Nursing Course Descriptions

P = prerequisite R = recommended
C = corequisite * = lab fee

NURS- A 136 Introduction to Science and Technology of Nursing (4 cr.) C: NURS-A137 This course focuses on the discipline of nursing by introducing the students to the foundational knowledge needed to assess the life processes and the developmental, ethnic, and cultural patterns of health and illness in individuals to identify common problems, and to implement standardized nursing practices.The course will emphasize nursing roles, the nursing process, and the acquisition of basic psychomotor skills in simulated learning settings.

NURS- A 137 Application of Science and Technology of Nursing (3 cr.) C: NURS-A136 Students will focus on the use of critical thinking skills in the assessment of life processes, developmental, ethnic,and cultural patterns of health and illness in the care of adults.The course provides the opportunity to apply basic psychomotorskills and implement standard nursing practices. Students will also be introduced to technology appropriate to support prescribed care interventions.

NURS- A 146 Care of the Individual: Nutrition/Elimination (3 cr.) C: NURS-A147, NURS-A148, NURS A149 This course focuses on the functional, adaptive, ethnic, and cultural patterns of young, middle-aged, and elderly adults; with emphasis on alterations in nutrition, elimination; and metabolic processes.Students will use the nursing process in identifying interventions consistent with acute and chronic alterations in nutrition, elimination,and metabolic processes.

NURS- A 147 Nursing Practicum: Nutrition/Elimination (3 cr.) C: NURS-A146, NURS-A148, NURS-A149 Students will focus on the nursing process in the delivery of nursing care for adults with alterations in nutrition, elimination, and metabolic processes .Emphasis is placed on the developmental patterns of adults. Course provides students with the opportunity to continue to develop critical thinking, communication, and psychomotor skills consistent with the role of a competent care provider in a variety of care settings.

NURS- A 148 Care of the Individual: Alterations in Comfort/Function (2 cr.) C: NURS-A146, NURS-A147, NURS-A149 This course focuses on the experience of stress and coping, pain, and mobility impairment in young, middle-aged, and elderly adults from the perspectives of health, developmental and ethnic/cultural patterns.Students will use the nursing process to formulate care plans/maps for individuals experiencing cancer, altered immune responses, and impaired musculoskeletal function and skin integrity.

NURS- A 149 Nursing Practicum: Alterations in Comfort/ Function (2 cr.) C: NURS-A146, NURS-A147, NURS-A148 Students will focus on assessment, diagnosis, planning, implementation, and evaluation of individuals experiencing alterations in comfort and function. Students will be expected to perform selected skills safely and competently, and demonstrate accountability for the management of individuals’ care in a variety of settings.

NURS- A 150 L.P.N. Transition to A.S.N. Practice (4 cr.) This course builds on assessment of prior knowledge and skills and facilitates advanced placement in the A.S.N. Program. Offersopportunity to use critical thinking, communication, and psychomotorskills in applying the nursing process to care of adultswith alterations in comfort/function, nutrition, elimination, andmetabolic processes. Begins socialization to A.S.N. roles.

NURS- A 190 Nursing Freshman Seminar (3 cr.) This course is designed to help first-time college students interestedin a nursing career make the transition into a university setting,and become familiar with the nursing profession. Varioushealth issues are presented and discussed. Students also spendtime acquiring skills to help them succeed in college, such as self-assessment,personal health and stress management, attitude andmotivation, time management, reading, listening and note-taking,studying and test-taking strategies, writing and speaking techniques,computer use, portfolio development and communityservice.

NURS- A 276 Care of the Individual: Activity/Exercise (3 cr.) C: NURS-A277 This course focuses on the application of allaspects of the nursing process in caring for individuals experiencingselected acute and chronic alterations in cardiac, respiratory,and hematological systems in young, middle-aged, and elderlyadults. Integration and critical examination of prior and newknowledge will be emphasized.

NURS- A 277 Nursing Practicum: Alterations in Activity/ Exercise (3 cr.) C: NURS-A276 Students will focus on adults experiencing selectedacute and chronic cardiac, respiratory, and hematological alterations;

and their related disruptions in activity-exercise abilities. The nursing process will be used in providing care that will foster positive outcomes.

