Caroline Browne

Communicating effectively is an essential component of providing safe, strengths-based nursing care. This unit will introduce students to key communication skills required for effective academic communication, interprofessional communication, and strengths-based communication with patients, families, and communities. It will focus on the significant role communication plays in ensuring patient safety and building therapeutic relationships with patients. Students will practice communication strategies to develop their verbal, non-verbal, written, and digital communication skills in a variety of healthcare contexts.

This unit will explore in further depth, many of the professional issues underpinning contemporary nursing practice that have been introduced throughout the course. Key focus areas will include organisational cultures and change management, managing transition, leadership, mentoring and ensuring quality, safe, legal, and ethical practice through case-based learning using examples from the coroner’s court of western Australia. A discrete medication module will be undertaken in the quality use of medicines, safe administration and supply of medications, RN scope and structured prescribing models.