Curriculum

Block 1.0 (NURS 300) – Introduction to the Profession

An introduction to professional nursing from historical, social, legal-ethical, political, economic, theoretical, and cultural perspectives.  An overview of the professional roles of the nurse in healthcare environments is introduced.

Block 2.0 (NURS 301) – Health Assessment

Instructs the student to the basic principles, knowledge, and motor skills required for a comprehensive health assessment of clients within a legal/ethical framework in a laboratory setting.  The student will also develop interview and therapeutic communication techniques that may be used in the assessment of clients across the lifespan.

Block 3.0 (NURS 302) – Fundamentals of Nursing

Provides the fundamentals of nursing principles and practice related to the basic health needs of individuals. Students will learn the basic principles, skills, and behaviors essential to safe, effective nursing care of the client.

Block 3.1 (NURS 302.1) – Fundamentals of Nursing and Basic Skills

Students will apply basic skills and nursing principles in clinical settings.

Block 4.0 (NURS 303) – Nursing Pharmacology

Provides students with an analysis of the physiological actions, therapeutic uses, adverse effects, drug interactions, and safe administration of selected drugs. Emphasis is placed on the application of the nursing process as the framework for the safe administration of drugs.

Block 5.0 (NURS 304) Adult Health Nursing I

Builds on the fundamentals of nursing. Emphasis is placed on the care and management of adult clients experiencing alterations in health.

Block 5.1 (NURS 304.1) – Adult Health Nursing I – Clinical

Students will further develop psychomotor skills essential for professional nursing practice. Students will synthesize knowledge using the nursing process to manage care for adult clients.

Block 6.0 (NURS 305) – Nursing Theories, Practice, and Issues

Focuses on nursing theories and their relevance to professional practice. Students are introduced to practice models in various health care environments. Future and current issues in nursing practice will be explored.

Block 7.0 (NURS 401) – Nursing Research

Introduces the student to fundamental concepts in nursing research and focuses on understanding the purpose of research as a major contributor to nursing science, interpretation of study results, and cultivation of critical thinking through the research critique. Concepts of evidence-based practice in nursing are emphasized.

Block 8.0 (NURS 402) – Maternal Newborn Nursing

Focuses on the healthcare needs of childbearing women and their families through all stages of the perinatal period and childbirth. Emphasis is placed on the growth and development of the fetus and the needs of the mother, the newborn, the family, and support systems. High-risk pregnancies, labor complications, and the physiologically challenged neonate are also covered.

Block 8.1 (NURS 402.1) – Maternal Newborn Nursing – Clinical

Clinical experience will focus on the physical and psychosocial assessment of mother and child. This will include providing care to uncomplicated pregnancies, healthy newborns, and to women with complicated pregnancies.

Block 9.0 (NURS 403) – Pediatric Nursing

This Block focuses on the healthcare of children from infancy through adolescence.& Emphasis is placed on the needs of the child, the family, and their support systems throughout developmental milestones.

Block 9.1 (NURS 403.1) – Pediatric Nursing – Clinical

Clinical experience will focus on age-appropriate care for infants, children, and adolescents in supervised clinical environments. Emphasis is placed on incorporating the family and support systems in meeting the child’s developmental needs.

Block 10 (NURS 306) – Adult Health Nursing II

This Block includes a more in-depth analysis of adult clients experiencing acute, chronic, and critical alterations in health status.

Block 10.1 (NURS 306.1) – Adult Health Nursing II – Clinical

Students will build upon previous clinical experiences to manage the care of adults experiencing acute or critical alterations in health status.

Block 11.0 (NURS 409) – Community and Mental Health Nursing

Focuses on the theories and principles that guide nursing care for clients across the lifespan experiencing alterations in mental health while addressing the social determinants of health within the community. Emphasis is on psychopathology and therapeutics, community assessment techniques, and community interventions. Various healthcare delivery systems will be explored.

Block 11.1 (NURS 409.1) – Community and Mental Health Nursing – Clinical

Clinical experience will focus on the management of psychiatric clients in supervised clinical environments. In addition, students will serve as case managers for clients and study an in-depth community health issue.

Block 12.0 (NURS 410) – Care of the Older Adult

This Block focuses on the health care issues and needs of older adults across the health care continuum in various environments. The process of aging is analyzed utilizing various theoretical perspectives that include physical, emotional, and social aging and their impacts on older adult and their families. The complex interplay of the political, economic, cultural, legal, and ethical factors that influence health care delivery to older adults is examined.

Block 13.0 (NURS 406) – Leadership

This Block focuses on the theories and principles of nursing leadership and management in healthcare environments.

Block 14.0 (NURS 407) – Senior Practicum

This block focuses on the transition from a student nurse to a professional registered nurse in the coordination and delivery of healthcare. Emphasis is placed upon management and leadership skills.

Block 15.0 (NURS 408) – Senior Seminar

This Block synthesizes the legal-ethical framework governing professional practice, explores issues and trends of professional nursing, and prepares the students to take the NCLEX-RN exam. Students must successfully complete the designated Comprehensive Predictor, as the final Block assessment.

*Subject to change

Block 1.0 – Professional Nursing and Health Care Concepts 1

This block introduces foundational concepts for professional nursing and health care through the application of selected exemplars, including selected professional attributes and care competencies. Concepts include clinical decision making, ethics, health care law, health disparities, informatics, professional Identity, and safety. Didactic 3 credits (45 contact hours)

Block 2.0 – Introduction to Health Concepts

This block introduces health concepts with a focus on pathophysiology. Concepts include cellular regulation, clotting, cognition, elimination, glucose regulation, hormonal regulation, immunity, infection, inflammation, oxygen/gas exchange, perfusion, thermoregulation, and tissue integrity. Didactic 6 credits (90 contact hours) Prerequisite: All previous blocks.

