Course Descriptions
NURS 110: History & Trends in Professional Nursing
Entry-level course that introduces students to professional nursing concepts and exemplars within the professional nursing role including member of profession, provider of patient-centered care, safety advocate and healthcare team member. Content includes clinical judgment, communication, ethical/legal issues, evidenced-based practice, health promotion, health information technology, patient-centered care, patient education, professionalism, safety, and team/collaboration. Emphasizes role development of the professional nurse including self-care behaviors, incivility, burnout, and substance abuse. Two credit hours. Prerequisite: None.
NURS 205: Nutrition for Nursing
This entry-level course introduces the student to the role of the nurse in promoting and supporting nutritional health with an emphasis on the role nutrition plays in health promotion and prevention of illness, recovery from acute illness and/or management of chronic illness. Students will explore how culture, ethnicity, socio-economic status, nutritional trends and controversies, and integrative therapies influence the nutritional health of the client. Students will develop a robust understanding of the chemical and biochemical foundations of nutrition and metabolism, focusing on patients with altered nutritional needs. Students will learn to access evidence to support healthy nutritional choices that reduce risk factors for disease and/or illness across the lifespan. Enrollment is restricted to nursing majors. Three credit hours. Prerequisite: History & Trends in Professional Nursing.
NURS 210: Pathophysiology for Nursing
This course focuses on common disease conditions affecting human beings across the lifespan. Interplay of environmental, biological, behavioral, and pharmacological determinants to the disease process. Emphasis is on homeostasis of body systems resulting in optimal health. Enrollment is restricted to nursing majors. Three credit hours. Prerequisites: History & Trends in Professional Nursing; BIOL 202/202L Fundamentals of Human Anatomy & Lab, BIOL 204/204L Fundamentals of Human Physiology & Lab, BIOL 313/313L Microbiology or another suitable microbiology course for nurses that is not a 300-level course, CHEM 105/105L Introduction to Inorganic Chemistry & Lab.
NURS 215: Health Assessment for Nursing
Evidence-based components of a routine well adult health assessment utilizing various methods are demonstrated and practiced to perform a complete history and physical examination. Distinguishing normal from abnormal is emphasized. Cultural considerations, therapeutic communication, and promotion of healthy lifestyle is emphasized. Enrollment is restricted to nursing majors. Three credit hours. Prerequisite: History & Trends in Professional Nursing.
NURS 220: Fundamentals of Nursing
Fundamental nursing concepts, skills, and techniques of safe nursing practice. Application of concepts, including the nursing process will be applied to nursing care for the beginning nurse clinician. Emphasis on evidence based practice, development of nursing judgment (clinical reasoning), documentation, standard precautions, concept mapping, patient education, health adaptation, and therapeutic communication. Basic drug therapy concepts are introduced. Enrollment is restricted to nursing majors. Five credit hours. Prerequisites: History & Trends in Professional Nursing, BIOL 202/202L Fundamentals of Human Anatomy & Lab, BIOL 204/204L Fundamentals of Human Physiology & Lab, BIOL 313/313L Microbiology or another suitable microbiology course for nurses that is not a 300-level course, CHEM 105/105L Introduction to Inorganic Chemistry & Lab, PSYC 224 Developmental Psychology.
NURS 305: Pharmacology for Nursing
This course examines the pharmacological principles of pharmacodynamics, pharmacokinetics, drug interactions, common side effects, and misuse of medications. Pharmacotherapeutic agents that are used in the treatment of illness and the promotion, maintenance and restoration of wellness in diverse individuals across the lifespan will be discussed. Emphasis is on concepts of safe administration and monitoring the effects of pharmacotherapeutic agents. Enrollment is restricted to nursing majors. Three credit hours. Prerequisite: Pathophysiology for Nursing.
NURS 310: Nursing Care of Special Populations
This course is designed to assist in broadening student understanding and perspective of health and illness among culturally diverse populations, to include gender studies. Appraises knowledge, attitudes, and skills that foster competent, sensitive, holistic care for diverse individuals, groups and communities. Three credit hours. Prerequisites: Adult Health I, and Mental Health & Wellness.
NURS 315: Nursing Care of the Family
Application and acquisition of knowledge in maternal and pediatric specialties. The health responses of the family unit are emphasized as essential to the promotion and maintenance of the health of mother and child. Students utilize the nursing process and evidence-based practice to provide optimal care for newborns, children and the developing family. Students care for patients in a variety of settings. Restricted to nursing majors. Five credit hours. Prerequisites: Adult Health I, Pharmacology for Nurses, and Mental Health & Wellness.
