HNN749 - Patient Safety and Risk Management
Unit details
| Year | 2026 unit information |
|---|---|
| Enrolment modes: | Trimester 1: Online |
| Credit point(s): | 1 |
| EFTSL value: | 0.125 |
| Unit Chair: | Trimester 1: Sharon Bourke |
| Cohort rule: | This unit is only available to students enrolled in H568, H569, H575, H645, H665, H666, H667, H668, H669, H672, H675, H771, H777, M701, M703 |
| Prerequisite: | Nil |
| Corequisite: | Nil |
| Incompatible with: | HNN718 |
| Educator-facilitated (scheduled) learning activities - online unit enrolment: | Online independent and collaborative learning activities including 5 x 1 hour online seminars (recordings provided) |
| Typical study commitment: | Students will on average spend 150 hours over the teaching period undertaking the teaching, learning and assessment activities for this unit. |
Content
This unit has as its focus a critical examination of patient safety and risk management in health care contexts, locally and globally. Particular attention is given to human error theory and clinical governance as overarching guiding factors for progressing patient safety and taking a systems approach to reducing the incidence and impact of preventable adverse events in health care domains. Students will critically examine the organisational contexts in which adverse events occur, the role of clinical governance in facilitating a systematic approach to reducing the incidence. Considerations are also given to the impact of preventable adverse events in clinical practice, principles and processes of human error management, system and human factor enablers and barriers to achieving safe health care, patient safety competencies (individual and institutional), accountability and responsibility for patient safety and risk management in health care.
Learning outcomes
| ULO | These are the Unit Learning Outcomes (ULOs) for this unit. At the completion of this unit, successful students can: | Alignment to Deakin Graduate Learning Outcomes (GLOs) |
|---|---|---|
| ULO1 | Integrate the theory and practice of patient safety, risk management and clinical governance in healthcare settings to improve patient outcomes. | GLO1: Discipline-specific knowledge and capabilities |
| ULO2 | Examine and articulate the roles and responsibilities of health service providers including health service managers, clinical leaders and practitioners, in ensuring patient safety and managing risk in health care settings. | GLO1: Discipline-specific knowledge and capabilities |
| ULO3 | Critically discuss the theoretical underpinnings of patient safety and risk management and their implications for policy and practice in health care. | GLO1: Discipline-specific knowledge and capabilities |
| ULO4 | Propose strategies to prevent and mitigate patient safety and risk management issues encountered in everyday health care practice. | GLO1: Discipline-specific knowledge and capabilities |
Assessment
| Assessment description | Student output | Grading and weighting (% total mark for unit) | Indicative due week |
|---|---|---|---|
| Assessment 1: Assignment | 2000 words | 40% |
|
| Assessment 2: Critical analysis Assignment | 3000 words | 60% |
|
The assessment due weeks provided may change. The Unit Chair will clarify the exact assessment requirements, including the due date, at the start of the teaching period.
Learning resource
The texts and reading list for HNN749 can be found via the University Library.
Note: Select the relevant trimester reading list. Please note that a future teaching period's reading list may not be available until a month prior to the start of that teaching period so you may wish to use the relevant trimester's prior year reading list as a guide only.
Bring Your Own Device (BYOD)
To fully engage with Deakin's learning experiences, students must be able to access and use internet-connected devices as outlined in computing requirements at Deakin.
To support student success at Deakin, we have a bring-your-own-device (BYOD) learning environment that acknowledges that students and educators bring with them the digital tools they regularly use to complete academic tasks. These tools stay with you beyond the classroom, helping you to keep learning, explore ideas more deeply, and connect with knowledge in ways that matter to you.
Students requiring a loan device should visit our Loan Laptop webpage or students requiring longer-term assistance should visit our Student Financial Assistance webpage.
Unit Fee Information
Fees and charges vary depending on the type of fee place you hold, your course, your commencement year, the units you choose to study and their study discipline, and your study load.
Tuition fees increase at the beginning of each calendar year and all fees quoted are in Australian dollars ($AUD). Tuition fees do not include textbooks, computer equipment or software, other equipment or costs such as mandatory checks, travel and stationery.
For further information regarding tuition fees, other fees and charges, invoice due dates, withdrawal dates, payment methods visit our Current Students website.