This unit provides students with a comprehensive understanding and assistance in the diagnoses, management and health maintenance of medical and surgical diseases of the Genito-urinary and nervous systems, communicable and lifestyle diseases. Students explore competencies needed to identify health problems and use problem -solving approaches to manage patient care. They are required to apply theoretical learning into practice and demonstrate therapeutic clinical nursing skills in patient care management. The unit enables the students to demonstrate an understanding of the influence of pathological processes in human anatomy and physiology and the effects on mental, social, cultural and spiritual aspects, thus developing a holistic perspective to nursing assessment and care. Students will be engaged on a clinical basis to apply problem-solving approaches to identify and manage health problems and to develop competence and confidence in applying advanced nursing skills. Medical Surgical Nursing is a core unit in the undergraduate Diploma in General Nursing program. It lays the foundation of nursing practice.
The obstetrics unit covers the complications and management of labour and puerperium. It develops students’ knowledge to recognise complication during labour and puerperium and be able to assist in the management and prevention of these complications. Students are required to apply theoretical knowledge to practice and to demonstrate clinical skills in patient care management. Since competency must be again observe in this program, learners’ performance will be closely monitored and assessed to identify student’s weakness and give appropriate coaching where necessary, both in theoretical and clinical areas. The obstetrics unit is a core unit in the undergraduate Diploma in General nursing program. It is a continuation unit from maternal health which ensures the well-being of women during labour and puerperium, which is a major function of a nurse due to the high maternal mortality rate in PNG.
Community, Health has been highlighted as a separate domain to reinforce the importance of the nursing knowledge and skills required for working and developing relationships with communities in order to ensure or work towards community, family and child health. Prevention and management of Communicable and life style diseases and the promotion and maintenance of health for communities and families are important goals in this domain.
During the course students have the opportunity to experience and observe how patients are managed in the hospital, rural settings and communities. Students are able to put their nursing knowledge and skills into practice, to assess and identifying problems and to work together with communities solve their problem and to promote and implement strategies or programs for health and prevention of disease. Community mental health is also seen as an important component of this domain.
Clinical practicum is the practical component of the undergraduate Diploma in General Nursing program which is equally as important as the theory component. It provides an exposure into the field of nursing with practices and experiences in different health care settings. This unit enables students to utilize the knowledge, skills and attitudes gained in theory sessions and demonstrate competency in their skills performance.
Students gain knowledge, analytical and evaluative skills through actual clinical performance. They are assisted and coached to develop nursing knowledge, skills, attitudes and confidence necessary to become a competent practical nurse in a variety of health care settings. Each student’s performance and assessment for essential nursing skills will be done during urban and rural clinical placements. Student assessment is competency-based using the PNG Nursing Competency Standards which facilitates a positive process that enables students to meet the program outcomes. Students during their clinical placement are assisted and coached to reach acceptable levels of competence. Students will approach a lecturer/tutor or immediate clinical supervisor for the final competency assessments according to the given criteria in the skill log book. Students must complete all the required number of procedures which are included. The unit therefore ensures student nurses achieve the competency levels to perform safe and effective nursing practices.
Students will be placed in different clinical placement areas within an allocated time period as required by the Nursing Council of PNG. This will be done throughout the program with aim to ensure that all students enrolled in this program have gained exposure and experience in a variety of health care settings as required by the Nursing Council of PNG and are competent. All placements must be completed and all assessments from placements of two weeks or more must be completed in full (14 working days sick leave and 9 days compassionate leave is granted throughout the program if necessary but prior permission must be obtained, or, in a case of sickness away from the school, a medical certificate must be obtained).
Students are required to complete all procedures in the skills log book and achieve competency in each skill. This unit provides an avenue for a consistent approach to measurement of practical nursing skills thought and performed throughout the three year diploma in the Diploma in General nursing program.
This unit looks at the service of Christian nurse, the relevance of the Epistles and Revelation in interacting with patients, Christian concept of the human person and moral law. It enables student to understand and undertake the roles and functions of a Christian nurse in providing service to patients and the community at large. Students develop an understanding of Christian moral ethics in nursing and apply moral principles of assessments in dealing with ethical issues in nursing practice.
This unit also covers professional standards and issues and the role of the Nursing Council. Professional ethics and issues give necessary information on the nursing profession and its practices both nationally and internationally. It enables students to acquire knowledge and equip themselves with information on new trends in nursing practices and to have a better understanding of the professional, legal and ethical obligations of nursing, with particular reference to rural and urban Papua New Guinea. Professional Studies helps students to develop professional behaviour and be orientated to their legal responsibilities for their nursing duties and interventions.