College of DuPage
Practical Nursing Program
Mission
Organizing Framework
Philosophy
Purpose
Program Outcomes
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Contents
Mission……………………………………………………………………………… 3
Organizing Framework……………………………………………………………… 4
Philosophy…………………………………………………………………………… 9
Purpose………………………………………………………………………………12
Program Outcomes………………………………………………………………......13
References……………………………………………………………………………16
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Mission of the College of DuPage Practical Nursing Program
In keeping with the mission of the College of DuPage (College of DuPage Catalog 20052007, p. 11), the mission of the College of DuPage (COD) Practical Nursing (PN)
Program serves the needs of the community. The COD Practical Nursing Program
supports excellence in learning and teaching, fosters an instructional climate that
welcomes innovation, is open to change, and targets continual improvement and
accountability. The COD Practical Nursing Program ensures diverse learning needs with
a comprehensive, dynamic curriculum and varied educational delivery systems. The COD
Practical Nursing program promotes critical thinking and academic honesty while
preparing students to qualify for and succeed in further educational endeavors and to
prosper in the work environment. The COD Practical Nursing Program broadens learning
opportunities for students by providing articulation from the Practical Nursing Program
into the Associate Degree Nursing Program.
This mission is reflected in the college catalogue description of the PN Program:
The Practical Nursing (PN) program at College of DuPage prepares students to function
under the direction of a licensed professional in a variety of health care settings. The
curriculum integrates classroom, campus laboratory, and clinical instruction to teach
concepts and skills which the Practical Nurse uses to contribute to the nursing care of
patients. Completion of the program provides the foundation for continued education and
career mobility in nursing. On successful completion of the Practical Nursing program,
the student is awarded a certificate and becomes eligible to take the National Council
Licensure Examination — Practical Nurse (NCLEX-PN).
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Model of the Organizing Framework of the
College of DuPage Practical Nursing Program
Health Care Delivery Systems
Environment
Nursing
Person
Health
Explanation: Nursing incorporates knowledge about the environment, person, and health
to provide nursing care within one of the health care delivery systems.
Definition of Terms
Health Care Delivery System: The system in which the Practical Nurse provides
nursing care under the direction of qualified health care professionals. Types of systems
include acute care, long-term care, and community.
Person: Includes all human participants in the health care delivery system; i.e.,
individual, family, group, or community. The person is a unique holistic being with
physical, emotional, intellectual, social, spiritual, and environmental needs. These needs,
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which are common to all human beings regardless of culture, race, or gender, exist
throughout a person’s life span, and are influenced by levels of health and interaction
with the environment.
Health: Health is a dynamic state on a continuum ranging from optimal health or
wellness to health problems to death. Optimum health is a state of balance of the
physical, emotional, social, spiritual, environmental, and intellectual components of the
person. Health reflects the person’s ability to meet basic needs as well as adapt to internal
and external environmental changes to maintain equilibrium. When the person is unable
to cope or adapt, needs are unmet and deviations in equilibrium result in health problems
or death. Health varies with developmental stages and at times there is a greater risk for
disequilibrium in the person’s health. Therefore, knowledge of growth and development
is used in planning care.
Environment: All factors, internal and external, that interact with the person to affect
health. The components of the environment are physical, psychological, sociocultural,
cognitive, and spiritual.
Nursing: The COD Practical Nursing Program has adopted the NCSBN’s (2005, p. 8)
definition of nursing:
Nursing is both an art and a science. It is a learned profession based on an understanding of the
human condition across the life span and the relationships of an individual with others and within
the environment. The nature of nursing is continually evolving. Nursing practice is founded on a
professional body of knowledge that integrates concepts from the biological, behavioral, and
social sciences. The goal of nursing is to promote comfort and quality health care. The nurse
assists individuals throughout their life spans to attain optimal levels of functioning by responding
to the needs, conditions, and events that result from actual or potential health problems.
