Syllabus for: Nursing of Adults and Children I
Semester & Year: Fall 2015
Course ID and Section LVN 121, D8469 & D8470
Numbers:
Number of Credits/Units: 6.5 total units (3 units lecture/3.5 units lab)
Day/Time: Lecture: Monday AND Wednesday / 13:00-14:25
Location: Clinical: DN2, DN1, and as assigned
Instructor’s Name: Melody Pope, Tess Abad, Doris Fitch, and Ann Timmerman
Contact Information: Office location and hours: DN4, Tues & Thurs 13:00 – 15:00
(For Dr. Pope only – Associate
Phone: 707.465.2365/707.218.8230
Faculty will provide contact
Email: melody-pope@redwoods.edu
information at first meeting)
Course Description (catalog description as described in course outline):
The first of three courses for Vocational Nursing students in the care of adults and children. The
role and legal / ethical responsibilities of the vocational nurse and principles of health, illness
and disease are covered. Nursing care of the elderly and the terminally ill are presented.
Common body system disorders are discussed. Application of skills and concepts takes place in
the clinical setting and in Simulation Lab.
Student Learning Outcomes (as described in course outline) :
1. Describe and discuss the role of the vocational nurse related to fundamental patient care
including hygiene, comfort and safety, basic assessment and communication.
2. Describe and provide examples of the legal and ethical issues related to nursing practice.
3. Define the nursing process and its components.
4. Develop a plan of care for patients experiencing acute and chronic disruptions in health status.
5. Discuss the rational for the utilization of medications and fluid therapy.
Special accommodations: College of the Redwoods complies with the Americans with Disabilities
Act in making reasonable accommodations for qualified students with disabilities. Please
present your written accommodations document to me as promptly as possible so that
necessary arrangements can be made. If you have a disability or believe you might benefit from
disability related services and may need accommodations, please see me or contact Disabled
Students Programs and Services at 707-464-2352.
See http://www.redwoods.edu/district/dsps/faq.asp for more information.
Academic Misconduct: Cheating, plagiarism, collusion, abuse of resource materials, computer
misuse, fabrication or falsification, multiple submissions, complicity in academic misconduct,
and/ or bearing false witness will not be tolerated. Violations will be dealt with according to the
procedures and sanctions proscribed by the College of the Redwoods. Students caught
plagiarizing or cheating on exams will receive an “F” in the course.
The student code of conduct, AP 5500 is available College of the Redwoods Board of Trustees
site, under Policies: http://www.redwoods.edu/District/Board/New/chapter5/
Additional information about the rights and responsibilities of students, Board policies, and
administrative procedures is located in the college catalog and on the College of the Redwoods
homepage.
College of the Redwoods is committed to equal opportunity in employment, admission to the
college, and in the conduct of all of its programs and activities.
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College of the Redwoods
LVN 121
I.
Other Course Information
Prerequisite(s)/Co-requisites:
August 26, 2013
Start Date:
To receive a refund:
Last days to
Withdrawal: September 6, 2013
Emergency
Procedures
Concurrent enrollment in the LVN program or equivalent
December 12, 2013
End Date:
Without a “W”: Student initiated withdrawal:
Students will be dropped
Sept. 9, 2013
November 1, 2013
for non-attendance.
Please be sure to review the posted Emergency Procedures for the College of
