Course Descriptions - Nursing

N311 Foundations of Professional Practice
Required Clinical/Lab Hours: 90

4T, 2C

6 Credits

F, SP

This course introduces the student to basic nursing concepts, health promotion, and the nursing process. Basic human needs and safety in patient care are introduced. The course has a lab/clinical component for students to build a foundation of nursing psychomotor skills. (An 85% is required to pass this course)

Course Student Learning Outcomes (SLOs):

• Identify cultural and spiritual beliefs to provide patient-centered care for adults with basic health needs.
• Demonstrate psychomotor skills to safely meet the basic needs of adults.
• Use clinical judgment to provide and document basic patient care.
• Recognize appropriate communication skills and professional behaviors in interactions with patients and nursing staff members.
   

 Prerequisite:  Satisfactory completion of required general education courses.
 

N312   Basic Health Assessment
Required Clinical/Lab Hours: 22.5

2.5T, .5L  

3 Credits

F, SP

This course builds on knowledge about anatomy and physiology. The student will develop skills in the systematic assessment of adults. Both theory and lab settings offer the student a comprehensive learning environment.

Course Student Learning Outcomes (SLOs):

• Perform effective interviewing skills with adult patients to collect and interpret data through critical-thinking skills to achieve valid assessment.
• Recall knowledge of anatomy and physiology through an efficient physical assessment.
• Demonstrate patient-centered assessment and interviewing skills to differentiate and document normal versus abnormal assessment findings.
• Identify health promotion and health teaching associated with normal physiologic and psychosocial changes of aging.

Prerequisite:  Satisfactory completion of required general education courses.

N313  Basic Concepts of Pathophysiology

3T

3 Credits

F, SP

The focus of this course is on the application of knowledge from anatomy and physiology, chemistry, and microbiology, which assist the student to understand abnormal physiologic cellular adaptations to common diseases and health conditions.

Course Student Learning Outcomes (SLOs):

• Apply the principles of basic physiologic processes to systemic diseases
• Explain the human response to disease processes.
• Identify the etiology, pathogenesis, and clinical manifestations of illness or injury.

Prerequisite:  Satisfactory completion of required general education courses.

N314  Introduction to Professional Practice

2T

2 Credits

F, SP

This course is an introduction to the evolution of professional nursing practice. Topics will include a focus on the nursing role, concepts of professionalism, and the scope of ethical and legal practice.

Course Student Learning Outcomes (SLOs):

• Practice therapeutic communication principles needed to provide patient-centered care.
• Describe ethical and legal nursing standards to provide safe, quality care.
• Identify professional behaviors required for registered nursing practice.

Prerequisite:  Satisfactory completion of required general education courses.

Nursing Requirements

*All Junior Semester 1 courses must be completed before enrolling in Semester 2 courses.

Semester 2

N321  Adult Health I
Required Clinical/Lab Hours: 135

5T, 3C

8 Credits

F, SP, SU

This course builds on Nursing Foundations. Patient care is introduced for common acute and chronic health problems. Students will begin to develop prioritization skills and continue to develop nursing psychomotor skills through classroom, lab and clinical components. The theory portion of this course will include 3 hours of in-class and 2 hours of online instruction.

Course Student Learning Outcomes (SLOs):

• Utilize the nursing process to begin prioritizing nursing actions which promote positive patient outcomes.
• Apply pathophysiology to provide safe, evidence-based nursing care to patients with common acute and common health conditions.
• Describe culturally competent care to adults by discussing care and empathy during interactions with all patients, families, and significant others.
• Differentiate appropriate communication skills and professional behaviors in interactions with patients, nursing team members, and the interdisciplinary health care team.
• Provide patient education to promote health and prevent illness.
• Perform intermediate nursing psychomotor skills for safe, quality patient care.

Prerequisite:  Satisfactory completion of all Semester 1 courses; satisfactory completion of N322 or taken concurrently with N322.

N322  Basic Concepts of Pharmacology

4T

4 Credits

F, SP, SU

The focus is on understanding nursing assessment and interventions associated with administering drug therapy. The fundamental concepts of pharmacodynamics and pharmacokinetics are explored.

Course Student Learning Outcomes (SLOs):

• Apply knowledge of pathophysiology to identify appropriate drug therapies.
• Explain the therapeutic and side effects of selected drugs for each major classification with a focus on high-alert drugs and patient safety.
• Describe the effects of common drug-drug, drug-food, and drug-herb interactions in patients across the lifespan.
• Use dosage calculation skills to accurately calculate oral and parenteral dosages for patients across the lifespan.
• Identify evidence-based nursing assessments and interventions associated with administering drug therapy.

Prerequisite:  Satisfactory completion of all Semester 1 courses; may take before or concurrently with N321. *RN-BSN students may take N322 in semester 3 or 4.
 

