Nursing in Elderly Care and Supporting Functional Capacity of the Elderly

Structure Type: Course
Code: KG29AO09004
Type: Compulsory
Level: Bachelor
Credits: 3.0 points
Responsible Teacher: Palo, Raija
Teacher Team: Lahti, Marita ; Salminen-Tuomaala, Mari ; Saari, Anna
Language of Instruction: English

Course Implementations, Planned Year of Study and Semester

Curriculum  Semester  Credits  Start of Semester  End of Semester
NURSING-2013FIN   2 autumn   3.0   2014-09-01   2014-12-31  
NURSING-2013FOR   2 autumn   3.0   2014-09-01   2014-12-31  

Learning Outcomes

ETHICAL COMPETENCE

Students appreciate elderly people and work consistently according to the ethical principles of nursing. Students will abide by the principles of high-quality, ethical care when working with elderly people.



COMPETENCE IN CUSTOMERSHIP IN HEALTH CARE, WORKING COMMUNITY COMPETENCE

Students will be competent in approaching elderly people and their family members in a professional manner and in supporting their personal resources. They will apply the elderly-centred approach to their work. Students will be able to work in multi-professional teams and to report both in writing and orally as required in nursing elderly people.

CLINICAL COMPETENCE AND COMPETENCE IN HEALTH PROMOTION

Students will be competent in identifying, anticipating and preventing the more common diseases and health problems of elderly people and in reinforcing their and their family members' personal resources and ability to function. They will be familiar with the special requirements of drug administration to elderly people, how to administer drugs safely, aseptically and precisely. Students will be aware of their responsibility as regards the guidance of drug care for elderly people.


DECISION-MAKING COMPETENCE, COUNSELLING AND MENTORING COMPETENCE

Students will be competent in counselling elderly people while taking into consideration changes due to physical and mental aging and the people's personal resources and ability to function. Students will also be competent in considering the family members' needs for counselling. Students will be competent in elderly-centred work and in goal-oriented interaction and nursing relationships. They will take responsibility for drawing up holistic nursing plans and associated documents.

INNOVATION COMPETENCE

Students will be competent in critically and openly evaluating their own activities and the activities in their placement. They will be able to use the community as a resource in caring for elderly people. Students will be able to work in an idiosyncratic, development-oriented and creative way.

WORKING COMMUNITY COMPETENCE, INTERNATIONALIZATION COMPETENCE

Students will be familiar with the service system for the social welfare and health care of elderly people, and they will be competent in guiding elderly people and their family members in seeking and using the appropriate services. Students will be familiar with the local, regional, national and international programmes concerning elderly care policies. Students will be competent in working with elderly people, families and work communities that represent different ethnic backgrounds.

Student's Workload

Will be announced at the beginning of the course.

Prerequisites / Recommended Optional Courses

Theoretical basics of Nursing, Basics of Nursing Skills and Knowledge, Practical Training in Nursing Skills, Drug Care

Contents

Expertise and areas of competence in elderly care. Social welfare and health care system for the elderly. Elderly care policies. Changes due to aging.
Special features of illness in elderly people and the main points of their medical care. Assessing and supporting health and functional ability in elderly people. Spiritual needs of elderly people. Planning, implementation and evaluation of the care and rehabilitation of elderly people in co-operation with the elderly people themselves, with their families and with the multi-professional team, to help elderly people, who suffer from various disorders, threats, problems, or illnesses.
Care and service plans and notifying others of them. Counselling, support, hobbies and recreational activities in elderly care. Special features of drug treatment for the elderly, typical side effects and combined effects, counselling on drug care.

Recommended or Required Reading

Vallejo Medina A. & al. 2006. Vanhusten hoito. WSOY.(assigned parts).
Eloranta T. & Punkanen T. 2008. Vireään vanhuuteen. Tammi. (assigned parts).
Kivelä S.-L. 2004. Vanhusten lääkehoito. Tammi. (assigned parts).
Tilvis & al. 2003. Geriatria. Duodecim. (assigned parts).
Heikkinen E. & Rantanen T. 2008. Gerontologia. Duodecim. (assigned parts)
Lindesay, J.; Rockwood, J. & MacDonald, A. (ed.) 2002. Delirium in old age. Oxford: University Press.

Mode of Delivery / Planned Learning Activities and Teaching Methods

Lectures, group assignments, seminar assignments, orientation exercises, field trips, independent study

Assessment Criteria

5
Students
- recognise elderly people's and their families' needs and know how to plan, implement, evaluate and report on their nursing care
- professionally approach older people and their families in various life situations
- critically apply profession-specific ethical principles
- recognize and assess changes and dysfunctions brought on by aging and are able to implement appropriate nursing interventions
- plan and safely administer drug care of the elderly and evaluate its effectiveness
- know how to counsel and teach the elderly on issues related to health and illness using resource-oriented methods
- are able to seek, apply and critically evaluate evidence-based knowledge

3-4
Students
- recognise elderly people's and their families' needs and under supervision, know how to plan, implement, evaluate and report on their nursing care
- act professionally in client situations
- explain their action by profession-specific ethical principles
- recognize and assess changes and dysfunctions brought on by aging and under supervision, are able to implement appropriate nursing interventions
- plan and safely administer drug care of the elderly and under supervision, evaluate its effectiveness
- know how to counsel and teach the elderly on issues related to health and illness
- are able to seek, apply and evaluate evidence-based knowledge

1-2
Students
- under supervision, recognise elderly people's and their families' needs and know how to plan, implement, evaluate and report on their nursing care
- in their action, take elderly people in consideration
- observe profession-specific ethical principles
- recognize and under supervision, assess changes and dysfunctions brought on by aging and under supervision, are able to implement appropriate nursing interventions
- under supervision, plan and safely administer drug care of the elderly and under supervision, evaluate its effectiveness
- under supervision, know how to counsel and teach the elderly on issues related to health and illness
- are able to seek and handle evidence-based knowledge, but do not know how to appy or critically evaluate it.

Fail= 0
Students

- are unable to meet elderly patients' basic needs
- their knowledge and skills pertaining to nursing elderly patients are greatly lacking and/or patient safety is jeopardised.
- do not know how to monitor and report on changes in patients' vital functions or changes brought on by old age
- do not fully observe asepsis
- jeopardise their own and/or the patient's safety
- repeatedly make mistakes in drug care
- avoid nursing and learning situations
- avoid interaction with elderly patients

Assessment Methods

Active participation and attendence , passed assignments and exams

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