NURS- A 278 Care of the Individual: Cognition/Perception/ Interaction (3 cr.) C: NURS-A279 This course focuses on the knowledge and skillsneeded to care for individuals experiencing actual or potential

problems of the neuro-psychological, neuro-muscular or central nervous system. Problems include cognitive, physiological, emotional, and behavioral disruptions experienced by individuals across the life-span.

NURS- A 279 Nursing Practicum: Cognition/Perception/ Interaction (2 cr.) C: NURS-A278 Students will focus on individuals experiencing neuro-psychological, neuro- muscular, central nervous system, cognitive, emotional, and behavior disruptions. Students will be expected to integrate knowledge and skills in increasingly complex care situations consistent with course and level competencies.

NURS- A 286 Care of the Individuals: Beginning and Evolving Families (3 cr.) C: NURS-A287 This course focuses on the study of individuals and families during the childbearing and child-raising phases of development. Concepts of growth and development, health promotion, health maintenance, illness, and illness prevention are integrated.

NURS- A 287 Nursing Practicum: Beginning and Evolving Families (3 cr.) C: NURS-A286 Students will focus on care of individuals and families during the childbearing and child-raising phases of development. Students will be expected to apply nursing skills and knowledge to promote family function and growth.Students will have opportunities to interact with children, adults, and families across the care continuum.

NURS- A 288 Care of the Individual: The Family and Community Context (2 cr.) C: NURS-A289 This capstone course focuses on the integration of knowledge and its application in the provision of comprehensive nursing care. The role of the nurse in planning, collaborating, organizing, communicating, problem solving, and evaluating care outcomes will be emphasized. Principles of care management and pharmacology will be synthesized into course content.

NURS- A 289 Nursing Practicum: Care within a Family/Community Context (3 cr.) C: NURS-A288 Students will apply the nursing process in managing care for multiple individuals and their families in a variety of acute and community-focused settings where policies and procedures are specified and professional consultation is available. Students will also demonstrate their ability to synthesize pharmacology and the use of computers in their practice.

NURS- A 290 The Discipline of Nursing: Role Transition (2 cr.) This course focuses on the transition from the role of student to graduate nurse. Emphasis is placed on the responsibilities and expectations of the professional nurse in the health care deliverysystem. Legal and ethical issues, professional development, group dynamics, risk management, quality assurance, politicalaction, nursing organizations, and the use of research to inform nursing practice will be explored.

NURS-B 212 Life Span Development: Middle Age and Aging (1 cr.) Development of behavior in adulthood and the later years, factors that influence behavior, and death and dying. Designed for students who have already completed a child and adolescent development course.

NURS-B 232 Introduction to the Discipline of Nursing: Theory, Practice, Research (3 cr.) This course focuses on the core theoretical concepts of nursing practice: health, wellness, illness, wholism, caring environment, self- care, uniqueness of persons, interpersonal relationships, and decision-making. This course helps the student understand nursing’sunique contribution to meeting societal needs through integrating theory, research and practice.

NURS-B 233 Health and Wellness (4 cr.) This course focuses on the use of concepts from nursing, nutrition,pharmacology, and biopsychosocial sciences to critically examine the determinates of health, wellness, and illness across the lifespan. Environmental, sociocultural, and economic factors that influence health care practices are emphasized. Theories of health, wellness, and illness are related to health-promotion, disease-prevention, and illness-prevention nursing interventions.

NURS-B 244 Comprehensive Health Assessment (2 cr.) C: NURS-B 245. This course focuses on helping students acquire skills to conduct a comprehensive health assessment, including the physical, psychological, social, functional, and environmental aspects of health. The process of data collection, interpretation, documentation, and dissemination of assessment data will be addressed.

NURS-B 245 Comprehensive Health Assessment: Practicum (2 cr.) C: NURS-B 244. Students will have the opportunity to use interview, observation, percussion, palpation, inspection, and auscultation in assessing clients across the life span in simulated and actual environments.

