Overview

The delivery of health services in Canada is undergoing major restructuring. One result of this change has been a shift in funding from acute-care institutions to community-based agencies. Community agencies will increasingly include within their mandate, health assessment and health promotion activities with clients, be they individuals, families, groups, or communities. At the same time, the acuity level of clients admitted to hospitals is increasing. Therefore, nurses must be aware of health promotion strategies available that can help to prevent illnesses or injuries that would necessitate future admission to hospital.

The focus of NURS 326 is on health assessment and health promotion activities with healthy individuals. The course presents physical assessment techniques and the student’s skill in taking a health history and performing a physical assessment examination is evaluated.

Objectives

At the end of this course, you will be able to:

• Define “health” and “health promotion”
• Identify the determinants of health and their effect on an individual's health within the context of the individual's family and community.
• Identify factors that influence an individual's health choices in the context of the individual's family and community.
• Collect and document a comprehensive health history on a healthy adult volunteer, using appropriate communication skills.
• Conduct and document a complete physical assessment on a healthy adult volunteer.
• Identify, with your adult volunteer, those aspects deemed by the volunteer to be the appropriate focus for health promotion strategies.
• Develop workable health-promotion strategies with your volunteer.
• Articulate the significance of the nursing process, and the concepts of self-care and partnership, to health promotion activities with healthy adults.
• Identify developmental and biocultural differences to consider when completing a thorough health assessment.

Outline

Evaluation

To receive credit for NURS 326, you must complete all of the required assignments and achieve an overall composite grade of a “C-” (60 percent). The practical physical assessment examination is graded on a pass/fail basis, and you must pass the examination in order to pass the course. The pass mark for the practical physical assessment examination is 90 percent. The weighting of the composite grade is as follows:

To learn more about assignments and examinations, please refer to Athabasca University's online Calendar.

Course Materials

Textbooks

Jarvis, C. (2004). Physical examination and health assessment (4th ed.). Philadelphia: Saunders.

Pender, N. J., Murdaugh, C. L., & Parsons, M. A. (2002). Health promotion in nursing practice (4th ed.). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall.

Reports

Epp, J. (1993). Achieving health for all: A framework for health promotion. Ottawa: Minister of Supply and Services.

World Health Organization, Health and Welfare Canada, & Canadian Public Health Association. (1986). Ottawa charter for health promotion. Geneva: World Health Organization.

Web sites

Lalonde, M. (1974). A new perspective on the health of Canadians: A working document. Retrieved June 23, 2005 from Public Health Agency of Canada Web site http://www.phac-aspc.gc.ca/ph-sp/phdd/pdf/perspective.pdf

World Health Organization (1978). International conference on primary health care. Retrieved June 23, 2005 from http://www.who.int/hpr/NPH/docs/declaration_almaata.pdf

Pamphlet

Canadian Cancer Society. (1999). Breast self examination: You're worth it! Toronto: Canadian Cancer Society.

Other materials

The course materials also include a study guide, student manual, assignment manual, and a reading file.

Special Course Feature

There is an additional equipment and examination fee of $45 to be paid directly by cheque to the Centre for Nursing and Health Studies, before completing the practical physical assessment examination.