This course focuses on the introduction to the profession of nursing and the role of the nurse in the healthcare system. It introduces the framework for the program of study and provides a foundation for nursing practice in the promotion and maintenance of health, prevention of illness, and care of patients/clients experiencing alterations in meeting basic health needs. The nursing process and concepts of holistic care, transcultural nursing, critical thinking, basic human needs, psychosocial needs, growth and development, legal/ethical issues, pharmacological principles, therapeutic interventions, and communication skills are emphasized. Selected content, including pharmacology and math calculations, is presented using Web modules. This course includes classroom, laboratory, clinical practice in diverse healthcare settings, and on-line experiences. This course is offered in the first semester of the nursing program.

To successfully complete this course the student must:

Professionalism/Professional Nurse
1. Delineate the beginning role of the nurse as a provider and manager of care and a member within the discipline of nursing.
2. Relate professional behaviors of the nurse to other members of the health care team.
3. Identify own strengths and weakness and seeks faculty guidance accordingly.
4. Explain the department of nursing organization and conceptual framework.

Effective Nursing Care
1. Relate the nursing process to the provision of holistic care.
2. Identify priority nursing problems for clients/patients according to basic human needs across the health illness continuum.
3. Relate the importance of critical thinking to the provision of safe, effective care.
4. A. Relate the impact of effective communication to the nurse-patient/client relationship and to nurse patient/client interactions.
B. Relate the principles of teaching and learning to the promotion of the patient's/client's level of wellness.
C. Relate the impact of technology to the delivery of patient/client care.
5. Apply basic pharmacological principles to the delivery of patient care.
6. Relate the importance of community based nursing into the continuum of holistic care.

Management of Care
1. Begin to organize own time and resources in the management of care for one client/patient.
2. Relate the concept of delegation to delivery of nursing care.
3. Distinguish between the concepts of leadership and management as they relate to patient care.

Legal/Ethical
1. Relate legal and ethical principles in the delivery of nursing care.
2. Demonstrate legal/ethical behaviors with instructors, peers, staff, and patients.

None Specified

PROFESSIONALISM/PROFESSIONAL NURSE
• Introduction to nursing and professional behaviors
• Critical Thinking
• Roles of the nurse
• Communicator
• Effective Communication
• Sensory Stimulation
• Documentation
• Medical Terminology
• Educator
• Patient Teaching
• Advocate
• Manager of care
• Provider of Care
• Leader
• Researcher
• Member within the discipline

EFFECTIVE NURSING CARE
• Nursing Process
• Assessment
• Diagnosis
• Planning
• Implementing
• Evaluating
• Documenting, Reporting, and Conferring

Physical Assessment

Fundamental Concepts
• Maslow’s Hierarchy of needs
• Health Promotion
• Health Illness Continuum
• Holistic Being
• Individual, family and community
• Growth & Development
• Spirituality
• Culture & Ethnicity
• Sexuality
• Community-based Care

Medication Administration
• Medication Administration
• Dosage Calculation
• Pharmacodynamics

Basic Needs (Hygiene, Comfort, Sleep)
• Basic comfort
• Sleep
• Pain
• PO analgesic
• PO anesthesia
• Non-pharmacological measures
• Hygiene
• Perioperative

Safety (movement and coordination)
Normal
• Prevention of immobility complications
• Basic Activity Skills
• Transferring
• Ambulating
• Positioning
• Basic MS assess
• Basic Neuro assess
• Safety
• Asepsis/infection control
• ROM
• LOC

Psychosocial/Sensory Integrity/Integument
• Promoting Healthy Psychosocial Responses
• Stress and Adaptation
• Loss & Grief
• Introduction to Advance Directives, DNR, Durable Power, Living Will
• Stress/adaptation/Levels of Anxiety
• Therapeutic Communication
• Psychosocial aspects of illness
• Chemical Impairment
• Care of the patient/client with hearing & vision impairment
• Wound Healing

Ingestion, Digestion and Absorption, Elimination
Fluid/electrolytes
• Intro to concepts
• Fluid volume deficit
• Fluid volume excess
• Fluid Assessment
GI Assessment (normal)
Nutritional Concepts
• Health promotion
• Assessment
• Enteral (basic diets)
Elimination
• Assessment
• Foley care
• Enema
• Rectal bags
• Suppositories
• Diarrhea & Constipation
• Incontinence & retention
• Pharmacology
• Anti-diarrheals
• Laxatives

Oxygenation: Ventilation
Intro to concepts
• Relate to basic needs
• Principles of oxygenation
• Normal function of respiratory sys.
• Life span variations
• Psychosocial needs
• Diagnostics
• Therapies
• Application of Nursing process
• Focused assess
• Nursing diagnosis / outcomes
• Planning
• Interventions
• Evaluation

Oxygenation: Circulation
• Introduction
• Relate to Maslow
• Principles of circulation
• Normal circulation
• Lifespan variations
• Psychosocial
• Diagnostics
• Therapies
• Application of Nursing process
• Assessment
• Nsg dx/outcomes
• Planning
• Interventions
• Evaluation
Principles of teaching & learning

MANAGEMENT OF CARE
Concepts of
• Leadership
• Management
• Teamwork
• Prioritization
• Delegation

LEGAL/ETHICAL
• Legal/Ethical implications
• Guidelines for nursing practice
• Standards of nursing practice
• Nurse practice act and licensure

1. COURSE GRADE
• Students must meet all the course and clinical objectives and requirements of NURS 1921 to pass the course.
• A final grade of “C” (75%) or above in unit and comprehensive exams, satisfactory performance on standardized achievement tests, and satisfactory clinical and laboratory evaluations are required to pass NURS 1922.
• An unsatisfactory clinical or laboratory evaluation for NURS 1922 results in course failure with a grade of “D”.
2. DEPARTMENTAL ASSESSMENT
This course will be assessed at the end of each semester that it is offered, and as needed throughout the year. Students will complete course, facility, and instructor evaluations, and results will be considered in making course revisions. All learning activities will be evaluated to assess their adequacy in helping students to meet course objectives. Faculty generated exam questions will be analyzed by course faculty using item analysis and modified as needed. Results of standardized testing will be evaluated. Recommendations for changes will be proposed to the Program Council (Nursing Curriculum Committee). Proposed recommendations will be implemented the next time the course is offered.