Delivering Safe, Professional, Fundamental Care in Hospital (Medicine/ Surgery)
Module Description
This module is designed to enhance participants’ proficiency in the latest medical and surgical advancements, ensuring these skills are continuously applied in hospital settings.
It introduces new concepts relevant to both medical and surgical care, with a specific focus on Maltese healthcare legislation.
By covering care settings in both Year 1 and Year 3 of the program, students will build a robust foundation and then refine their expertise over time, ensuring their skills and knowledge become increasingly proficient and critical.
The module emphasizes delivering safe and professional care, aligning with the evolving standards and legal requirements within the Maltese healthcare system.
Through this approach, students are prepared to meet the demands of modern medical and surgical environments, ensuring high-quality patient care and adherence to local regulations, ultimately contributing to the improvement of healthcare delivery in Malta.
Entry Requirements
Candidates who apply for this course will need to possess:
- Two A-levels, one of them preferably being in a science subject, or an equivalent qualification at MQF Level 4 (for example, a Level 4 Diploma in Applied Science).
- Either Biology or Chemistry or Health & Social Care at Intermediate level.
OR
- At least 1 of the following: Biology, Chemistry, or Health & Social Care at level 4 (advanced or intermediate)
- and at least 3 of the following: Physics, Sociology, Psychology, English, Maltese or Mathematics at level 4 (advanced or intermediate).
Applicants will also need to:
- Demonstrate proficiency in English language by a valid International English Language Testing System level at overall level 6 or Occupational English Test with B in speaking and C+ in writing or Matriculation and Secondary Education Certificate (MATSEC) pass at Grade 3 or better in English Language.
- Prior to commence the enrolling in any nursing programme, students should provide evidence of a clean conduct published by the respective police force or authority.
- In the case of those students who do not possess a Level 4 qualification, but who have a substantial amount of experience in the care industry and who possess O-level standard education, ca n be accepted into this Bachelor of Science (Honours) in Nursing Science, on the condition that they undergo and acquire a pass in a Level 4 preparatory programme offered by IDEA College.
Furthermore, these students shall also undergo a RPL process in order to verify their work experience. Link to RPL Policy and Process: https://mt.ideaeducation.com/app/uploads/2022/09/Doc_007_22-Recognition-of-Prior-Learning-Policy-and-Process.pdf
Target Audience
This programme targets:
- Students who have completed their post-secondary education and would like to pursue a tertiary-level education in nursing.
- Older adults who have worked in different environments, but mostly in the care industry, who are interested in pursuing a programme in nursing.
- Individuals who are qualified in areas related to healthcare such as podiatry and physiotherapy and who are looking for or considering a career change in nursing.
Module / Unit Instructions
Clinical placement learning under the guidance of a mentor empowers the nurse to accept and exercise responsibility and accountability for independent learning, personal growth, and self-awareness and to demonstrate the competence required to be able to apply for a first level nurse.
A variety of teaching and learning strategies will be used to facilitate building the student nurses’ development over time which includes :
- Supervised clinical nursing practice providing experiential learning and enabling the student nurse to achieve and demonstrate competence.
- Reflective discussions during supervised practice that facilitate critical awareness and reflective practice.
- Problem solving which enables the student nurse to assess and manage work in conjunction with peers. This fosters a notion of individual and collective thought and encourages a team approach. This allows the student nurse to demonstrate initiative.
- The use of a reflective diary provides an opportunity to reflect upon and record personal encounters.
How you’ll be assessed
Assessment of this module consists of three components:
- Formative development of clinical competencies – interim feedback only.
- Summative Portfolio of evidence linked to skills development.
- Summative achievement of placement specific clinical competencies.
Assessment
- All assignment tasks of both formative and summative assessment aim to provide the learner an opportunity to produce evidence of his/her competences aligned to the learning outcomes of each individual Module.
- Both summative components must be passed to be successful in the module.
- Formative assessment is carried out during clinical placement hours through opportunities to practice key skills and competencies and receive feedback on performance from the assigned mentor, other staff, and from patients.
For this module, the summative assessment will take the form of:
- Part 1: A portfolio of written summary of evidence underpinning 3 skills of the student’s choice relating to the placement. Word count range: 1500 ± 10%
- Part 2: Achievement of a Pass in placement.
Learning Outcomes:
Competences:
At the end of the module/unit the learner will have acquired the responsibility and autonomy to:
- Analyse and apply the principles of systematic patient assessment in medical and surgical settings based on advanced knowledge of human anatomy and physiology.
- Differentiate the underlying pathophysiological processes, aetiology and clinical manifestations relating to complex disease presentations in medical and surgical settings.
- Provide care for different types of patients.
- Demonstrate knowledge and understanding of important clinical procedures.
- Demonstrate evidence-based care to maximise health outcomes for patients in a medical and surgical care setting, practising safe, effective, ethical, patient-centred, and holistic care.
- Reflect on the communication and interpersonal skills required to work in partnership with patients, their families, and with other professionals in a medical and surgical care setting, demonstrating effectiveness.
Knowledge:
By the end of this module the student will have been exposed to the following indicative content:
- Analyse and apply the principles of systematic patient assessment in medical and surgical settings based on advanced knowledge of human anatomy and physiology.
- Differentiate the underlying pathophysiological processes, aetiology and clinical manifestations relating to complex disease presentations in medical and surgical settings.
- Provide care for different types of patients in a medical-surgical context.
- Demonstrate knowledge and understanding of important clinical procedures in a medical-surgical context.
- Demonstrate evidence-based care to maximise health outcomes for patients in a medical and surgical care setting.
- Reflect on the communication and interpersonal skills required to work in partnership with patients, their families, and with other professionals in a medical and surgical care setting, demonstrating effectiveness.
Skills:
By the end of this module, the students will be able to:
- Demonstrate appropriate skills for observation, caring and reassurance of medical patients and surgical patients pre and post operatively using a holistic approach according to the ethical and legal framework of the Maltese Professional Code of Conduct.
- Appraise the evidence base underpinning safe and effective treatment, interventions, and nursing practice in surgical and medical clinical environments.
- Use appropriate skills to assess patients on admission demonstrating observations and effective use of proper documentation of the present situation.
- Relate and follow ward policies and procedures.
- Plan potential discharge of the patient.
- Be familiar with the rationale, administration, and side effects of pharmacological products used in medical and surgical settings.
- Analyse different approaches to patient’s care in a medical and surgical context.
- Recognise the differences in beliefs and cultural practices in medicine and surgery practices.
- Evaluate best practices in nursing care in a medical and surgical context.
- Demonstrate the ability to communicate with patients in a medical and surgical health setting and to communicate with other professionals in a multi-disciplinary team.
Module-Specific Learner Skills:
At the end of the module/unit the learner will be able to
- Present own discussion and developments in a logical and organised manner through approaches of critical feedback and self-reflection.
- Engage with peers and/or team members to share and reflect on own development.
Module-Specific Digital Skills and Competences:
At the end of the module/unit, the learner will be able to:
- Navigate through the online learning platform to find assignments, discussion boards, literature, tutorials, etc.