| Effective Term: | 2026/08 |
| Institute / School : | Institute of Health and Wellbeing |
| Unit Title: | Care of the Older Person |
| Unit ID: | NURBN2107 |
| Credit Points: | 15.00 |
| Prerequisite(s): | (NURBN1012 or NURBN1101) |
| Co-requisite(s): | Nil |
| Exclusion(s): | (HEALT1113) |
| ASCED: | 060301 |
| Other Change: | |
| Brief description of the Unit |
This unit prepares students to deliver safe, holistic, and person-centred care to older adults across diverse settings, including home care, residential aged care, and acute care environments. It explores the unique physical, psychological, and social dimensions of ageing and equips students to respond to the evolving health needs of older individuals.
Students will examine normal and abnormal ageing processes and develop strategies to assess, plan, and deliver evidence-based care that upholds dignity, autonomy, and quality of life. The unit emphasises family-centred and strengths-based approaches, recognising the vital role families play in supporting older adults. Key concepts include care planning, advocacy, and end-of-life care, ensuring students are prepared to meet current and future challenges in the care of older people. |
| 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: |
| Level of Unit in Course | AQF Level(s) of Course | | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | | Introductory | | | | | | | | Intermediate | | |  | | | | | Advanced | | | | | | |
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| Learning Outcomes: |
| Knowledge: |
| K1. | Describe the principles of comprehensive care for older people in nursing practice |
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| K2. | Explain how care is provided to older people across diverse healthcare settings. |
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| Skills: |
| S1. | Identify normal and abnormal stages of ageing and explore family-centred care approaches |
|
| Application of knowledge and skills: |
| A1. | Develop care planning strategies that addresses current and evolving needs of the older person including end-of-life planning |
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| Other outcomes: |
| Unit Content: |
The following key standards have guided the content development of this unit: - NMBA Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia (Registered nurse standards for practice, Midwife standards for practice, Code of conduct, and ICN Code of ethics for nurses)
- NSQHS National Safety and Quality Health Service Standards
- National Safety and Quality Primary and Community
- ACQS Aged Care Quality Standards
- National Health Priority Areas
Content may include: - Introduction to ageing
- Physiological changes in ageing
- Psychological and cognitive changes in ageing
- Medication considerations for the older person
- Legal and ethical considerations
- Palliative and End of life care
- Advanced Care Planning
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| 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.
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| FED TASK and descriptor | Development and acquisition of FEDTASKS in the Unit | | Level | FEDTASK 1
Interpersonal | Students will demonstrate the ability to effectively communicate, inter-act and work with others both individually and in groups. Students will be required to display skills in-person and/or online in: • Using effective verbal and non-verbal communication • Listening for meaning and influencing via active listening • Showing empathy for others • Negotiating and demonstrating conflict resolution skills • Working respectfully in cross-cultural and diverse teams. | Level 2 - Student demonstrates some independence within provided guidelines | FEDTASK 2
Leadership | Students will demonstrate the ability to apply professional skills and behaviours in leading others. Students will be required to display skills in: • Creating a collegial environment • Showing self -awareness and the ability to self-reflect • Inspiring and convincing others • Making informed decisions • Displaying initiative | N/A - Not Applicable | FEDTASK 3
Critical Thinking and Creativity | Students will demonstrate an ability to work in complexity and ambiguity using the imagination to create new ideas. Students will be required to display skills in: • Reflecting critically • Evaluating ideas, concepts and information • Considering alternative perspectives to refine ideas • Challenging conventional thinking to clarify concepts • Forming creative solutions in problem solving. | Level 2 - Student demonstrates some independence within provided guidelines | FEDTASK 4
Digital Literacy | Students will demonstrate the ability to work fluently across a range of tools, platforms and applications to achieve a range of tasks. Students will be required to display skills in: • Finding, evaluating, managing, curating, organising and sharing digital information • Collating, managing, accessing and using digital data securely • Receiving and responding to messages in a range of digital media • Contributing actively to digital teams and working groups • Participating in and benefiting from digital learning opportunities. | N/A - Not Applicable | FEDTASK 5
Sustainable and Ethical Mindset | Students will demonstrate the ability to consider and assess the consequences and impact of ideas and actions in enacting ethical and sustainable decisions. Students will be required to display skills in: • Making informed judgments that consider the impact of devising solutions in global economic environmental and societal contexts • Committing to social responsibility as a professional and a citizen • Evaluating ethical, socially responsible and/or sustainable challenges and generating and articulating responses • Embracing lifelong, life-wide and life-deep learning to be open to diverse others • Implementing required actions to foster sustainability in their professional and personal life. | Level 3 - Student works independently with limited guidance or works within self-determined guidelines appropriate to context |
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| | Learning Outcomes Assessed | Assessment Tasks | Assessment Type | Weighting | Professional Standards |
| 1. |
K1, K2 |
Collaboration presentation |
Asynchronous Oral presentation |
40-60% |
1, 3, 5 |
| 2. |
S1, A1 |
Critical Thinking Case Study |
Online Quiz |
40-60% |
1, 4, 5, 6 |
| 3. |
K1, K2, S1, A1 |
Attendance at Active Learning Sessions |
80% Attendance at Active Learning Sessions |
S/U Hurdle |
1, 3, 4, 5, 6 |
| 4. |
K1, K2, S1, A1 |
100% Attendance/attempt at assessments 1 and 2 |
100% Attendance/attempt at assessments 1 and 2 |
S/U Hurdle |
1, 3, 4, 5, 6 |
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