NURS-B 248 Science and Technology of Nursing (2 cr.) C: NURS-B 249. This course focuses on the fundamentals of nursing from a theoretical research base. It provides an opportunity for basic care nursing skills development. Students will be challenged to use critical thinking and problem solving in developing the ability to apply an integrated nursing therapeutics approach for clients experiencing health alterations across the life span.

NURS-B 249 Science and Technology Nursing: Practicum (2 cr.) C: NURS-B 248. Students will have the opportunity to demonstrate fundamental nursing skills in the application of nursing care for clients across the life span.

NURS-H 351 Alterations in Neuro-Psychological Health (3 cr.) P: All sophomore-level courses. C: NURS-H 352. This course focuses on individuals and small groups experiencing acute and chronic neuropsychological disorders. Content includes the effect of the brain-body disturbances on health functioning. Other content areas are growth and development, stress, mental status, nurse-client relationships, psychopharmacology, and nursing approaches for clients experiencing DSM-IV neuropsychological disorders.

NURS-H 352 Alterations in Neuro-Psychological Health: The Practicum (2 cr.) C: NURS-H 351. Students will provide nursing care to individuals and small groups who are experiencing acute and chronic neuropsychological disturbances related to psychiatric disorders. Student experiences will be with individuals and small groups in supervised settings such as acute care, community-based, transitional, and/or the home.

NURS-H 353 Alterations in Health I (3 cr.) P: All sophomore-level courses. C: NURS-H 354. This course focuses on the pathophysiology and holistic nursing care management of clients experiencing acute and chronic problems.Students will use critical thinking and problem-solving skills to plan interventions appropriate to health care needs.

NURS-H 354 Alterations in Health I: Practicum (2 cr.) C: NURS-H 353. Students will apply the science and technology of nursing to perform all independent, dependent, and interdependent care functions. Student will engage clients in a varietyof settings to address alteration in health functioning, identify health care needs, and determine the effectiveness of interventions given expected care outcomes.

NURS-H 361 Alterations in Health II (3 cr) P: NURS-H 351, NURS-H 352, NURS-H 353, NURS-H 354, all sophomore-level courses. C: NURS-H 362. This course builds on Alterations in Health I and continues to focus on pathophysiology and holistic nursing care management of clients experiencing acute and chronic health problems and their associated needs.

NURS-H 362 Alterations in Health II: The Practicum (2 cr.) C: NURS-H 361, P: NURS-H 351, NURS-H 352, NURS-H 353,NURS-H 354 and all sophomore courses. Students will continueto apply the science and technology of nursing to perform all independent, dependent, and interdependent care functions. Students will engage clients in a variety of settings to address alterations in health functioning.

NURS-H 363 The Developing Family and Child (2–3 cr.) C: NURS-H 364 This course focuses on the needs of individuals and their families who are facing the phenomena of growth and development during the childbearing and child raising phases of family development. Factors dealing with preserving, promoting,and restoring health status of family members will be emphasized.

NURS-H 364 The Developing Family and Child: The Practicum (3 cr.) C: NURS-H 363. Students will have the opportunity to work with childbearing and child raising families, including those experiencing alterations in health.

NURS-H 365 Nursing Research (3 cr.) C: NURS-H 361, NURS-H 362, NURS-H 363, NURS-H 364. This course is on development of students’ skills in using the research process to define clinical research problems and to determine the usefulness of research in clinical decisions related to practice.The critique of nursing and nursing-related research studies will be emphasized in identifying applicability to nursing practice.

NURS-K 490 Clinical Nursing Elective (1–6 cr.) P: Consent of instructor. S/F graded. Planned and supervised clinical experience in an area of concentration.

NURS-K 492 Nursing Elective (1–6 cr.) P: Consent of instructor. Opportunity for the student to pursue study in an area of interest.

NURS-S 470 Restorative Health Related to Multi-System Failures (3 cr.) P: All Sophomore and Junior level courses. C: NURS-S 471,NURS-S 472, NURS-S 473. This course focuses on the pathophysiology and nursing care management of clients experiencing multi-system alterations in health status. Correlations among complex system alterations and nursing interventions to maximize health potential are emphasized.

NURS-S 471 Restorative Health Related to Multi-System Failures: The Practicum (2 cr.) C: NURS-S 470, NURS-S 472, NURS-S 473. The students will apply the nursing process to the care of clients experiencing acutemulti-system alterations in health.

