Nursing Major
Admission Requirements
Admission with RN-BSN option
Course Descriptions
Curriculum ... Basic | RN-BSN option
Program Progression
Skills for Eligibility

Health Promotion Major
Mission, Program and Curriculum
Course Descriptions

School of Nursing Handbook
Student Nurses Association
Contact

Nursing major course descriptions

Visual display of course credit allocations are standardized by lecture/didactic hours, lab hours, and clinical hours in the following format: i.e. (6) [3-1-2]. One lecture/didactic hour credit equals 1 clock hour/week; one laboratory credit equals 2 clock hours/week; and one clinical credit equals 3 clock hours/week.

102. FOUNDATIONS OF HEALTH CARE (3) [3-0-0]. Prerequisites: ENGL 111, completion or enrollment in MATH 105 or higher, BIOL 215 and 216 and completion of either CHEM 110 or BIOL 220, all with a grade of C or above. The course introduces the student to core competencies required by modern health care professionals. Emphasizing the development of critical thinking skills and human compassion necessary for a successful career in health care, the course investigates topics such as effective communication, infection control, safety, and health care trends. A review of human anatomy and physiology and an introduction to medical math, lifestyle management, and health care professionalism prepare the student for entry into a professional healthcare program. This course cannot be challenged. Cross-listed under Health Promotion (HEAL).

203. HEALTH ASSESSMENT (4) [3-1-0]. Prerequisites: Admission to the nursing major/program; Corequisites: NURS 209, NURS 212. The course is designed to introduce students to the methods of health history taking, physical examination skills, health promotion techniques, and clinical assessment tools. Analysis and interpretation of data and systematic documentation processes are included. This course cannot be challenged.

209. CONCEPTS OF COMMUNITY HEALTH PROMOTION (3). Prerequisites: Admission to the nursing major/program; Corequisites: NURS 203, NURS 212. This course introduces the student to the concept of health promotion and primary prevention in the community. Beginning level skills that foster health promotion and disease prevention are developed. The concept of client will be examined in the context of at risk groups in the community. This course cannot be challenged. Cross-listed under Health Promotion (HEAL).

212. DISEASES AND DISORDERS (3). Prerequisites: Admission to the nursing major/program; Corequisites: NURS 203, NURS 209. This course introduces the student to basic pathophysiological concepts and commonly occurring acute and chronic health problems utilizing a body systems approach. Emphasizing the development of critical thinking skills necessary for a successful career in healthcare, the course provides exposure to current trends, treatment advances and ongoing research for emerging health problems. This course cannot be challenged. Cross-listed under Health Promotion (HEAL).

215. FUNDAMENTALS OF NURSING (5) [2-1-2]. Prerequisites: NURS 203, NURS 209, NURS 212; Corequisite: NURS 216. This course introduces the student to the historical, societal, economic and political context of nursing as a discipline. Emphasizing the development of core knowledge and values of the discipline, the course provides an overview of nursing problem solving frameworks including application of critical thinking, nursing process and evidenced based practice. Clinical experiences in laboratory and selected healthcare facilities provide opportunities to apply basic nursing concepts and the clinical decision making process. This course cannot be challenged.

216. PHARMACOLOGY FOR PROFESSIONAL NURSING (3) [3-0-0]. Prerequisites: NURS 203, NURS 209, NURS 212; Corequisite: NURS 215. The course introduces the student to pharmacological concepts, major drug classifications and the roles and responsibilities of professional nursing practice for clients receiving medications for a variety of disorders. This course cannot be challenged.

260. LIFE SPAN DEVELOPMENT (3). Prerequisites or Corequisites: PSYC 110; NURS/HEAL 102; or, permission of instructor. This course focuses on human growth and development across the life span from prenatal beginning to death. Emphasis will be placed on the biophysical and psychosocial developmental processes and changes for each period of the life span. Cross-listed under Health Promotion (HEAL).

302. PSYCHIATRIC/MENTAL HEALTH NURSING (5) [3-0-2]. Prerequisites: Completion of all 200 level Nursing courses, BIOL 345 (grade of C or better), NURS 260 or other approved growth and development course (grade of C or better). Using a theoretical orientation, the course focuses on the dynamics of health behavior to care for culturally diverse clients receiving psychiatric/mental health care in hospital and community settings. Care is focused on common mental health problems with emphasis on therapeutic interventions and modalities designed to promote, maintain and restore health. The concepts of group dynamics and milieu management are addressed. The nurse’s role as a collaborative member of the health care team is emphasized. This course cannot be challenged.

303. MATERNITY NURSING (5) [3-0-2]. Prerequisites: Completion of all 200 level Nursing courses, BIOL 345 (grade of C or better), NURS 260 or other approved growth and development course (grade of C or better). Application of the nursing process with women and families in the childbearing phase of development in hospital and community settings is emphasized. Care will focus on the health needs related to the normal and abnormal prenatal, intrapartal and postpartal physiological changes and psychosocial needs related to new family structure and dynamics. Emphasis will be on health promotion and maintenance. This course cannot be challenged.

