School of Practical Nursing Course Descriptions - Level I
Structure and Function of the Human Body
Structure and Function of The Human Body is a Level I course designed to enable the student to acquire a basic knowledge of the normal structure and function of man. It introduces concepts based upon a dynamic state of wellness as the body’s cells, tissue, organs and systems interact to maintain a constant state of equilibrium. This course provides a foundation for the nurse student to apply knowledge in providing nursing care for individuals at various developmental stages and to recognize signs and symptoms of dysfunction when man responds to stressors. Structure and Function is a prerequisite for all courses in practical nursing except Personal Vocational Relationship
Personal Vocational Relationships for Nurses
Personal Vocational Relationships for Nurses is an introductory Level I course which provides the student with an overview of the practical nursing program including the conceptual framework, the philosophy, and objectives of the program. The course is designed to enable students to develop an understanding of self and of the individuality of man, to develop interpersonal relationships and to enhance their ability to relate to others. The development of therapeutic communication skills and nursing ethics are stressed. In addition, the development of medicine, nursing, practical nursing and the legal aspects of nursing are presented.
Basic Nutrition and Diet Therapy for Nurses
Basic Nutrition & Diet Therapy for Nurses is a Level I course designed to enable the student to acquire a basic knowledge of the nutrients, their sources, functions, and uses by man. The course emphasizes the interdependency of nutrition and wellness. It gives the student knowledge to assess and plan meals for individuals and families in a multi-cultural society. It focuses on the role of public health and community programs in the improvement of health standards, public education and formulation and amendment of laws. Nutrition is a foundation course to be utilized by the student when making dietary modifications in normal growth and development, pediatrics, obstetrics, in the treatment of diseases, and in the maintenance of wellness.
Fundamentals of Nursing
Fundamentals of Practical Nursing is a Level I course which gives the students a foundation for Level II courses. The major threads of the conceptual framework, which are the faculty’s beliefs about man, health, society, practical nursing, and the teaching-learning process, are introduced.
The content of this course is designed to teach the relationship between daily basic needs of all individuals on the wellness-illness continuum. Nursing emphasis is placed on basic scientific principles.
Introduction to Nursing Care of the Family
Specific principles regarding selected diagnostic and therapeutic measures and techniques used in giving care in emergencies are also presented. Theory is correlated with material presented in Structure and Function, Fundamentals of Nursing, Basic Nutrition & Diet Therapy, Personal/Vocational Relationships, and Pharmacology. Emphasis is on nursing care of adult clients with common stressors that affect man. The course introduces simple concepts regarding the modalities of treatment utilized to therapeutically
assist man in adapting to stress and in maintaining a constant state on the wellness-illness continuum. The course focuses on the disease entity, methods of treatment, symptoms, and appropriate nursing interventions. Throughout Fundamentals of Nursing, the content is correlated with the theory taught in Structure and Function of the Human Body, Basic Nutrition & Diet Therapy, Personal/Vocational Relationships, Pharmacology II, and Life Span
In addition to formal classroom instruction and demonstrations, simulated laboratory experiences are provided. During laboratory practice, individualized instruction and supervision enhance the students’ development of skills. Clinical experiences are selected to meet the objectives of the course, as well as to provide an opportunity for the student’s personal growth.
Beginning clinical assignments are simple medical-surgical nursing situations that allow the student to meet physical and emotional needs of adults, develop communications skills and interpersonal relationships, observe and report objective and subjective signs and symptoms, and become aware of legal and ethical responsibilities of the licensed practical nurse.
Based on the individual student’s development of skills the instructor will select learning experiences to allow for progressive development from simple to more complex situations. Forty (40) hours of clinical experience is provided for students to develop beginning skills.
Gerontological Nursing
Gerontological Nursing is a Level I clinical course designed to enable the student to develop positive attitudes toward the aging individual in society. The course is consistent with the philosophy and objectives of the program and is developed within the conceptual framework. Utilizing the wellness-illness continuum concept, emphasis is places on maintenance of the optimum state of wellness, prevention of illness and leading satisfactory lives. In a structured setting, implementing and evaluating care, clinical experiences are afford in areas where the student can relate to senior citizens who function independently and dependently in some type of health care facility. Students develop leadership skills and administer medications to a team of patients.
After successful completion of this class students will be able to seek certification as a Nurse Aide in the Commonwealth of Virginia.
Life Span
Life Span is a Level I course that provides the student with basic knowledge necessary to identify man’s normal growth and development stages from birth through the aging adult. The faculty’s belief that man is a bio-psycho-social-cultural-spiritual-ethic being is explored by discussing the physical, psychosocial and emotional development that is characteristic of each age group.
Concepts taught in Personal Vocational Relationships, Basic Nutrition and Diet Therapy and Structure and Function are reinforced with new concepts regarding individuals at various developmental stages on the wellness end of the wellness-illness continuum. Normal Life Span is a foundation course for all courses offered during Level II of the program.
Pharmacology I
Pharmacology I is presented during the Level I phase of the program. This course includes a review of basic arithmetic, weights and measures used in relationship to administration of medicines, calculations or dosages, basic information about preparations, and classification of drugs. This course also provides the student with information regarding specific drugs and man’s response to those drugs in an effort to maintain a constant state on the wellness-illness continuum. Information is provided about laws relating to drugs and ethical responsibilities of the nurse. Principles of the administration of drugs are included with classroom instruction and laboratory practice in administration. Instruction and supervised practice in the use of various distribution systems used in the clinical agencies is provided during the Level II clinical phase of the program.
