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NU1S03 Historical Legal and Theoretical Foundations of Nursing
NU1S03 Historical Legal and Theoretical Foundations of Nursing
Module Code: NU1S03
ECTS: 5
No. of Hours: 20
Term: Michaelmas
Assessment Date: Week 16
Module Leader: Dr Fiona Timmins
Lecturers: Jacqueline Whelan, Mark Monahan
Aims
The aim of this module is to introduce the student to the nature of nursing and the role of the
nurse by exploring the concepts underlying the practice of nursing. The module will also introduce
the student to fundamental legal principles and to the legal framework that governs nursing
practice. The module is presented in three units of study, as follows:
• Unit 1: The Nature of Nursing
• Unit 2: Nursing knowledge and practice
• Unit 3: Legal perspectives in nursing
Learning Outcomes
Following completion of this module the student should be able to:
Unit 1 Nursing and the nursing role
• briefly describe the development of modern nursing in Ireland, and its contribution to
contemporary nursing practice.
• Discuss the factors that influenced the development of the profession of nursing.
• Describe some examples of the role and function of nursing within the context of
professional regulation and competence requirements.
• Describe some examples of the role and function of nursing within the organisation of
healthcare.
• Describe, using examples, how modern nursing influences contemporary health care
practice.
• Describe emerging challenges related to the nurse as member of the multidisciplinary team.
Unit 2 Nursing knowledge and practice
• Discuss the concepts of person, health, society, environment, nursing, and related
concepts, such as caring, health and altered health.
• Describe the nature of nursing knowledge
• State the principle ways of knowing that informs the practice of nursing.
• Explain how different forms of knowledge and knowing relates to nursing practice.
• Describe the phases of the nursing process
• Identify models of nursing that guide nursing practice.
• Describe the nursing process and care planning using the Roper, Logan and Tierney
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Activities of Living model of nursing
• Discuss problem solving in nursing including advantages and disadvantages of this concept .
Unit 3 Legal perspectives in nursing
• Outline the structure of the Irish legal system.
• Distinguish between common law, civil law, criminal law, and human rights law.
• Describe the legislation governing nursing in Ireland and outline its application in governing
professional practice, with particular reference to the role and function of An Bord
Altranais.
Indicative Content
Unit 1 Nursing and the nursing role (6 lectures)
• Brief overview of development of nursing ‐ including the historical, political, social, cultural,
economic and international factors influencing its development.
• Brief overview of the development of professional nursing in Ireland
• Definition of professional nursing
• Introduction to advanced and specialist nursing practice
• The role and function of nursing within the context of a regulated profession
• Introduction to the role and function of nursing within the healthcare setting
• The nurse as member of the multidisciplinary team.
Unit 2 Nursing knowledge and practice (8 lectures)
• The concepts of the person, health, nursing, society, environment and related concepts
such as caring and altered concepts.
• Construction of knowledge.
• Patterns/ways of knowing that inform the practice of nursing.
• Theoretical frameworks in nursing.
• The systematic approach to nursing care to include nursing documentation.
• Problem solving in nursing.
Unit 3 Legal perspectives in nursing (6 lectures)
• Sources of law, structure of the Irish legal system.
• Irish legal system and common law, civil law v. criminal law.
• Constitutional law and rights, human rights law
• Legislation governing nursing (Nurses Act 1985, revised legislation 2008)
• An Bord Altranais (role and functions, fitness to practice).
• Areas of practice upon which the law impinges.
• Structure of the health services.
Teaching and Learning Activities
• Lectures
• Directed learning
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Student Effort Hours
• 100
Assessment
Mode of Assessment Seen Examination
Assessment Details 2 hours
Answer 2 out of 3 questions
Reading List
Essential Reading
Unit 1
Government of Ireland (1998) Report of the Commission on Nursing: A Blueprint for the Future.
