MEDICAL-SURGICAL NURSING 1
CURICCULUM
Course Philosophy
To fulfill the Middlesex County Vocational-Technical School Practical Nursing Program mission to
develop practical nursing skills for licensure and employment, the Medical-Surgical Nursing 1 Curriculum will help
meet the expectations for this type of health care provider. This course is designed to provide students with
experiences in a broad base of health and emergency measures as well as to teach students a core of workplace skills
and standards relevant to the field of medical-surgical practical nursing.
The course will focus on academic learning and clinical experiences at a variety of healthcare and
emergency facilities, such as hospitals, long-term facilities, and therapy centers. These learning experiences will be
taught by the academic and clinical instructors. Instruction will also be delivered through distance learning and field
trips, as well as invited guest speakers who are expert in their respective fields. These experiences are an
opportunity to increase their understanding of medical-surgical nursing.
MEDICAL-SURGICAL
NURSING 1 CURRICULUM
Course Description
Course Title
Medical-Surgical Nursing 1 Curriculum
Length of Program
63 academic hours
152.25 clinical hours
Textbooks
ADULT HEALTH NURSING,
Barbara Christensen and Elaine Kockrow, 6th edition
*ADULT HEALTH NURSING Work Book,
Barbara Christensen and Elaine Kockrow, 6th edition
INTRODUCTION TO CLINICAL PHARMACOLOGY,
Marilyn W. Edmunds, 7th edition
*INTRODUCTION TO CLINICAL PHARMACOLOGY Work Book,
Marilyn W. Edmunds, 7th edition
FOUNDATIONS OF NURSING,
Barbara Christensen and Elaine Kockrow, 6th edition
BASIC NUTRITION AND DIET THERAPY,
Staci Nix, 14th edition
FUNDAMENTAL SKILLS AND CONCEPTS IN PATIENT CARE,
Barbara K. Timby, 10th edition
Course Description
During the course, students will focus on the care of the medical-surgical patient focusing on caring for the
surgical patient, the cardiopulmonary patient, the patient in rehabilitation, the patient with an immune system
disorder, the HIV patient, the patient with cancer, the dying patient, the patient with disorders of the integumentary
system. Students will further explore the medical-surgical nursing field through clinical experiences that will be
coordinated with a variety of health care facilities in and out-of the county as well as classroom simulations.
*Experiences noted above will be dependent on availability.
MEDICAL-SURGICAL
NURSING 1 CURRICULUM
Course Objectives/Proficiencies
Upon completion of Medical-Surgical Nursing 1, having been given the necessary instruments, equipment,
materials, and instruction, students will be able to:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
11.
12.
13.
14.
15.
16.
17.
Work safely to prevent accidents and to protect the patient by observing safety rules of the school,
laboratory, and clinical facilities in medical-surgical nursing.
Apply the basic principles and practices of medical and surgical asepsis in the care of the medical-surgical
patients.
Practice good habits of personal hygiene and good body mechanics for job efficiency and health
maintenance.
Recognize the legal and ethical responsibilities involved in the nursing practice.
Recognize and develop the skills that constitute a good nurse-patient relationship in relationship to
Medical-Surgical Nursing 1.
Identify commonalities and differences in the growth and human development process at various levels
(progression in terms of the medical-surgical patient).
Discuss the basic principles of the major internal body defenses, the inflammatory response, tissue repair,
and body responses to infection.
Discuss the role of the nurse in relation to a person with an immune disorder.
Discuss the role of the nurse in dealing with the dying patient and the family of the dying patient.
Formulate personal ideas about death and dying.
Practice properly such Medical-Surgical 1 nursing skills and techniques as: body mechanics, organization
and care of the patient’s environment, vital signs, patient’s nutritional oral-nasal-pharyngeal-suctioning,
and assisting the physician with special procedures.
Practice proper procedures in admitting, discharging and transferring patients; assisting with preparation
and administration of intravenous infusion; first aid procedures; caring for pre-operative complications;
promoting respiratory function.
Define the essential elements of a nursing care plan and its implications for the practical nurse. Develop
and implement a systematic plan of care that meets the needs of the patient and patient’s family and which
includes assessment, planning, implementation and evaluation.
Demonstrate a knowledge of the proper procedures for accurate record keeping.
Develop essentials of teaching techniques in the self-care patient.
