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Unit of study_

NURS5070: Creating a Culture of Safety and Quality

Semester 1, 2022 [Block mode] - Camperdown/Darlington, Sydney

This unit of study pursues a critical analysis of the theoretical constructs and practical applications underpinning nursing professional standards, regulation, clinical governance and accreditation in health care organisations and nursing practice. Many factors influence a culture of safety and quality in the clinical environment across domains of organisational safety, teamwork, management accountability and consumer involvement. These factors and how they can impact patient care and quality improvement initiatives will be examined in this unit of study utilising a better practice (quality/continuity of care/health outcomes/governance) framework. 

Unit details and rules

Unit code NURS5070
Academic unit Nursing and Midwifery
Credit points 6
Prohibitions
? 
None
Prerequisites
? 
None
Corequisites
? 
None
Assumed knowledge
? 

None

Available to study abroad and exchange students

Yes

Teaching staff

Coordinator Heather Shepherd, heather.shepherd@sydney.edu.au
Type Description Weight Due Length
Assignment hurdle task Assessment 2: case study
Case study
50% Multiple weeks
Due date: 24 Apr 2022 at 23:59

Closing date: 29 May 2022
3500 words
Outcomes assessed: LO1 LO2 LO3 LO4
Assignment hurdle task Assessment 1: major essay
Written assessment
50% Week 06
Due date: 03 Apr 2022 at 23:59
3000 words
Outcomes assessed: LO1 LO2
hurdle task = hurdle task ?

Assessment summary

  • Assessment 1 - Major Essay: The current 2018 Code of Conduct for Nurses, published by the Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia (NMBA), sets out legal requirements, professional behaviour and conduct expectations for all nurses. Select two principles from the new Code. With reference to your own area of practice, analyse how (and to what extent) you consider that compliance with each of your selected principles and respective values will impact firstly on safety and secondly on quality in your working environment. Provide evidence from peer-reviewed literature to support all of your arguments.
  • Assessment 2 - Case Study: Adverse events are known to happen in all aspects of health care delivery. Using an example of an adverse event from your own clinical environment, trace and describe its detection, investigation, management, and outcomes. In addition, with reference to the literature, critically analyse the effectiveness of the risk management strategies and the utility of the outcomes in preventing future adverse events. You are expected to draw strongly on the peer reviewed literature to undertake this critical analysis and to compare the management of your chosen event with both recommended best practice and existing research.
Please note: Each student is required to submit/attend all assessment items in order to pass this unit. 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.

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.

WK Topic Learning activity Learning outcomes
Week 01 Study day 1 - Exploring professional regulation, and its impact on safety Lecture and tutorial (8 hr) LO1 LO2
Study day 2 - Implementing clinical governance systems Lecture and tutorial (8 hr) LO1 LO2
Week 10 Study day 3 - Risk management: why do adverse events happen to patients? Learning from error Lecture and tutorial (8 hr) LO1 LO2 LO3 LO4
Study day 4 - Quality improvement: measuring clinical performance and closing gaps in clinical care. Understanding resilient health care. Learning from excellence Lecture and tutorial (8 hr) LO1 LO2 LO3 LO4

Attendance and class requirements

  • Attendance: Students undertaking this unit of study are required to attend four on-campus study days which are supplemented with online and group activities.
  • Referencing style: The Sydney Nursing School has adopted the American Psychological Association (APA) Referencing style, 7th Edition, 2020 as its official referencing style. This is an author-date style of referencing.
  • Assignment formatting guidelines: Unless the unit coordinator has indicated otherwise, please make sure your submitted assessments are formatted as follows:
    • Font: use Calibri or Times New Roman in 11 - 12 point
    • Double line spacing
    • Margins: 2.5cm each side
    • Use page numbers
    • Refer to assessment instructions for use of title and headings

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 the Reading List, available to enrolled students on the Unit Canvas site.

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. demonstrate a high level of understanding of the established theoretical frameworks underlying safety cultures and analysis of safety cultures
  • LO2. demonstrate the ability to interrogate and articulate concepts such as regulation, clinical governance, risk management, risk assessment, learning from error, and learning from excellence
  • LO3. demonstrate critical thinking in the investigation, management, and future prevention of adverse events
  • LO4. demonstrate an appreciation of relevant ethical and legal aspects governing key aspects of safety assurance and quality improvement in their own health care settings.

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
GQ1 GQ2 GQ3 GQ4 GQ5 GQ6 GQ7 GQ8 GQ9

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

No changes have been made since this unit was last offered.

Sensitive materials in teaching: Due to the nature of the content of this unit, some topics that will be covered may make you feel uncomfortable or uneasy (e.g., discrimination,  bullying, discussions of illnesses, death and dying). If you feel uncomfortable, it is important that you contact the unit of study coordinator or another member of the academic team as soon as possible to discuss this with them. You are not required to share confidential information with us if you do not wish. If during the class you at any point feel uncomfortable or distressed, you are free to leave upon informing the class tutor of your intention.

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.