Gerontology nursing (5 cr)

Objective

Ethics and professionality in nursing
• you are able to represent your client’s best interests and present yourself as a nursing professional in various teams
• you are able to act as an expert of nursing on behalf of your client in various teams

Clinical nursing
• you are able to perform the main nursing procedures and diagnostic tests as part of the overall patient care
• you are able to administer and evaluate pharmacological treatment on the gerontological patient
• you are able to integrate nutrition therapy and education in co-operation with a multi-professional network of experts
• you are able to support the elderly in the maintenance of their health, well-being and functional ability
• you are able to symptomatically and humanely treat patients with incurable illnesses and provide support to their families

Evidence-based practice and decision making
• you are able to actively utilize research knowledge (recommendations, reports based on research evidence) in nursing decision making

Patient education competence
• you manage patient education as a method in gerontology nursing

Promotion of health and functional ability
• you are able to prevent risk factors that deteriorate health and functional and working ability, and you are able to intervene early

The operational environment in social and health care
• you are able to guide the client/patient to use the appropriate public, private and third sector social and health care services
• you master the use of the most important care and monitoring equipment needed in clinical nursing
• you are familiar with the use of patient record systems

Content

Ethics and professionality in nursing
• Identification and processing of ethical problems

Clinical nursing
• most common procedures and diagnostic tests in clinical nursing
• pharmacological treatment, pharmaceutical service, dosage calculations, pharmacology and pharmacy
• evaluation of the patient’s nutritional status (malnutrition) and its importance in his/her care
• nutrition therapy and the most common special diets as part of the patient’s overall treatment
• changes associated with aging
• basics of the most common geriatric diseases
• functional status and evaluation of functional capability
• participation of the family in the care of the elderly
• palliative care
• end-of-life care
• encountering dying patients and their families

Evidence-based practice and decision making
• evaluation of the nursing process
• documentation in nursing

Patient education competence
• patient/client education

Promotion of health and functional ability
• accident prevention
• early identification of risk factors and targeting of support to those in need (preventive home visits)

Operational environment in social and health care
• client-oriented and multiprofessional process of service provision
• use of care and monitoring equipment
• use of patient record systems

Evaluation

Assessment criteria level 3, competence during the completion phase.
You know how to
a. use professional vocabulary and concepts in an expert way
b. evaluate information sources critically

Course material

Kelo Sini, Launiemi Helena, Takaluoma Matleena & Tiittinen Hannele. 2015. Ikääntynyt ihminen ja hoitotyö.

Study forms and methods

Opintojakso toteutuu sekä lähitoteutuksena että verkossa oppimateriaaleihin perehtymällä ja oppimistehtävien suorittamisella.

RDI and work-related cooperation

Kliinisen hoitotyön laboraatioharjoittelusta 1 op liittyy Gerontologiseen hoitotyöhön

Timing of exams and assignments

Oppimistehtävät Moodlessa

Student workload

5 op x 27h = 135 tuntia

Further information

Riitta Tenkanen-Salmela, riitta.tenkanen-salmela@xamk.fi

Evaluation scale

1-5

Assessment methods and criteria

Hyväksytysti suoritetut oppimistehtävät moodlessa.

Qualifications

You have proven your competence in the following modules:
Professional basics in nursing 30 ECTS
Promotion of health and functional ability 15 ECTS