Demonstrate awareness of the general principles, and their underlying rationale, of first aid for major and
minor emergencies, particularly in the hospital setting and as a member of the health team or in emergency
situations.
Appropriately use the terminology of Medical-Surgical Nursing 1.
Utilize observational skills in recognizing common symptoms and relating such information, differentiating
between subjective and objective data, to the appropriate member of the health care team.
18. Incorporate pharmacological considerations into care of the Medical-Surgical Nursing 1 patient.
19. Identify and properly use the basic instruments, equipment and materials necessary to carry out procedures
of Medical-Surgical Nursing 1.
MEDICAL-SURGICAL NURSING 1 CURRICULUM
Course Content Outline
A. (Independent Review)
1. Review of Fundamental’s
a. Physical Assessment
b. Narrative charting
c. Infection Control
d. Medical/Surgical Asepsis
e. Wound Care
B. The Surgical Patient
1. How to conceptualize peri-operative patient care
a. Describe the nursing functions in the total surgical experience of
the patient during the preoperative phase, intraoperative phase, and
postoperative phase
b. Discuss basic care of the surgical patient, applying principles to
all surgical patients.
2. How to Classify Surgical Patients
a. classify surgical procedures according to urgency
i. optional, elective, required, urgent, and emergency
3. How to identify locations for surgery
a. identify the various locations surgical procedures take place
i. operating suite
 Operating rooms
 Recovery/receiving rooms
ii. ambulatory/out-patient surgery
iii. physician’s office
4. Consider and Identify Types of Anesthesia
a. Consider types of anesthesia
i. location and extent of the surgical procedure
ii. potential for experiencing pain (discomfort) with the
procedure
iii. current state of patient’s health
iv. level of patient’s anxiety
v. personal feelings of patient regarding anesthesia
b. Identify the various types of anesthesia and associated risk
factors
i. general
ii. regional
iii. spinal
iv. local
v. topical
5. How to identify surgical risk factors
a. identifying risk factors influenced by
i. elderly
ii. dehydration
iii. inadequate nutrition
iv. cigarette smoking or tobacco products
v. obesity
vi. use of certain drugs (prescribed and recreational)
vii. substance abuse or dependence
viii. psychological fear
b. reporting abnormal vital signs
c. reporting abnormal laboratory test results
6. Patient information
a. informing the patient/physician of surgical procedures
b. obtaining informed consent
c. obtaining second opinions
Pharmacology
Antiemetics
Antihistamines
Sedative-hypnotics
Anticholinergics
Edmunds:
Chap. 16; p. 266-267
Chap. 11; p. 138-142
Chap. 16; p. 293-296
Chap. 16; p. 253, 255,268269, 340-341
Skeletal Muscle Relaxants
Chap. 18; p. 321-323
Analgesics (Opiod & Non-narcotic) Chap. 17; p. 298-308
Basic Nutrition
Religious Dietary Laws
Topic 2
Pulmonary Nursing
Oxygenation
Airway Management
Oxygen Therapy
& Tracheostomy
Pharmacology
Bronchodilators
Decongestants
Expectorants
Williams: Chap. 22; p. 447-470
Chap. 14; p. 266-268
Timby: Chap. 21
Timby: Chap. 36
Christensen (Foundations): Chap.
20; p. 388-389
Edmunds: Chap. 11; p. 145-146
Chap. 11; p. 152-155
Chap. 11; p. 155-156
Antitussives
Inhalants
Nutrition
Pulmonary Edema
Chap. 11; p. 142-144
Chap. 10; p. 152-153
Williams Chap. 19; p. 388
Topic 3
Rehab Nursing
Topic 4
The Mechanically Immobilized
Timby: Chap. 25 & Chap. 26
Patient
Pharmacology
Edmunds:
Analgesics
Acetominophen
Chap. 18; p. 318-319
Salicylates
Chap. 18; p. 314-318
NSAIDS
Chap. 18; p. 319-321
Nutrition
Williams:
Weight Management
Chap. 15
Nutrition & Fitness
Chap. 16
Topic 5
The Immune System
Christensen: Chap. 15
Pharmacology
Immunologic Agents Edmunds: Chap. 22
Antihistamines
Chap. 11; p. 138-142
Topic 6
Care of the HIV/AIDS Patient
Pharmacology
Antiretrovirals
Nutrition
Christensen (Foundations): Chap. 39
Christensen: Chap. 16
Edmunds: Chap. 13; p. 189-195
Williams: Chap. 23; p. 485-496
Topic 7
Oncology Nursing
Christensen: Chap. 17
Pharmacology
Edmunds:
Antineoplastic Meds
Chap. 14
Nutrition
Williams: Chap. 23; p. 471-484
Topic 8
Hospice Care
Christensen (Foundations): Chap. 40
Topic 9
Death and Dying Foundations
Christensen (Foundations): Chap. 10
Timby: Chap. 38
Topic 10
Care of the Patient with an
Integumentary Disorder
Christensen: Chap. 3
Christensen (Foundations): Chap.
