Rich Task:

Hospital Biology – Working and Living at the Edge of Science:
A Closer Look at the Science that Drives our Medical System

Course:

Biology, Grade 11, University Preparation, SBI3U   (2 credit Cooperative Education)

Evaluation:

Part of 70%

Part of 30%

* Both

Context:

·          Hospitals are a vital part of Ontario’s Healthcare System. Many people who do not have a family doctor turn to the local hospital. Other people are referred to the hospital by their family doctor and still others arrive in the midst of an emergency or health crisis.

·          Rural hospitals face significant challenges due to their size and operating budgets.  Modern medical technology, responding to advances in diagnosis and treatment, are needed to meet the healthcare expectations of the rural communities.

·          Community interest in the smaller hospital is very strong. Many of these hospitals were founded and supported for many years with only private and community-based funding. They have established a reputation for quality health care and sound financial management.

·          The hospital communities are justifiably proud of their facilities. The quality of care, accessibility within the community (distance and timely treatment), and the employment provided in the community has ensured extremely loyal support for these hospitals.

·          The rural hospitals provide services such as emergency, nursing, and overnight care; radiology; lab analysis; dialysis clinics; physiotherapy; nutrition and dietary functions. Minor surgery, day clinics and obstetrics are often part of the services offered by these hospitals.

·          You will experience, on a two-week rotating timetable, radiology, emergency, nutrition and dietary, nursing, lab, and the blood dialysis departments.  You will use the knowledge and skills acquired in your Grade 11 Biology course and your Cooperative Education placement to identify and analyse the science behind a number of medical practices and procedures and to use this knowledge while stationed in the lab, dialysis, radiology and emergency and other departments in the hospital.  You will explain how modern technology, used for successful treatment, depends on a thorough knowledge of cellular processes and biological systems and consider how this requirement for modern technology impacts on the viability of rural hospitals.

 

Related Course Expectations

 

 

Strand: Cellular Functions

CFV.01 · demonstrate an understanding of cell structure and function and the processes of metabolism and membrane transport;

CF1.01 - describe how organelles and other cell components carry out various cell processes;

CF1.03 - describe the fluid mosaic structure of cell membranes, and explain the dynamics of passive transport (facilitated diffusion) and the processes of endocytosis and exocytosis of large particles;

CFV.03 · demonstrate an understanding of the relationship between cell functions and their technological and environmental applications;

CF3.01 - present informed opinions on advances in cellular biology and possible applications through related technology;

CF3.03 - analyse ways in which societal needs have led to technological advances related to cellular processes.

 

Strand: Diversity of Living Things

DLV.01 · demonstrate an understanding of the diversity of living organisms through applying the concepts of phylogeny and taxonomy to the kingdoms of life (including Eubacteria and Archeobacteria) and viruses;

DL1.02 - compare and contrast the structure and function of different types of prokaryotic and eukaryotic cells;

DL1.04 - compare and contrast the life cycles of representative organisms from each life kingdom and a representative virus;

DLV.03 · relate the role of common characteristics and diversity within the kingdoms of life (including Eubacteria and Archeobacteria) to the importance of maintaining biodiversity within natural ecosystems, and explain the use of micro-organisms in biotechnology;

DL3.01 - explain the relevance of current studies of viruses and bacteria to the field of biotechnology.

Strand: Internal Systems and Regulation

ISV.01 · describe and explain the major processes, mechanisms, and systems, including the respiratory, circulatory, and digestive systems, by which plants and animals maintain their internal environment;

IS1.02 - explain the role of transport or circulatory systems in the transport of substances in an organism;

IS1.05 - describe how the use of prescription and non-prescription drugs can disrupt or help maintain homeostasis;

ISV.02 · illustrate and explain, through laboratory investigations, the contribution of various types of systems and processes to internal regulation in plant and animal systems;

 

IS2.03 - select and integrate information about internal systems from various print and electronic sources, or from several parts of the same;

ISV.03 · evaluate the impact of personal lifestyle decisions on the health of humans, and analyse how societal concern for maintaining human health has advanced the development of technologies related to the regulation of internal systems;

IS3.01 - identify examples of technologies that have enhanced scientific understanding of internal systems;

IS3.03 - analyse and explain how societal needs have led to scientific and technological developments related to internal systems.

 

Evaluation Strategies and Scoring Tools

Evaluation Strategies

Scoring Tools

Expectations

Achievement Chart

70%

Hospital Blood Analysis Lab – Experiment/Lab Work

Class Presentation: ‘Testing in the Hospital Lab’

Rubric

CFV.01, CF1.01, CF1.03, ISV.01, IS1.02, IS1.05, ISV.03, IS3.01

K/U, T, C, A

Emergency Dept. – Report: ‘Trauma’

Rubric

CFV.01, CF1.01, ISV.01, IS1.02

K/U, C, A

Nutrition Dept. – Poster: ‘Healthy Eating’

Written Report: ‘Special Diets, Why and When’

Rubric

CFV.03, CF3.03, ISV.01, IS1.02, IS1.05

K/U, C, A

 

K/U, T, A

Radiology Dept. – Visual Display:

How and why radiation works

 

How radiation is used to promote healing and treat cancer

 

What is too much radiation and what happens during radiation poisoning

Rubric

CFV.01, CF1.01, CFV.03, CF3.01, CF3.03

ISV.03, IS3.01, IS3.03

K/U, T, C, A

Nursing Dept. – Scrapbook: Report on Nursing Science: a micro-view

Rubric

CFV.01, CF1.01, CF1.03, CFV.03, CF3.01, CF3.03, ISV.01, IS1.02, IS1.05, ISV.02, IS2.03, ISV.03, IS3.01, DLV.01, DL1.02, DL1.04

K/U, T, C, A

Dialysis Unit – Visual Display:

‘The process and science of purifying blood’ (sub visuals explaining component parts of the process)

Rubric

CFV.01, CF1.01, ISV.01, IS1.02

K/U, C, A

30%

Booklet, Electronic Presentation, Scientific Report or ‘Information for the Public’ Brochure: Examining a Virulent Pathogen

Rubric

DLV.01, DL1.02, DL3.03, DL3.01

K, T, C, A

Oral Presentation – Electronic Presentation, Discussion, Overhead, etc.: Rural Hospitals: Levels of Service

Technology advances and the challenges faced by facilities with limited budgets to grow – Is there a balance?

