Module: Core Nursing Skill

Module Specifications.

Current Academic Year 2024 - 2025

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Date posted: September 2024

Module Title	Core Nursing Skill
Module Code	NS105 (ITS) / NUR1009 (Banner)
Faculty	Science & Health	School	Nursing, PsyT & Comm Health
Module Co-ordinator	Daniela Lehwaldt
Module Teachers	Ciara White, Sean Duffy
NFQ level	6	Credit Rating	10
Pre-requisite	Not Available
Co-requisite	Not Available
Compatibles	Not Available
Incompatibles	Not Available

None

Description

This year long module will introduce students to the knowledge and skills that relates to the health and safety of patients in practice settings. It also introduces students to the theoretical components and practical clinical skills related to meeting the core needs of patients. A strong emphasis will be placed on the mandatory skills required for students to complete prior to attending clinical practice which are; people handling, managing challenging situation in practice, infection control and cardio pulmonary resuscitation. Students will also be required to undertake current child protection education. Failure to attend any of the mandatory skills will result in the student not attending clinical placement in semester one. Alongside the mandatory skills, students are expected to attend a number of other skills workshops. These skills will be required for students to assist with providing care to patients in a variety of health care setting. To complement the skills delivery a number of lectures, small class room teaching and on-line work will be provided. This year long module will also enable the student apply the knowledge gained from semester one and begin to appreciate the complexity of the provision of nursing care in semester two. Students are also expected to use the Clinical Education Centre outside of the timetabled skills workshops times so that they can practice these skills unsupervised.

Learning Outcomes

1. Understand hazards that are potentially threatening to the safety of the patient in the health care setting
2. Demonstrate knowledge and understanding of the safety issues encountered in a healthcare setting
3. Examine the theory underpinning the nurse’s role in assisting patients in meeting their safety needs
4. Identify the core fundamental nursing skills of patients in the health care setting
5. Describe the basic theory underpinning the nurses role in assisting patients in meeting their core nursing skills
6. Practice the core nursing skills necessary for assisting patients in health care settings

*Type*	*Hours*	*Description*
Workload	Full-time hours per semester
Lecture	40	Introduction to the theory underpinning the skills taught in the module
Clinical laboratory	20	Mandatory Clinical Skills Workshops
Clinical laboratory	30	Clinical Skills Workshops
Laboratory	30	Self-Directed Clinical Skills Practice
Laboratory	20	Self-Directed OSCE )Objective Structured Clinical Examination) Clinical Skills Oractice, Recording and Uploading
Independent Study	105	Overview of module theory. This includes revision for MCQ's and time allocated for the MCQ's (2 Multiple Choice Question Exams during the module)
Online activity	5	Undertake and complete Health Service Authority E Learning Module Children First
Total Workload: 250

All module information is indicative and subject to change. For further information,students are advised to refer to the University's Marks and Standards and Programme Specific Regulations at: http://www.dcu.ie/registry/examinations/index.shtml

Indicative Content and Learning Activities

Irish Health and Safety Legislation
Overview of Irish Health and Safety Legislation

Professional Frameworks and Guidelines in relation to Health and Safety
Manual Handling and Patient Handling (People Handling)

Safe Environment
Managing Challenging Situations in Practice (MCSIP)

Safe Environment
Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR)

Infection Control
Hand Hygiene, Personal Protective Equipment, Standard Precautions, Introduction to Aseptic No Touch Technique (ANTT), Basic Wound Care

Safe Environment
First Aid - An Introduction

Observations
Temperature, Pulse, Respirations and Blood Pressure (TPR & BP)

Safe Environment
Introduction to basic safety assessment in healthcare settings, including safety aspects to consider while making unoccupied bed

Personal Hygiene
Personal Hygiene including making Occupied Bed

Nutrition and Hydration
Nutrition and Hydration (Eating & Drinking)

Introduction to Medication Management
Key Principles, Rights, Abbreviations, Routes, Calculations

Elimination
Elimination and Specimen Collection

Mobilisation
Mobilisation including Complications and Patient Positioning

Respiratory Therapy
Respiratory Therapy

Nursing Process
Nursing Process - An Introduction

Skin Integrity
Skin Integrity - An Introduction

Pre and Post Operative Care
Pre and Post Operative Care

Pain Management
Pain Management - An Introduction

Child Protection
Child protection in the context of the protection of the safety and well being of the child, HSE Children First training, E-Learning module or subsequent updated child protection course.

Assessment Breakdown
Continuous Assessment	100%	Examination Weight	0%

Type	Description	% of total	Assessment Date
Course Work Breakdown
Written Exam	2 OSCE's 2 Quizzes	100%	n/a

Reassessment Requirement Type
Resit arrangements are explained by the following categories: Resit category 1: A resit is available for both* components of the module. Resit category 2: No resit is available for a 100% continuous assessment module. Resit category 3: No resit is available for the continuous assessment component where there is a continuous assessment and examination element.
* ‘Both’ is used in the context of the module having a Continuous Assessment/Examination split; where the module is 100% continuous assessment, there will also be a resit of the assessment
This module is category 1

Indicative Reading List

An Bord Altranais: 2007, Guidance to nurses and midwives on medication administration, An Bord Altranais, Dublin,
Dougherty, L., Lister, S., West-Oram A.: 2015, The Royal Marsden Hospital Manual of Clinical Nursing Procedures., 9th, Wiley-Blackwell, England, 978-1-118-746
Weller, B.: 2014, Bailliere’s Nurses’ Dictionary: For Nurses and Healthcare Workers, 26th, Balliere Tindall, London, 10:0702053287
Alfaro-Lefevre, R.: 2014, Applying Nursing Process: The Foundation for Clinical Reasoning, 8th, Lippincott Williams & Wilkins, Philadelphia, 978-160913697
American Heart Association: 2015, Heartsaver First Aid CPR AED Student Workbook, American Heart Association,
Chris Brooker, Maggie Nicol, Margaret F. Alexander.: 2014, Alexander's Nursing Practice, 4th, Edinburgh; Churchill Livingstone, Philadelphia, 9780702054655
Brunner, L.S. & Suddarth, D.S.: 2013, Textbook of Medical Surgical Nursing, 13th, Lippincott, London, 1451130600
Kindersley, D.: 2009, First Aid Manual 9th Edition Irish Edition, 9th, Dorling Kindersley; Irish edition edition (1 Jun. 2009), UK, 78-1405345323
SARI: 2005, Guidelines for Hand Hygiene in Irish Health Care Settings, Health Service Executive / Health Protection Surveillance Centre, Dublin,
HCAI: 2015, Guidelines for Hand Hygiene in Irish Health Care Settings, Health Service Executive / Royal College of Physicians of Ireland, Dublin,

Other Resources

61920, Website, Health Service Executive, 2015, Aseptic non Touch Technique. The ANTT Clinical Practice Framework... For Surgery to Community Care, http://www.hse.ie/eng/health/hl/hcaiamr/healthcareassinfection/preventing, 61921, Website, ANTT, 2013, Aseptic non Touch Technique. The ANTT Clinical Practice Framework... For Surgery to Community Care, London, The Association for Safe Aseptic Practice (ASAP), www.antt.org, 61922, Website, Health Service Executive, 0, Children First, Health Service Executive, www.hse.ie/childrenfirst,