N323  Mental and Behavioral Health
Required Clinical/Lab Hours: 45

2T, 1C

3 Credits

F, SP, SU

This course focuses on the psychological well-being of patients across the lifespan through classroom and clinical experiences. It includes promoting and supporting the patient’s adaptive responses utilizing a therapeutic relationship. Emphasis is placed on the nursing process through the use of therapeutic communication.

Course Student Learning Outcomes (SLOs):

• Articulate the nursing process to provide and document safe, quality, patient-centered care for patients with mental/behavioral health problems.
• Demonstrate the nursing role in therapeutic communication and group therapy of patients with mental/behavioral health disorders.
• Utilize appropriate communication skills in interactions with the nursing and interdisciplinary health care team.
• Practice professional behaviors within legal and ethical standards to advocate for patients with mental/behavior health problems.

Prerequisite:  Satisfactory completion of Semester 1 courses; N321, N322 completed, or taken concurrently.

N324  Older Adult Health (hybrid)

2T

2 Credits

F, SP, SU

This course focuses on care of the healthy older adult with an emphasis on family dynamics involving the care of the aging adult, developmental tasks of the healthy aging adult, and theories on aging. The nursing process will be used to increase awareness of the unique responses of the older adult.

Course Student Learning Outcomes (SLOs):

• Apply health promotion and health teaching associated with normal physiologic and psychosocial changes of aging.
• Describe nursing implications related to the developmental tasks of healthy aging.
• Identify health and safety-related educational needs of the older adult.
• Implement nursing are for older adults with selected geriatric syndromes.

Prerequisite:  Satisfactory completion of Semester 1 courses.

N399  Independent Study       

1-4T/L/C

1-4 Credits

F, SP, SU

The focus of study may be a research project, clinical experience, non-clinical professional experience, or service project to be determined by the Dean of Nursing.       

Prerequisite:  Satisfactory completion of required general education courses. Enrollment must be approved by the Dean of Nursing.

Semester 3

*All Semester 1 and 2 courses must be completed before enrolling in Semester 3 courses.

Course Offerings When Minimum Enrollment Requirements         T=Theory       C=Clinical        L=Laboratory        F=Fall       S=Spring       SU=Summer

N431  Adult Health II
Required Clinical/Lab Hours: 90

5T, 2C

7 Credits

F, SP, SU

This course builds on Adult Health I and focuses on concepts used to provide patient care for complex acute and chronic health problems.  Students will begin to learn delegation and supervision principles and develop advanced nursing psychomotor skills through the classroom and clinical components.

Course Student Learning Outcomes (SLOs):

• Demonstrate evidence-based clinical judgment to provide safe, patient-centered care for adults with a variety of complex and acute and chronic health problems.
• Apply pathophysiology to prioritize safe, evidence-based nursing care to patients with complex and acute and chronic health problems.
• Practice appropriate culturally-competent communication skills and professional behaviors to collaborate with patients, nursing team members, and the interdisciplinary health care team.
• Differentiate the nursing role in delegation and supervision of care of the adult patient.
• Perform advanced nursing psychomotor skills for safe, quality patient care.
• Coordinate patient education to promote health and prevent illness.

Prerequisite:  Satisfactory completion of all Semester 1 courses, N321 and N322.

N432  Maternal –Newborn Health
Required Clinical/Lab Hours: 45

2T, 1C

3 Credits

F, SP, SU

This course examines the concepts of maternal-newborn biological stages through classroom and clinical experiences. The focus is on the normal process of childbearing and family adaptation through healthy dynamics. Common perinatal and newborn complications are also addressed.  

Course Student Learning Outcomes (SLOs):

• Evaluate the nursing process to provide care throughout the normal process of childbearing.
• Demonstrate safe, quality care of patients with common perinatal and newborn complications.
• Coordinate with the healthcare team to plan care and provide health promotion education for the dyad.
• Demonstrate teaching principles in the promotion of family health and developmental needs during childbearing cycle.
• Assess cultural differences and patient preferences into the are of the dyad.

Prerequisite:  Satisfactory completion of all Semester 1 courses; N321 and N322 taken prior or concurrently.

N433  Infant, Child, and Adolescent Health
Required Clinical/Lab Hours: 45

2T, 1C

3 Credits

F, SP, SU

This course examines concepts relevant to the child-rearing years through classroom and clinical learning experiences. This includes concepts of normal growth and development and nursing care as it relates to the health-wellness continuum of infants, children, and adolescents.

Course Student Learning Outcomes (SLOs):

• Coordinate with the interdisciplinary healthcare team, family, and patient to provide developmentally appropriate health promotion, screenings, and care. Utilize clinical judgment to provide safe, evidence-based care for pediatric patients and their families in various settings. 
• Correlate previous medical-surgical knowledge, and pediatric adaptations to provide and document quality patient-centered care for patients.
• Demonstrate professional behaviors within legal and ethical standards to meet the age-appropriate needs of the pediatric population.