NURS-S 472 AMulti-System Approach to the Health of the Community (3 cr.) P: All junior-level courses. C: NURS-S 470, NURS-S 471, NURS-S473. This course focuses on the complexity and diversity of groups or aggregates within communities and their corresponding health care needs. Through a community assessment of health trends, demographics, epidemiological data, and social/political issues in local and global communities, the student will be able to determine effective interventions for community-centered care.

NURS-S 473 AMulti-System Approach to the Health of the Community: The Practicum (2 cr.) C: NURS-S 470, NURS-S 471, NURS-S 472. Students will have the opportunity to apply the concepts of community assessment, program planning, prevention, and epidemiology to implement and evaluate interventions for community-centered care to groups or aggregates. Professional nursing will be practiced in collaboration with diverse groups within a community.

NURS-S 481 Nursing Management (2 cr.) P: All Sophomore, Junior, and First Semester Senior level courses.C: NURS-S 481, NURS-S 482, NURS-S 483, NURS-S 484, NURS-S485. This course focuses on the development management skills assumed by professional nurses, including delegation of responsibilities, networking, facilitation of groups, conflict resolution, leadership, case management and collaboration. Concepts addressed include organizational structure, change, managing quality and performance, workplace diversity, budgeting and resource allocation, and delivery systems.

NURS-S 482 Nursing Management: Practicum (3 cr.) C: NURS-S 481, NURS-S 483, NURS-S 484, NURS-S 485. Students will have the opportunity to apply professional management skills in a variety of nursing leadership roles.

NURS-S 483 Clinical Nursing Practice Capstone (3 cr.) C: NURS-S 481, NURS-S 482, NURS-S 484, NURS-S 485. Students will have the opportunity to demonstrate competencies consistent with program outcomes and to refine their nursing carepractice skills. Students will collaborate with faculty and a preceptor in choosing a care setting, planning and organizing a learning experience, and practicing professional nursing in a safe and effective manner.

NURS-S 484 Research Utilization Seminar (2 cr.) C: NURS-S 481, NURS-S 482, NURS-S 483, NURS-S 485. This course focuses on students’ abilities to refine their critical/analytical skills in evaluating clinical research for applicability to nursing practice. Students will examine the role of evaluation, action research, and research findings in assuring quality of nursing care and in solving relevant problems arising from clinical practice.

NURS-S 485 Professional Growth and Empowerment (3 cr.) C: NURS-S 481, NURS-S 482, NURS-S 483, NURS-S 484. This course focuses on issues related to professional practice, career planning, personal goal setting, and empowerment of self and others. Students will discuss factors related to job performance, performance expectations and evaluation, reality orientation, and commitment to life-long learning.

NURS-Z 490 Clinical Experience in Nursing (1–6 cr.) P: consent of instructor. S/F graded. Planned and supervised clinical experiences in the area of the student’s major interest.

NURS-Z 492 Individual Study in Nursing (1–6 cr.) P: Consent of instructor. Opportunity for the student to pursue independent study of topics in nursing under the guidance of a selected faculty member.

NURS-B 304 Professional Nursing Seminar I (3 cr) This course focuses on core theoretical concepts of professional nursing practice including health, wellness, illness, self-care, caring, disease prevention and health promotion. Students will be expected to explore theoretical premises and research related to the unique wellness perspectives and health beliefs of people across the lifespan in developing care outcomes consistent with maximizing individual potentials for wellness. Course incorporates content from NURS-B 233: Health and Wellness. This course is restricted to R.N. to B.S.N. students only.

NURS-B 404 Professional Nursing Seminar II (3 cr) This course focuses the application of nursing theory and research findings in restoring and maintaining individual and family functioning for those dealing with multi-system alterations.Students will explore the ethical, legal, and moral implications of treatment options and identify tactics to maximize nursing’s effectiveness in facilitating individuals and families through the health care system. Course incorporates content from NURS-B 232: Introduction to the Discipline of Nursing.This course is restricted to R.N. to B.S.N. students only.

‹‹ Back to Top