33; p. 1088-1089
Edmunds:
Chap. 12 & p. 419
Pharmacology
Antiinfective
Antifungal
Topic 1
(Independent Review)
Review of Fundamental’s
Physical Assessment
Narrative charting
Infection Control
Medical/Surgical Asepsis
Wound Care
The Surgical Patient
Pre-Operative
Chap. 13; p. 195-198
Timby:
Ch- 13
pg 109
Ch 22
Ch 10
Ch 28
Timby: Chap. 27; p. 589-598
Christensen: Chap. 2; p. 23-43
Perioperative Patient
Timby: Chap. 27; p. 598-599
Christensen: Chap. 2; p. 43-44
Postoperative Patient
Timby: Chap. 27; p. 599-603
Christensen: Chap. 2; p. 44-56
Pharmacology
Edmunds:
Antiemetics
Chap. 16; p. 266-267
Antihistamines
Chap. 11; p. 138-142
Sedative-hypnotics
Chap. 16; p. 293-296
Anticholinergics
Chap. 16; p. 253, 255,268269, 340-341
Skeletal Muscle Relaxants
Chap. 18; p. 321-323
Analgesics (Opiod & Non-narcotic) Chap. 17; p. 298-308
Basic Nutrition
Religious Dietary Laws
Topic 2
Topic 3
Pulmonary Nursing
Oxygenation
Airway Management
Oxygen Therapy
& Tracheostomy
Pharmacology
Bronchodilators
Decongestants
Expectorants
Antitussives
Inhalants
Nutrition
Pulmonary Edema
Rehab Nursing
Williams: Chap. 22; p. 447-470
Chap. 14; p. 266-268
Timby: Chap. 21
Timby: Chap. 36
Christensen (Foundations): Chap.
20; p. 388-389
Edmunds: Chap. 11; p. 145-146
Chap. 11; p. 152-155
Chap. 11; p. 155-156
Chap. 11; p. 142-144
Chap. 10; p. 152-153
Williams Chap. 19; p. 388
Christensen (Foundations): Chap. 39
Topic 4
The Mechanically Immobilized
Timby: Chap. 25 & Chap. 26
Patient
Pharmacology
Edmunds:
Analgesics
Acetominophen
Chap. 18; p. 318-319
Salicylates
Chap. 18; p. 314-318
NSAIDS
Chap. 18; p. 319-321
Nutrition
Williams:
Weight Management
Chap. 15
Nutrition & Fitness
Chap. 16
Topic 5
The Immune System
Christensen: Chap. 15
Pharmacology
Immunologic Agents Edmunds: Chap. 22
Antihistamines
Chap. 11; p. 138-142
Topic 6
Care of the HIV/AIDS Patient
Pharmacology
Antiretrovirals
Nutrition
Christensen: Chap. 16
Edmunds: Chap. 13; p. 189-195
Williams: Chap. 23; p. 485-496
Topic 7
Oncology Nursing
Christensen: Chap. 17
Pharmacology
Edmunds:
Antineoplastic Meds
Chap. 14
Nutrition
Williams: Chap. 23; p. 471-484
Topic 8
Hospice Care
Christensen (Foundations): Chap. 40
Topic 9
Death and Dying Foundations
Christensen (Foundations): Chap. 10
Timby: Chap. 38
Topic 10
Care of the Patient with an
Integumentary Disorder
Christensen: Chap. 3
Christensen (Foundations): Chap.
33; p. 1088-1089
Edmunds:
Chap. 12 & p. 419
Chap. 13; p. 195-198
Pharmacology
Antiinfective
Antifungal
End of Course
FINAL EXAM
*All students are required to submit their professional portfolio to their instructor before
completion of their junior program segment. No grades or advancement in the program
will be provided until the portfolio is submitted. Please see instructor for due dates *