Practice nursing within the Australian Health Care System Assessment Task: LEARNING JOURNAL
Journal Activity 1: Levels of health care in Australia
Using a relevant textbook or the internet, research the Primary, Secondary and Tertiary levels of health care, then complete the table below.
| Levels of Health Care | |||
| Primary | Secondary | Tertiary | |
| What types of activities may be carried out? | Activities of a Primary health care provider include assessment and diagnosis of a patient and determine how their management can be best supported by other colleagues with in the primary care team or through referrals.Additional undertakings of a Primary health care provider compromises of;Health promotion, illness prevention, care of the sick, advocacy, prevention and early intervention. | Secondary health care deals with necessary treatment for a short-term illness, injury or health condition. Secondary care is frequently found in a hospital emergency department and is accessed by a referral from a primary health care worker. | Tertiary heath careHighly specialised health care, often for inpatients and on referral from a primary or secondary health professional, is considered tertiary care. This often includes particularly complex medical or surgical procedures.Occupational therapist physio psychiatrist |
| Identify types of programs. | Primary health care can be provided in the home or in community-based settings such as in general practices, private practices, community health, local government, and non-government service setting. | ||
| What are the roles of the health team members? | General Practitioner, Nurses, Allied health professionals Midwives, Pharmacists, Dentists, and Aboriginal health workers. | medical Definition of secondary care. : medical care that is provided by a specialist or facility upon referral by a | Dietitian, podiatrist, occupational therapist, speech pathologist, pharmacist. |
Journal Activity 2: Health service agencies
Research one government and one non-government organisation of your choice and answer the following questions.
Government organisation:
What is the name and function of the group/organisation you have chosen?
How are they organised?
What services do they offer the community?
How effective do you think this organisation is in their role?
How does the client access this service?
Describe how the service/organisation is funded.
Non- Government organisation:
What is the name and function of the group/organisation you have chosen?
How are they organised?
What services do they offer the community?
How effective do you think this organisation is in their role?
How does the client access this service?
Describe how the service/organisation is funded?
Journal Activity 3: Social, political, economic impacts on health care delivery
Using the internet or a relevant text, research the social, political and economic issues that impact on health care delivery in Australia. Document a summary of your findings in the table below.
Impacts on Health Care Delivery
Social
Political
Economic
Journal Activity 4: Contemporary health issues
Using the Australian Human Rights Commission Website or other relevant resources, access information on Australian health status to answer the questions
1. What is the current healthy life expectancy of males and females living in Australia?
2. What is the current expenditure on health per capita?
3. What is the leading cause of death currently in Australia?
Currently, the leading cause of death in Australia is Heart Disease.
4. What factors contribute to higher infant mortality rates amongst Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples compared to the general population?
Journal Activity 5: Contemporary health issues: self-guided research
Research one of the health issues from the list below. You will need to:
describe the issue
outline the problems for the individual with this condition
discuss the impact on the community and the health care system
suggest strategies for management
Health issues:
obesity
cancer
stress
asthma
alcohol/substance abuse
a communicable diseases
a sexually transmitted infection
HIV/AIDS
immunisation
chronic fatigue
mental illness
cardiovascular disease
diabetes mellitus
suicide
hepatitis B or C
dementia
If you would like to research a topic that is not on the above list, please discuss with your teacher.
Journal Activity 6: Introduction to health care and nursing
What is nursing? Take a few minutes to reflect on the idea of being a nurse. What does nursing mean to you?
What are the characteristics or qualities of a nurse?
Journal Activity 7: Principles of wellness
Using your text or the web look up and write out the definition for each of the following terms:
Wellness
Illness
Journal Activity 8: Enrolled nurse competency standards
Choose one element from those listed below and explain its relevance to your nursing practice.
Competency Element 3.3
Liaises with others to ensure that the rights of individuals/groups are maintained
Liaises with the registered nurse when uncertain about the rights of individuals/groups or when rights are overlooked or compromised.
negotiates with the registered nurse, changes to care when individuals seek to change or refuse prescribed care.
Includes individuals/groups in consultation with the registered nurse.
Competency Element 4.1
Recognises own level of competency.
Acts in accordance with enrolled nurse educational preparation.
Recognises responsibility for ensuring that nursing care provided to individuals/groups is within own level of competence.
Consults with the responsible registered nurse to ensure that tasks and responsibilities delegated by the registered nurse are commensurate with own level of competence.
Competency Element 5.1
Uses nursing standards to assess own performance
Undertakes regular self-evaluation of nursing practice.
Reflects on the consequence of own practice for others.
Recognises the importance of evidence based practice.
Journal Activity 9: Other health care professionals
Using the Internet as a resource, describe the role of the following list of health care professionals in the health care system:
1) enrolled nurse
2) Registered nurse
3) Discharge planners
4) Community nurse
5) Social worker
6) chaplain
7) dietician
8) podiatrist
9) speech pathologist
10) occupational therapist
11) diversional therapist
2) physiotherapist
13) psychologist
14) general practitioner
15) medical /surgical specialist
Journal Activity 10: Models of reflection
Using one of the models outlined in the online resource, write a daily reflection for the next week.
Journal Activity 11: Additional models of reflection
Using the internet or your textbook, see what other models of reflective practice you can find. Make some notes about two of the models you found.
Are they different to the ones you looked at previously?
Journal Activity 12: Application letter
Write a letter of application for the night duty orthopaedics position and describe what you would do to prepare for the interview.
Attachment:- Assignment File.rar