Block 3.0 – Health Assessment

This block introduces the assessment of the client through the application of selected exemplars. Concepts include cognition, comfort/pain, communication, elimination, fluids and electrolytes, health care law, infection, informatics, mobility, nutrition, oxygenation/gas exchange, perfusion, and tissue integrity. This block includes a simulation laboratory component. Didactic 2 credits (30 contact hours) and 0.5 credits simulation laboratory (15 contact hours). Prerequisite: All previous blocks.

Block 3.1- Health Assessment Clinical

This block provides opportunities to apply curricular concepts across the lifespan in a variety of clinical settings. Clinical 0.6 credits (24 contact hours) Prerequisite: All previous blocks.

Block 4.0 – Nursing Care Across the Lifespan 1

This block expands upon health concepts across the lifespan with the focus on wellness and common variations through the application of selected exemplars. Concepts include health care law, communication, safety, mobility, tissue integrity, inflammation, fluid and electrolytes, comfort, nutrition, oxygenation, perfusion, health promotion, elimination, infection, thermoregulation, sensory perception, informatics, culture/diversity, family dynamics, and grief and loss. This block includes a simulation laboratory component. Didactic 5 credits (75 contact hours) and simulation 1 credit (30 contact hours). Prerequisite: All previous blocks.

Block 4.1 Nursing Care Across the Lifespan 1 Clinical

This block provides opportunities to apply curricular concepts across the lifespan in a variety of clinical settings. Clinical 1.8 credits (108 contact hours) Prerequisite: All previous blocks.

Block 5.0 – Pharmacology

This block introduces pharmacologic nursing practice from a conceptual approach. This block includes a simulation laboratory component. Didactic 4 credits (60 contact hours) and simulation 0.5 credit (15 contact hours). Prerequisite: All previous blocks

Block 6.0 – Nursing Care Across the Lifespan 2

This block expands upon health concepts across the lifespan with a focus on acute and chronic conditions through the application of selected exemplars. Concepts include development, acid-base balance, oxygenation, gas exchange, fluid and electrolytes, thermoregulation, elimination, nutrition, inflammation, comfort, perfusion, clotting, mobility, tissue integrity, infection, health promotion, hormonal regulation, stress and coping, grief and loss, and sensory perception. This block includes a simulation laboratory component. Didactic 6 credits (90 contact hours) and simulation 1 credit (30 contact hours). Prerequisite: All previous blocks

Block 6.1- Nursing Care Across the Lifespan 2 Clinical

This block provides the opportunities to apply curricular concepts across the lifespan in a variety of clinical settings. 4.5 credits clinical (180 contact hours) Prerequisite: All previous blocks

Block 7- Professional Nursing and Health Care Concepts 2

This block expands upon professional nursing concepts within the professional nursing role through the application of selected exemplars. Concepts include collaboration, evidence-based practice, and health policy. Didactic 3 credits (45 contact hours) Prerequisite: All previous blocks

Block 8.0 – Nursing Care Across the Lifespan 3

This block expands upon the health concepts across the lifespan with a focus on acute and chronic conditions through the application of selected exemplars. Concepts include sexuality, reproduction, glucose regulation, perfusion, clotting, comfort, thermoregulation, nutrition, development, intracranial regulation, cellular regulation, family dynamics, palliative care, immunity, addiction, cognition, mood and affect, and violence. This block includes a simulation laboratory component. Didactic 7 credits (120 contact hours) and simulation 0.66 credits (60 contact hours). Prerequisite: All previous blocks

Block 8.1- Nursing Care Across the Lifespan 3 Clinical

This block provides opportunities to apply curricular concepts across the lifespan in a variety of clinical settings. Clinical 4.5 credits (180 contact hours) Prerequisite: All previous blocks

Block 9.0 – Professional Concepts

This block expands upon professional nursing concepts through the application of selected exemplars. Concepts include collaboration, ethics, healthcare law, health care quality, health policy, informatics, and leadership/management. Didactic 3 credits (45 contact hours) Prerequisite: All previous blocks

Block 10.0- Nursing Care Across the Lifespan 4

This block expands upon health concepts across the lifespan with a focus on acute, chronic, and critical conditions through the application of selected exemplars. Concepts include oxygenation, gas exchange, infection, clotting, cellular regulation, comfort, inflammation, tissue integrity, perfusion, intracranial regulation, mobility, glucose regulation, hormonal regulation, and population health. This block includes a simulation laboratory component. 5 credit didactic (75 contact hours) and simulation 1 credit (30 contact hours). Prerequisite: All previous blocks

Block 10.1- Nursing Care Across the Lifespan 4 Clinical

This block provides opportunities to apply curricular concepts across the lifespan in a variety of clinical settings. Clinical 2.7 credits (108 contact hours) Prerequisite: All previous blocks

Block 11.0- Senior Practicum Simulation

This block provides opportunities to synthesize curricular concepts across the lifespan in the simulation laboratory. Simulation 0.5 credits (15 contact hours). Co-requisite: Block 11.1 Prerequisite: All previous blocks

Block 11.1- Senior Practicum Clinical

This block provides opportunities to synthesize curricular concepts across the lifespan in a variety of clinical settings. Clinical 3.6 credits (144 contact hours). Co-requisite: Block 11.0 Prerequisite: All previous blocks

Block 12.0 – Senior Seminar

The block synthesizes the legal-ethical framework governing professional practice, explores issues and trends of the professional nurse, and prepares the student to take the NCLEX-RN exam. Students must successfully complete the ATI Comprehensive Predictor. Didactic 2 credits (30 contact hours) Prerequisite: All previous blocks

*Subject to change