Outline

Overview

This unit of study explores contemporary Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health and the ways in which historical circumstances have had, and continue to have, an impact on the health of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. Students will explore the most significant social determinants of health as these relate to the health of Australian Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander populations. The subject includes introduction to key terminology, concepts and skills that can enable students to engage in respectful and culturally safe health care with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Australians. While the unit will focus primarily on the health of Australian Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, it will also provide opportunity for comparison with the health of the Indigenous populations in other nations. The subject will provide an overview of and opportunity for critical discussion in relation to strategic planning in Indigenous health contexts. Students will have opportunity to focus specifically on Indigenous health programs, and to examine issues and control, planning, delivery and evaluation processes.

Unit details and rules

Unit code	NURS6033
Academic unit	Nursing and Midwifery
Credit points	6
Prohibitions ?	None
Prerequisites ?	NURS5002
Corequisites ?	None
Assumed knowledge ?	None
Available to study abroad and exchange students	Yes

Teaching staff

Coordinator	Sybele Christopher, sybele.christopher@sydney.edu.au
Tutor(s)	Sybele Christopher, sybele.christopher@sydney.edu.au
	Susan Allnutt, jane.allnutt@sydney.edu.au
	Tanya Martin, tanya.martin@sydney.edu.au
	Belinda Clough, belinda.clough@sydney.edu.au

Type	Description	Weight	Due	Length
Final exam (Record+)	Assessment 3 Final Exam There are three sections in this paper (Section A, B and C).	40%	Formal exam period	2 hours
Outcomes assessed:
Assignment	Assessment 1 Critical Essay	40%	Week 05 Due date: 04 Apr 2021 at 23:59	1500 words
Outcomes assessed:
Presentation	Assessment 2 Group Presentation Group will be allocated one target to explore and critically examine	20%	Week 09 Due date: 09 May 2021 at 23:59	15 minute group presentation Submission
Outcomes assessed:
= group assignment ? = Type B final exam ?

Assessment summary

Critical Essay:

For this essay, students are required to critique one (1) of the provided government policies. With reference to relevant literature, critically discuss the extent to which the policy selected has achieved its objectives in relation to the experience of dispossession. In their response, students are required to refer to the concept of health inequalities.

Students are encouraged to consult the marking rubric as they develop their critical essay submission. Time is set aside in Tutorial 2 to field assessment inquiries and a Critical Essay discussion forum is available on CANVAS.

Group presentation:

Each group will be allocated one one Closing the Gap target (2020) to explore and critically examine the reason behind the target’s inclusion in the strategy, providing linkage to relevant social determinants of health.
Student teams will present their group presentation, having submitted their powerpoint slides and a referenced summary the Sunday prior to Presentation week (week 9)
Students are encouraged to consult the marking rubric as they develop their PowerPoint presentation. Time is set aside in Tutorial 2 to field assessment inquiries and a group Presentation discussion forum is available on CANVAS.

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.

This unit has an exception to the standard University policy or supplementary information has been provided by the unit coordinator. This information is displayed below:

Where an assignment is submitted late without an approved extension, a late penalty will apply. For every calendar day up to and including ten calendar days after the due date a penalty of 5% of the maximum awardable marks will be applied to late work. For work submitted more than ten calendar days after the due date a mark of zero marks 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. Introduction to the Unit. Social determinants of health. Closing the gap and health inequities	Lecture and tutorial (2 hr)
Week 01	2. Acknowledgement / Welcome to country Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. Why Indigenous and Torres Straits Islander peoples health matter.	Lecture and tutorial (2 hr)
Week 02	3. Colonisation, invasion, policies and impact	Lecture and tutorial (2 hr)
Week 03	4. Self directed learning activity Australian healthcare different challenges and opportunities in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander healthcare	Online class (2 hr)
Week 04	5. Determinants of health for Aboriginal and Torre Strait Islander peoples and Closing the Gap 2020	Lecture and tutorial (2 hr)
Week 05	6. Cultural safety in Australian Health care and communicating with Indigenous Australians	Lecture (2 hr)
Week 10	10. Caring for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people; challenges and opportunities.	Lecture (2 hr)
Week 10	Group presentations	Tutorial (2 hr)
Week 11	11. Art and health with the resident Aboriginal artist, Ms. Tanya Martin (Boomali Gallery)	Lecture (2 hr)
Week 11	Artist in residence Story telling, sharing culture	Tutorial (2 hr)
Week 12	12. Unit of study revision and exam preparation	Tutorial (2 hr)

Attendance and class requirements

The Sydney Nursing School Resolutions specifically outline attendance requirements. Resolution 7.2 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 Head of School 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 guide: 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.

Attendance: Attendance at lectures and tutorial class sessions is a requirement of the unit of study and students who are absent without good cause may not be eligible to achieve a minimum grade of PASS. The Sydney Nursing School Resolutions specifically outline attendance requirements. Resolution 7.2 states that if students are absent without leave for more that 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.

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

See E-Reserve for 2021 Reading list

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. Search for, evaluate and discuss the strengths and positive contributions made by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, communities and services in Australia.
LO2. Identify important historical and policy factors that have influenced the health of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.
LO3. Discuss the current health status of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people and how this compares with the health of non-Indigenous Australians and Indigenous populations internationally.
LO4. Critically discuss the importance of acknowledging different ways of understanding health conditions from Aboriginal, Torres Strait Islander and other diverse cultural perspectives and the implications this can have for healthcare.
LO5. Develop awareness of culturally sensitive modes of communicating and delivering healthcare in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities such as Aboriginal art.
LO6. Demonstrate knowledge of the need for nurses and other health professionals to be culturally competent practitioners, and a foundational understanding of how to work with Australian Aboriginal and Torres Strait Island peoples in culturally safe ways.

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 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
	Registered Nurses Standards for 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 2.3. Recognises that people are the experts in the experience of their life
	Registered Nurses Standards for Practice - 1.1. Accesses, analyses, and uses the best available evidence, that includes research findings for safe quality practice 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 7.1. Evaluates and monitors progress towards the expected goals and outcomes
	Registered Nurses Standards for Practice - 1.2. Develops practice through reflection on experiences, knowledge, actions, feelings and beliefs to identify how these shape practice 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 4.1. Conducts assessments that are holistic as well as culturally appropriate
	Registered Nurses Standards for Practice - 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 3.3. Uses a lifelong learning approach for continuing professional development of self and others 4.2. Uses a range of assessment techniques to systematically collect relevant and accurate information and data to inform practice
	Registered Nurses Standards for 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 6.1. Provides comprehensive safe, quality practice to achieve agreed goals and outcomes that are responsive to the nursing needs of people 7.1. Evaluates and monitors progress towards the expected goals and outcomes

Responding to student feedback

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

No changes have been made since this unit was last offered apart from assessments, competency mapping, learning activities and learning outcomes linked.

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

Disclaimer

On this page

Useful links

Media

Student links

About us

Connect

Current students

NURS6033: Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health

Semester 1, 2021 [Normal day] - Westmead, 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

Disclaimer

On this page

Useful links

Media

Student links

About us

Connect