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

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