Specialty Perioperative Nursing Practice

Unit Outline (Higher Education)

Level of Unit in Course

AQF Level(s) of Course

Level of Unit in Course

Introductory

Intermediate

Effective Term:

2027/20

Institute / School :

Institute of Health and Wellbeing

Unit Title:

Specialty Perioperative Nursing Practice

Unit ID:

HEAAN6607

Credit Points:

30.00

Prerequisite(s):

Nil

Co-requisite(s):

Nil

Exclusion(s):

Nil

ASCED:

060301

Other Change:

Brief description of the Unit

This unit will provide the Registered Nurse with the advanced knowledge and skills required to provide evidence-based best-practice care across the continuum of the perioperative patient’s journey. This unit will build on advanced assessment knowledge and skills and build the Registered Nurse’s knowledge of core perioperative principles. Students will apply their advanced knowledge, critical thinking and clinical reasoning within the perioperative setting working as anaesthetic, circulating, instrument and post anaesthetic care unit (PACU) nurse.

Grade Scheme:

Graded (HD, D, C, P, MF, F, XF)

Work Experience Indicator:

No work experience

Placement Component:

Supplementary Assessment:Yes

Where supplementary assessment is available a student must have failed overall in the Unit but gained a final mark of 45 per cent or above, has completed all major assessment tasks (including all sub-components where a task has multiple parts) as specified in the Unit Description and is not eligible for any other form of supplementary assessment

Course Level:

Learning Outcomes:

Knowledge:

K1.	Critically analyse nursing practice to identify patient assessments, monitoring and equipment required by the anaesthetic, instrument, circulating and PACU nurse when preparing for and delivering care to the patient in the pre-, intra- and post-operative phases.

K2.	Evaluate patient data to detect signs of deterioration and apply perioperative emergency management knowledge.

K3.	Describe the relevant standards, professional organisations and regulatory bodies governing perioperative nursing practice.

Skills:

S1.	Apply the analysis of patient’s history and data to create a plan of care in the pre-, intra and post-operative phases whilst undertaking the roles of anaesthetic, circulating, instrument and PACU nurse.

S2.	Apply perioperative knowledge to identify, gather and set up equipment needed for the care of the patient in the pre-, intra- and post-operative phases whilst undertaking the roles of anaesthetic, circulating, instrument and PACU nurse.

S3.	Integrate effective communication, teamwork and leadership within the interdisciplinary perioperative team in order to facilitate evidence-based high quality patient care in perioperative settings.

Application of knowledge and skills:

A1.	Demonstrate an advanced level of assessment, management, interpretation and evaluation skills when caring for a perioperative patient which is commensurate with relevant standards, professional organisations and regulatory bodies governing perioperative nursing practice.

A2.	Apply reflective practice and continuous professional learning to maintain contemporary evidence-based healthcare practice.

A3.	Apply collegiality, effective leadership, and teamwork approaches within the interdisciplinary team consistent with evidence-based practices when caring for peri operative patients to promote patient and family centered care in peri-operative environments.

Other outcomes:

Unit Content:

Topics in this unit may include:

Perioperative environment, nursing roles and statuary.
Surgical safety in the perioperative environment.
Care of the perioperative patient undergoing anesthesia.
Care of the perioperative patient intraoperatively.
Infection prevention and management in the perioperative environment.
Wound healing and haemostasis.
Care of the perioperative patient in the Post-Anaesthetic Care Unit.
Perioperative emergencies and human factors.

Graduate Attributes:

Federation University recognises that students require key transferable employability skills to prepare them for their future workplace and society. FEDTASKS (Transferable Attributes Skills and Knowledge) provide a targeted focus on five key transferable Attributes, Skills, and Knowledge that are be embedded within curriculum, developed gradually towards successful measures and interlinked with cross-discipline and Co-operative Learning opportunities. One or more FEDTASK, transferable Attributes, Skills or Knowledge must be evident in the specified learning outcomes and assessment for each FedUni Unit, and all must be directly assessed in each Course.

FED TASK and descriptor		Development and acquisition of FEDTASKS in the Unit
FED TASK and descriptor		Level
FEDTASK 1 Interpersonal	Students at this level will demonstrate an advanced ability in a range of contexts to effectively communicate, interact and work with others both individually and in groups. Students will be required to display high level skills in-person and/or online in: • Using and demonstrating a high level of verbal and non-verbal communication • Demonstrating a mastery of listening for meaning and influencing via active listening • Demonstrating and showing empathy for others • High order skills in negotiating and conflict resolution skills\\ • Demonstrating mastery of working respectfully in cross-cultural and diverse teams.	Y - Present
FEDTASK 2 Leadership	Students at this level will demonstrate a mastery in professional skills and behaviours in leading others. • Creating and sustaining a collegial environment • Demonstrating a high level of self -awareness and the ability to self-reflect and justify decisions • Inspiring and initiating opportunities to lead others • Making informed professional decisions • Demonstrating initiative in new professional situations.	Y - Present
FEDTASK 3 Critical Thinking and Creativity	Students at this level will demonstrate high level skills in working in complexity and ambiguity using the imagination to create new ideas. Students will be required to display skills in: • Reflecting critically to generate and consider complex ideas and concepts at an abstract level • Analysing complex and abstract ideas, concepts and information • Communicate alternative perspectives to justify complex ideas • Demonstrate a mastery of challenging conventional thinking to clarify complex concepts • Forming creative solutions in problem solving to new situations for further learning.	Y - Present
FEDTASK 4 Digital Literacy	Students at this level will demonstrate the ability to work competently across a wide range of tools, platforms and applications to achieve a range of tasks. Students will be required to display skills in: • Mastering, exploring, evaluating, managing, curating, organising and sharing digital information professionally • Collating, managing complex data, accessing and using digital data securely • Receiving and responding professionally to messages in a range of professional digital media • Contributing competently and professionally to digital teams and working groups • Participating at a high level in digital learning opportunities.	Y - Present
FEDTASK 5 sustainable and Ethical Mindset	Students at this level will demonstrate a mastery of considering and assessing the consequences and impact of ideas and actions in enacting professional ethical and sustainable decisions. Students will be required to display skills in: • Demonstrate informed judgment making that considers the impact of devising complex solutions in ambiguous global economic environmental and societal contexts • Professionally committing to the promulgation of social responsibility • Demonstrate the ability to evaluate ethical, socially responsible and/or sustainable challenges and generating and articulating responses • Communicating lifelong, life-wide and life-deep learning to be open to the diverse professional others • Generating, leading and implementing required actions to foster sustainability in their professional and personal life	Y - Present

	Learning Outcomes Assessed	Assessment Tasks	Assessment Type	Weighting	Professional Standards
1.	K1, K2, K3, S1, S2, A1	Poster outlining the care of a perioperative patient and oral presentation of the poster.	Written and Oral Presentation	40-60%
2.	K1, K2, K3, S2, A1	Critical analysis of an existing workplace policy addressing the management of perioperative emergencies.	Written Task	40-60%
3.	K1, K2, K3, S1, S2, S3, A1, A2, A3	Ability to apply advanced level evidence-based theoretical knowledge, and skills and clinical reasoning in the perioperative setting.	Clinical Practice Portfolio Hurdle	S/U

Adopted Reference Style:

APA ()

Professional Standards / Competencies:

Standard / Competency