Dublin: The Stationery office. PDF available
Robins, J. (ed.) (2000) Nursing and Midwifery in Ireland in the Twentieth
Century, Dublin: An Bord Altranais. PDF available
Unit 2
An Bord Altranais (2002) Recording Clinical Practice Guidelines to Nurses
and Midwives.Dublin: An Bord Altranais.
Basford, L. & Slevin , O. (2003)Theory and Practice of Nursing ‐ An
Integrated Approach to Caring Practice, 2nd Edition. Edinburgh: Campion
Integrated Studies.
Unit 3
Dooley, D. & McCarthy, J. (2005) Nursing Ethics Irish Cases and Concerns.
Dublin: Gill and McMillan.
Van Dokkum, N. (2005) Nursing Law for Irish Students. Dublin: Gill and
McMillan.
Recommended Reading
Unit 1
History of Nursing: Early Years. 2008. Insight Media/History of Nursing: The Development of a
Profession. 2008. Insight Media
History of Nursing: The Development of a profession. 2008. Insight Media/History of Nursing: The
Development of a Profession. 2008. Insight Media
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An Bord Altranais (2000a) An Bord Altranais The Code of Professional Conduct for each Nurse and
Midwife Dublin: An Bord Altranais.
An Bord Altranais (2004) : An Bord Altranais Requirements and Standards for Nurse Registration
Education programmes Dublin: An Bord Altranais
An Bord Altranais (2000b) An Bord Altranais The Scope Nursing and Midwifery Framework Dublin:
An Bord Altranais.
Dept of Health and Children (2003). A Research Strategy for Nursing and Midwifery in Ireland Final
Report Dublin: The Stationery Office.
NATIONAL COUNCIL FOR THE PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT OF NURSING AND MIDWIFERY 2008a.
Framework for the Establishment of Advanced Nurse Practitioner and Advanced Midwife
Practitioner Posts, Dublin, National Council for the Professional Development of Nursing and
Midwifery.
NATIONAL COUNCIL FOR THE PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT OF NURSING AND MIDWIFERY 2008b.
Framework for the Establishment of Clinical Nurse/Midwife Specialist Posts : Intermediate
Pathway, Dublin, National Council for the Professional Development of Nursing and
Midwifery.
National Council for the Professional Development of Nursing and Midwifery (NCNM) (2003)
Agenda for the Future Development of Nursing and Midwifery Dublin: NCNM
National Council for the Professional Development of Nursing and Midwifery (NCNM) (2005) A
Nursing and Midwifery Research Priorities for Ireland Dublin: NCNM
Unit 2
Chinn, P. and Kramer, M. K. (2008) Integrated Theory and Knowledge
Development in Nursing. 2nd Edition. St Louis: Mosby.
Cronin, P. and Karen Rawlings‐Anderson (2003) Knowledge for
Contemporary Practice. London: Mosby.
McKenna, H., Cutliffe, J., and Slevin, O. (2008) Nursing Models, Theories and
Practice (Vital Notes for Nurses). UK: John Wiley and Sons Blackwell.
Roper, N., Logan, W.W., and Tierney, A.J. (2000) The Roper‐Logan‐Tierney
Model of Nursing: Based on Activities of Living. UK: Churchill Livingstone
Unit 3
An Bord Altranais (2000a) Code of Professional Conduct for each nurse and
midwife. Dublin: An Bord Altranais.
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An Bord Altranais (2000b) Scope of Nursing and Midwifery Framework.
An Bord Altranais (2003) Guidance for Student Nurses. Dublin: An Bord
Altranais.
Doolan, B. (2007) Principles of Irish Law. 7TH Edition. Dublin : Gill and
McMillan.
Dimond, B. (2008) Legal Aspects of Nursing. (5th Edition) Harlow: Pearson
Education Limited.
Wiley, M. L. (2005) The Irish Health Care System, developments in strategy,
structure, funding and delivery since 1980’s. Health Economics 14:169‐186.
Young, A. P. (1993) Legal Problems in Nursing Practice. 2ND Edition. London:
Harper and Row.
*Additional readings will be provided for individual lectures, as appropriate.
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