This is the real unit stuff
I said I'd write this up: now I have. Enjoy. If you can. If you wish to. Also, I was wondering why I start my sentences with 'Also,' so often if anyone else around is going to start at Deakin this year?
HAI010 - Academic Integrity
This isn't really a unit, just a thing we have to do in the first semester of any faculty of health course. I'm not really sure about it, but hopefully once my unit site appears I can start and hopefully finish it, prior to the beginning of the university year!
HBS109 - Introduction to Anatomy and Physiology
The colour is because of its apparent awfulness as a unit - I heard it described as the worst in the entire course!
Scheduled learning activities
Our scheduled learning activities are: 1 x 2 hour online classes per week (Weeks 1-3 only); 1 x 1 hour seminar per week; 4 x 2 hour practical classes per trimester; 1 x online module per week. Interesting to note that the two online things are actually my only online things, everything else is in-person on campus.
Assessments
The assessments are: clearly subject to change, but at this point there are four assessments. One is a 10% 'study skills and scientific communication written assignment', approx. 500 words, due around week 4. The second is a 20% 'online quizzes' (I know my sentence structure doesn't work but bear with me) which is a multiple choice quiz (two quizzes actually), due around weeks 5 and 9. The third is a 40% 'case based learning written assignment', two case studies, case study one approx. 750 words, 15% and due around week 7, case study two approx. 1250 words, 25% and due around week 11. The last is the exam, 30%, 90 minutes and due... during the examination period. Well, that gives me a nice clear date - not!
Unit information
The actual unit, according to the paragraph of information on it, is about... anatomy and physiology! Surprise!! :P No, really, it talks about the anatomy and organisation of the human body, cell function stuff, body tissues and fancy words I don't know (yet), and a few other things. Basically, yes, the name provides it all.
Copied paragraph from information
This interdisciplinary unit provides an overview of the basic sciences of human anatomy and physiology, exploring issues of relevance to the health sciences. Specific topics to be addressed will include: organisation of the human body, outlining anatomical terms, chemical and structural bases of cell function, body tissues including integument, homeostasis and physiological control via neural and hormonal mechanisms that maintain a constant internal environment. Support and movement through an understanding of the musculo-skeletal system, and maintenance of key systems, including cardiovascular, respiratory, digestive, urinary and immune systems.
HNM101 - Partnerships in Midwifery Care 1
This is the midwifery unit. Hence its colour. I'm way too excited about it.
Scheduled learning activities
Our scheduled learning activities are: 20 Cloud (online) hours, 20 hours of face-to-face contact in seminar, 8 hours of experiential learning in structured simulation activities and 40 hours of clinical placement.
Assessments
The assessments are: a total of four again. The first is - ugh! - a group presentation equivalent to 1,000 words and a whole horrid 30% of the mark; it's due around week 9. The second is three cloud tests (online), which total 20% between them, weeks 4, 8 and 11, and are 12 minutes each. The exam is worth 50% and is 90 minutes. The last assessment is just the clinical practise stuff. It's pass/fail. Hopefully pass. Hopefully....
Unit information
To my surprise, I read this more closely and saw that we do start continuity of care stuff this semester (I can't be bothered calling it trimester. Especially when a sibling is also commencing a course at the same time at Monash which does semesters (wander over and have a read of Heidi's journal, I highly recommend -
Let's Try Again: Heidi's Nursing Journey Journal).). I don't quite know what that really means. Anyhow. This is the midwifery unit. The first one. Needless to say, I'm a little overeager for it. Sounds like it's pretty much a broad brush over what midwifery is and how we should do stuff, especially woman-centred care and cultural stuff. There's a week of midwifery placement too. I don't know when we get our placement information, but if anyone happens to have done any of this group of courses before and knows, I'd appreciate knowing how long before!! (Since there's a small matter of transport to placements to arrange, and I don't have a car. Welcome to the classic life of a broke uni student. ;))
Copied paragraph from information
This is the initial midwifery unit within the Professional Studies Cluster and introduces students to professional and clinical midwifery issues within a quality and safety of care framework with a focus on pregnancy care. Students are introduced to the principles of continuity of midwifery practice across the continuum of care and the various contexts of midwifery care. Emphasis is placed upon the centrality of woman-centred care, incorporating: physical, emotional and mental health; encompassing socio-cultural diversity and needs of women and families from Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander backgrounds and from other cultural groups. Students will have the opportunity to apply and integrate knowledge and skills learnt in this unit with previous learning during a one (1) week (40 hour) introduction to the clinical midwifery environment and by commencing Continuity of Care experiences.
HNN112 - Quality and Safety: Nursing Practice 1
The practical nursing unit. I'm quite looking forward to this.
Scheduled learning activities
The scheduled learning activities are: 2 Cloud (online) hours, 1 x 2 hour seminar, 1 x 2 hour simulation session per week and 40 hour clinical placement.
Assessments
The assessments are: a total of three. The first is some online tests, three tests of 20 minutes each, 40%, weeks 3, 5, 7, and 9. Is anyone else noticing the problem with this?! Anyhow, the second is another hurdle, the placement of 40 hours, and it is pass/fail. This leaves 60% to be made by the exam, which is two hours. I don't mind two hour exams. To my mind, that's optimal - enough time to really get into it and not too much to be exhausted brainily (looking at you, VCE English). Ooh, the hurdle requirement for the placement is 'skills'. Oh dear. I don't have any. Especially social ones. (And I'm heading for a job primarily working with people? Hmm.)
