92608 Advanced Assessment and Diagnosis
Warning: The information on this page is indicative. The subject outline for a
particular session, location and mode of offering is the authoritative source
of all information about the subject for that offering. Required texts, recommended texts and references in particular are likely to change. Students will be provided with a subject outline once they enrol in the subject.
Subject handbook information prior to 2018 is available in the Archives.
Credit points: 6 cp
Subject level:
Postgraduate
Result type: Grade and marksRequisite(s): 24 credit points of completed study in a coursework Master's degree OR 24 credit points of completed study in Graduate Certificate OR 24 credit points of completed study in Graduate Diploma
These requisites may not apply to students in certain courses. See access conditions.
Note
Students enrolled in the Nurse Practitioner major (MAJ06214) are required to be practicing in an advanced practice nursing role.
Description
This subject builds on students' existing health assessment skills with the aim of developing their diagnostic ability in relation to advanced nursing practice. The focus is on developing assessment skills required to critically analyse patient–client health data in order to diagnose and identify priorities of treatment and care, and make appropriate referrals.
Online modules, workshop sessions and simulation exercises provide students with opportunities to practice health assessments, develop diagnoses, prioritise care, communicate ideas and consolidate knowledge to enable complex problem-solving. With a strong focus on critical thinking, communication and professionalism, this subject provides students with a foundation to move into highly skilled and autonomous nursing practice.
Subject learning objectives (SLOs)
| A. | Synthesise and interpret clinical information including patient/ client history, physical assessment and diagnostic data (Nurse practitioner standard 1.1) |
|---|---|
| B. | Articulate and justify the most likely diagnosis and differential diagnoses based on comprehensive patient assessments using expert knowledge of normal and abnormal physiological and psychological findings (Nurse practitioner standard 1.3) |
| C. | Formulate and communicate a patient focused plan of care based on comprehensive health assessments, current research evidence and effective collaboration across the multidisciplinary team (Nurse practitioner standard 2.1) |
| D. | Prioritise the focus / foci of assessments to prevent life threatening situations (Nurse practitioner standard 1.3) |
| E. | Critically appraise patient circumstances in relation to social and cultural supports(Nurse practitioner standards 1.1 and 4.1) |
| F. | Justify the judicious ordering of investigations including consideration of risk management (Nurse practitioner standard 1.2) |
Course intended learning outcomes (CILOs)
This subject also contributes specifically to the following graduate attributes:
- Are reflective critical thinkers who contribute to practice, policy, and research to enhance health care and health outcomes. (1.0)
- Utilise research knowledge and skills to synthesise the available evidence for optimal healthcare delivery. (1.1)
- Appraise local, national and international networks to enhance translation of latest evidence into practice. (1.2)
- Analyse creative approaches to build the capacity of the interdisciplinary health workforce to enable health promoting environments. (2.2)
- Are socially, culturally and ethically accountable and consider health care in a global context (3.0)
- Investigate and critically reflect upon the health professional role as it relates to social justice and global citizenship. (3.1)
- Determine and influence accountability for efficient use of resources and equity of access to health care. (3.2)
- Communicate appropriately and consistently in diverse situations (4.0)
- Justify creative strategies and techniques to communicate appropriately in challenging, complex, and diverse situations. (4.1)
- Investigate innovative techniques to empower, facilitate and support healthy behaviours. (4.2)
- Embody the professional qualities appropriate to the scope of their role (5.0)
- Critically appraise and influence knowledge and skills within their context of practice, to maintain professional standards and engage in lifelong learning. (5.1)
Teaching and learning strategies
The teaching and learning strategies provide students with the ability to develop their diagnostic ability and build on existing health assessment skills. The face to face session’s help students collaborate on case based scenarios, to quickly clarify complex descriptions and terminology, and to provide constructive feedback to peers. Students participate in simulated activities that are designed to give students exposure to a comprehensive range of scenarios that may be encountered in practice. Feedback is provided by teacher and peers to develop students' judgement. Dealing with these complexities and allowing students to practice giving feedback enables students to regulate and monitor their own learning, articulate their own learning processes and identify what they have learnt. This subject benefits from both the real time delivery of content and access to online resources including podcasts, videos and learning modules. Using interactive, scenario-based learning software, progressive scenarios unfold at the student’s pace, and adaptive feedback is immediately provided to develop students' reasoning and problem-solving skills
