Unit Outline

This unit provides you with a thorough understanding of perioperative nursing principles, focusing on legal, ethical and professional practice. It also covers key aspects of applied perioperative environmental and infection control principles.

Intended Learning Outcomes

As per the Assessment and Results Policy 1.3, your results will reflect your achievement against specified learning outcomes.

On completion of this unit, you will be able to:


1	Critically analyse legal and ethical issues related to peri-operative nursing practice.
2	Develop strategies to improve non-technical skills within the perioperative setting.
3	Integrate theoretical and technical disciplinary knowledge for application in the perioperative environment.
4	Critically reflect on various types of risks within the perioperative context.
5	Communicate decisions, including escalation, within an interprofessional context.

Alterations as a result of student feedback

The unit content was updated and assessment resources amended as a result of student feedback.

How will I be Assessed?

For more detailed assessment information please see MyLO.

Assessment schedule


ASSESSMENT TASK #	ASSESSMENT TASK NAME	DATE DUE	WEIGHT	LINKS TO INTENDED LEARNING OUTCOMES
Assessment Task 1:	Case Analysis	Week 4	25 %	LO1, LO2, LO5
Assessment Task 2:	Case Study	Week 8	35 %	LO2, LO3, LO4, LO5
Assessment Task 3:	Interactive Oral Presentation	Week 13	40 %	LO1, LO3, LO4, LO5

Assessment details

Assessment Task 1: Case Analysis

Task Description:

Ethical and Legal Analysis:
You are to watch two simulated interactions – the first between an anaesthetic nurse and a patient and the second between an instrument nurse and a PACU nurse. You will analyse both interactions and highlight potential ethical and legal issues observed before making recommendations on how these ethical and legal issues could be prevented in the future.

Task Length:

1000 words (500 words x 2)

Due Date:

Week 4

Weight:

25 %

CRITERION #

CRITERION

MEASURES INTENDED

LEARNING OUTCOME(S)


1	Compare and contrast key perioperative roles and responsibilities in the provided scenarios.	LO1
2	Critically analyse the provided scenarios to identify potential ethical and legal issues.	LO2
3	Make evidence-informed recommendations on how identified ethical and legal issues could be prevented.	LO1
4	Communicate clearly and succinctly using the current APA Style.	LO5

Assessment Task 2: Case Study

Task Description:

Effective Communication and Escalation in Perioperative Nursing.
You will watch a simulated scenario in which a nurse observes another nurse compromising sterility during a surgical procedure. You will apply an escalation tool to address the situation.

Task Length:

1400 words

Due Date:

Week 8

Weight:

35 %

CRITERION #

CRITERION

MEASURES INTENDED

LEARNING OUTCOME(S)


1	Outline the breach that occurred, including the potential harm that could occur to the patient.	LO3
2	Critically reflect on professional practice.	LO4
3	Create an escalation plan outlining a proposed response to the provided scenario.	LO2
4	Clearly communicate each stage of the escalation with rationale.	LO5

Assessment Task 3: Interactive Oral Presentation

Task Description:

Effective Communication and Escalation in Perioperative Nursing:
A patient is undergoing a surgical procedure. Critically analyse the surgical plan, considering their health status. Evaluate the advantages and disadvantages of the surgical plan with consideration of the preoperative assessment, intraoperative procedure, and immediate postoperative recovery.

Task Length:

10 minute presentation equivalent to 1500 words.

Due Date:

Week 13

Weight:

40 %

CRITERION #

CRITERION

MEASURES INTENDED

LEARNING OUTCOME(S)


1	Critically analyse the patient’s condition to identify potential legal and ethical issues.	LO1
2	Justify the selection of surgical plan with reference to evidence-informed practice.	LO3
3	Critically reflect on environmental risk and propose appropriate risk mitigation strategies.	LO4
4	Communicate technical and medical information in a professional and clear manner.	LO5

How your final result is determined

To pass this unit, you need to demonstrate your attainment of each of the Intended Learning Outcomes and achieve a final unit grade of 50% or greater.

Academic progress review

The results for this unit may be included in a review of your academic progress. For information about progress reviews and what they mean for all students, see Academic Progress Review in the Student Portal.

Submission of assignments

Where practicable, assignments should be submitted to an assignment submission folder in MYLO. You must submit assignments by the due date or receive a penalty (unless an extension of time has been approved by the Unit Coordinator). Students submitting any assignment in hard copy, or because of a practicum finalisation, must attach a student cover sheet and signed declaration for the submission to be accepted for marking.

Academic integrity

Academic integrity is about acting responsibly, honestly, ethically, and collegially when using, producing, and communicating information with other students and staff members.

In written work, you must correctly reference the work of others to maintain academic integrity. To find out the referencing style for this unit, see the assessment information in the MyLO site, or contact your teaching staff. For more detail about Academic Integrity, see Important Guidelines & Support.

Requests for extensions

If you are unable to submit an assessment task by the due date, you should apply for an extension.

A request for an extension should first be discussed with your Unit Coordinator or teaching support team where possible. A request for an extension must be submitted by the assessment due date, except where you can provide evidence it was not possible to do so. Typically, an application for an extension will be supported by documentary evidence: however, where it is not possible for you to provide evidence please contact your Unit Coordinator.

The Unit Coordinator must notify you of the outcome of an extension request within 3 working days of receiving the request.

Late penalties

Assignments submitted after the deadline will receive a late penalty of 5% of the original available mark for each calendar day (or part day) that the assignment is late. Late submissions will not be accepted more than 10 calendar days after the due date, or after assignments have been returned to other students on a scheduled date, whichever occurs first. Further information on Late Penalties can be found on the Assessments and Results Procedure.