NUR 8030 Health Organisation and Development

STAFFING:

REQUISITES:

RATIONALE:

The organisation of health care in any country arises from particular political, economic, socio-cultural and historical forces which influence the development, implementation and evaluation of health policy. Despite major differences in the organisation of health care internationally, there are some trends that have been evident for some time. For example, there has been a globalised trend towards an economic rationalist approach. Concurrent with this move has been an ongoing quest for more efficient and effective means of providing health care to the community. Another trend has been towards a holistic, primary health model, though the adoption of this model has not been uniform. These trends, amongst others, necessitate significant shifts at all levels of health systems, requiring informed and thoughtful responses from clinicians, administrators and educators.

SYNOPSIS:

This course will focus on trends in the organisation of health care in Australia and internationally. Students are encouraged to examine health policy within their own clinical specialty, whether that be nursing, allied health, midwifery, mental health, or rural and remote practice. Factors influencing the development of health policy will be examined. Since this course works from the premise that health systems are constantly changing in line with health policy decisions, a particular emphasis of the course is on change and the management of the change process.

OBJECTIVES:

On successful completion of this course students will be able to:

1. define health policy;
2. assess the role of Government in health care provision in Australia and internationally;
3. compare, contrast and critically analyse systems of health care provision internationally;
4. analyse international trends in health care organisation and development;
5. discuss cooperative arrangements between the various departments of health which affect the student's local area of practice;
6. revise knowledge of change theory and apply it to the students' experiences of change within their professional environment;
7. prepare a critical analysis of policy implementation at the health services level;
8. develop strategies for participating in health policy discussion and negotiations;
9. identify evaluation mechanisms which would be appropriate for their own area of clinical practice;
10. assess the impact of socio-political and economic forces on the implementation of quality assurance programs in the Australian health care system;
11. critically assess quality assurance functions as components of the health care practitioner's responsibility to the customer and health care institution; and
12. identify factors critical to the implementation of effective quality assurance programs within the health care system.

TOPICS:

TEXT and MATERIALS required to be PURCHASED or accessed:

ALL textbooks and materials are available for purchase from USQ BOOKSHOP (unless otherwise stated). Orders may be placed via secure internet, free fax 1800642453, phone 07 46312742 (within Australia), or mail. Overseas students should fax +61 7 46311743, or phone +61 7 46312742. For costs, further details, and internet ordering, use the 'Textbook Search' facility at http://bookshop.usq.edu.au click 'Semester', then enter your 'Course Code' (no spaces).

REFERENCE MATERIALS:

Journal of Health Politics, Policy and Law

STUDENT WORKLOAD REQUIREMENTS:

ASSESSMENT DETAILS:

IMPORTANT ASSESSMENT INFORMATION

1. Attendance requirements:
   There are no attendance requirements for this course. However, it is the students' responsibility to study all material provided to them or required to be accessed by them to maximise their chance of meeting the objectives of the course and to be informed of course-related activities and administration.
2. Requirements for students to complete each assessment item satisfactorily:
   To complete each of the assessment items satisfactorily, students must obtain at least 50% for each assessment item.
3. Penalties for late submission of required work:
   If students submit assignments after the due date without prior approval then a penalty of 10% of the total marks avaliable for the assignment will apply for each working day late.
4. Requirements for student to be awarded a passing grade in the course:
   To be assured of a passing grade, students must demonstrate, via the summative assessment items, that they have achieved the required minimum standards in relation to the objectives of the course by satisfactorily completing all summative assessment items.
5. Method used to combine assessment results to attain final grade:
   The final grades for students will be assigned on the basis of the aggregate of the weighted grades obtained for each of the summative assessment items in the course.
6. Examination information:
   There is no examination in this course.
7. Examination period when Deferred/Supplementary examinations will be held:
   There will be no Deferred or Supplementary examinations in this course.
8. University Regulations:
   Students should read USQ Regulations 5.1 Definitions, 5.6. Assessment, and 5.10 Academic Misconduct for further information and to avoid actions which might contravene University Regulations. These regulations can be found at the URL http://www.usq.edu.au/corporateservices/calendar/part5.htm or in the current USQ Handbook.

ASSESSMENT NOTES