The course builds on knowledge and skills acquired in Nursing Fundamentals, Personal Vocational Relationships, Structure and Function of the Human Body, Fundamentals of Nursing, and Basic Nutrition & Diet Therapy. Skill development in the administration of medicines will occur in the clinical courses. Information about drugs is integrated in all clinical courses as it relates to the particular unit of study.
Pharmacology is presented through a series of learning activity packets. The students are encouraged to proceed at their own rate within the framework of approximately sixty hours for the course. Computer assisted instruction is used to assist students in remedial basic math skills and support learning pharmacology content.
School of Practical Nursing Course Descriptions = Level II
Nursing Care of the Family (Birth to Death)
Nursing Care of the Family is a course designed to enable the students to achieve knowledge, understanding, and skills necessary to provide adequate nursing care to selected clients from birth to death that covers general nursing care of medical or surgical conditions at various levels on the wellness-illness continuum Nursing care of the child has been integrated into this course as it relates to the care of the client at different developmental stages of life. Through planned classroom instruction, clinical conferences, field trips or observations and supervised clinical practice, the student is taught the client’s basic response to medical and/or surgical stressors and the client’s attempt to maintain a constant state of equilibrium. Principles of diet therapy, pharmacology, and mental health pertinent to the care of selected clients are an integral part of the course. The content of this course is designed to the basic needs of clients with stressors during various developmental stages of life. Emphasis is placed on the use of therapeutic communication skills in developing interpersonal relationships and providing emotional support to the client, family and extended support family. The course is built on skills and concepts previously learned and progresses to complex skills and concepts required for the care of the family with medical surgical problems.
In providing planned care, the nursing process is utilized. This process consists of assessing the client and family, implementing planned nursing care, substantiating rationales for nursing action, and evaluating the client care. When utilizing the nursing process, the student will identify the interdependency of the client with the family and with others.
Clinical learning experiences are selected, in so far as possible, to relate to current classroom instruction. Clinical conferences are planned around the needs of assigned clients. Observational experiences and/or opportunistic field trips are scheduled. Hours of supervised clinical experience in the administration of drugs are provided. Planned client care is achieved through the use of the nursing process. Concepts learned in Fundamentals of Nursing, Structure and Function, Basic Nutrition & Diet Therapy, Personal Vocational Relationships, Pharmacology, and Life Span are integrated into the course.
Mental Health Nursing
Mental Health Nursing is taught in Level II of the program. The course is built upon concepts learned in Structure and Function, Basic Nutrition & Diet Therapy, Pharmacology, Life Span, and Fundamental of Nursing. Structure and Function enables the student to correlate the anatomy and physiology of the nervous system with psychoneurosis and psychosis. Principles of Pharmacology are reinforced especially as they relate to psychopharmacology, which deals with a small group of chemical agents, which have been found to influence human mood, thought process, and various types of pathological mental functions. Concepts of the underlying principles of medical asepsis and methods of treatment learned in Fundamentals of Nursing are applied. Concepts of personality development, behavior modification, communication skills, and nurse-patient relationships in Personal Vocational Relationships are accentuated in this course. Principles of growth and development as presented in Life Span are stressed throughout this course and correlated with all mental illnesses. Basic concepts and skills in dealing with psychological reactions of the nurse and of the family, as presented in Fundamentals of Nursing, are applied in mental health nursing.
Mental Health Nursing is a course of study correlated with clinical experience which is designed to aid the students to recognize the Psycho-social and emotional needs of clients and to give them beginning skills in meeting these needs. Students continue to recognize man’s response to stress pertinent to selected clients at various levels on the wellness-illness continuum.
NURSING CARE OF THE CHILD BEARING FAMILY (OB)
Nursing Care of the Child Bearing Family (OB) is a Level II course designed to provide the student with knowledge, understanding and skills to meet the needs of the pregnant woman and other family members. Pregnancy is viewed as a part of the normal life cycle. Planned clinical experience is correlated with theory. The student has the opportunity to observe and participate in the care given to the mother in the prenatal outpatient clinic. Experiences in the care of the mother during labor and delivery and the puerperium and the care of the newborn infant are provided in the hospital. Abnormal conditions of pregnancy and disorders of the newborn are presented and experiences provided opportunistically.
NURSING CARE OF THE CHILD BEARING FAMILY (OB)
The student is introduced to the available community resources, which may assist the mother in meeting her needs or solving her problems.
Nursing Care of the Child Bearing Family (OB) Nursing is built upon Basic Nutrition & Diet Therapy, Life Span and Fundamentals of Practical Nursing. Nursing Care of the Child Bearing Family (OB) is correlated with theory taught in Structure and Function of the reproductive system and the pelvis and related pelvic organs. Normal physiological adaptations of the body during pregnancy are also presented.
LONG TERM CARE AND COMMUNITY CARE NURSING
Long Term Care and Community Care Nursing is a level II course built upon previously learned concepts. The multi facets of the nursing profession are introduced including nursing facilities, rehabilitation facilities, hospice centers, community health and home health agencies.
The student applies the nursing process in caring for a client in various settings. The emphasis of the class is on the integration of holistic nursing and nursing process.
Clinical and observation experiences are provided in a variety of settings.
National Council Licensure Examination (NCLEX) PREPARATION
NCLEX Preparation is a review class utilizing a multiple testing strategy. Students successfully completing the majority of test questions correctly indicate a solid foundation for taking the national licensing examination and preparation for managing situation in clinical practice.
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