Course Descriptions

NURSU 315. Health Assessment. This course is designed to introduce the student to the comprehensive assessment of the pediatric, adult, and the older adult client including variations of normal and common abnormal findings. Communication skills, history taking and physical assessment skills, and the proper use of assessment tools are emphasized. Cultural and spiritual assessment of the client in the context of a family is discussed. Students analyze assessment data for common risk factors and social determinants of health and identify strategies teaching clients about health promotion and disease prevention. Professional nursing behaviors are practiced. Prerequisite: Enrollment in the CON ABSN program 4 s.h. (3,0,1)

NURSU 372. Health Care Systems and Policy. This course focuses on health policy and issues that affect consumers of health care and nursing practice. The organization of the health care system and the policy making process are explored and the legal, political, economic, social, cultural and environmental influences are analyzed. Prerequisite: NURSU 315, NURSU 385, NURSU 387, NURSU 405, NURSU 409, NURSU 417, NURUS 451, NURSU 452, NURSU 454, NURSU 461, NURSU 464 2 s.h. (2,0,0)

NURSU 376. Leadership and Management. In this course students will evaluate leadership behaviors and organizational structures that enhance the delivery of client care. Management techniques and nursing care decisions are examined by synthesizing knowledge of various health care organizations and financing of health care delivery systems. Students will discuss strategies for communicating effectively in culturally diverse relationships with patients, families and peers. Emphasis is on organizational roles, legal responsibilities and implications for professional nursing practice. Prerequisite: NURSU 315, NURSU 385, NURSU 387, NURSU 405, NURSU 409, NURSU 417, NURSU 451, NURSU 452, NURSU 454, NURSU 461, NURSU 464 3 s.h. (3,0,0)

NURSU 385. Professional Nursing and Nursing Practice. This course is designed to introduce students to the past, present, and future of professional nursing. An emphasis is placed on professional values and philosophies, core competencies, knowledge and attitudes needed for professional practice, the socialization and role development of the professional nurse, and the legal and ethical aspects of nursing practice. Prerequisite: Enrollment in the CON ABSN program 2 s.h. (2,0,0

NURSU 387. Psychiatric and Mental Health Nursing. This course utilizes the nursing process to address the nursing care needs of individuals who have psychiatric and mental health disorders. Predisposing biological, psychological, and sociocultural factors contributing to the development and continuation of these disorders are examined. Precipitating stressors, coping resources and coping mechanisms are evaluated in relation to an individual's pattern of response. Nursing interventions for these disorders based on the crisis, acute, maintenance, and health promotion stages of treatment are analyzed. The impact of psychiatric illness on the family and other social systems is also explored. Foundational elements of the course include the therapeutic use of self, effective communication skills, critical thinking, and evidence-based practice. Prerequisite: NURSU 315, NURSU 385, NURSU 451, NURSU 461 5 s.h. (3,0,2)

NURSU 405. Nursing Care with Children and Their Families. This course is designed to focus on children as unique individuals with different capacities and vulnerabilities according to developmental level, social determinants or health and health status. Children have the potential for a variety of responses in health and illness situations. Children's abilities to respond to changes in health status are examined within the context of disparate environments and within diverse families. Nursing interventions, which promote, maintain, or restore health and optimal functioning are explored in relation to the children and their families. Clinical experiences focus on care of children and families in diverse health care and community settings. Prerequisite: NURSU 315; NURSU 385, NURSU 387, NURSU 451, NURSU 452, NURSU 454, NURSU 461, NURSU 464 5 s.h. (3,0,2)

NURSU 409. Population Focused Nursing. Population Focused Nursing facilitates students' ability to impact health status of populations, communities, families, and individuals. The course involves identifying determinants of health; prioritizing primary prevention; actively identifying and reaching out to those who might benefit from a service; and using available resources to assure best overall improvement in the health of the population (ANA, 2007). Students are facilitated to expand, integrate, and apply knowledge and skills in health promotion, disease prevention, and risk reduction. Clinical experiences will include the application of theory, skills, and knowledge with defined population(s) in a variety of experiences, including communities, clinics, primary care, schools, public and home health agencies, and care management programs. Prerequisite: NURSU315, NURSU385, NURSU 387, NURSU451, NURSU 452, NURSU 454, NURSU461, NURSU 464 5 sh (3,0,2)

