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  2. Recognising and Responding to Deterioration [NSC6103]

School: Nursing and Midwifery

This unit information may be updated and amended immediately prior to semester. To ensure you have the correct outline, please check it again at the beginning of semester.

  • Unit Title

    Recognising and Responding to Deterioration

  • Unit Code

    NSC6103

  • Year

    2027

  • Enrolment Period

    1

  • Version

    2

  • Credit Points

    20

  • Full Year Unit

     N

  • Mode of Delivery

    On Campus

  • Unit Coordinator

    Dr Ahmad MOUSA

Description

This unit builds on Applied Pathophysiology and Pharmacology 1 and Applied Pathophysiology and Pharmacology 2. The unit utilises a case study approach to further develop knowledge of pathophysiology and collaborative care of patients across the life span who are deteriorating. Students will detail the role of the nurse in the recognition of the deteriorating adult and child, appraise the associated track and trigger strategies and define their role within the interprofessional team in the escalation of clinical management in a variety of health care settings.

Prerequisite Rule

Must have passed Applied Pathophysiology and Pharmacology 1 (NSC6101) and Applied Pathophysiology and Pharmacology 2 (NSC6102)

Only students studying in J46 can enrol in this unit

Learning Outcomes

On completion of this unit students should be able to:

  1. Critically analyse physiological indicators of clinical deterioration using systematic assessment tools to inform timely decision-making in advanced nursing practice.
  2. Implement evidence-based interventions for the management of acute conditions to optimise patient outcomes.
  3. Apply advanced communication and escalation strategies, including structured communication frameworks and rapid response processes, to enhance patient safety.
  4. Integrate multidisciplinary roles and teamwork principles in the coordinated management of deteriorating patients to support collaborative care.
  5. Critically evaluate contemporary patient safety strategies, including early warning systems and rapid response protocols, to reduce adverse events and improve clinical outcomes.

Unit Content

  1. Early Recognition of Patient Deterioration (adults & children).
  2. Sepsis, and Infection Recognition (adults & children).
  3. Cardiac Arrest, BLS and Shock Management (adults & children).
  4. Acute Respiratory Deterioration and Oxygen Therapy (adults & children).
  5. Neurological Deterioration and Stroke Recognition.
  6. Electrolyte Imbalances and Acid-Base Disturbances.
  7. Communication and Escalation of Care.
  8. Medication Safety and High-Risk Drugs in Acute Care.
  9. Ethical and Legal Considerations in Deteriorating Patients.

Assessment

GS1 GRADING SCHEMA 1 Used for standard coursework units

ON CAMPUS
TypeDescriptionValue
TestOn-campus test30%
Case StudyCritical review of a clinical situation30%
ExaminationEnd of semester examination40%

Disability Standards for Education (Commonwealth 2005)

For the purposes of considering a request for Reasonable Adjustments under the Disability Standards for Education (Commonwealth 2005), inherent requirements for this subject are articulated in the Unit Description, Learning Outcomes and Assessment Requirements of this entry. The University is dedicated to provide support to those with special requirements. Further details on the support for students with disabilities or medical conditions can be found at the Access and Inclusion website.

Assessment

Students please note: The marks and grades received by students on assessments may be subject to further moderation. Informal vivas may be conducted as part of an assessment task, where staff require further information to confirm the learning outcomes have been met. All marks and grades are to be considered provisional until endorsed by the relevant School Progression Panel.

Academic Integrity

Integrity is a core value at Edith Cowan University, and it is expected that ECU students complete their assessment tasks honestly and with acknowledgement of other people's work as well as any generative artificial intelligence tools that may have been used. This means that assessment tasks must be completed individually (unless it is an authorised group assessment task) and any sources used must be referenced.

Breaches of academic integrity can include:

  • Plagiarism: Copying the words, ideas or creative works of other people or generative artificial intelligence tools, without referencing in accordance with stated University requirements. Students need to seek approval from the Unit Coordinator within the first week of study if they intend to use some of their previous work in an assessment task (self-plagiarism).
  • Unauthorised collaboration (collusion): Working with other students and submitting the same or substantially similar work or portions of work when an individual submission was required. This includes students knowingly providing others with copies of their own work to use in the same or similar assessment task(s).
  • Contract cheating: Organising a friend, a family member, another student or an external person or organisation (e.g. through an online website) to complete or substantially edit or refine part or all of an assessment task(s) on their behalf.
  • Cheating in an exam: Using or having access to unauthorised materials in an exam or test.

Serious outcomes may be imposed if a student is found to have committed one of these breaches, up to and including expulsion from the University for repeated or serious acts.

ECU's policies and more information about academic integrity can be found on the student academic integrity website.

All commencing ECU students are required to complete the Academic Integrity Module.

Assessment Extension

In some circumstances, Students may apply to their Unit Coordinator to extend the due date of their Assessment Task(s) in accordance with ECU's Assessment Procedure - for more information visit https://askus2.ecu.edu.au/s/article/000001386.

Special Consideration

Students may apply for Special Consideration in respect of a final unit grade, where their achievement was affected by Exceptional Circumstances as set out in the Assessment Procedure - for more information visit https://askus2.ecu.edu.au/s/article/000003318.

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