BSN COURSE DESCRIPTIONS
Course credit hours and corresponding clock hours are shown in parentheses. One class clock hour/week equals one credit hour; three laboratory or practice clock hours/week equal one credit hour.
NURS 3305 Nutrition and Health.
(2) Summer, Fall (Online course)
An introduction to nutrition concepts and current dietary trends, focusing on health promotion. Nutrients are explored with regard to sources, dietary requirements, and health implications.
Prerequisite: None
NURS 3311 Health Assessment.
(4) Fall
(3 hr. class, 3 hrs. lab per week)
This course provides the framework for preparing students to perform comprehensive health assessments on patients. Emphasis is placed on taking a thorough nursing history, performing physiological, psychological, sociological, cultural, and spiritual assessments, as well as identification of stressors and health risks. Laboratory experiences provide an opportunity to practice assessment skills.
Prerequisite: RN status or admission to the BSN program
Co-requisites: NURS 3310, NURS 3400, NURS 3312, NURS 3305
NURS 3312 Foundations of Nursing Practice.
(5) Fall
(3 hrs. class, 6 hrs. lab/clinical per week)
This course provides an introduction to the professional roles of the nurse in micro- and macrosystems, as well as profession-related and patient care concepts. The nursing process provides a decision-making framework to assist students in developing effective clinical judgment skills. Emphasis is placed on the knowledge and skills needed to provide safe, quality care while developing in the role of a professional nurse. The student is given an opportunity to demonstrate these skills in a clinical laboratory setting.
Prerequisite: Admission to BSN program.
Co-requisites: NURS 3305, NURS 3310, NURS 3311, NURS 3400
NURS 3330 Nursing Care of Childbearing and Childrearing Families.
(7) Spring
(5 hrs. class, 6 hrs. lab/clinical per week)
This course provides an integrative, family-centered approach to the care of mothers, newborns, and children. Emphasis is placed on normal and high risk pregnancies, normal growth and development, family dynamics, common pediatric disorders and the promotion of healthy behaviors in patients. Clinical experiences provide the student an opportunity to apply theoretical concepts and implement safe patient care to mothers, newborns, and children in selected settings.
Prerequisites: NURS 3310, NURS 3311, NURS 3312, NURS 3400, NURS 3321
Co-requisites: NURS 3331, NURS 3350
NURS 3331 Pharmacology in Nursing.
(4) Spring
(4 hrs. class per week)
This course provides an introduction to the principles of pharmacology, including: pharmacokinetics, pharmacodynamics, medication interactions and potential adverse medication reactions. Emphasis is placed on drug classifications and nursing care related to the safe administration of medication to patients across the life span.
Prerequisite: NURS 3310, NURS 3311, NURS 3312, NURS 3400, NURS 3321
Co-requisites: NURS 3330, 3350
NURS 3350 Medical Surgical Nursing I.
(5) Spring
(3 hrs. class, 6 hrs. lab/clinical per week)
This course focuses on the care of adult patients with health alterations that require medical and/or surgical intervention. Emphasis is placed on the care of patients with alterations in selected body functions. Concepts of patient centered care, cultural sensitivity, informatics, safe practice, and professionalism are integrated throughout the course. Clinical experiences provide the student an opportunity to apply theoretical concepts and implement safe patient care to adults in a variety of settings.
Prerequisite: NURS 3310, NURS 3311, NURS 3312, NURS 3400, NURS 3321
Co-requisites: NURS 3331, NURS 3330
NURS 3400 Mental Behavioral Health Nursing.
(4) Fall
(3 hrs. class, 3hrs. lab/clinical per week)
This course focuses on the care of patients across the lifespan experiencing cognitive, mental and behavioral disorders. Emphasis is placed on management of patients facing physical, sociocultural, intellectual, spiritual, and emotional and psychological stressors as well as promoting and maintaining the mental health of individuals and families. Concepts of crisis intervention, therapeutic communication, anger management, and coping skills are integrated throughout the course. The community as a site for care and support services is addressed. Clinical experiences provide the student an opportunity to apply theoretical concepts and implement safe patient care to patients in selected mental health settings.