NURSU 417. Women's Health Nursing. This course examines the health care needs of women across the lifespan with specific emphasis on the childbearing family. The role of nursing in promoting health, fostering positive parenting, advocating for vulnerable clients, and demonstrating culturally effective care is presented. The course applies nursing process, theory, evidence-based practice guidelines and research with an emphasis on development of critical thinking skills in the treatment of human responses to the health needs of women, families and neonates. Prerequisite: NURSU 315, NURSU 385, NURSU 387, NURSU 451, NURSU 452, NURSU 454, NURSU 461, NURSU 464 5 s.h. (3,0,2)

NURSU 451. Pathophysiology-Pharmacology I. This is the first of two courses that examines the physiologic mechanisms underlying selected alterations in health that occur throughout the life cycle, taking into account the social determinants of health. Relationships between physiologic responses to potential or actual health problems are emphasized. This course will cover selected diseases and their evaluation and pharmacologic treatment in clinical care. Basic pharmacological concepts with emphasis on drug groups and nursing implications will be integrated throughout the course, preparing students with necessary knowledge for use in the clinical courses. Prerequisite: Enrollment in the CON ABSN program 3 s.h. (3,0,0)

NURSU 452. Pathophysiology-Pharmacology II. The second course in series that examines the physiologic mechanisms underlying selected alterations in health that occur throughout the life cycle taking into account the social determinants of health. Relationships between physiologic responses to potential or actual health problems are emphasized. This course will cover selected diseases and their evaluation and pharmacologic treatment in clinical care. Pharmacological interventions will integrated throughout the course, preparing students with necessary knowledge for use in the clinical courses. Prerequisite: NURSU 315, NURSU 385, NURSU 451, NURSU 461 3 s.h. (3,0,0)

NURSU 454. Medical Surgical Nursing I. In this course students will have expanded opportunities to use the nursing process and clinical reasoning to guide care planning decisions for hospitalized clients. Opportunities will be provided to plan, implement and evaluate medical and surgical interventions to prepare clients for discharge following hospital care. This course provides students with experiences that will help integrate content from previous coursework to the care of clients from diverse ethnic, cultural and geographic backgrounds. Prerequisite: NURSU 315, NURSU 385, NURSU 451, NURSU 461 6 s.h. (3,0,3)

NURSU 455. Medical Surgical Nursing II. This capstone course, designed to facilitate transition into the roles and responsibilities of the professional nurse, includes an intensive clinical practicum in which the student will experience the roles of the nurse as a provider of care for multiple clients in an acute care setting, as well as a leader/manager/coordinator of care in a variety of health care settings. Critical thinking and leadership skills are applied, with an emphasis on culturally effective communication with diverse clients, continuity of care, coordination of care and collaboration with interdisciplinary team members to provide a comprehensive plan of care for optimal client outcomes recognizing the impact of social determinants of health. During a focused clinical experience with a registered nurse, the leadership role and professional accountability of the baccalaureate-prepared nurse are explored both in relation to current nursing practice, as well as to ongoing changes in health care delivery. Prerequisite: NURSU 315, NURSU 385, NURSU 387, NURSU 405, NURSU 409, NURSU 417, NURSU 451, NURSU 452, NURSU 454, NURSU 461, NURSU 464 7 s.h. (3,0,4)

NURSU 461. Foundations and Gerontologic Nursing. This is the first course to introduce students to the role of critical thinking and the nursing process as a mechanism to synthesize knowledge and master basic nursing skills needed to promote, maintain and restore health in older adult clients. The course will integrate nursing process, principles of communication, decision-making, and basic nursing skills necessary for applying health assessment data and pathophysiology content to the experience of health and illness of clients, diverse ethnic, cultural and geographic backgrounds. Prerequisite: Enrollment in the CON ABSN program 6 s.h. (3,0,3)

NURSU 464. Research and Evidenced Based Practice in Nursing. The course introduces evidence-based practice and the research process in the development of nursing knowledge and practice. Emphasis is on the critical appraisal of published research and translating research findings in clinical practice. Survey techniques and sampling strategies are presented. Ethical considerations and the protection of human subjects in research are explored. Prerequisite: NURUS 315, NURSU 385, NURUS 451, NURSU 461 3 s.h. (3,0,0)

IP 711. Transforming Healthcare for the Future. This course provides the foundation for beginning health professions students to develop competency in interprofessional collaborative practice. The goal of the course is to help prepare future health professionals for enhanced team-based care of patients and improved patient and population health outcomes through evidence-based team strategies and understanding of professional roles and responsibilities. 1 s.h.