Courses Descriptions
NURS 200 Introduction to Professional Nursing
Designed to introduce and transition all qualified applicants to the language of nursing, critical thinking, the essential academic skills for incoming students and the interpersonal skills required for success in nursing school and the nursing profession. Selected concepts and processes for professional nursing will be included in the course, including an introduction to nursing’s theoretical, philosophical, ethical, and legal dimensions. Other topics will cover patient safety and quality care, health care reform, and nursing workforce challenges. Course activities will focus on development of teamwork, communication skills, effective decision making and reflective practice. (Pre- requisites admission to the nursing program).
Class: 2 semester hours didactic; Clinical: 0 semester hours clinical)
NURS 201-LPN to BSN Role Transition
This course assists the LPN-BSN
student through the initial transition from the role of licensed practical nurse to the role of baccalaureate prepared professional registered nurse. The philosophy, goals, program, and student learning outcomes are presented within the context of the Nursing curriculum. The student integrates the concepts of professionalism, scientific methods of inquiry, and critical thinking as applied to baccalaureate professional nursing practice. Emphasis on the leveled student learning outcomes pervades this transitions course. (Prerequisite: Active unencumbered LPN license): Class: 3 semester hours didactic; Clinical: 0 semester hours clinical)
NURS 202 – Health Assessment, Wellness and Prevention across the Lifespan/Lab
This course provides the students with the knowledge and skills necessary to perform a comprehensive health assessment through health history, inspection, palpation, percussion, and auscultation. Key aspects of health assessment for culturally diverse groups of children, adults, and elders are comprehensively examined and practiced in classroom and laboratory settings. This course contains both theory and clinical practicum components. (Pre-requisites BIOL 331 and NURS 200, admission to the nursing program). Class: 3 semester hours didactic; Clinical: 1 semester hour lab [45 hours lab])
NURS 203- Nutrition and Health
This course focuses on basic concepts of nutrition for those students that are pursuing careers in nursing and other allied health fields. This course covers health nutrition through the life cycle, selected cultural variation, diet and physical activity, medical nutrition therapy and selected diseases, and food safety. Class: 3 semester hours didactic; Clinical: 0 semester hours clinical)
NURS 301 Foundations of Nursing Practice
This course introduces theories, concepts, principles, and processes that lay the foundation for critical thinking, nursing interventions, communication, professional role and caring in the practice of nursing. Content includes assistance with daily living activities, environmental concerns, positioning and transporting, asepsis and sterile technique, and medication administration. Concepts related to nursing fundamentals and nursing care is integrated throughout the course. Students will be introduced to medication math and medical terminology. Students will be expected to demonstrate beginning competency in application of the nursing process and apply the nursing process in the classroom, campus skills lab, and clinical experiences. (Pre-requisites Admission to the nursing program, NURS 202; Co-requisite Nursing 303, Nursing 305, Nursing 312). Class: 3 semester hours didactic; Lab: 3 semester hours clinical [45 hours clinical experience; 90 hours lab]
NURS 303 Pathophysiology Concepts in Nursing
This course is designed to enhance the student’s knowledge and understanding of pathophysiology concepts and process related to human illness and disease. A patient centered approach is used to explore the pathophysiology, etiology, prognosis, risk factors, clinical presentation, treatment and diagnostics of illness and disease. The pathophysiology course will facilitate in the student’s ability to develop critical reasoning abilities, sound nursing practice, and foster skills that provide safe, quality patient care. (Pre-requisites BIOL 331, BIOL 332, and NURS 202, admission to the nursing program; Co-requisite Nursing 301, Nursing 305, Nursing 312). Class: 3 semester hours didactic; Clinical: 0 semester hour lab)
NURS 305 Pharmacological Concepts in Nursing
Provides students with an overview of pharmacology with an emphasis on clinical applications within the context of the nursing process and prioritization of needs; with special consideration given to the physiological, psycho/social, cultural, and spiritual needs of patients. Explores indications, modes of action, effects, contraindications and interactions for selected drugs. Nursing implications related to drug administration are emphasized. Dosage calculations are evaluated for competency. (Pre-requisites NURS 202, admission to the nursing program; Co-requisite Nursing 301, Nursing 303, Nursing 312)). Class: 3 semester hours didactic; Clinical: 0 semester hour lab)
NURS 312 Professional Perspective in Nursing
The purpose of this course is to focus on the legal and ethical frameworks supported by the standards of nursing practice. In addition, students will be provided with information and tools that nurses and nursing can use to confront health and health care challenges and will learn how to provide nursing care in collaborative interdisciplinary partnership within health care system. The course also concentrates on health policy issues, introduction to the use of evidence based practice, leadership, theoretical framework, trends in informatics and communication affecting the nurse as an individual and a professional, in health care delivery to patients, groups and aggregates. (Pre- requisites NURS 200, admission to the nursing program; Co-requisite Nursing 301, Nursing 303; Nursing 305). Class: 2 semester hours didactic; Clinical: 0 semester hour lab)
NURS 316 Nursing Care of Adults with Acute/Chronic Health Disorders
This course focuses on providing care to adults with chronic or acute non-complex illness including common alterations in respiratory, musculoskeletal, gastro-intestinal, cardiovascular, and endocrine systems. Nutrition, pharmacology, communication, cultural, and community concepts are integrated in to the course. This course focuses on care that is developmentally and culturally appropriate and incorporates critical thinking, quality improvement, collaboration, and information technology as they relate to the care of diverse patients in the medical/surgical setting. Integrated throughout the course are the standards of practice, legal and ethical responsibilities, and role of the professional nurse when caring for patients undergoing medical/surgical interventions. (Pre-requisites Nursing 202; Nursing 305; Admission to the Nursing Program; Co- requisite: Nursing 318). Class: 4 semester hours didactic; Lab: 3 semester hours clinical: 135 hours clinical experience)
