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Course Descriptions — R.N. to B.S.N. Degree Completion Program

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NUR3000 Introduction to Professional Nursing (3 semester hours)
This course explores the development of the professional nursing role. Histori­cal perspectives, selected nursing theories, and standards of nursing practice are presented. The concepts of health and illness as influenced by psychological, social, cultural, ethical, and legal issues are examined The development of nurs­ing knowledge, diagnosis, interventions, and outcomes are emphasized. (Fall) Writing Intensive course.
No prerequisites.
Concurrent with NUR3100 and NUR3260. 

NUR3030 Dimensions of Professional Practice (4 semester hours)
This course is a bridge course for R.N. students that introduces the nursing pro­gram themes of caring, health, learning, commitment to human dignity, and nurs­ing. The course examines the key dimensions of the role of the professional nurse by identifying strategies that can be used to determine learning and prac­tice outcomes. The health care delivery system is explored from various per­spectives: quality care, accessibility, and cost effectiveness. The student will explore the development of nursing knowledge and theory, and legal and ethical issues in nursing and health. Writing Intensive course
Prerequisite: R.N. students only.
.

NUR3090 Transcultural Nursing (4 semester hours)
This course examines the cultural influences on beliefs, values, and practices in relation to health, illness, and health-seeking behaviors. Applies the nursing process to clients with respect for diversity and individual differences. Transcul­tural nursing research, critical analysis of issues, and trends in international health are discussed. Required of R.N. students and an elective for basic nursing stu­dents.
No prerequisites.

NUR3100 Principles of Nursing I (6 semester hours)
This course applies major concepts from the liberal arts and sciences to nursing interventions (physiologic, communicative, behavioral, environmental). The course introduces the nursing student to the professional nurse role and its influ­ence on health and illness within the context of social, cultural, ethical and legal issues. The course is designed to achieve selected patient outcomes. (Fall)
Clinical: An integration of laboratory and clinical experiences will focus on the development of the nursing student to systematically analyze information and recognize patterns of patient needs.
Prerequisites: Admission to the School of Nursing; all B.S.N. core courses; ENG1010, ENG1020.
Concurrent with NUR3260 and NUR3000.

NUR3110 Principles of Nursing II (6 semester hours)
This course builds on the conceptual framework developed in Principles of Nurs­ing I. The course is designed to achieve patient outcomes through selected nurs­ing interventions. (Spring)
Clinical: The integration of laboratory and clinical experiences will focus on the ability of the nursing student to systematically synthesize data and perform indi­vidualized nursing interventions to achieve patient outcomes.
Prerequisites: NUR3100, NUR3260.
Concurrent with NUR3400 and NUR3160.

NUR3160 Pharmacological Concepts (4 semester hours)
This course encompasses the study of drugs and their interactions with living sys­tems. The focus of the course is based on the premise that scientific information is needed to understand the use of drugs as therapeutic agents. Pharmacological concepts are the study of the physical and chemical properties of drugs as well as their biochemical and physiologic effects on the client. In addition, this course includes knowledge of the history, sources, application and understanding of drugs as essential for nursing practice. (Spring)
Prerequisites: BI03050, CHM1200. Open to non-majors.
Concurrent with NUR3110 and NUR3400.

NUR3260 Health Assessment, Education and Promotion/Lab (4 semester hours)
This course provides the framework for the systematic collection, organization, interpretation, integration, and communication of data reflecting the health sta­tus of individuals across the life cycle. This includes assessment of mental status, basic psychosocial status, functional health patterns, and physical assessment skills. National health objectives for the nation provide the organizing framework for promotion of health and reduction of risks that impact individuals, families, aggregates, and communities. Students identify, explore, plan, and implement wellness teaching through service learning projects that educate populations and promote healthy behaviors. Integration of clinical laboratory provides a setting for practicing and developing critical thinking skills. (Fall)
Concurrent with NUR3100 and NUR3000.

NUR3270 Health Assessment, Education and Promotion (5 semester hours)
Health Assessment, education, and promotion throughout the life cycle is presented using concepts and theories from nursing, teaching and learning, the humanities and sciences. Teaching/learning health promotion within the changing health care delivery system and in various client contexts will be explored. This course will develop interviewing and therapeutic communication skills, while integrating clinical laboratory experience.
Prerequisites: R.N. students only

NUR3400 Behavioral Health Issues (5 semester hours)
This course explores the continuum of mental health and illness across the lifes­pan. The connection between physical illnesses and behavioral health is discussed. An emphasis is placed on wellness achieved through enhanced stress manage­ment and coping skills. In addition, concepts of psychobiology and neuronen­docrinology are examined as they relate to disorders of mood, thought, emotional modulation and addiction. (Spring)
Clinical: Clinical opportunities for interpersonal skill development with individ­uals, families, groups and communities are an integral part of the course.
Prerequisites: NUR3100 and NUR3260.
Concurrent with NUR3110 and NUR3160.

NUR4050 Nursing Research (3 semester hours)
The significance of research in nursing is considered with emphasis on the sci­entific approach and its application in evidenced based nursing practice. The major components of the research process are addressed with a focus on the pro­fessional nurse as a consumer of research. Critical thinking skills are emphasized in the analysis of current nursing research. (Fall)
Prerequisites: All NUR3000 level courses and MTH2320.
Concurrent with NUR4200 and NUR4300.

