Practical Nursing (PNUR)

This course presents a foundation for patient-centered care through fundamental nursing concepts and the development of basic nursing skills. It integrates the basic sciences of Anatomy and Physiology, Nutrition, and Growth and Development. The course is designed to assist the student in developing the skills required in the application of the nursing process. This is accomplished through demonstrations, observations, laboratory practice, and clinical experiences in local health care facilities. This introductory nursing course covers basic nursing skills and the process of applying those skills to a client's medical condition. The nursing process and incorporating clinical judgement is taught as the basis to prioritize client care. Therapeutic interventions and skills progress from basic to complex and address client environment, communication skills, infection control, client safety, and comfort. Nursing skills are practiced in a controlled lab setting. Students learn to understand the concepts of health promotion and wellness, cultural and spiritual diversity, and therapeutic relationships focusing on communication techniques. Students are required to pass the didactic/classroom, on campus clinical lab, and clinical practicum components of this course. A grade of 74% or better and a passing grade in the on-campus clinical lab and clinical practicum components are required to continue in the nursing program. Students are expected to achieve a minimum grade of 90% or higher on the dosage calculation competency exam prior to clinical assignments. The student is given three attempts to pass this competency.

This course is designed to introduce the learner to the role of the Practical Nurse. The course content contains information regarding the history of nursing, trends in education, cultural competency, environments of care, and safe nursing practice.

This course introduces the learner to the basic principles of pharmacology, medication classifications, drug action, routes, and adverse reactions of frequently used medication. The course content also includes using Dimensional Analysis to solve dosage calculations for safe medication administration. The administration of medications is practiced in the nursing lab and integrated throughout clinical settings in the program.

This course focuses on the clinical component of the fundamentals of nursing didactic course. The learners apply nursing theory and practice nursing skills related to adult/geriatric patients. The learner builds upon the foundation of nursing skills practiced in the fundamental skill labs which the student then begins to apply critical thinking and problem-solving skills in the long-term care setting. Students are required to pass the didactic/classroom, on-campus clinical lab, and clinical practicum components of this course. A grade of 74% or better and a passing grade in the on-campus clinical lab and clinical practicum components are required to continue in the nursing program. Students are expected to achieve a minimum grade of 90% or higher on the dosage calculation competency exam before clinical assignments. The student is given three attempts to pass this competency. Students must achieve a "P" for passing grade in this clinical to progress in the program.

This course focuses on concepts of family-centered maternal and newborn care. It includes didactic information regarding stages of pregnancy, parturition, and the puerperium. Topics including pharmacology, nutrition, culture, communication, and ethical/legal concerns will be taught as they relate to childbearing women and neonates with normal and abnormal processes.

This course focuses on concepts that apply the basic principles of growth and development to the prevention and treatment of common childhood health problems. The role of the practical nurse in caring for the children with a focus on family-centered care including communication, safety, prevention, and utilization of community resources will be discussed.

This course focuses on the clinical component to the maternal and well child nursing didactic courses. The learners apply nursing theory and practice nursing skills related to newborns through adolescent age patients. The learner builds upon the foundation of nursing skills practiced in their previous clinical rotations. Students can begin to apply critical thinking and problem-solving skills in obstetrics, gynecological, and pediatric settings. The student will be able to observe in OB/GYN offices, clinics, various heathcare settings and schools through a supervised clinical experience. Students are required to pass the didactic/classroom, on campus clinical lab, and clinical practicum components of this course. A grade of 74% or better and a passing grade in the on-campus clinical lab and clinical practicum components are required to continue in the nursing program. Students are expected to achieve a minimum grade of 90% or higher on the dosage calculation competency exam prior to clinical assignments. The student is given three attempts to pass this competency.

This initial Medical/Surgical course focuses on the client's health status for basic physical and psychosocial functions which are affected by the interaction between individuals and their environment. The client's state of health is affected by perioperative care, pain, infection, shock, and oncological disorders. The learner will study the care of the adult and older client with alterations in the integumentary, cardiovascular, and respiratory systems. Each system will be explored in relation to anatomy and physiology, nutrition and diet therapy, disease process, and the nursing process. Pharmacology is integrated into each unit as it applies to each disorder/illness.

This course focuses on the care of the adult and older client with alterations in the musculoskeletal, endocrine, immune, and gastrointestinal systems. Each system will be presented in relation to anatomy and physiology, nutrition and diet therapy, disease process, and the nursing process. Pharmacology is integrated into each unit as it applies to the condition/illness. The clinical component of this course will give students the opportunity to practice and increase their skills in acute care and /or rehabilitation settings, as well as outpatient/community settings. The student correlates the nursing skills integrating theory in the clinical setting. The student is given clinical assignments which are at their level of skill and knowledge. Students are evaluated weekly according to specific behavior and assigned outlines in the clinical evaluation tool. In the clinical area, the student applies the principles of pharmacology to safely administer medications.

This course focuses on the care of the adult and the older client with alterations in the musculoskeletal, endocrine, immune, and gastrointestinal systems. Each system will be presented in relation to anatomy and physiology, nutrition and diet therapy, disease process, and the nursing process. Pharmacology is integrated into each unit as it applies to the condition/illness. The clinical component of this course will give students the opportunity to practice and increase their skills in acute care and /or rehabilitation settings, as well as outpatient/community settings. The student correlates the nursing skills integrating theory in the clinical setting. The student is given clinical assignments which are at their level of skill and knowledge. Students are evaluated weekly according to specific behavior and assigned outlines in the clinical evaluation tool. In the clinical area, the student applies the principles of pharmacology to safely administer medications.

This course includes the concepts of normal and abnormal behaviors and the related theories of therapeutic intervention. The theories and concepts presented in this course are used to provide nursing care for clients with psychiatric/mental health concerns within acute and community-based settings. Emphasis is placed on the integration of psychological process, psychosocial data collection, psychiatric pharmacology, therapeutic communication and nursing interventions. Students attend a supervised clinical experience in a psychiatric setting, to interact with clients for the application of therapeutic communication in the management and rehabilitation of the mentally ill acute care and community-based settings.

This course identifies legal and ethical issues, delegation of nursing activities to unlicensed personnel and safe management of care. The focus of multiple nursing roles in the management of multiple assignments, administration of medications, delegation of responsibilities involved in managing a clinical unit. The course content will also include licensure and employment, scope of practice, communication, professional development, and continuing education as the basis for the learner to build a foundation for their role as a practical nurse.