Prerequisites: Admission to BSN Program
Co-requisites: NURS 3310, NURS 3311, NURS 3312, NURS 3305
NURS 4430 Medical Surgical Nursing II.
(8) Fall
(4 hrs. class, 9 hrs. lab/clinical per week)
This course focuses on the care of adult patients with complex medical/surgical health problems. Emphasis is placed on helping patients and their families cope with alterations in body functions. Concepts of pharmacology, health promotion and education, evidence based practice, and interdisciplinary collaboration will be integrated throughout the course. Clinical experiences provide the student an opportunity to apply theoretical concepts and implement safe care to patients and selected groups in a variety of settings.
Prerequisites: All junior level nursing courses
Co-requisites: NURS 4431, NURS 4440
NURS 4431 Research in Nursing.
(3) Fall
(3 hrs. class per week)
This course is designed to assist students in developing a sense of inquiry as well as an increased understanding of research strategies. The course will introduce students to the research process with exploration of research designs, sampling strategies, and data analysis methods. Evaluation of research findings and use of nursing research as the basis for evidence-based practice will be emphasized.
Prerequisites: All junior level nursing courses
NURS 4432 Senior Capstone/NCLEX Synthesis.
(4) Spring
(4 hrs. class per week)
A seminar to assist students in synthesizing learning related to the roles and practices of professional nurses, exploring the health care system and the legal-ethical, sociopolitical, cultural, and professional issues influencing contemporary nursing. A research project is completed and presented from a proposal developed in NURS 4431.
Prerequisites: All Junior-Level Nursing & Senior Fall Courses
Co-requisites: NURS 4450, NURS 4460
NURS 4433 Medical Surgical Nursing III.
(4) Spring
(4 hrs. class per week)
This course focuses on advanced concepts of nursing care as they relate to patients across the lifespan with complex, multisystem alterations in health. Emphasis is placed on implementing time management and organizational skills while managing the care of patients with multiple needs and collaborating with the interdisciplinary team. Complex clinical skills, as well as priority setting, clinical judgment, and tenets of legal and ethical practice, are integrated throughout the course.
Prerequisites: All Junior level courses; NURS 4430, NURS 4431, NURS 4440
Co-requisites: NURS 4432, NURS 4450
NURS 4440 Nursing Care: A Community Focus.
(4) Fall
(3 hrs. class, 3 hrs. lab/clinical per week)
This course is intended to introduce students to nursing care of individuals, families, aggregates, communities, and populations. Principles and practices of community health are discussed. Emphasis is placed on assessing factors that influence the health of populations and the use of evidence-based practices in the delivery of spiritually and culturally appropriate health promotion and disease prevention interventions. The role of the nurse as advocate for social justice is explored.
Prerequisites: All Junior-level Nursing courses
Co-requisites: NURS 4430, NURS 4431
NURS 4450 Leadership.
(6) Spring
(2 hrs. class per week, 180 total hours of clinical practice per student)
This course focuses on the knowledge and skills needed to be a nursing leader who can function as a contributing member of the interprofessional team. The development of transformational leadership skills and management techniques needed to coordinate the provision of safe, quality patient-centered care are highlighted. Emphasis is placed on professional behaviors, communication that supports information exchange, collaboration and conflict mediation, ethical comportment and establishment and provision of evidenced based practice. Students will develop the skills of delegation and conflict management. Legal and ethical issues are discussed with a focus on personal accountability and responsibility. Students will be given the opportunity to work one-on-one with a professional nurse in their preceptorship to provide care for a caseload of patients where they can demonstrate
professional behaviors, communication skills, collaboration with healthcare team members and ability to use conflict mediation skills and ethical comportment.
Prerequisites: All Junior-Level Nursing Courses and NURS 4430, NURS 4440, NURS 4431
Co-requisites: NURS 4432, NURS 4433
NURS 4495 Independent Study in Nursing.
(Variable) On demand
For students meeting requirements, the opportunity to pursue special interests beyond those in the formal course of study.
Prerequisite: Completion of 2/3 nursing major courses, 3.0 GPA, and permission.