Content (topics)
- Overview of comprehensive health assessment
- Gathering information and effective health interviewing
- Assessment within a variety of health contexts - acute care, aged care, children/adolescents, mental health, emergency response
- Assessment and diagnostic reasoning
- Pathology tests and health assessment
- Radiological studies and health assessment
- Consultancy and referral
- Making sense of health assessment data
- Health assessment and the role of the advanced clinician
Assessment
Assessment task 1: Online Learning Modules
| Intent: | The assessment allows students to develop their skills and knowledge of mental health assessment, radiological and pathological investigations. |
|---|---|
| Objective(s): | This assessment task addresses subject learning objective(s): B, D, E and F This assessment task contributes to the development of graduate attribute(s): 1.0, 3.0, 3.2, 4.0 and 5.1 |
| Type: | Exercises |
| Groupwork: | Individual |
| Weight: | 30% |
| Criteria: | Please look in the Assessment menu on UTSOnline for Assessment criteria. |
Assessment task 2: Demonstration of a health assessment and documentation - All students
| Intent: | The intent of the assessment is for students to draw on their clinical skills and knowledge taught during the teaching session. Students will be assessed in a simulated health care setting where they will have an opportunity to assess and provide on-going information and rationales about their clinical decision making, reasoning and judgement. This assessment will be filmed for further reflection in assessment three. This assessment will allow the student to transfer their skills in a real clinical working environment. |
|---|---|
| Objective(s): | This assessment task addresses subject learning objective(s): A, B, C, D, E and F This assessment task contributes to the development of graduate attribute(s): 1.0, 1.1, 1.2, 3.1, 3.2, 4.0, 4.1 and 4.2 |
| Type: | Demonstration |
| Groupwork: | Group, individually assessed |
| Weight: | 30% |
| Length: | Students will attend the simulated health care area for 45 minutes; 30 minutes to perform the health assessment and 15 minutes for documentation/questioning by the facilitators. |
| Criteria: | Please look in the Assessment menu on UTSOnline for Assessment criteria. |
Assessment task 3: Health assessment report with elaboration of diagnostic reasoning - All students
| Intent: | The intent of the assessment is to enable the student to reflect upon the recording and document the health assessment performed in the simulated health environment for assessment task two. Students are to use an accepted systematic approach and provide a rationale for their decision making in relation to the diagnosis and differential diagnoses. The use of recent research evidence (where available) to support the statements and arguments are to be utilised to support their ideas. Students are to reflect on their performance and identify areas of strengths and areas for improvement. Students are to participate in peer review also. This will devlelop the students skills in peer assessment and ability to deliver contructive feedback which will be required of them as nurse leaders. |
|---|---|
| Objective(s): | This assessment task addresses subject learning objective(s): A, B, C, D, E and F This assessment task contributes to the development of graduate attribute(s): 1.0, 2.2, 3.0, 4.1, 4.2 and 5.1 |
| Type: | Essay |
| Groupwork: | Individual |
| Weight: | 40% |
| Length: | Maximum 2,500 words |
| Criteria: | Please look in the Assessment menu on UTSOnline for Assessment criteria. |
Assessment task 4: Integrated Professional Practice- Master of Nurse Practitioner (c04318)
| Intent: | Students enrolled in the Master of Nurse Practitioner Course are required to complete 75 hours of supernumerary clinical practice at an advanced and extended level of performance. The supervised supernumerary hours will assist the student in acheiving the Nurse Practitioner Standfards of Practice and working towards endorsement |
|---|---|
| Objective(s): | This assessment task addresses subject learning objective(s): A, B, C, D, E and F This assessment task contributes to the development of graduate attribute(s): 1.0, 3.0, 4.0 and 5.0 |
| Type: | Demonstration |
| Groupwork: | Individual |
| Weight: | Mandatory task that does not contribute to subject mark |
| Criteria: | Please look in the Assessment menu on UTSOnline for Assessment criteria. |
Required texts
Turner, R. and Cox, C. 2010 Physical assessment for nurses, ebook, 2nd ed, Chichester, West Sussex, U.K. : Wiley-Blackwell Ltd, UK
Talley, N. and O'connor, S. 2013 Clinical examination: a systematic guide to physical diagnosis, ebook, 7th ed, Chatswood, N.S.W. Elsevier Australia
Please be advised that these textbooks are both available online (electronically) via the UTS library website. During busy times access to a book may be limited so we advise that you download the specific chapter you wish to study to your computer hard drive before you begin your work.
