required to enhance people’s control over health 4.3. Works in partnership to determine factors that affect, or potentially affect, the health and well being of people and populations to determine priorities for action and/or for referral

Registered Nurses Standards for Practice -

Competency code	Taught, Practiced or Assessed	Competency standard
1.1		Accesses, analyses, and uses the best available evidence, that includes research findings for safe quality practice
1.2		Develops practice through reflection on experiences, knowledge, actions, feelings and beliefs to identify how these shape practice
1.3		Respects all cultures and experiences, which includes responding to the role of family and community that underpin the health of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and people of other cultures
1.4		Complies with legislation, common law, policies, guidelines and other standards or requirements relevant to the context of practice when making decisions
1.5		Uses ethical frameworks when making decisions
1.6		Maintains accurate, comprehensive and timely documentation of assessments, planning, decision- making, actions and evaluations
1.7		Contributes to quality improvement and relevant research
2.2		Communicates effectively, and is respectful of a person’s dignity, culture, values, beliefs and rights
2.3		Recognises that people are the experts in the experience of their life
2.4		Provides support and directs people to resources to optimise health related decisions
2.7		Actively fosters a culture of safety and learning that includes engaging with health professionals and others, to share knowledge and practice that supports person- centered care
2.8		Participates in and/or leads collaborative practice
3.1		Considers and responds in a timely manner to the health and well being of self and others in relation to the capability for practice
3.2		Provides the information and education required to enhance people’s control over health
3.4		Accepts accountability for decisions, actions, behaviours and responsibilities inherent in their role, and for the actions of others to whom they have delegated responsibilities
3.7		Identifies and promotes the integral role of nursing practice and the profession in influencing better health outcomes for people
4.1		Conducts assessments that are holistic as well as culturally appropriate
4.2		Uses a range of assessment techniques to systematically collect relevant and accurate information and data to inform practice
5.1		Uses assessment data and best available evidence to develop a plan
5.2		Collaboratively constructs nursing practice plans until contingencies, options priorities, goals, actions, outcomes and timeframes are agreed with the relevant persons
6.1		Provides comprehensive safe, quality practice to achieve agreed goals and outcomes that are responsive to the nursing needs of people
6.2		Practises within their scope of practice
6.5		Practises in accordance with relevant nursing and health guidelines, standards, regulations and legislation
6.6		Uses the appropriate processes to identify and report potential and actual risk related system issues and where practice may be below the expected standards
7.2		Revises the plan based on the evaluation
7.3		Determines, documents and communicates further priorities, goals and outcomes with the relevant persons

Responding to student feedback

This section outlines changes made to this unit following staff and student reviews.

Lectures have been revised and now "chunked" into smaller viewing times to make revision easier.

Additional information

More information can be found on Canvas.

Work, health and safety

There is no specific WHS requirements for this unit.

Disclaimer

The University reserves the right to amend units of study or no longer offer certain units, including where there are low enrolment numbers.

To help you understand common terms that we use at the University, we offer an online glossary.

Current students

Overview

Overview

Unit details and rules

Teaching staff

Assessment

Assessment

Assessment summary

Assessment criteria

Late submission

Academic integrity

Learning support

Learning support

Simple extensions

Special consideration

Using AI responsibly

Weekly schedule

Weekly schedule

Attendance and class requirements

Study commitment

Required readings

Learning outcomes

Learning outcomes

Graduate qualities

Outcome map

Alignment with Competency standards

Responding to student feedback

Responding to student feedback

Additional information

Additional information

Work, health and safety

Disclaimer

On this page

Useful links

Media

Student links

About us

Connect

Current students

NURS3012: Life Limiting Conditions and Palliation

Semester 2 Early, 2020 [Normal day] - Mallett Street, Sydney

Overview

Overview

Unit details and rules

Teaching staff

Assessment

Assessment

Assessment summary

Assessment criteria

Late submission

Academic integrity

Learning support

Learning support

Simple extensions

Special consideration

Using AI responsibly

Weekly schedule

Weekly schedule

Attendance and class requirements

Study commitment

Required readings

Learning outcomes

Learning outcomes

Graduate qualities

Outcome map

Alignment with Competency standards

Responding to student feedback

Responding to student feedback

Additional information

Additional information

Work, health and safety

Disclaimer

On this page

Useful links

Media

Student links

About us

Connect