Rubric

ISV.03, IS3.01, IS3.03

K, T, C, A

 

Teacher Notes

·          This placement is structured for a rural hospital. If the student’s placement does not provide experience in a variety of hospital departments, adjust the task accordingly. The half-day full-term timetable model was used in the strategic design of this placement.

·          An important consideration for placement at many hospitals is choosing the correct student for the position. The rich task is set up for a student taking university preparation level biology. The student will require a fair amount of background knowledge to be successful.

·          For Task Part C, choose examples of two technologies that are in use or are an issue in your hospital.

 

 

Task: Hospital Biology – Working and Living at the Edge of Science: A Closer Look at the Science that Drives our Medical System

 

Student Notes

Health care professionals use established scientific procedures to investigate questions and problems of a medical nature. The results are used along with scientific understanding of biological systems (i.e., cell theory, organ systems and homeostasis) to predict the pathology of a disease or ailment and determine the most appropriate treatment.

New diseases, new research and findings, and increases in scientific understanding have led to the development of new technologies. This has resulted in the rapid growth of the medical field.

 

Part A

Study the procedures used in various departments in the hospital and complete a specific assignment while you are stationed in each department. You must complete five of the six options.

 

 

 

·          To help you complete the tasks, and to allow for feedback during the cooperative education placement, you must submit the reports from Part A within three school days of the completion of your cycle in a department.

 

 

 

 

 

·          Although the hospital should play an obvious part in your answers, you can access sources like the Internet and appropriate texts to support and generate depth in your answers.

·          Include reference to cell function (structure, cell processes and membrane transport), where appropriate.

Lab.

·          Plan a presentation to a Grade 9 or 10 science class about “Testing in the Lab.”

·          Explain:

-         The tests that are done (minimum of 3 tests).

-         Why they are done.

-         What the underlying condition of the patient is.

-         What the science behind the tests is (why do the tests work?)

·          Decide how to present your information, e.g., an electronic presentation, overhead, slides, examples, charts, etc.

 

Emergency.

·          Research to determine the cause, symptoms, treatment, and results of trauma.

·          Produce a written report that includes text, diagrams, charts/tables, etc. Use the Internet as a resource, being mindful of copyright issues.

 

Nutrition.

·          Prepare a poster that describes the role that nutrition and diet have on human health.

·          Encourage people to consider diet and nutrition as things they could not do without.

·          Choose two modern diets and research to find out:

-         how they affect human health,

-         if they are they dangerous,

-         the science behind your findings.

·          Choose one special diet that is used in the hospital and determine why it is prescribed and what the physical results are.

·          Compare the effect the two types of diets have on the human condition (how it affects the tissues and organs/organ systems of the body).

·          Prepare a written report that includes tables to show the comparisons.

 

 

·          In the questions and assignments that deal with technology and machinery, the modern technology of the hospital should be included, on both a macro level (economic viability and successful patient care) and micro level (cellular, tissue and organ/organ system).

·          Humans survive because their systems work together. Hospitals focus on correcting systemic problems in humans. Include reference to and descriptions of the major human systems in your responses.

·          Safety in hospitals is a genuine concern. In each of your responses, including your pathogen, consider safety.

Communicate any concerns and challenges to your teacher in cooperative education as early as possible, so that you can receive support in a timely fashion.

Radiology.

·          Create a visual display (story board) to present your answers to the questions:

-         What safety issues are there with the use of radiation in medicine?

-         How much radiation is too much?

-         How is radiation used to promote healing and treat cancer?

-         How is radiation used in the treatments and why does it work?

 

 

Nursing.

·          Complete a “one day in the life of” diary for a nurse at the hospital.

·          In the diary, record every time a nurse experiences an activity that has its basis in science and technology.

·          Analyse each experience in terms of the science: How does it relate to science, biology (cells, tissues and organs), and medical technology?

·          Use a scrapbook along with the diary to explain the science/biology/ technology component. Explain why and how what the nurse is doing relates to the science.

 

Dialysis.

·          Use a poster to chart the process of purifying the blood in the dialysis machine.

·          Include pictures of the components, an explanation of the process and why it works, efficiency, and time requirements. Include blood chemistry descriptions and equations.

·          Examine the personal cost to people in terms of time spent at the unit and the quality of their lives should they live at a distance to the dialysis clinic.

 

 

Part B

·          Choose a virulent pathogen, examine its pathology and explain the effective strategies used by each department to prevent its spread.

·          Choose the most effective format for presenting this information (e.g., presentation software, discussion with overheads, etc.) clearly and concisely for each department.

 

Part C

·          Consider the reports you made in each department.

·          Based on what you have learned about new medical procedures and technology in hospitals, identify and discuss two unique and substantial challenges that the rural hospitals face in serving the needs of their communities. These challenges should focus on areas of technology (e.g., new MRI equipment and qualified operators, the need for a dialysis unit in a rural hospital).

·          Choose an appropriate oral format to present your report.