This unit introduces you to the important role of communication in nursing practice and strategies to effectively communicate as a nurse. You will examine types of communication strategies that are relevant to different health contexts. In particular, you will explore your own strengths in communication and how you can best use these to manage future challenges when nursing. Throughout this unit you will have the opportunity to work in small teams to explore the many different facets of communication in nursing and to build a portfolio that documents your learning and your development of skills and strategies to use in future nursing practice.

Every unit is reviewed for enhancement each year. At the most recent review, the following staff and student feedback items were identified and recommendations were made.

Feedback from Student feedback via emails, SUTE evaluations and coordinator observation.

Portfolio assessment due dates created challenges such as: • Many extension requests. • Students were completing the final activities for the portfolio the same week the portfolio was due. • Students did not receive any formal feedback on written assessments until the end of the term.

• Due date of Assessment 2 in term 2 pushed out a week to enable students to submit on time and complete the learning activities without the pressure of submitting in the same week. • Continue to review the due dates of the written assessments post term 2 offering.

Feedback from SUTE, emails to coordinators, zoom workshops.

Mixed feedback from students about groupwork. Some students felt that group work via distance/online was not desirable whereas other students commented that being pushed to meet other students and forming connections was a positive start to their university study.

• The unit is a communication unit offered to students in their first term of study. • Group work offers students the opportunity to meet fellow students, build relationships in their first term and enables the opportunity to practice skills. • Continue to review how the groups are formed.

Feedback from SUTE, emails to coordinators.

Rockhampton based students (on-campus) who attended the face-to-face workshops, reported the scheduling and structure of the workshops frustrating as these workshops were held in weeks 1-6 which meant that workshops from week 2 were ahead of the online content.

• The face-to-face workshops in term 2 have been rescheduled to weekly workshops (held in weeks 1-12) and will align with the Moodle content. • Continue to revise workshop material.

Feedback from SUTE, emails to coordinators, zoom workshops.

Weekly online zoom workshops had minimal attendance. Students who attended enjoyed connecting with coordinators and other students as well as breaking down the Moodle content and having an extra opportunity to practice the skills taught in the unit.

• Review online structure for future offerings to maximise student engagement.