the Redwoods Del Norte Campus. Be aware of Emergency Exits, Emergency
Gathering Points, and BE PREPARED. Know what to do in the event of an
emergency while on campus.
II.
Required Course Materials
Understanding Medical Surgical Nursing, Williams/Hopper, 5th edition, © 2014
Materials from CANVAS and ATI as posted
Davis Drug Guide, 14th ed., by Vallerans and Sanoski © 2014 by F.A.Davis
Taber’s Cyclopedic Medical Dictionary, 22nd ed. (May use 21st) © 2013 by F.A.Davis
Laboratory manual (Davis preferred) must be 2014 or newer
*ATI Materials and Testing
The College of the Redwoods Nursing Programs have adopted the Assessments Technologies Institute (ATI) Content Mastery
Series. This series is designed to assist students in comprehension of nursing content, academic performance, and preparation
for the NCLEX-PN. Participation in the ATI Content Mastery Series is required. ATI Proctored Assessment testing will be
scheduled and posted and must be completed to receive a course grade and progress in the LVN program.
III.
College of the Redwood Policies and Procedures
Grade of
Incomplete
Credit/No credit
Incomplete: An "I" indicates that the course objectives are not yet fulfilled. It is the responsibility of the student to
request, if needed, the assignment of an incomplete grade. To be granted an incomplete in LVN 121, the student
must have completed 75% of the class with a C or better, and must complete the rest of the work with the same
instructor. Arrangement for the completion of the course must be made with the instructor prior to the assignment
of the "I" grade.
The LVN courses are not offered as Credit/No credit. All of the LVN courses are for Credit.
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Attendance
Policy
Grading Scale
Assignment
Weight
In the event of an absence, the student must notify the faculty prior to class/clinical. If an emergency occurs, call
the instructor at the first possible time. See the Attendance section under “Organization of the Course” below.
The grading scale used is:
A
95-100…………….excellent
A90-94……...……..excellent
B+
87-89..…………..good
B
84-86.…………….good
B81-83.…………….good
C+
78-80……….…….satisfactory
C
75-77…………….satisfactory
D
65-74……………..poor (No progression)
F
<64 or clinical failure….fail (No progression)
W
No grade given………Academic Withdrawal
Critical Thinking and Written Assignments
ATI
10%
5%
Examinations
Quizzes
Midterm
Final
Total
25%
30%
30%
100%
*Note: If a student gets under 75% for cumulative exam scores, the student will receive a non-pass letter
grade. The CTA scoring cannot be used to pass the course.
*Clinical failure results in course failure.
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Quizzes and exams must be taken at the date and time assigned. Any exam taken at a later date automatically will
be penalized by 5% (out of a possible 100%) without exception. You must notify the Faculty if you are unable to
take a quiz/exam before the start time or as near the start time as possible. Talk to the Faculty directly or leave a
voice message about when and where you may be reached. The Faculty will call you back as soon as possible to
determine a second test date and time.
Quizzes and
examinations
You will be further penalized 5% each day if you do not notify the Faculty. After 5 college calendar days, you
will receive a grade of zero (0) for the exam.
You will receive a zero (0) if you do not take the exam at the rescheduled time and date.
If you know in advance that you are unable to take the exam at the assigned time, you may ask your Faculty to take
the exam early. However, the Faculty is not obligated to grant your request. You will receive a 5% reduction if
you do not take the exam with the class.
This policy is followed for all LVN exams:

You are expected to arrive promptly for each exam.

Place all books, papers or other personal items (back packs, purses) under your desk or in a designated area of
the exam room before the exam begins.

Turn off pagers or cellular telephones to avoid disturbing other students during the exam.

Do not use a radio, tape recorder, or CD player with earphones during the exam.

The instructor may allow scratch paper as needed. No other papers may be on your desks.

The instructor will give any special instructions regarding the exam, including the time allotted for the exam,
and when to begin work on the exam.

During the exam, absolutely no talking among students is permitted.

You may not share pens, pencils or calculators with other students without instructor permission.

You may not leave the room during the exam without instructor permission.

Upon completion of your exam, leave your assigned computer on and quietly leave the room. Do not reenter
until the assigned time.

In the event that a paper/pencil exam is given, you will be given direct instructions at that time.
Late Work
Cheating/Plagiarism
IV.
All written assignments are due on the date determined by the course calendar. If the assignment is not given to the
Faculty on the assigned date, your assignment grade is reduced by 5% (5 points of a possible 100) per day,
including weekend days. After five (5) days, you will receive a zero (0) for the assignment, even though you must
complete the work satisfactorily to pass the course. Group projects will be graded according to the criteria
identified by the Faculty. All members of the group collaborate and receive the same grade.
Plagiarism is grounds for failing an assignment or course and/or disciplinary action. I take plagiarism VERY
seriously. DO NOT PLAGIARIZE. Plagiarism means copying passages directly from the text of study guide or
any other source, without quotation marks and citations. Summarize or paraphrase the information. If you
paraphrase by rearranging the order of a sentence or words, then give credit for the source. No credit will be
given for plagiarized papers. Cheating will not be tolerated under any circumstances!
Class/Clinical Policies
A.
General Information
1.
Students are expected to follow the policies as outlined in the Nursing Programs Handbook and clinical
facility policies and procedures.
2.
Accidents or Injury
Contact the instructor immediately if an accident or injury occurs during clinical or skills lab experiences.
The instructor and the Human Resources Department of the college will give the student information as to
the procedure to follow. If the accident or injury occurs in the clinical setting, the procedures of the clinical
facility for such occurrences will be taken into consideration.
3.
Safe Practice in the Clinical Setting
The following statement is a quotation from the Board of Vocational Nursing and Psychiatric Technicians
(BVNPT) regarding the supervisory responsibility of the clinical nursing instructor for safe practice. “A
Registered Nurse (RN) employed as an instructor in an accredited school is subject to possible disciplinary
action for unprofessional conduct or gross negligence by the Board of Registered Nursing (BRN) who,
forced by her employer, takes back a previously failed student into the clinical phase of the curriculum,
knowing that the student poses a threat to the health and safety of the patients she cares for due to her
proven inability to perform nursing services.”
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4.
Skills Lab:
Use of the skills lab for practice in addition to scheduled class time is strongly encouraged. Consult with
the faculty for availability of the room. Consult with your faculty if you have any difficulty in obtaining
needed practice time. The time for skills practice during scheduled skills lab is insufficient to achieve
mastery and additional practice time will be necessary.
5.
Instructor Advising:
Students needing assistance are urged to make an appointment with the appropriate instructor.
6.
Clinical Evaluation:
(a)
Evaluation in the clinical area will be an ongoing process. Each student should make written daily
self-evaluations in the clinical folder.
(b)
Formal written evaluations will be completed as discussed in #2 below.
(c)
Student-instructor conferences will be held at the middle and at the end of the
semester.
B. Assignments:
1.
There will be frequent quizzes, unit and/or midterm examinations and a comprehensive final examination.
There will be no makeup quizzes. A missed quiz or the quiz on which the student made the lowest grade