NURS 318 Nursing care: Alterations in Mental Health
The focus of the course is on the nurse’s role in promoting mental health and decreasing psychopathology through utilization of the nursing process with patients in various psychiatric settings including inpatient and community. This course focuses on the application of the nursing process with emphasis on critical thinking, safe care, and therapeutic nursing interventions. (Pre-requisites Prerequisite: Admission to the nursing program Nursing 202; Nursing 305; Co-requisite; Nursing 316). Class: 4 semester hours didactic; Lab: 3 semester hours clinical; 135 Clinical hours required)
NURS 405 Nursing Care of Women, Children, and Families
Study of the concepts related to the provision of nursing care for childbearing and childrearing families; application of systematic problem-solving processes and critical thinking skills, including a focus on the childbearing family during the perinatal periods and the childrearing family from birth to adolescence. Focuses on competency in knowledge, judgment, skill, and professional values within a legal/ethical framework. Integrates standards of practice regarding the legal and ethical responsibilities of the nurse. Emphasis will be placed on the nursing process, application of critical thinking, collaboration, and information technology in caring for children, women and families, as well as reproductive health issues. The student will care for clients on a variety of settings to include obstetrical, pediatric, and community settings. (Prerequisite: Nursing 305; Nursing 316; Admission to the Nursing Program); Class: 4 semester hours didactic; Lab: 3 semester hours clinical; 135 clinical hours)
NURS 406 Nursing Care of Adults with Acute/Chronic Health Disorders II
This course focuses on providing care to adults with chronic or acute illness, building upon prior knowledge. Nutrition, pharmacology, communication, cultural, and community concepts are integrated into this course. This course focuses on care that is developmentally and culturally appropriate and incorporates critical thinking, quality improvement, collaboration and information technology as they relate to the care of diverse patients in the medical/surgical setting. Integrated throughout the course are the standards of practice, legal, and ethical responsibilities, and role of the professional nurse when caring for patients undergoing medical/surgical interventions.
Class: 4 semester hours didactic; Lab: 3 semester hours clinical [135 hours clinical experience]
(Prerequisite: Prerequisite NURS 316; corequisite NURS 405 and 407)
NURS 407 Evidence Based Nursing Research
This course continues to build on the introductory concepts of evidence-based nursing practice from earlier courses. Students will examine all aspects of the research process as it relates to the baccalaureate nurse’s role in research. The focus will be on the identification of practice issues, appraisal and integration of evidence, evaluation of patient outcomes and sharing best practices to improve patient and organizational outcomes. (Prerequisite: English 102; Nursing 202, Nursing 318; CJ 314 or BA 203; Admission to the Nursing Program; Co-requisite Nursing 405; Nursing 406; 3 semester hours didactic, no clinical credits).
NURS 408 Transition to Nursing Practice
This course provides students with opportunities to gain knowledge and skills necessary to transition from student to registered nurse. Integration of previous health care knowledge and skills into the role development of the professional nurse as a provider of patient-centered care, patient safety advocate, member of health care team, and member of the profession. Content includes current issues in health care, nursing leadership and management, professional practice issues for registered nurses, and transition into the workplace. Additional instruction is provided for preparing for the NCLEX-RN. (Prerequisite: Nursing 407; Admission to the Nursing Program; Co- requisite Nursing 409; Nursing 410; 3 credits didactic, no clinical credits).
NURS 409 Synthesis of Nursing Care
This senior level course focuses on the nursing care of adults and populations with complex health disorders. Disorders involve patients experiencing high acuity
complex conditions across the lifespan. Pathological conditions of the cardiac, pulmonary, genitourinary, neurological, vascular, hepatic, and biliary systems are covered. Students will incorporate critical thinking, quality improvement, collaboration, and information technology as they plan and provide evidence-based care for patients experiencing alterations in health, which identifies these patients as experiencing highly acute complex conditions in a variety of high acuity health care settings. Class: 2 semester hours didactic; Lab: 2 semester hours clinical [90 hours clinical experience]
(Prerequisite: Prerequisite NURS 406; co-requisite NURS 409 and NURS 410)
NURS 410 Professional Nursing Internship
Student-designed experience focusing on the role of the professional nurse in a variety of clinical practice settings. This course requires the RN student to accomplish individual learning objectives negotiated with their faculty facilitator and chosen preceptor(s) at the onset of the course. The practicum will enable RN students to expand clinical expertise, broaden exposure to specialty areas, explore arenas with which they are unfamiliar, and apply theory learned throughout the BSN curriculum to meet the needs of clients. The practicum will specifically enable the RN student to implement the professional roles of a BSN registered nurse in the areas of leadership/management, education, and community practice. Includes: Clinical immersion (200 clock hours) to strengthen and broaden baccalaureate nursing skills, judgments and decision making. Supervised by a preceptor, students synthesize and apply evidence-based skills and knowledge to nursing practice.
Includes: Capstone project will be presented at the end of the course. NCLEX review and HESI testing is incorporated into this course to evaluate student readiness to take NCLEX. Successful completion of HESI exit exam with an 850 score. If student does not achieve HESI exit exam benchmark score, then the student will require remediation prior to graduation Class: 6 semester hours clinical internship [200 hours clinical experience] (Prerequisite: Admission to nursing program; Co-requisite Nursing 408; Nursing 409).