School of Nursing

College of Health and Medicine

CNA346
TRANSITION TO PROFESSIONAL PRACTICE

Semester 5, 2019

Unit Outline

Denise McGarry

CRICOS Provider Code: 00586B

CONTACT DETAILS

Unit coordinator
Unit coordinator: Denise McGarry
Campus: Rozelle
Email: Denise.McGarry@utas.edu.au
Phone: (02) 8572 7939
Room location and number: Rm 30, Building 101
Consultation hours: Please email for an appointment

© The University of Tasmania 2019

CONTENTS

WHAT IS THE UNIT ABOUT? 2

UNIT DESCRIPTION 2
INTENDED LEARNING OUTCOMES 2
UNIT SCHEDULE 3
HOW WILL I BE ASSESSED? 4
ASSESSMENT SCHEDULE 4
ASSESSMENT DETAILS 4
RESOURCES 7
ACTIVITIES 8

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NOTICE
This Unit Outline refers to the Unit Outline Essential Information resource which includes
information, policies and requirements relevant to this unit. You must read the Essential
Information resource as it is considered part of this Unit Outline.

WHAT IS THE UNIT ABOUT?

Unit description
This unit is designed to prepare students for transition into professional practice as a newly
graduated registered nurse. Clinical, shared and self-governance are addressed and students
have the opportunity to integrate concepts of clinical supervision, preceptorship,
collaboration, delegation, leadership and management. Exploration of the role of quality
improvement methodologies in the delivery of nursing care and the tension between
professional practice, advocacy and systems will be examined. Preparation for role transition
including resilience building, workload management and preparation for future employment
are explored.
Students will have the opportunity to develop their Professional Portfolio in this unit.

Intended Learning Outcomes

On completion of this unit, you will be able to:
1. Critically analyse and apply knowledge of clinical, shared and self-governance to
preparation for role transition to a beginning level Registered Nurse.

2. Demonstrate cultural competence and the ability to practice collaboratively and

effectively as a member of the health care team.

3. Demonstrate leadership capacity, initiative and well-developed judgment.

4. Communicate effectively; drawing on an appropriate evidence base, in order to

transmit knowledge, ideas and skills to others.

5. Demonstrate and apply reflective practice concepts to identify learning needs for
lifelong learning,

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UNIT SCHEDULE

Week Date Module Assessments

beginning

1 11/11 CNA344 PEP

2 18/11 CNA344 PEP

3 25/11 CNA344 PEP

4 02/12 CNA344 PEP

5 09/12 CNA344 PEP

6 16/12 CNA344 PEP

Mid-semester break 23/12/19 - 05/01/20

7 06/01 No classes

8 13/01 Module One: Transitioning from Student to Week 8: Assessment Task 1:

Practitioner
Professional Development
• Preparing for role transition (including Career Plan (20%)
preparation for applying for employment as
9 20/01 an RN)
• Competence and confidence
• Preservation of self
• Setting priorities
• Inter-professional ways of working

10 27/01 Module Two: Governance and Leadership Week10: Assessment Task 2:

• Shared governance includes organisational Nurse Leader Interview Report
culture, leadership and management. and Analysis (50%)
• Clinical governance includes quality and
11 03/02
safety and governance frameworks
• Self-governance includes professional
conduct, communication, developing a
professional profile, preceptorship.
• Practicing with a socio-political lens,
including advocacy, politics and diversity.

12 10/02 Exam Week Week 12: Assessment Task 3:

Delegation Activity Plan and
Evaluation (30%)

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HOW WILL I BE ASSESSED?
Assessment schedule

Assessment task Date due Percent Links to Intended

weighting Learning Outcomes
Assessment Task 1: Professional 13/01/20 20% 1,3,4,5
Development Career Plan
Assessment Task 2: Nurse Leader 27/01/20 50% 1,2,3,4,5
Interview Report and Analysis
Assessment Task 3: Delegation 10/02/20 30% 1,2,3,4
Activity Plan and Evaluation

Assessment details
Assessment task 1: Professional Career Development Plan
Task The purpose of this assessment is to provide an opportunity for you to collate
Description a professional career development plan that demonstrates a career goal and
details steps toward achieving this.
The first step in a career plan is knowing yourself. Self-awareness allows you
to know who you are, where you are now, the skills you already have and
where you would like to be in the future. You can then start researching
possibilities for your career and begin to make considered choices. These
steps are important; however, the focus of this assessment task is around
making it happen – your course of action.
Your Professional Career Development Plan may include:
The skills you need to develop, qualifications and courses required, possible
‘stepping stones’, experiences required, networks, memberships, information
and support required, how you may overcome hurdles and obstacles.
Your plan should consider and include current and future workforce
information and data.
Your plan can be submitted as a table, report or in essay format.

