Comprehensive Health Assessment of the Older Patient in Rural Healthcare

In stock

SKU
SC-94
Develop your skills in advanced health assessment and diagnostic interpretation

This microcredential focuses on the unique challenges presented by older patients.

Receive 5% off the price of this course, and its companion courses, Comprehensive Assessment of Paediatric and Adult Patients in Rural Healthcare, when purchased together (discount applied at checkout). 

$350.00

Key facts

Course category
Nursing and Midwifery, Nursing, Patient and Aged Care
Options
Option 1 Start any time from 3 February – 15 August 2025.
Expected completion date 30 November 2025.
Self-paced Online (On demand)
Duration
40 hours including assessment
Group Bookings
Enquire now
Prerequisite/s
Current registration with Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (AHPRA).
Certification
Digital Credential

Why this course?

Develop your skills in advanced health assessment and diagnostic interpretation to support care of older patients in rural healthcare setting. If you’re a new or established nursing professional with a passion for aged care and looking for a flexible online microdredential course to advance or refresh your assessment skill set, Comprehensive Health Assessment of the Older Patient gives you the confidence to evaluate older patients, make evidence-based clinical decisions and prioritise care and management.

 

Together with its companion courses (Comprehensive Assessment of the Adult and Paediatric Patients in Rural Healthcare, this microcredential can be stacked into a subject for potential advanced standing in the Graduate Certificate of Rural Healthcare Practice.  

 

The development of this course was funded by the Australian Commonwealth Government as part of the Microcredential Pilot program and in response to nursing care needs in rural health organisations as expressed by Bendigo Health, Echuca Regional Health and the Tasmanian Health Service. 

Why study a short course at La Trobe

Industry experience while you study

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Rising demand

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Powerful Collaborations

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Course content

Gain technical skills such as care planning, risk screening, advocacy in age and advanced physical assessment, as well as  transferrable skills in teamwork, leadership, communication and situational awareness so you can provide collaborative and effective nursing care to older patients.

Topics covered:

  • Physiological factors related to ageing
  •  Advanced Health Assessment – Primary Survey (Older Adult)
  • Advanced health assessment – Secondary Survey (Older Adult)
  • Recognition of deterioration in the older patient and non-technical skills
  • Environment of assessment (eg acute, residential, home setting)
  • Recording health assessments and contemporaneous documentation
  • Medication safety/polypharmacy
  • Risk screening
  • Goals of care (including advanced care and discharge planning)
  • Elder abuse

On successful completion of this course, you will be awarded a digital credential and earn 5 credit points that can be accumulated with its related courses, Comprehensive Assessment of the Paediatric and Adult Patients in Rural Healthcare, into 'Comprehensive Health Assessment (NRS4002)', a core subject in the Graduate Certificate and Diploma of Rural Nursing Practice. 

 

 

This course is part of a suite of 5 related short courses offered as the Professional Certificate in Rural Nursing Practice, which is offered at  the special price of $1,485. 

 

You’ll learn:

After completing this microcredential, you will have developed competent skills (equivalent to AQF level 8) and be able to :

  • Conduct comprehensive health assessment of older patients in diverse contexts 
  • Integrate assessment and diagnostic findings to make informed clinical decisions
  • Prioritise care and management and complete appropriate documentation
  • Evaluate risk and appropriately respond to the deteriorating older patient
  • Adapt non-technical skills such as leadership, communication, teamwork, and situational awareness to provide effective collaborative nursing care. 

These skills are with in alignment with the Australian Skills Classification ‘Health & Care Skills Cluster’; within the following clusters of specialist skills:   

  • Collect, document and communicate medical information
  • Develop, follow and ensure compliance with health care quality and safety procedures
  • Perform medical tests, and physical examination of patients  
  • Monitor and evaluate patient treatment. 

 

Your study experience

Delivered via self-paced, online learning so it easily fits in with your work and life commitments, you'll be supported via Zoom drop-in sessions, email correspondence and online forums with your educator.  

The total expected time commitment for this course is up to 40 hours, including assessment.  

