Contribution to overall grade: 50% Topic

An important component of registered nursing practice in Australia is the collaborative, family-centered management of children requiring primary health care in a range of hospital and community practice settings. This is particularly important in families with a child who has a genetic, congenital or acquired long term, chronic health problem. In this context, the registered nurse will be required to work collaboratively with the family and the multidisciplinary team including Educational services and to act as an advocate for families of children diagnosed with a long term, chronic health problems to ensure the best health interests of the child and their family are met and that care remains family-centered. The following scenario might arise in this practice context.

SCENARIO:

You have recently been involved in the care of a young child recently diagnosed with cerebral palsy who is about to make the transition from pre-school to primary school. The School has requested some background information about cerebral palsy and suggestions as to how they can assist the transition of the child and family into the primary school environment and community.

Follow the same structural guidelines as in Assessment 1.

Part 1

Prepare and present a balanced, objective essay that demonstrates your ability to interpret, integrate and apply evidence to practice by:
a) Using recent, reliable, peer-reviewed journal articles, systematic or literature reviews and Australian government or government agency reports as evidence, provide a brief overview of cerebral palsy in Australia, including but not limited to, the
a. Incidence in Australia currently and over time
b. Known causes of, and associated risk factors for, cerebral palsy
c. Types and the spectrum of cerebral palsy
d. Common clinical manifestations of cerebral palsy
e. Prognosis and long term outcomes

Approximate words: 400 words

b) Locating 8-10 reliable journal articles reporting original research or systematic or literature reviews from quality, peer-reviewed journals related to children's adjustment to:
a. a chronic or long term health problems and
b. the school environment when they have a chronic or long term health problem

Briefly describe the search strategy you used to locate these 8-10 articles, i.e. what databases, search engines and key words or terms you used

Approximate words: 100 words

c) Using the 8-10 articles you have located in part (b) above, compare and contrast the evidence for inclusive practice relating to children's adjustment to
a. a chronic or long term health problem
b. the school environment when they have a chronic or long term health problem
c. Identify and explain factors that impact on children's ability to adjust and cope with their physical and cognitive limitations and the reactions of others

Approximate words: 800 words

d) Identify 3 health promotion and maintenance strategies the school might consider implementing to assist the transition of the child and family into a primary school environment and/or to ensure the child's optimal health when at school and explain why the 3 strategies you identify are appropriate for a child with cerebral palsy within a school environment

Approximate words: 250 words

(e) Explain how the parent's level of education and cultural background might impact on the family's reaction to the child's diagnosis of cerebral palsy and the long term care requirements of the child.

Approximate word count: 250 words