Recommended texts
Barker, P. J. 2006, Assessment in psychiatric and mental health nursing: in search of the whole person, 2nd edn, Nelson Thornes, London.
Bickley, L.S., Palm M.L. and Quigley, B. 2011, Bates’ guide to physical examination and history taking for nurses, Lippincott Williams & Wilkins, New York.
Dains, J.E., Ciofu Baumann, L. and Scheibel, P. 2007, Advanced health assessment & clinical diagnosis in primary care, 2nd edn, Mosby, St Louis.
Herring, W. 2016, Learning radiology: recognizing the basics, 3rd edn, Elsevier, Philadelphia.
Hogstel, M.O. 2001, Practical guide to health assessment through the life span [Electronic Version], F.A. Davis, Philladelphia.
Talley, N.J., and O'Connor, S. 2010, Clinical examination: a systematic guide to physical diagnosis, 6th edn, Elsevier Churchill Livingstone, Sydney.
Taylor, B.J. 2010, Reflective practice for health care professionals: a practical guide, 2nd edn, Allen & Unwin, Sydney.
References
We have provided extensive resources (including many hyperlinks to full text papers) in the Online Modules. We highly recommend that you use these resources to extend your reading and knowledge.
Other resources
UTS Student Centres
Building 10
Monday to Friday: 9am - 5pm
Tel: 1300 ASK UTS (1300 275 887)
Details for student centres: www.uts.edu.au/current-students/contacts/general-contacts
For other resources/information refer to the Faculty of Health website (www.uts.edu.au/about/faculty-health), the Health Student Guide (www.uts.edu.au/sites/default/files/uts-health-student-guide.pdf) and UTSOnline at: https://online.uts.edu.au/webapps/login/
UTS Library
The Library has a wide range of resources, facilities and services to support you including textbooks, subject readings, old exam papers, academic writing guides, health literature databases, workshops, a gaming room and bookable group study rooms. There is also a team of librarians to help you with all your questions.
W: lib.uts.edu.au, Facebook: utslibrary, Twitter: @utslibrary Tel: (02) 9514 3666
Improve your academic and English language skills
Marks for all assessment tasks such as assignments and examinations are given not only for what you write but also for how you write. If you would like the opportunity to improve your academic and English language skills, make an appointment with the HELPS (Higher Education Language & Presentation Support) Service in Student Services.
HELPS (Higher Education Language & Presentation Support)
HELPS provides assistance with English language proficiency and academic language. Students who need to develop their written and/or spoken English should make use of the free services offered by HELPS, including academic language workshops, vacation intensive courses, drop-in consultations, individual appointments and Conversations@UTS (www.ssu.uts.edu.au/helps). HELPS staff are also available for drop-in consultations at the UTS Library. Phone (02) 9514 9733
Please see www.uts.edu.au for additional information on other resources provided to students by UTS.
