PHILOSOPHY
The philosophy of the Temple College Associate Degree in Nursing (ADN) program reflects the
beliefs of the faculty and provides the foundation for the nursing program. The ADN philosophy
is congruent with the institution’s mission statement by providing quality education to prepare
ADN graduates who are capable of entry-level employment in the diverse community served by
Temple College. The purpose of the ADN program is to provide assistance in supplying the
Central Texas area with qualified graduate nurses who are prepared to take the licensure by
examination requirements to become registered nurses.
The faculty recognizes the holistic nature of the individual with biological (physical being),
psychological (mind), and social (relationship with others) dimensions. These dimensions are
interrelated to create the whole; when one dimension changes, other dimensions may be affected.
represented by the physical being. The psychological dimension is represented by the mind.
The individual is understood to be a dynamic being with varying capacity to meet their needs.
Each individual has the right to be actively involved in a plan to meet their needs. When active
involvement is not possible, the individual is entitled to assistance in ca caring manner.
Nursing is a profession in which caring behaviors are provided by interaction with the client in
response to actual or potential unmet needs. Caring behaviors are those practices that
demonstrate the nurse’s altruistic concern for the welfare of the client. These behaviors are
integrated from both scientific and humanistic experiences. The five steps of the nursing
process, assessment, diagnosis, planning, implementation, and evaluation, are utilized as the
method to promote critical thinking to integrate scientific principles with humanistic concerns.
The nurse provides caring behaviors by performing in the roles of provider of care, coordinator
of care, and profession member. These roles may be performed in a variety of settings. The
nurse is accountable for performance in these roles not only to one’s self and the profession, but
also to a local, national and global society.
Nursing education consists of experiences, both didactic and practicum, that develop the
individual’s potential to provide quality care. The foundation for these experiences is derived
from scientific and humanistic concepts and principles. The faculty facilitates learning
opportunities that provide the student exposure to knowledge, skills, technology, and belief
systems necessary for professional nursing practice. These learning opportunities draw from and
build on each other to provide progression in the development of nursing roles. Course work
specific to nursing and the general core curriculum, as outlined by the college, comprises the
formal education plan for the associate degree-nursing student.
Learning is viewed as a continuing process involving cognitive, affective, and psychomotor
domains. Learning in the nursing program is dependent on faculty-student interaction. The
faculty has the responsibility for guiding the learner to experiences that will assist them in
meeting the objectives of the nursing program. The student has the responsibility for acquiring
the knowledge, values and skills necessary to meet the objectives of the nursing program. Both
participants have the responsibility for creating and participating in a learning climate that fosters
the maximum development of each student’s potential. This focus recognizes that learning
beyond the formal educational setting is essential and does not stop upon completion of the
formal learning plan.
The nursing curriculum incorporates the following concepts: the individual is a holistic being
with varying capacity to meet their needs; nursing interacts with the individual in response to
unmet needs by utilizing the nursing process to provide caring behaviors; the nurse performs in
the roles of provider of care, coordinator of care, and profession member. Inherent within these
concepts is the importance of communication in a variety of forms.
The role of the graduate associate degree nurse in the profession of nursing is to: 1) display a
commitment to the value of caring by delivering client-centered care; 2) use the nursing process
as a basis for critical thinking to integrate scientific and humanistic principles and concepts; 3)
act as a coordinator in organizing and facilitating quality client care; 4) practice as a coordinator
and provider of care in a variety of settings where policies and procedures are specified and
guidance is available; 5) communicate effectively in performance of professional roles; 6)
practice within the ethical and legal framework of nursing and be accountable for ensuring high
standards of nursing practice; 7) be a contributing member within the profession of nursing.
Revised 12-08