Nursing Theory and Practice: 5N4325

An elective module of the Healthcare Support Certificate and a mandatory module of Nursing Studies Certificate. This module describes the development of the nursing process and provides learners with the skills to complete basic measurements including blood pressure, temperature , pulse and respiration rate and the importance of fluid balance as indicators of good health.

Learning Outcomes

• Examine the development of nursing as a profession
• Explore the functions of the health care structures and specialties in Ireland the effects of European Union directives on nursing
• Describe the stages of the nursing process and how they relate to patient care
• Outline the Code of Practice for nurses
• Identify the activities of daily living and how to assist a patient in these activities
• Explain commonly occurring nursing terminology and medical abbreviations
• Identify the members of a primary, secondary and tertiary health care teams and their functions
• Explain the importance of precision in administering drugs and recording the procedure
• Describe empathetic behaviour of the care worker
• Practice safe lifting techniques
• Execute the measurement and accurate recording of temperature, pulse , respiration, blood pressure and fluid balance
• Demonstrate knowledge of commonly occurring infections to include the organisms that cause them, the modes of transmission of these organisms, the effects of each infection and how to prevent infection and cross infection.

 Assessments

• Examination Theory 50%
• Skills Demonstration 50%

 Transfer

Successful completion of this component award enables the learner to transfer to programmes leading to other certificates where this component is an elective requirement.