Assessment Criteria Measures Intended

Learning Outcome:
Criterion 1 The career plan has been created from a foundation of 4,5
self-awareness and research.

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Criterion 2 Applies reflective practice to identify needs for future 3,5
learning.
Criterion 3 Current and future nursing workforce requirements 1
have been examined and appraised
Criterion 4 Writes in a structured, succinct and well-informed 4
manner, substantiating work with scholarly sources.
Harvard referencing.
Task length 800 words
Due by date 13 January 2020 2359hrs

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Assessment task 2: Nurse Leader Interview Report and Analysis
Task The purpose of this assessment is to deepen your understanding of
Description leadership and management in health services.
This assessment requires you to interview a nurse who you consider a leader
in the profession.
You will then integrate your interview and your findings from literature to
construct a report which addresses the following questions:
• Why did you select this individual? Why do you consider them a
leader?
• Through your interview data, identify three characteristics and/or
attributes that this individual displays and do these correlate with the
literature on leadership?
• What contribution does this individual make to nursing care and/or
the profession? How does their leadership influence the safety and
quality of care? Provide an example.
• What aspects of this individual’s leadership style do you wish to take
forward into your own career? Provide justification for your response.

Assessment Criteria Measures Intended

Learning Outcome:
Criterion 1 Distinguishes and differentiates between leadership 1
and management.
Criterion 2 Recognises the attitudes and characteristics of effective 1,2
leadership.
Criterion 3 Identifies and describes the contribution of nursing 1,3
leadership to quality and safety.
Criterion 4 Applies reflective practice to reveal self-awareness. 5
Criterion 5 Writes in a structured, succinct and well-informed 4
manner, substantiating work with scholarly sources.
Harvard referencing
Task length 1800 words
Due by date 27 January 2020 2359hrs

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Assessment task 3: Delegation Activity Plan and Evaluation

Task Description Delegation is a complex process which requires professional judgement

and decision making. This task requires you to read the case study
provided on MyLO. You will structure your plan using the five (5) rights of
delegation:
1. Right activity
2. Right circumstance
3. Right person
4. Right communication
5. Right supervision and evaluation
You are required to explore the differing scope of practice for each of the
individuals within the case study and applicable legal limitations.
The plan of action must also demonstrate your knowledge of the unit
content in relation to leadership, working in a team and your
responsibilities as a future preceptor.

Assessment Criteria Measures Intended

Learning Outcome:
Criterion 1 Applies the 5 rights of delegation and legal 1
principles to the submitted plan.
Criterion 2 Selects actions using evidence informed sources. 3
Criterion 3 Incorporates and examines the principles of 1,2,3,4
leadership, teamwork and preceptorship.
Criterion 4 Writes in a structured, succinct and well-informed 4
manner, substantiating work with scholarly
sources.
Task length 1500 words
Date 10 February 2020 2359hrs.

RESOURCES
There is no required text for this Unit. You are expected to access a wide range of materials
to inform your learning.

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Reading Lists
Reading Lists provide direct access to many unit readings in one place. This includes
eReadings and items in Reserve. You can access the Reading List for this unit from the link in
MyLO, or by going to the Reading Lists page on the University Library website.

Equipment, materials, software, accounts

UTAS students are eligible to use Office 365 free of charge. It is a software package built
around the Microsoft Office platform that includes Outlook (email and calendars), Word
(word processor), Excel (spreadsheet) PowerPoint (presentation) and Skype for Business
(video conference). These are available on and off campus. For further information and
instructions to install Office 365 on your desktop and/or mobile device, please
visit http://www.utas.edu.au/students/starting-uni/first-steps/prepare

Activities
Details of teaching arrangements

This unit is offered fully online via MyLO (my learning online). You are expected to devote
around 10 hours per week to the study materials, assessment tasks and self-directed
learning.

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