HNN772 - Healthcare in Low Resource/Complex Environments

Unit details

Year

2026 unit information

Enrolment modes:Trimester 1: Online
Credit point(s):1
EFTSL value:0.125
Unit Chair:Trimester 1: Fiona Kumar
Cohort rule:This unit is only available to students enrolled in A590, H522, H568, H569, H575, H645, H665, H666, H667, H668, H669, H672, H675, H679, H771, H777, H779
Prerequisite:

Nil

Corequisite:Nil
Incompatible with: Nil
Educator-facilitated (scheduled) learning activities - online unit enrolment:

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.

This will include educator guided online learning activities within the unit site.

Content

This unit addresses key issues confronting nurses working in the humanitarian aid sector in resource poor and complex health environments experiencing armed conflict, post war contexts, and natural disaster areas.

This unit provides a comprehensive perspective of the roles of nurses in managing challenges when working in low-resource and complex environments. It draws on cutting edge and evidence-based knowledge in health, nursing, psychological and sociological sciences relevant to such environments, such as assessing and evaluating resource poor systems, setting up, managing, and evaluating emergency response plans. Additionally, the challenges of working in a wide variety of humanitarian contexts, including identifying and managing health and safety risks, self-care in high stress contexts, and returning home are explored.

This unit covers comprehensive perspectives of Roles of Nurses working in humanitarian crises based on the International Nurses Council (ICN) Framework of Disaster Nursing Competencies. The unit builds on ICN's four areas of competencies related to prevention/mitigation, preparedness, response and recovery/rehabilitation to disasters.

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

Critically analyse the role of nurses in health service delivery in humanitarian crises in resource poor and complex health systems integrating local, cultural, political, social and environmental perspectives.

GLO1: Discipline-specific knowledge and capabilities
GLO4: Critical thinking
GLO5: Problem solving
GLO8: Global citizenship

ULO2

Design evidence-based strategies for emergency response and health service delivery in humanitarian and low-resource contexts, focusing on key issues encountered in humanitarian crises.

GLO1: Discipline-specific knowledge and capabilities
GLO2: Communication
GLO3: Digital literacy
GLO4: Critical thinking

ULO3

Apply and evaluate approaches to maintain professional well-being and resilience in high-stress environments when working in humanitarian crisis situations.

GLO1: Discipline-specific knowledge and capabilities
GLO4: Critical thinking
GLO5: Problem solving
GLO6: Self-management

ULO4

Develop strategies to support transition and reintegration when returning home after working in complex health settings.

GLO1: Discipline-specific knowledge and capabilities
GLO2: Communication
GLO4: Critical thinking
GLO5: Problem solving
GLO6: Self-management

Assessment

Assessment description Student output Grading and weighting
 (% total mark for unit)
Indicative due week
Assessment 1: Written assignment 2000 words 40%
  • Week 7
Assessment 2: Mixed Media Presentation 3000 words 60%
  • Week 11

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 HNN772 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.

Estimate your fees

For further information regarding tuition fees, other fees and charges, invoice due dates, withdrawal dates, payment methods visit our Current Students website.