NUR4060 Nursing Research/RN. (4 semester hours)
The significance of research in nursing is considered with emphasis on the sci­entific approach and its application in evidenced based nursing practice. The major components of the research process are addressed with a focus on the pro­fessional nurse as a consumer of research. Critical thinking skills are emphasized in the analysis of current nursing research. (Fall)
Prerequisites: All NUR3000-level courses, MTH2320.

NUR4210 Nursing: A Global Community Outlook/RN. (6 semester hours)
This course focuses on concepts from nursing, public health, the liberal arts and sciences as a basis for nursing interventions. Emphasis is placed on promotion, maintenance, and restoration of optimal psychosocial adaptation for individuals, families, and groups in community settings.
Prerequisites: All NUR3000-level courses and MTH2320.

NUR4200 Nursing: A Global Community Outlook (5 semester hours)
This course incorporates concepts from nursing and applies them to public health functions in the community. The focus shifts from individual health to community health. The dynamic influence of social justice, political agendas, and culture on the collective values of prevention of illness or disease, health protec­tion and promotion, and quality and accessibility of health service are empha­sized. Current and culture challenges to global health are explored. (Fall)
Clinical: The clinical component for this course will apply nursing concepts and public health practices to selected populations to facilitate the promotion, main­tenance and restoration of optimal health across the life cycle.
Prerequisites: All NUR3000-level courses.
Concurrent with NUR4050 and NUR4300.

NUR4300 Medical Surgical Nursing I: Collaborative Practice in Health and Illness (7 semester hours)
This medical surgical course builds on the conceptual foundation learned in prin­ciples of nursing practice, physical assessment, pharmacology, and behavioral health nursing across the lifespan. Emphasis is placed on the acute care setting, and application of the nursing process in prevention, promotion, maintenance and restoration of health and illness through collaborative practice. Integral to the course are expanding concepts of health and illness including: health teach­ing, home care management and health care resources challenges transitioning from acute care to the home or rehabilitation settings. (Fall)
Clinical: The clinical practicum focus is on intermediate clinical decision-mak­ing skills within a collaborative practice setting using critical thinking skills to inte­grate multidimensional aspects of therapeutic responsiveness in meeting the health and illness needs of clients.
Prerequisites: All NUR3000-level courses.
Concurrent with NUR4050 and NUR4200.

NUR4500 Nursing Care of the Family (7 semester hours)
This course focuses on the emerging family in situational, maturational or phys­iological crisis. The student applies critical thinking skills in meeting the health promotion, health maintenance and health restoration needs of families. Nurs­ing interventions to support family development and dynamics from childbearing to child-rearing are considered and placed within a social, cultural and ethical context. (Spring)
Clinical: The clinical practicum focus is on the ability of the student to utilize nursing interventions and clinical decision making in the care and support of the family.
Prerequisites: All NUR 3000-level courses.
Concurrent with NUR4600 and NUR4800.

NUR4600 Leadership and Management (4 semester hours)
This course is the capstone course for the pre-R.N. student. The course facilitates the transition from the role of student to professional nurse. The course exam­ines the roles, traits, and contribution of the nurse in leadership and managerial positions. Conceptual aspects of power, problem solving/decision making, effec­tive communication, conflict resolution, delegation and team building are applied to a variety of situational contexts. The course is designed to facilitate student self- assessment of their leadership and management abilities as they develop the necessary skills. (Spring)
Prerequisites: All NUR3000-level.
Concurrent with NUR4500 and NUR4800.

NUR4610 Leadership and Management/R.N. (6 semester hours)
This is the capstone course for R.N./B.S.N. completion students. The concepts of power, control, problem solving, decision making, conflict resolution and change are explored (Level IV). The course focuses on identification and devel­opment of leadership skills and includes opportunities for scholarly inquiry, pro­fessional writing and presentation. Students will operationalize management theory via participation in a clinical nursing management project.
Prerequisites: All NUR4000-level courses.

NUR4760 Ethical Decision Making/R.N. (4 semester hours)
This course explores trends and issues in ethics and public policy. Values, ethical theory and decision making and the process of policy making in relation to the standards of nursing practice are examined (Level IV).
Prerequisites: All NUR3000-level courses.

NUR4800 Medical Surgical Nursing II: Collaborative Practice in Health and Illness (6 semester hours)
This medical surgical course will build on the student's previous knowledge gained through collaborative practice experience in the medical surgical acute care setting. The student will become increasingly sophisticated in the use of the nursing process and critical thinking skills to facilitate adaptation to seriously complex physiological insults across the lifespan. Students will have an opportu­nity to increase organizational skills, through the expanding complexity of patient acuity levels and workloads in advanced medical surgical settings. Emphasis is on complex decision making through collaborative practice in critical care settings. The student will conceptualize care of the medical surgical client from admission to discharge and beyond as a means of holistic practice that demonstrates pre­vention, promotion, maintenance, and restoration of the client with complex health problems. (Spring)
Clinical: The clinical will focus on complex decision making and facilitate the stu­dent's socialization to nursing as a profession by providing opportunities to par­ticipate in discussions and decisions related to patient education, issues and problems of health care and nursing practice, social, cultural, legal, and ethical responsibilities of the nurse. The student will transition to a novice in preparation for employment after completing a clinical preceptor experience.
Prerequisites: All NUR3000-level courses.
Concurrent with NUR4500 and NUR4600.

Academic information on departmental websites reflects the university's most current curriculum. The print version of the catalog, which is also posted online, may differ from this information.