during the semester will not be computed in the final grade.
2.
The student and instructor will discuss a written evaluation on the student’s clinical progress during the
midterm and at the end of the semester. A copy of the evaluation will be given to the student and the
original will be maintained in the student’s folder.
3.
Additional conferences and evaluations may be carried out jointly by the faculty and student if the student’s
clinical performance is questionable.
4.
Nursing Activity Records or other documentation as assigned will be written for each patient assigned to the
student.
5.
Additional oral or written assignments are mandatory (10% of course grade).
C. Conduct in the Classroom
Listen, take notes, and raise your hand to comment when you have something to share or questions to ask. Listen to
your colleagues when they are speaking. It is likely that you share similar questions. Come to class. Do not expect to
receive credit or materials if you miss class. Do not come to class drunk or chemically impaired. Nursing is unique in
that you will have clinical experiences to share and observations that demonstrate the content you will be learning.
Speak when it is appropriate, but do not delay the class lecture and learning opportunities with stories of every
experience. It is expected that you will listen to and openly respect divergent opinions and the individuals stating
those opinions. Common courtesy is expected. The following are examples of behaviors that are considered
inappropriate in class:
 Walking in late
 Noisily packing or unpacking
 Sidebars
 Talking on the phone
 Texting
 Surfing the internet
 Leaving early
 Doing work not related to this course
This list is not exhaustive and the faculty may inform you that a particular behavior is inappropriate. It is best to
avoid inappropriate behavior rather than violate the Code of Conduct.
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V.
Skills Lab and Clinical Focus Schedule
Instructors: Melody Pope, Tess Abad, Doris Fitch, & Ann Timmerman
During assigned clinical times (Subject to change/appointments)
Rm. / Clinical sites: Check for weekly postings based on lab or clinical setting.
Welcome to the skills/clinical portion of LVN 121. This can be a very fun class and it is great when you
are able to do the procedures learned in class in the clinical setting. However this portion of class can
also be anxiety provoking. To prevent this: ask for help, and practice, practice, practice.
Students are expected to practice their skills during class. It is imperative that you use your lab time to
practice. A portion of your clinical experience this semester will be in the LTC facility. ***Clinical
groups switch times at the midterm of the semester. This is not optional***
Students will be tested on several procedures known as “check-offs”. Students must successfully pass
all skills specified below for this course. Inability to pass a check-off on the second attempt requires
examining practice methods and understanding of the skill. If the student does not pass on the first
attempt, the student and instructor will develop a plan and time limit for the student to prepare him/her
to pass the examination. The student who is having difficulty passing check-offs on the third attempt is
in jeopardy of not meeting course/clinical objectives.
Check-offs take place during class/clinical time. You are responsible to bring to class/clinical a copy of
the appropriate Procedure Checklist printed from the ATI website. A new copy of the checklist is
required for each attempt at the skill check-off. Some skills may require more than one Procedure
Checklist. You will be told which Checklists to bring for each check-off session. It is not appropriate to
practice a skill perfectly with the instructor watching and then ask for credit. Proficient skills provide
confidence, strengthen fundamental nursing practice, and ultimately benefit the client. The skills listed
below in bold-type print must be completed successfully to pass the skills/clinical portion of the course.
Week starting
1. 08/24/15
2.
08/31/15
3.
09/07/15
4.
09/14/15
5.
09/21/15
Topic
Introduction to Nursing Skills and Computer Lab
Vital Signs
ATI Skills Module – Vital signs
Introduction to Skilled and Acute Care Nursing
Documentation and Reporting
Blood Borne Pathogens
Safety and Standard Precautions
Contact, Droplet and Airborne Precautions
Sterile Packs & Setting up Sterile Field, Sterile Gloving
Sterile drsg change
ATI Skills Module – Surgical asepsis
Respiration and Oxygen Delivery
Chest Electrode placement
Tracheostomy suctioning and dressing change
