Program Overview

Decision Making and Advanced Practice Professional Roles

Course Overview

This course is targeted to those working in Nursing, Midwifery, Medicine, Social Work, Occupational Therapy, Speech and Language Therapy, or other allied disciplines. The module objective is to provide the practitioner with the opportunity to reflect upon and refine the role and develop the expertise necessary to function as an advanced practitioner in clinical practice.

Module Content

Content covered will include:

• Case management
• Clinical decision-making
• Standards of care
• Ethics
• Cultural competence
• Person-centered care
• Advanced Practice role development
• Professional issues
• Theoretical perspectives informing advanced practice roles
• Self-management (time and stress management)
• Contemporary issues in healthcare
• The future of health service delivery

Opportunities will be provided to explore issues related to case management, major pathophysiologic disease processes as applied to clinical decision making, and standards of care, ethics, and role development. Research related to these topics will be used to highlight the changing nature of healthcare. Analysis of the role of the advanced clinical practitioner will be emphasized. Within the clinical environment, candidates will expand clinical decision-making abilities.

Learning Outcomes

On successful completion of this module, students should be able to:

• Design case management algorithms combining quality assurance standards, evidence-based practice, and clinical guidelines to support decision making
• Integrate advanced pathology and pathophysiology in diagnostic reasoning and case management
• Apply advanced health assessment and communication techniques in decision making
• Evaluate external stimuli that determine the direction of the advanced practitioner role in the delivery of quality patient care within individual contexts
• Explore the use of an evidence-based evaluation framework in the context of the advanced clinical practitioner
• Appraise the professional role of the advanced practitioner combining a framework with standards of practice

Additional Teaching Mode Information

Dates are subject to slight changes. The course will be delivered through a combination of online and in-class workshops.

Practicalities

• Contact Hours: 50 hours, lectures, directed e-learning, and group activities
• Self-directed learning hours: 150 hours
• Total Marks: 200
• Continuous Assessment: 200 marks (Oral Presentation, 100 marks, and written assignment, 100 marks)

Requirements

Applicants must meet the following requirements:

• Second Class Honours Grade 2 or higher
• Professional certification (where appropriate)
• Evidence of work experience in an English language environment (for applicants without an up-to-date IELTS certificate)
• Internal university approval processes

Fees and Costs

The module fee is 1,100.

Similar Courses

Nurses who do not currently meet the entry requirements for the APN programme and complete MH6029 are eligible for exemption from NU6162 Decision Making, Nursing and Advanced Practice Professional Roles, if becoming eligible for the Programme within a 5-year period.