Catalog Course Search Details

 Department:    NURS

 Course #:    171

 Credits:    7

 Variable:     No

 IUs:    7

 CIP:    513801

 EPC:    RND

 REV:    2024

 Course Description  

Introduction to the Associate Degree in Nursing. Includes the foundation needed for basic nursing practice and more advanced study. Concepts of person, health, environment, and nursing will be introduced. The nursing process is presented as the primary mechanism for providing care. Therapeutic communication techniques are studied as well as basic knowledge in pharmacology. Components of a complete multi-dimensional health assessment are presented. Focuses on the well individual and normal physiologic functioning including introductory review of basic alterations in health. Additional concepts basic to nursing practice are addressed including the Art of Nursing, safety, nutrition, lifespan, health teaching, culture, leadership, and ethical/legal aspects of practice. Encompasses the fundamental skills of nursing practice.

 Prerequisite  

Prerequisite: Acceptance into the Skagit Valley College RN program. Please see entry requirements on the Nursing website page at https://www.skagit.edu/academics/areas-of-study/health-sciences/nursing/.

Contact Hours (based on 11 week quarter)

Lecture: 77

Lab: 0

Other: 0

Systems: 0

Clinical: 0

Intent: Distribution Requirement(s) Status:  

Vocational Preparatory Required for ATA degree  

Equivalencies At Other Institutions

Learning Outcomes

After completing this course, the student will be able to:

1. Describe the role of the nurse within the health care environment/delivery system.
2. Apply critical thinking to the nursing process, i.e. nursing process, critical thinking, and evidence-based practice.
3. Explain the scope of practice of the registered nurse, i.e. delegation, communication, documentation, patient education, and legal principles.
4. Integrate concepts of socials determinants of health to caring throughout the lifespan, i.e. health, wellness, culture, and ethnicity.
5. Integrate key nursing practice concepts to patient care, i.e. patient safety, infection control, and health assessment.
6. Apply basic principles of pharmacology as related to medication administration.
7. Describe the physiological basis for nursing practice related to alterations in health.
8. Examine the psychosocial basis for nursing practice, i.e. self-concept, issues of sexuality, gender identification, grief, stress, coping, and spirituality.
9. Demonstrate the role of the nurse as it relates to pain management, i.e. pain assessment, pharmacological pain management, and non-pharmacological pain management.
10. Describe rationale/indication for identified skill implementation.
11. Demonstrate care in the implementation of patient-centric interventions.
12. Demonstrate safe performance of identified skills.
13. PROGRAM OUTCOME: Spirit of Inquiry: Examine the evidence that underlies clinical nursing practice to challenge the status quo, question underlying assumptions, and offer new insights to improve the quality of care for patients, families, and communities.
14. PROGRAM OUTCOME: Human Flourishing: Advocate for patients and families in ways that promote their self-determination, integrity, and ongoing growth as human beings.
15. PROGRAM OUTCOME: Nursing Judgment: Make judgments in practice, substantiated with evidence, that integrate nursing science in the provision of safe, quality care and promote the health of patients within a family and community context.
16. PROGRAM OUTCOME: Professional Identity: Implement one's role as a nurse in ways that reflect integrity, responsibility, ethical practices, and an evolving identity as a nurse committed to evidence-based practice, caring, advocacy, and safe, quality care f

General Education Learning Values & Outcomes

Revised August 2018 and affects outlines for 2019 and later.

Think

Definition: Think analytically, logically, creatively, and reflectively.

Integrate

Definition: Apply knowledge, skills, and methodologies from multiple disciplines.

Course Contents

1. Nursing and the healthcare environment.
   • Introduction to nursing practice: Health care delivery system. Nurse care planning: theory and evidence based practice.
2. Critical thinking in nursing practice.
   • Nursing process and assessment: Physical, mental and nutritional. Skin integrity and wound care.
3. Professional standards in nursing practice.
   • Communication. Documentation and informatics.
   • Patient education. Legal and ethical principles.
4. Caring throughout the lifespan.
   • Health and wellness: health/illness continuum, culture & ethnicity. Development across the lifespan: Basic human needs.
5. Foundation for nursing practice.
   • Patient safety, workforce body mechanics. Infection prevention and control.
   • Health assessment and physical examination. Pharmacology.
   • Medication administration.
6. Physiological basis for nursing practice.
   • Hygiene. Urinary and bowel elimination.
   • Fluid, electrolytes and acid-base balance.
7. Psychosocial basis for nursing practice.
   • Self-concept. Sexuality and gender identification.
   • Grief, stress and coping across the lifespan.