4 Year Nursing Degree Programme (BSc Cur) General Nursing
NU1G04 -Community Nursing and Care of the Older Person (5 ECTS)
Learning Outcomes
Following completion of this module the student should be able to:
- Outline the structure of the health services
- Discuss the role of the different community nurses in Ireland
- Debate and discuss current issues in community nursing
- Outline the process of ageing and the factors that influence ageing
- Identify contemporary considerations pertinent to caring for older persons in society
- Describe the role of the nurse in the provision of nursing care, which addresses the specific requirements of the older adult
Module Learning Aims
The aim of this module is to enable students to begin to critically explore the knowledge underpinning
the organisation and delivery of care in the community and nursing care for older adults. Contemporary
considerations within each area will be addressed. The module also aims to prepare the student for
placement in a variety of related practice settings. In doing so it recognises the current health and social
care emphasis on care in the community and that older persons’ needs “pervade every part of the
health system” (An Bord Altranais 2009, p. 3). The module is presented in two units of study, as follows:
- Unit 1: Community nursing
- Unit 2: Care of the older person
Recommended Reading List
Essential Reading
- Daly, L., Tolson, D. and Ayton, A. (2014) Chapter 6, Principles of Acute Care with Older People. In: A Concise Systems Approach to Medical & Surgical Nursing, (Brady A.M., McCabe C. and McCann M.) Wiley-Blackwell, Chichester.
- An Bord Altranais. (2009) Professional Guidance for Nurses Working with Older People, An Bord Altranais, Dublin.
- Department of Health (2013) Positive Ageing- Starts Now! The National Positive Ageing Strategy. Department of Health, Dublin.
- Department of Health and Children (2001) Primary Care A New Direction, The Stationery Office, Dublin.
- Eliopoulos C. (2009) Gerontological Nursing. 7th edn. Lipincott, Wiliiams and Wilkins, Philadelphia. HSE (2008) Code of Practice for Integrated Discharge Planning HSE, Dublin.
- Department of Health (2014) The Irish National Dementia Strategy. Minister For Health. Dublin.
Recommended Reading
- Department of Health (2012) Future Health; A Strategic Framework for Reform of the Health Service 2012-2015, Department of Health Dublin.
- Health Service Executive (2010) National Review of Gp Out of Hours' Services, Health Service Executive Dublin.
- Begley C.M., Brady A.-M., Byrne G., Macgregor C., Griffiths C. and Horan P. (2004) A Study of the Role and Workload of the Public Health Nurse in the Galway Community Care Area, University of Dublin, Trinity College, Dublin.
- Department of Health and Children (2009) Evaluation of Home Care Packages, The Stationery Office, Dublin.
- Health Services Executive (2012) Responding to Allegations of Elder Abuse: HSE Elder Abuse Policy. Available at: http://www.hse.ie/eng/services/Publications/services/olderpeople/elderabusepolicy2012.pdf Accessed June 24th 2013.
- HSE (2010) National Review of GP out of Hours' Services HSE, Dublin
- HSE (2010) National Guidelines & Procedures for the Standardised Implementation of Home Care Packages HSE, Dublin
- National Steering Group on the Prevention of Falls in Older People and the Prevention and Management of Osteoporosis throughout Life. (2008) Strategy to Prevent Falls and Fractures in Ireland’s Ageing Population. The Stationery Office, Dublin.
- Miller C. (2012) Nursing for Wellness in Older Adults. 6th edn. Wolters Kluwer, Lipincott Williams and Wilkins, Philadelphia.
- Sines D., Saunders M., Forbes-Burford J. (2009) Community Health Care Nursing 4th Edn, Wiley-Blackwell, Chichester.
* Additional readings will be given for each unit of learning.