Prerequisite:  Satisfactory completion of all Semester 1 courses; N321 and N322 taken prior or concurrently.

N434 Evidence-Based Practice  (hybrid)

3T

3 Credits

F, SP, SU

This course is an introduction to the evidence-based practice process and research methods and their application in nursing. Students will develop abilities to interpret research and other sources of evidence to assist in the advancement of the nursing profession.

Course Student Learning Outcomes (SLOs):

• Interpret nursing research articles for validity, reliability, and applicability to nursing practice.
• Utilize the evidence-based practice process to identify how professional nursing practice can be improved.
• Differentiate various study designs and statistical analyses.

Prerequisite:  Satisfactory completion of all Semester 1 courses. *RN-BSN students may take N434 during semester 3 or 4.

Semester 4

*All Semester 3 courses must be completed before enrolling into Semester 4 courses.

N441  Adult Health III
Required Clinical/Lab Hours: 45

3T, 1C

4 Credits

F, SP

This course builds on Adult Health II and focuses on the care of critically ill, emergent patient with multisystem needs through classroom and clinical learning experiences. Emphasis is placed on timely collaboration and clinical judgment to provide safe, quality care in an acute care setting.

Course Student Learning Outcomes (SLOs):

• Demonstrate evidence-based clinical judgment to provide and document safe, quality patient-centered care for patients with multisystem, emergent, and/or life-threatening health problems.
• Prioritize safe, evidence-based nursing care to patients with multisystem, emergent, and/or life-thereating health problems.
• Integrate appropriate culturally-competent communication skills and professional behaviors to collaborate with patients, nursing team members, and the interdisciplinary health care team.
• Utilize clinical judgment to prevent "failure to rescue" events in patients with multisystem health problems.
• Collaborate with members of the interdisciplinary health care team to provide safe quality care for individuals and families.

Prerequisite: Must be taken in the final semester of coursework.

N442  Population and Global Health
Required Clinical/Lab Hours: 45

2T, 1C

3 Credits

F, SP

This course is focused on population, global, and community health through classroom and clinical learning experiences. The concepts include community and environmental health, global and population health, public health and health policy, disaster management, and nursing with vulnerable populations.

Course Student Learning Outcomes (SLOs):

• Assume the key roles and responsibilities of the population and global health nurses in meeting health promotion and illness prevention needs.
• Analyze global political, regulatory, financial, social, cultural, and environmental issues and policies that influence healthcare health policies and the advancement of the nursing profession.
• Prioritize the professional nurse's role in disaster planning and management with the members of the health care team and community partners.
• Assess a selected community to determine the needs, resources, and the general health of the community.
• Explain the role of culture in the health of populations, including vulnerable populations.
• Evaluate behavioral, environmental, and genetic factors that have an impact on population health.

       Prerequisite: Satisfactory completion of all Semester 1, 2 and 3 courses.

N443  Leadership and Management
Required Clinical/Lab Hours: 45

2T, 1C

3 Credits

F, SP

This course builds on professional nurse leadership with a focus on management functions. It is designed to promote student comprehension of legal and ethical responsibilities, continuous quality improvement, and change theories. A clinical component is provided in a management setting with an emphasis on the development of a change or quality improvement project.

Course Student Learning Outcomes (SLOs):

• Demonstrate the role of the professional nurse as a care manager, and advocate, a teacher, a counselor, a change agent, and a nursing leader for providing safe, ethical, and legal nursing care.
• Develop a quality improvement plan to improve healthcare outcomes using research and other sources of evidence.
• Integrate nursing leadership theories to facilitate interpersonal collaborations, conflict management, and team-building in health care systems.

Prerequisite: Satisfactory completion of all Semester 1, 2 and 3 courses.

N444  Concept Synthesis (hybrid)
Required Clinical/Lab Hours: 45

2T, 1C

3 Credits

F, SP

This course is a synthesis of theoretical nursing concepts to advance professional socialization.  A clinical preceptorship is provided in the health care setting.

Course Student Learning Outcomes (SLOs):

• Synthesize acquired nursing knowledge to identify personal strengths and learning needs as a basis for professional development.
• Model inter-professional collaboration in planning, implementing and evaluating care to improve outcomes for an assigned group of patients.
• Assess information management and technology to access resources, communicate, and promote patient safety.
• Integrate principles of delegation, time management, and priorities of care as a beginning nurse generalist in a variety of health care settings.

Prerequisite:  Must be taken the final semester of coursework.

N499  Independent Study  

1-4T/L/C

1-4 Credits

F, SP, SU

The focus of the study may be a research project, clinical experience, non-clinical professional experience, or service project to be determined by the Dean of Nursing.

Prerequisite:  Satisfactory completion of required general education courses. Enrollment must be approved by the Dean of Nursing.