Nursing
Course Descriptions
Explanation of Practicum: Credit-Hour Ratio:
Some nursing courses contain a practicum component, as indicated in the course description and the course syllabus. The nursing program utilizes a 1:3 clock hour:credit hour ratio. This means that for each credit hour designated as practicum, three (3) clock hours per week are spent in a practicum experience or project. A course with a 1-hour practicum component would have 3 clock hours per week designated as practicum time, for a total of 42 clock hours for the semester. This time may be designed in a variety of ways. For example, students may spend this practicum in blocks of time, i.e., seven 8-hour days. Each course with a practicum component will designate, in the course schedule, how the practicum hours will be completed in accordance with course outcomes.
NURS305 The Profession of Nursing: Caring, History, and Leadership
History, trends, and issues of contemporary nursing. Caring theory, relationships, influences, and behaviors will be examined with emphasis on the development of caring for self and others. Leadership skills will be introduced. Classroom and online experience. Credit 2 hours.
NURS306 Health Promotion: A Caring Paradigm
Health promotion and disease prevention from a theoretical, philosophical and historical perspective. Consideration of clients as individuals with health issues is approached from a positive orientation. Prerequisite: Consent of instructor. Credit 2 hours.
NURS307 Caring Practicum 1
Focus on caring qualities, competence, and confidence while developing technical skills. Students develop professional approaches to implementing nursing care founded in the caring philosophy in acute care facilities. Opportunity for learning through self-guided study, demonstration, visual aids, simulated and actual laboratory experiences. Classroom, laboratory, and practicum experience. Prerequisite: Admission to the nursing program. Course graded S/U. Credit 4 hours.
NURS308 Holistic Assessment
Practice and application of assessment and analysis of data for individuals within the context of life. Classroom and laboratory experience. Prerequisite: Consent of instructor. Credit 3 hours.
NURS311 Caring with the Community
Development of assessment and analysis to identify potentially vulnerable populations and the identification of and application of effective caring and health promotion concepts. Completion of a community assessment and interaction within and among sectors of the community and the health care system. Classroom and practicum experience. Prerequisite: Consent of instructor. Credit 4 hours.
NURS312 Health Promotion of Families
Focus on the well family, specifically exploration of family dynamics and growth and development across the life span with application of effective health promotion and caring behavior during developmental crises. Classroom and practicum experience. Prerequisite: NURS308. Credit 5 hours.
NURS316 Caring Practicum 2
Novice experience in acute settings. Students demonstrate caring behaviors to meet the needs of individuals and families faced with health problems which require inpatient nursing care. Students continue to focus on caring behaviors of confidence and competence. Classroom, laboratory, and practicum experience. Prerequisite: NURS307. Course graded S/U. Credit 4 hours.
NURS318 Culture and Caring
Exploration of knowledge and skills needed by nurses to give culturally congruent care to people of diverse cultural groups. Comparison of beliefs, values, and practices related to health, illness, and health care of selected ethnic and cultural groups using theory and research references. Prerequisite: Consent of instructor. Credit 2 hours.
NURS324 Scholarly Inquiry 1
Introduction to nursing inquiry processes and beginning exploration of relationships between inquiry, theory, and practice. Development of a nursing practice issue for study. Prerequisite: Consent of instructor. Credit 1 hour.
NURS403 Nursing Perspectives on Drug Therapy
Provides for the study of general mechanisms of drug action. Drug classifications and their common actions, indications, and side effects are analyzed. The role of the nurse in developing a comprehensive approach to the clinical application of drug therapy will be explored. Prerequisite: Consent of instructor. Credit 2 hours.
NURS412 Caring for Individuals in Times of Crisis
Nursing concepts related to care of individuals and families with acute and critical health care issues across the life span. Application and analysis of nursing interventions to meet the holistic needs of individuals and families experiencing acute and critical health crises. Classroom and practicum experience. Prerequisite: Consent of instructor. Credit 6 hours.
NURS413 Ethical Caring
Students are empowered to apply standards of ethical and legal thought to the practice of nursing and to their personal lives. Personal introspection and self-understanding are emphasized as ethical theory, principles, and rules are explored along with laws regulating the health care system. Prerequisite: Consent of instructor. Credit 2 hours.
NURS414 Supportive Care in Chronicity
Application of nursing concepts and caring behaviors to increase independence, maximize competence and psychological well being, and prevent social isolation in individuals and families with chronic health issues. Classroom and practicum experience. Prerequisite: Consent of instructor. Credit 3 hours.
NURS415 Management and Professionalism
Exploration of principles of organizational behavior and resource management and analysis of management experiences and leadership behaviors in a health-care setting. Classroom and practicum experience. Prerequisite: Consent of instructor. Credit 3 hours.
NURS417 Nursing Care Seminar
Students engage in high-order thought about the care of individuals and groups through review and exploration of concepts, principles, and facts. Prerequisite: Consent of instructor. Credit 2 hours.
NURS418 Scholarly Inquiry 2
Exploration of the impact of inquiry on nursing practice and the role of inquiry processes and practice in theory development. Experience developing and writing a beginning level research proposal and exploration of the use of research results. Prerequisite: NURS324. Credit 3 hours.
NURS420 Senior Caring Practicum
Opportunity to implement the nursing process and engage in the practice of professional nursing in an acute care environment. Assists in the transition from the student role to graduate nurse. Practicum experience only. Prerequisite: Consent of instructor. Course graded S/U. Credit 3 hours.
NURS421 Political Advocacy and Policy 1
Introduction to health care policy and political implications related to health care costs, quality, and access. Prerequisite: Consent of instructor. Credit 1 hour.
NURS422 Political Advocacy & Policy 2
Active political involvement in relation to an aspect of a specific health care policy. Analysis of the impact of political activities on health outcomes. Prerequisite: Consent of instructor. Credit 1 hour.
NURS490 Pathophysiologic Applications in Nursing Practice
Pathophysiologic concepts are explored using a body systems approach. Theories relating etiology, pathogenesis, clinical manifestations, and pharmacology are used to study common disease processes as they relate to nursing practice. Concepts from anatomy and physiology and pathophysiology provide a foundation for exploring human dysfunction. Classroom and online experience. Prerequisite: BIOL390. Credit 2 hours.