ATI Skills modules– Oxygen therapy and Airway management
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6.
09/28/15
7.
10/05/15
8.
10/12/15
9.
10/19/15
Physical Assessment
Neurological Assessment
Diagnostic Testing
ATI Skills module –Physical assessment (Adult)
Culture and Ethnicity
Spirituality
Nasogastric Tubes
Tube Feedings
Nasogastric Tube Insertion and Removal
ATI Skills Module – Enteral tube feedings
Pain Management
10. 10/26/15
Blood Glucose Measurement
ATI Skills Module – Diabetes management
11. 11/02/15
13. 11/16/15
Wound Care and Pressure Ulcer Treatment
Wet-to-moist drsg
Wound packing
ATI Skills Module - Wound care
Elimination
Indwelling catheterization
ATI Skills Module – Urinary catheter care
NO SKILLS ATTEMPTS
14. 11/23/15
15. 11/30/15
16. 12/07/15
Reserved for attempts at skills not passed
Reserved for attempts at skills not passed
***There is no Skills Lab or Clinical during Finals Week.***
12. 11/09/15
VI.
Other Information
The following learning activities may be provided:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
Classroom presentations and discussions.
Assigned readings.
Use of audio-visual material and/or computer lab.
Demonstration, return demonstration of clinical skills.
Written examinations.
Individual conferences with ongoing evaluation.
Clinical practice demonstrating application to theory to nurse-client relationship.
Critical Thinking Exercises and/or written papers.
Clinical conference presentations.
***Do not fall behind in your reading. It is very difficult to catch up if you get behind.
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VII.
Week / Date
1
08/24/15
Course calendar
Topic
Readings listed as M/S are from the MedSurg textbook
ATI TEXT READING WILL BE
POSTED ON THE CALENDAR
Introduction to the Course
The Learning Process and Learning
Resources
http://www.edutopia.org/multiple-intelligenceslearning-styles-quiz
Learning Styles Survey
08/26/15 Introduction to the Critical Thinking and the
2
08/31/15
09/02/15
3
09/07/15
09/09/15
4
5
Nursing Process
Quiz 1
Concepts and Trends in Health Care
Nursing in Various Settings
Writing assignment
EBP
NO CLASS – ALL COLLEGE
HOLIDAY
Interviewing and Physical Assessment
Documentation
09/14/15
Quiz 2
Legal and Ethical Issues
09/16/15
Infectious Diseases
Critical Thinking Assignment #1 (CTA)
Acknowledge receipt of this syllabus
electronically on CANVAS as assigned.
Nursing Program Handbook
M/S Chapter 1
ATI module – Getting Started with ATI
M/S Chapter 3 (except pages 27-34)
Why I want to be a nurse: My plan for
success.
M/S Chapter 2
ATI Skills modules – Physical assessment
(Adult)
M/S Pages 27-24
Read Patient Bill of Rights
Read Resident’s Rights
M/S Chapter 8
ATI Skills module – Infection control
Paper on the History of Nursing
09/21/15 Cultural and Spiritual Aspects of
Nursing
09/23/15 Quiz 3
CAM
M/S Chapter 4
M/S Chapter 5
6
09/28/15
The Life Cycle – Adult
Concept Mapping
The Life Cycle – Elderly
M/S Chapter 14
7
10/05/15 Quiz 4
Fluids & Electrolytes / Acid-Base
Balance
10/07/15 Intravenous Therapy
10/12/15 Genetics in Nursing
10/14/15 Midterm Examination
M/S Chapter 6
09/30/15
8
M/S Chapter 15
Page 8 of 9
M/S Chapter 7 (ATI Skills Module)
Review ATI testing success strategies.
LVN 121 Theory Lecture Schedule Page 2
Week / Date Topic
9 10/19/15 Care of the Client having Surgery I
Reading Assignment
M/S Chapter 12
10/21/15 Care of the Client having Surgery II
10 10/26/15 Quiz 5
Shock
Critical Thinking Assignment #2
10/28/15 Pain Management
M/S Chapter 9
Client Care Worksheets & Medication
Research sheets
M/S Chapter 10
11 11/02/15 Home Care
M/S Chapter 16
11/04/15
M/S Chapter 17
Quiz 6
End of Life Care
12 11/09/15 NO CLASS – ALL COLLEGE
HOLIDAY
11/11/15 Immune System
13 11/16/15 Care of the Client with Cancer
M/S Chapter 18
M/S Chapter 11
M/S Chapters 19
11/18/15 Quiz 7
Immune Mediated Disorders
14 11/23/15 HIV and AIDS
M/S Chapter 20
11/25/15 Quiz 8
Bioterrorism/Disaster Nursing
M/S Chapters 13
15 11/30/15 The Musculoskeletal System
M/S Chapters 45-46
12/02/15 The Integumentary System
Care of the Client with Burns
M/S Chapters 53-55
*REMINDER…There is no clinical during
Finals Week. We will use this time for
testing.
16 12/07/15 Final Exam
12/09/15 ATI FUNDAMENTALS EXAM
Should there present any differences between the information contained in this syllabus and the
CANVAS content, the faculty shall make the final designation of content. The instructor reserves the
right to revise this syllabus at any time to meet the learning needs of the group and goals of College of
the Redwoods.
***Please acknowledge receipt of this syllabus on CANVAS ***
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