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Module Specifications.

Current Academic Year 2024 - 2025

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Date posted: September 2024

Module Title Assistive Technology & Complex Needs
Module Code NS237 (ITS) / HEA1008 (Banner)
Faculty Science & Health School Nursing, PsyT & Comm Health
Module Co-ordinatorDeirdre Corby
Module TeachersKumaresan Cithambaram
NFQ level 8 Credit Rating 5
Pre-requisite Not Available
Co-requisite Not Available
Compatibles Not Available
Incompatibles Not Available
Coursework Only
Description

This module addresses two topics to support the nurses understanding of people with intellectual disabilities who have complex needs and to introduce them to the concept of assistive technology. The module explores changing patterns of intellectual disabilities in addition to specific and complex health and social care needs. The module aims to add to an understanding of the role of the nurse in caring for and supporting people with intellectual disabilities who may have complex needs and the potential benefits of assistive technology.

Learning Outcomes

1. Define complex needs
2. Identify how intellectual disability and/or complex needs impacts on functioning and therefore the quality of life of an individual
3. Identify the partnerships required to support people with intellectual disability to meet their potential with a focus on times of transition
4. Define assistive technology
5. Differentiate the various categories of assistive technology
6. Examine how assistive technology can meet individual needs within different models of community living
7. Examine the steps and procedures involved in implementing an assistive technology device
8. Argue the ethical considerations for the use of assistive technologies



Workload Full-time hours per semester
Type Hours Description
Lecture24Lectures
Tutorial4Tutorials
Laboratory8Skills in Assistive technology and complex needs
Seminars4student lead seminars
Independent Study85Independent study time
Total Workload: 125

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

Definitions
Define complex needs, assistive technology, quality of life.

Quality of Life
Discuss quality of life and focus on genetic and metabolic disorders, and conditions associated with complex needs, for example respiratory conditions.

Categories
Categories of assistive technology

Models
Disability and participation models

Process
The assistive technology process with a focus on assessment

Legislation
Legislation that impacts on assistive technology use

Teams
Assistive technology team, partnerships, families and carers

Professional Practice
Roles of professional

Communication
Alternative and augmentative communication

Transitions
Times of transition and complex needs

Training
Training and support needs for users and carers

Abandonment
Reasons for abandonment or lack of use of assistive technology

Skills
Skills needed to support people in using assistive technology with a focus on skills training

Ethics
Ethical considerations

Assessment Breakdown
Continuous Assessment100% Examination Weight0%
Course Work Breakdown
TypeDescription% of totalAssessment Date
AssignmentAssignment100%Once per semester
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

  • Mosby: 2014, Assistive Technologies: Principles and Practice,
  • Michael L. Wehmeyer, Ivan Brown, Maire Percy, W.L. Alan Fung and Karrie A. Shogren: 2017, A Comprehensive Guide to Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities, 2nd,
  • Albert M. Cook and Janice Miller Polgar: 2015, Assistive Technologies: Principles and Practice,
  • Mosby: 201, Assistive Technologies: Principles and Practice,
  • Carnaby, Steven; Pawlyn, Jillian: 2009, Profound intellectual and multiple disabilities: nursing complex needs, Wiley-Blackwell, Chichester, West Sussex; Malden, MA,
  • Elizabeth A. Curtis, Fintan Sheerin: 2019, Leadership for intellectual disability service: motivating change and improvement,
  • Harris, James C: 2006, Intellectual disability: understanding its development, causes, classification, evaluation, and treatment, Oxford University Press, New York,
  • Gates, Bob, 1955- editor; Barr, Owen, editor: 2019, Oxford handbook of learning & intellectual disability nursing, 2nd, Oxford University Press, Oxford University Press,
  • Emerson, Eric: 2014, Health inequalities and people with intellectual disabilities, Cambridge University Press, Cambridge,
  • Springer, Nicole Piland, editor; Nelson Goff, Briana S., editor: 2018, Intellectual and developmental disabilities: a roadmap for families and professionals, Routledge, New York,
  • Fearns, Debra, editor; Welch, Jo, editor; Gates, Bob, 1955- editor: 2015, Learning disability nursing at a glance, Wiley Blackwell, Chichester, West Sussex,
  • Wehmeyer, Michael L., editor: 2017, A comprehensive guide to intellectual and developmental disabilities, Paul H. Brookes Publishing, Co., Baltimore,
  • Taggart, Laurence, editor; Cousins, Wendy, editor: 2014, Health promotion for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities, Open University Press, Berkshire,
Other Resources

65669, 0, Shaping the Future of Intellectual Disability Nursing in Ireland, https://www.inmo.ie/tempDocs/shaping-the-future-of-intellectual-disability-nursing-in-ireland-2018.pdf, 0, 0, WHOQOL: Measuring Quality of Life, https://www.who.int/tools/whoqol,

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