Introduction to

Nursing and
Healthcare
Module aims
• This module aims to:
• Explore the history of nursing and introduce you to nursing
and healthcare provision in the UK.
• Develop your understanding of different nursing theories
and how they influence current practice.
• Discuss specific nursing practice including expectations and
some key roles of a nurse.
• Explore important moral and ethical principles of nursing
and healthcare.
Module content
• This module provides the foundation in knowledge of the subject to enable you to be
successful in your further undergraduate studies in the Nursing and Health Sciences
degree programmes.
• The main topics covered are:
• Nursing and healthcare in the UK
• Nursing theory
• The roles of a nurse, including nursing in hospitals and a range of different
community settings. It will also include family and carer involvement
• Moral and ethical considerations in nursing and healthcare including aspects of:
• Autonomy
• Beneficence
• Non-maleficence
• Justice
Learning outcomes
• Learning Outcomes
• On completion of this module, you will be able to:
• Demonstrate an understanding of the history of nursing
• Discuss the concepts of nursing and healthcare in the United Kingdom
• Discuss what we mean by nursing art and science
• Discuss relevant nursing theories and models and how they influence healthcare
• Demonstrate an understanding of what nursing is and what are the expectations of
nurses
• Demonstrate an understanding of person centredness and family centredness
• Demonstrate an understanding of moral and ethical issues for nursing and healthcare
Expectations?
To begin with, let’s set some expectations for the module
What do you expect?
What do I expect?
Structure (what to expect
each week)
• Synchronous (live) sessions either online or face to face
• Directed and independent activities (reading, discussion
board posting/ videos to watch etc.)
• Summative submissions in weeks 3,6, 9 and 11
• Formative (practice) exam in week 5 for you to check your
knowledge
Assessments: critical
review/essay
What is a critical review/ essay?
Critical writing involves evaluating information, theories or
situations and is an important way of analysing information,
posing questions and challenging 'common sense' knowledge.
The critical essay is an important academic tool that allows
your knowledge to develop, because rather than being a
personal opinion, the critical essay requires an in-depth
analysis of a topic.
During the course, you are required to submit 2 short critical
reviews (800 words +/- 5%).
Critical reviews and
presentation
Critical review 1: Due week 3 (date to be confirmed)
• Why is nursing considered both art and science?
Critical review 2: Due week 6 (date to be confirmed)
• Choose one nursing theory from the list below and discuss how it impacts nursing practice and the quality of
nursing care:
• Leininger’s culture care theory
• Humanistic nursing theory
• Need theory
• Self-care nursing theory
• Theory of interpersonal relations
Presentation: Due week 9 (date to be confirmed)
• A 10 minute presentation focusing on one of the following questions:
• Why is person-centredness important to nursing practice and patient care?
• How are morals and ethics different, and why are they important for nursing practice and patient care?
Final exam

• A multiple-choice exam based on

the module content
• 25 questions to be completed
within a set time frame
• Date to be confirmed (week 11)
Resources
• This module requires students to do a significant amount of independent reading and
reflection around the topics covered in class. Key texts which will be helpful and can
be found in the library are:
• Burns, D. ed., (2018). Foundations of Adult Nursing. SAGE Publications Limited.
• Delves-Yates, C. ed., 2018. Essentials of nursing practice. Sage.
• Meleis, A., I. (2011). Theoretical nursing: development and progress.
• McKenna, H.P., Pajnkihar, M. & Murphy, F.A., (2014). Fundamentals of Nursing
Models, Theories and Practice. 2nd ed. Oxford: Wiley Blackwell. Oxford.
• Lindberg, J, B., & Hunter, Love, M., & Kruszewski, A, Z., (1998), Introduction to
nursing concepts, issues, and opportunities, 3rd ed, Philadelphia Lippincott
• Other nursing texts can also be used. Students will be expected to study core and
additional reading material prior to their classes to ensure high levels of engagement.
• Module materials and seminar readings / references will be posted on Blackboard.
 Contact me at:
Questions? c.y.middleton@dundee.ac.uk

I aim to answer emails within 48 hours (9-5,

Monday – Friday)