You must complete the course within 6 months from time of registration.

 

Assessment for this course includes:

  • Write up of case review referring to patient data and using evidence-based resources to support discussion (1500 words).
  • For health professionals currently caring for older patients: primary and secondary assessment of an older patient with either respiratory, cardiovascular or neurological dysfunction;

or 

  • For health professionals not currently caring for older patients: a case study will be provided with appropriate patient data and you will discuss primary and secondary assessment of this type of patient. 

Frequently Asked Questions

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Find out more about further education at La Trobe  View all FAQ

I would like information about a short course. Who can assist me?  

Email: LaTrobeProfessional@latrobe.edu.au 

Phone: 1300 135 045

I have paid the fee for a short course. When will I be able to access it?  

On completion of your registration, you'll be provided with an account on our Learning Management System (LMS) and the course material will be made available at the advertised date, or as outlined on your registration confirmation email.  For our on-demand courses, access will be immediate.

What payment options are there?

  • You may arrange to pay by BPAY or EFT
  • For group bookings, we encourage purchase orders.  Contact us for a quote, and upon receipt of your purchase order we can make the course available to you.
  • Unfortunately, we are not able to arrange instalment payments.

Contact us on LaTrobeProfessional@latrobe.edu.au for assistance. 

Can I arrange payment with a Purchase Order?

Yes, we accept Purchase Orders. Please email to LaTrobeProfessional@latrobe.edu.au and our La Trobe Professional team will provide you with payment details and access to your course. 

I am getting an error when I try to log into my LMS account. Can you help? 

  • The first thing to check is your order confirmation email - it will contain your Learning Management System (LMS) account and password.  Note that this account may not be the same as your staff, student or previous short course participant account. 
  • The second thing to check is that you're logging on as a short course participant and not as a student - choose 'Other Users' - select Short Course as your institution and use your account and password as provided.

If you need any assistance, contact us on LaTrobeProfessional@latrobe.edu.au. 

I want to enrol multiple staff in a short course. How do I go about this? 

Contact LaTrobeProfessional@latrobe.edu.au so that we can discuss options with you.  

What certification will I receive?

The type of certification depends on the assessment involved in the course. For example:

  • Microcredentials:  You will receive a digital credential that confirms the skills you’ve acquired, any assessments you’ve completed and potential pathways for credit or advanced standing towards a degree. 
  • Other assessed short courses:  This may include bridging programs or courses that prepare you for external certification from a professional body.  You might receive a certificate of achievement or a digital badge (a digital version of a certificate of achievement).
  • Non-assessed courses:  If a course doesn’t involve formal assessment, you’ll receive a certificate of attendance.
  • Single-subject enrolment: If you enrol in a single subject, you will receive an official transcript for that subject.

Please note that short courses or microcredentials are not formal qualifications under the Australian Qualifications Framework but may be eligible for consideration as advanced standing (credit) towards a degree.

What is a microcredential? 

Microcredentials are short courses that are assessed, carry academic credit, and to deliver specific skills or knowledge.  While they can be taken as standalone courses, many are designed to be combined or ‘stacked’ with other microcredentials to form the equivalent of a subject within a degree program.  Upon successful completion, you’ll earn a digital credential that outlines the skills and credit obtained, and any opportunities for stacking.

For La Trobe microcredentials, any advanced standing or stacking pathways are clearly expressed on the course page.   

What is advanced standing?

Advanced standing refers to credit for prior study or formal learning that can be credited towards a qualification, thereby reducing the number of subjects required to complete a course. For short courses or microcredentials (if these have been completed through recognised institutions or platforms and are deemed equivalent to La Trobe University subjects), credit may be granted either for specific La Trobe subjects or as unspecified credit towards elective requirements of a La Trobe course.

For La Trobe microcredentials, any advanced standing or stacking pathways are clearly expressed on the course page.   Upon successful completion of the course, you’ll receive a digital credential, which may be used when applying for credit for the relevant degree at La Trobe.

For more details, visit the University’s advanced standing web page.