304. PEDIATRIC NURSING (5) [3-0-2]. Prerequisites: Completion of all 200 level Nursing courses, NURS 311, BIOL 345 (grade of C or better), NURS 260 or other approved growth and development course (grade of C or better). Application of the nursing process with children and families in the hospital and community settings is emphasized. Care will focus on the common pediatric health problems and the health promotion needs of well children. Emphasis will be on health promotion and maintenance. This course cannot be challenged.

311. ADULT HEALTH I (4) [2-0-2]. Prerequisites: Completion of all 200 level Nursing courses, BIOL 345 (grade of C or better), NURS 260 or other approved growth and development course (grade of C or better). The course explores the roles and responsibilities of professional nursing practice for patients with specific medical and/or surgical conditions. The nursing process is applied with emphasis placed on care that addresses the specific needs of the adult patient for the maintenance, promotion and restoration of physiological/psychosocial function. This course cannot be challenged.

360. HEALTH ASSESSMENT IN PROFESSIONAL NURSING PRACTICE (4) [3-1-0]. (Limited to RN-BSN Option Students). Prerequisites: Admission to the RN-BSN Option and completion of at least 61 semester hours of non-nursing courses required for the BSN. Concepts considered essential to professional nursing practice in conducting a comprehensive assessment of the physical and psychosocial health status of individuals across the life span are studied and applied. The Common Core of nursing knowledge and skills are validated. Major emphasis is placed on nursing process, communication skills, teaching-learning theory and practice, health promotion, and diagnostic skills. Issues related to returning to school and the development of the professional self-concept are examined. This course cannot be challenged.

404. LEADERSHIP AND MANAGEMENT IN PROFESSIONAL NURSING (5) [3-0-2]. Prerequisites: Completion of all 300 level Nursing courses, PSYC/SOCI 301 or other approved statistics course (grade of C or better). Effective leadership and management skills expected of the professional nurse will be explored. Strategies for application of leadership and management principles in simulated and actual healthcare delivery situations will be developed. The impact of legal, social, political, religion and economic forces on nursing, society and the health care system are analyzed. Ethical and spiritual dilemmas confronting nurses are explored from multiple perspectives. This course cannot be challenged.

405. RESEARCH IN HEALTHCARE (3) [3-0-0]. Prerequisites: Completion of all 300 level Nursing courses, PSYC/SOCI 301 or other approved statistics course (grade of C or better). The research process and application of research findings, as applied to healthcare, will be addressed. Emphasis is on the review and critique of published research with consideration of the application of research findings in healthcare settings. This course cannot be challenged. Cross-listed under Health Promotion (HEAL).

409. COMMUNITY HEALTH NURSING (4) [2-0-2]. Prerequisites: Completion of all 300 level Nursing courses, PSYC/SOCI 301 or other approved statistics course (grade of C or better). The course focuses on assessing needs, promoting health, and preventing disease in vulnerable individuals, groups, and communities. Family and community assessments will be performed utilizing multidisciplinary theories and principles. This course cannot be challenged.

411. ADULT HEALTH II (4) [2-0-2]. Prerequisites: Completion of all 300 level Nursing courses. Application of the nursing process with adults in the hospital setting is emphasized. Care will focus on multidimensional needs of the client including physical, psychosocial, cultural, and spiritual with emphasis on maintenance, prevention, and restoration through the adult years. The definition of the individual as client/patient is broadened to include the family. This course cannot be challenged.

412. ADULT HEALTH III (4) [2-0-2]. Prerequisites: NURS 404, NURS 405, NURS 411; Corequisite: NURS 430. This course will focus on the application of the nursing process in specialized care units with adult patients who have multiple, complex health issues and their families. Strategies to respond and adapt to rapidly changing patient conditions in simulated and actual health care settings is emphasized. This course can be challenged/validated by RN-BSN Option students only.

420. SENIOR PROJECT (1-3) [(1-3)-0-(0-3)]. Prerequisites: Completion of all 300 level Nursing courses for basic students. Students may enroll in the course more than once. Only six semester hours credit may be earned. Credit will not count towards the nursing major for basic students. RN-BSN Option students must complete at least 4 semester hours to meet graduation requirements. The course provides the opportunity for students to be creative and independent in pursuing an area of interest in nursing. The learning objectives, method of evaluation, and selected preceptor are jointly decided by the student and faculty to meet individual learning needs. This course cannot be challenged.

430. CAPSTONE: PREPARING FOR THE PROFESSIONAL ROLE (2) [2-0-0]. Prerequisites or corequisites: All 400 level Nursing courses. Taken in final semester of the nursing major/program. The capstone experience allows for synthesis of theories and knowledge from the arts, sciences, and nursing in order to refine critical thinking skills for making clinical and professional judgments from a multidimensional perspective in preparation for NCLEX-RN success and the professional role. This course cannot be challenged.