Nursing sick and dying elderly people
| Structure Type: | Course |
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| Code: | KFG11B050 |
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| Level: | Bachelor |
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| Credits: | 4.0 points |
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| Responsible Teacher: | Hietaniemi, Elina |
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| Teacher Team: | Lahti, Marita |
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| Language of Instruction: | Finnish |
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Learning Outcomes
Students will be familiar with the prevention of the more common diseases and syndromes of elderly people and with the relevant prevention programmes. They will be competent in identifying symptoms and connecting them with various illnesses. They will be competent in helping elderly people cope with long-term illness. Students will be aware of the treatments for the more common diseases; they will know how to plan, implement and supervise care, nursing and rehabilitation of elderly persons, especially for elderly people living in their own homes, in home care units and in assisted living facilities. Students will learn personal case management.
Starting with theoretical knowledge, students will analyse the process of dying and end-of-life care and the adaptation of family and friends to the situation. They will learn to plan, arrange and develop the care of dying elderly people and become motivated to follow the latest research and practical development work in end-of-life care.
Student's Workload
Will be announced at the beginning of the course.
Prerequisites / Recommended Optional Courses
No previous studies are required.
Contents
- Special features in elderly people's symptom development and the importance of observing symptoms in diagnosing and treating illness
- Common symptoms of illness in elderly people (hypo and hyperthermia, dizziness, nausea, diarrhoea, constipation, shortness of breath, insomnia, confusion, impaired vision and hearing), connection of the symptoms to various diseases, alleviation and treatment of the symptoms
- Adaptation of an elderly person to a long-term illness
- Model of holistic treatment and rehabilitation
- Examples of treatment and rehabilitation processes for the more common illnesses of elderly people (depression and other mental health problems, diabetes, congestive heart deficiency, frailty, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, osteoporosis, incontinence, hemiplegia, Parkinson's disease, foot ulcers, colon cancer, falls and problems with alcohol)
- Historical development of end-of-life care
- Process of dying in the light of theoretical models
- Support during the dying process
- Meeting the person's basic needs in end-of-life care, special features, principles and methods of care
- Relief for special problems
- Reminiscence and creative activities in the end-of-life care of elderly people
- Supporting family and friends, theories of grieving, grieving after end-of-life care
- Development of end-of-life care
Recommended or Required Reading
Sairaan vanhuksen hoito:
Kivelä, S-L. 2007. Voimavaroja unesta.
Kivelä, S-L.2009. Depressiosta tasapainoon-Hyvä elämä iäkkäänä. Kirjapaja.
Vallejo Medina, A. et al. 2012. Vanhustenhoito. ( uusin painos)
Journal of Gerontological Nursing -lehden artikkeleita, muu opettajan osoittama materiaali.
Molander, G. 1999. Askel lyhenee maa kutsuu- Yli 80-vuotiaiden kuolema eletyn elämän valossa (82-231); Molander, G. 1999. Työnä kuolemaan hoitaminen.
STM. 2010. Hyvä saattohoito Suomessa- Asiantuntijakuulemisiin perustuvat saattohoitosuositukset.
Mode of Delivery / Planned Learning Activities and Teaching Methods
- Lectures
- Independent study
- Work in pairs
- Drawing up care plans for sick elderly persons
Assessment Criteria
Grading will be announced during the course.
Assessment Methods
- Active participation in classroom activities and drawing up care plans
- 2 exams (nursing sick elderly patients and end-of-life care, assessment 1-5
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