Study Guide

Objective

Gerontological nursing
You are able to apply knowledge about changes related to aging in your nursing.
You know the services and benefits of the elderly.
You know how to promote the health, ability to function and resources of an aging person utilizing nursing methods and medication.
You know the possibilities offered by gerotechnology.
You can put into practise safe medical treatment for an elderly person.
You understand the specifics of medication for the elderly:
You can apply information on memory disorders, treating people with memory disorders and the associated services.
You are able to apply evidence-based information to gerontological nursing.
You know how to identify, assess and manage acute situations.

Palliative nursing
You can recognise the need for palliative or terminal care of a patient.
You know the palliative care service system.
You can carry out nursing based on symptoms and humane palliative and terminal care.
You are able to put into practise humane palliative care.
You are able to apply evidence-based information in palliative care.
You know the palliative care of the patient with memory disorder.
You know how to support the patient with memory disorder and close ones.

Content

Gerontological nursing
What are elderly care and geriatrics?
What are the changes related to aging and their effects on care?
How do you plan, carry out and assess safe medication?
How do you assess a person's ability to function and resources?
How do you apply evidence-based knowledge in promoted by functional capacity and rehabilitation?
How do you take into consideration the risk factors anticipating the weakening of the ability to function and the prevention of accidents?
How do you identify, assess and manage acute situations (NEWS)?
How do you carry out the assessment of a patient’s service needs?
How do you ensure the wellbeing of family carers and people taking care of their close ones?
Whar does gerotechnology bring to elderly care?
What are memory diseases and what is understood by medication of people with memory diseases?
How do you take into consideration the assessment of a person's nutritional status (malnutrition) and its significance in treating patients?
How do you apply evidence-based information in gerontological nursing?

Palliative nursing
What are palliative care and terminal care?
What is palliative service system?
What does nursing in palliative and terminal care include?
How do you apply evidence-based information in nursing palliative patients?
How do you implement palliative and terminal care for a memory patient?
How do you encounter and support a memory person and their loved ones in palliative care?

Materials

Kelo, Sini, Launiemi, Helena, Takaluoma, Matleena, Tiittanen, Hannele. 2015.
Ikääntynyt ihminen ja hoitotyö. Sanomapro.
Also available as an e-book.

Where applicable:
Heikkinen, Eino, Jyrkämä, Jyrki, Rantanen, Taina, Aromaa, Arpo, Gerontologia.2020.
Available as an e-book.
and
Tilvis, Reijo, Pitkälä, Kaisu, Strandberg, Timo, Sulkava, Raimo, Viitanen, Matti, Arkkila, Perttu.
Geriatria. 2016. Also available as an e-book.

Other recommended material is presented in the course Learn.

Teaching methods

Work week-based learning pathway:
Your studies consist of contact teaching (school and online), independent and supervised e-learning.

Learning pathway that speeds up studies:
Not available

Work-integrated learning pathway:
Your studies consist of contact teaching (at school and online), independent and supervised online learning.

Employer connections

This theory course does not include practice in operational environments, but it does include preclinical practice 0.5 credits (= labs and simulations).

Exam schedules

The approved completion of the study course requires the approved completion of the learning assignments and the exam.
The dates of learning assignments and exams are detailed in the course start info and can be found in the course's Learn after the course has started.

International connections

Not included in this course

Student workload

Completion of the course requires 135 hours of student work.

Content scheduling

1. Aging and changes in aging
2. Functional, safe and high quality aging and service system
3. Current themes in gerontological nursing
4. Diseases of the elderly and their treatment
5. Palliative care and convalescent care for the elderly
6. Medication and pain management for the elderly

Further information

NOTE!!
The prerequisite for participating in the course is that you have completed Clinical Nursing Theory (5 credits). If you have any questions about this, send a message to the teachers of the course before registering.

We recommend attending the INFO class!

More information: Anna-Kaarina. Anttolainen@xamk.fi

Evaluation scale

1-5

Assessment methods and criteria

In order to obtain a grade in a course, the learning assignments and exams of the course must be passed. The grade of the course consists of the average of the numerical evaluation of the parts of the course, taking into account the weighting factors according to the scope of the parts.

Qualifications

Professional basics in nursing 29 ECTS credits