Unit information
This one seems even harder to decode than others so far. What I think it's saying is that it's making students get nursing knowledge and skills in order to care for people in a person-centred sort of way. This includes keeping an eye out for patient function and potential injuries. Also for their comfort. There's a one week placement to develop and apply such knowledge and skills we've hopefully learnt.
Copied paragraph from information
This unit is the first of two in the Clinical Studies Cluster: Year 1. Aligned with quality and safety principles opportunities are provided for students to explore and develop nursing knowledge and foundational skills for the provision of person-centred care. Key concepts to be addressed include assessment and management of patient functional status and potential for risk and injury. In addition promotion of patient comfort will be explored. During a one (1) week clinical placement students will have the opportunity to further develop and apply relevant knowledge and skills learned in this and other units.
HNN120 - Quality and Safety in Health Care
Honestly, I have little idea what this one quite is.
Scheduled learning activities
The scheduled learning activities are: 2 Cloud (online) hours, 1 x 2 hour seminar per week.
Assessments
The assessments are: three in number. The first is an ePortfolio presentation (whatever that is), equivalent to 500 words, 15% of unit, due in week 3. The second is a 1500 word assignment, due in week 7, and worth 35%. The remaining one is - ugh! yet again - an ePortfolio group presentation and reflection equivalent to 2000 words, which is worth 50% and due in week 11. Curiously enough, there's no exam.
Unit information
We'll be able to develop understanding of nursing practise and political and legal stuff, as well as issues influencing nursing and stuff. This includes looking at other stuff like person-centred care, team work and other stuff. I have it on reliable information (myself) that 'stuff' is a very useful word.
Copied paragraph from information
This is the first of two units within the Professional Studies Cluster. Students will be given the opportunity to develop understanding of contemporary nursing practice, the political and legal contexts in which it is regulated. Students will also explore local and global issues influencing the nursing profession including the emergence of the patient safety movement and the role of nurses in promoting patient safety and quality care. This will include the examination of the underpinning principles of patient safety in health care including: person-centred care, communication, ethical practice, evidence-based practice, health informatics, clinical decision making, and team work.
In other news
In other news, I went to the op shop today to try and find certain supplies that I want for soap making (like extra jugs, a scraper, etc.) but not enough to buy new. Success! I found a scraper. I also staggered home with Potter and Perry's 'Fundamentals of Nursing' because... I could? Because it was there? It looked like a really good textbook. And it's not quite 30 years old now. ;) I also found an anecdotal midwifery book, so both I and my mother are very happy with that (both of us find the field fascinating, it's probably where I got it from).
I've been doing such exciting things recently as researching various things, buying stuff for uni and making soap. Soap making is fun. I've been playing around more with a couple of different fragrances that we happen to have, and hatching ideas for when I get colours and more fragrances and things. And clear soap as opposed to white. That adds a whole 'nother layer of interest.
Timetable
I also got my timetable today, which is rather nice. I'm very happy with it, since I only have classes on three of the five days! I'd been hoping only for one day off since it seemed I'd still have to do Thursdays sometimes, but getting Thursdays off as well as Wednesdays is a perk. Now I just need to find out about the rules for Deakin's library, or otherwise, find a library nearby. Hopefully, tomorrow I'll be going to the uni to actually see it for the first time. (Not going inside, just looking from the outside, since I wanted to know how I'm to be getting there.)
Ideally, I'll be able to use the library frequently as there are some times where I'll have classes with several hours in between. There is no way I'll be wanting to go home in the middle! Otherwise I'll scout out a library nearby. If anyone happens to know of one, please tell me.
I went on campus today!
I rode my bike to Deakin for the first time today, around 15kms round trip. I saw the campus for the first time. It's very... big. And imposing. And I know I'll get lost several times. Still, it's nice to have seen it. I even poked around and stuck my head inside, but not being sure if I was even allowed to be on campus or anything, I didn't go far. I saw no signs saying that I couldn't, nor people.
Still, it's a little tiring riding all that way since I'm not used to doing it, but it'll hopefully get better. Also hopefully it won't impact my ability to go to work this evening! [I added in this section later because I figured it wasn't enough for a full entry of its own but wanted to post it.]
More rambling about how much I love the fields I'm entering
I was reading more midwifery stuff and getting still more excited about my course. Just... babies, and mothers, and everything around them, are fascinating. This continuity of care stuff we'll be starting I think in second year (I think?) also sounds fascinating. Following a woman through her pregnancy and birth? It's just so... I use the word 'exciting' too much, I think.
Nursing itself is interesting, medical things are fascinating, but they do pale in comparison to the midwifery side of it. I think it's important to have both rather than just midwifery (even apart from any job prospects and the fact that I couldn't do just midwifery at least around here) but even though I know it'll be hard, and there'll be some awful hard things about it, I can't wait to start learning. (Oh, wait. I have to wait. Ah well.)
It is interesting, though, to compare notes with other nurses or nurses-in-training, the kind who'd (I exaggerate!) not touch a kid with a ten foot pole if they could help it. Not everyone is drawn to this area which I find so fascinating. (I also use the word 'fascinating' too much.) Which is interesting in itself. Good thing we're all different.
I am curious to find out the numbers of students in my course now, and then to compare them (if I can) with the number at the end of first year, second year, third year, who graduate. I guess at least some will go out the alternate exit to just nursing, but how many?
Only time will tell.
I couldn't resist the dramatic ending.