NURS 320: Adult Health I
Application of concepts related to the care of the adult in the acute care setting with commonly occurring medical-surgical problems. Emphasis of this course is on the use of the nursing process and application of core nursing competencies in providing and coordinating safe, quality and patient-centered care. Six credit hours. Prerequisites: History & Trends in Professional Nursing; Nutrition for Nursing, Fundamentals of Nursing, Health Assessment for Nursing, and Pathophysiology for Nursing.
NURS 325: Adult Health II
Expands on concepts from previous coursework. Uses the nursing process, clinical judgement and leadership principles to care for adult patients experiencing complex medical-surgical conditions along the health-illness continuum. Incorporates evidence-based practice, professional standards, quality improvement, and legal and ethical responsibilities of the professional nurse caring for high acuity patients. Application of knowledge and skill competencies occur in a variety of clinical settings. Enrollment restricted to nursing majors. Six credit hours. Prerequisite: Adult Health I, Pharmacology, and Mental Health & Wellness.
NURS 330: Mental Health & Wellness
Knowledge development of psychiatric/mental health issues, including psychosocial concepts; cultural, ethical, and legal influences; and wellness of individuals and family groups. Application of the nursing process with emphasis on critical thinking, therapeutic nursing interventions, and effective communication and interpersonal skills as they relate to persons with psychiatric mental health conditions. Opportunities in select care environments to gain skill and refine therapeutic communication techniques with patients and family members, promoting therapeutic interpersonal relationships. Four credit hours. Prerequisites: Fundamentals of Nursing, Health Assessment for Nursing, and Pathophysiology for Nursing.
NURS 405: Research for Evidence-Based Practice
Development of an understanding of the research process and scholarship for evidence-based practice. Spirit of inquiry fostered through interpretation and critique of research literature. Ethical considerations and methods of protection of human subjects are integrated throughout the course. Enrollment is restricted to nursing majors. Three credit hours. Prerequisites: Adult Health II, Pharmacology for Nursing, and Nursing Care of Special Populations.
NURS 410: Nursing in the Community
Applies theoretical and empirical knowledge in using the nursing process in urban and rural community settings to promote, maintain and restore health. Emphasis on health education, health promotion, and illness prevention as strategies for meeting the health needs of population aggregates. Integrates trans-cultural nursing concepts, rural and home health care delivery. Diverse roles of the community and public health nurse are examined, and a community assessment is completed using research and data processing skills. Enrollment is restricted to nursing majors. Four credit hours. Prerequisites: Fundamentals of Nursing, Health Assessment for Nursing, and Pathophysiology for Nursing.
NURS 415: Nursing Leadership & Management
Current theories of nursing management, leadership and change are examined and related to nursing practice. Emphasis on critical thinking, team building, communication, priority setting, collaborative decision-making and advocacy. Discussion of legal and ethical responsibilities in health care. Enrollment is restricted to nursing majors. Three credit hours. Prerequisites: Adult Health II, and Mental Health & Wellness.
NURS 420: Community Engagement for Nurses
This service-learning focused course gives students the opportunity to grow academically, pre-professionally, personally and civically through participation in a service-learning experience. Students meet identified needs within the community by applying knowledge from previous coursework. Students complete service hours throughout the program, complete written reflections, and meet regularly with an assigned faculty member. Students will also share their experience in a digital format using Instagram, YouTube, podcasts, blogging or another approved form of digital media. Areas of interest will be identified early in the program and culminated in this course. Three credit hours. Prerequisites: Adult Health II, Mental Health & Wellness, Nursing in the Community, Nursing Care of the Family, Nursing Care of Special Populations, and Nursing Care of the Aging Population.
NURS 425: Nursing Care of the Aging Population
This course focuses on aspects of the normal aging process and common alterations in the health of the older adult. Emphasis is on evidence-based practice that supports quality of life with a focus on aging well. The recommended baccalaureate competencies for nursing care of older adults, the nursing process and Quality and Safety Education for Nurses (QSEN) principles provide direction to promote, restore, and maintain the health of the older adult patient. Three credit hours. Prerequisite: Adult Health II.
NURS 430: Nursing Care of the Critically Ill Patient
Comprehensive essential knowledge and skills to perform effectively and efficiently in the critical care discipline, so as to ensure the delivery of safe, holistic and quality care to patients. Students gain clinical competence by assimilating foundational nursing knowledge with core critical care concepts. The focus is providing safe, competent care of critically ill patients and their families. Four credit hours. Adult Health II, Pharmacology for Nursing, and Nursing Care of Special Populations.
NURS 435: Transition to Professional Nursing Practice
Integration of baccalaureate learning outcomes to prepare the graduate for professional nursing practice. Preparation for taking the NCLEX. Synthesis of content from previous courses. Delivery of evidence-based direct care, utilizing clinical reasoning skills within mentored clinical experiences. Use of technology to deliver safe nursing care. Four credit hours. Prerequisite: Nursing Care of the Critically Ill.