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The Concept of Nursing
Showing where Practical Nursing Fits into the Overall Health Care
Delivery System and Subsets of Concepts that are Incorporated in
Nursing
Health care Delivery Systems
Nursing:
Current Evidence-Based Practice of
Practical Nursing Based on
Professional Ethics, Values, &
Accountability
Holistic Nursing Care Using:
•Application of Knowledge to
Practice
•Caring
•Critical Thinking
•Effective Communication
•Competence in Performing
Therapeutic Nursing Interventions
The model indicates that the nurse functions within health care delivery systems. That
evidenced-based practice of nursing is enveloped in professional ethics, values, and
accountability. Holistic nursing care is delivered by applying knowledge to practice
incorporating caring, critical thinking, effective communication, and competence in
performing clinical skills. The items in the model incorporate the important attributes of
the entry-level Practical Nurse as determined by the National Council of State Boards of
Nursing (2006, p.151).
Evidence-Based Practice: The integration of the best possible research to evidence with
clinical expertise and with patient needs (Porter-O’Grady, 2006, p. 1).
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Practical Nursing: The COD Practical Nursing Program has adopted the NCSBN’s
(2005, p. 8) definition of the Practical Nurse:
The practical/vocational nurse uses “specialized knowledge and skills which meet the
health needs of people in a variety of settings under the direction of qualified health
professionals” (NFLPN, 2003). The practical/vocational nurse uses a clinical problemsolving process (the nursing process) to collect and organize relevant health care data,
assist in the identification of the health needs/problems throughout the patient’s life span
and contribute to the interdisciplinary team in a variety of settings. The entry-level
practical/vocational nurse demonstrates the essential competencies needed to care for
patients with commonly occurring health problems that have predictable outcomes.
“Competency implies knowledge, understanding, and skills that transcend specific tasks
and is guided by a commitment to ethical/legal principles” (NAPNES, 2003).
Holistic Nursing Care: Nursing care based on assessment of the total person with
consideration for diversity; nursing care that looks at the total patient and transcends
specific tasks; to understand, respect, and accept any differences and similarities of
patients.
Application of Knowledge to Practice: The mark of a knowledgeable nurse; one who
applies critical thinking using a solid knowledge base when invoking the nursing process.
Caring: A process that involves compassionate interactions with the behaviors that
provide meaning to nursing actions. Three aspects of caring are identified as “caring for”
(actions or treatments), “caring about”, and “caring with” persons in the health care
delivery system that is undertaken by nurses as care providers and collaborators to
facilitate the improvement or maintenance of health.
Critical Thinking: Critical thinking is contextual and faculty strive to teach critical
thinking in all learning environments. Critical thinking used in the COD Practical
Nursing Program draws upon the work of Alfaro-LeFevre (2006, p. 30):
Critical thinking in nursing:
 Entails purposeful, informed, outcome-focused (results-oriented) thinking that requires
careful identification of key problems, issues, and risks involved.
 Is driven by patient, family, and community needs.
 Is based on principles of nursing process and scientific methods (for example, using
intuition but making judgments based on evidence, rather than guesswork).
 Requires specific knowledge, skills, and experience.
 Requires strategies that make the most of human potential (for example, using individual
strengths) and compensate for problems created by human nature (for example,
overcoming the powerful influence of personal views).
 Is constantly re-evaluating, self-correcting, and striving to improve.
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Effective Communication: Interactions between the nurse and patient and among the
nurse and other health care providers that result in outcomes for safe, effective patient
care.
Therapeutic Nursing Interventions: Any treatment, based on clinical judgment and
knowledge that a nurse performs to enhance patient outcomes (Taylor, Lellis, & LeMone,
2005, p. 281).
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Philosophy of the COD Practical Nursing Program
The faculty believe that Practical Nursing education is based on accepted standards of
community college education and is part of higher education. The COD Practical Nursing
program prepares the student to be a member of the collaborative team of professionals
that implement caring behaviors and clinical interventions to provide patient care in all
areas of nursing practice to promote, maintain, or restore health, and prevent illness for
individuals and groups across the life span and in a variety of clinical settings. The
curriculum provides knowledge from the biological and social sciences to provide a base
for implementing holistic care to individuals, families, and communities. The student
learns how to provide safe, accountable, and effective care to meet the patient’s
physiological, psychological, sociocultural, and spiritual needs.
The faculty believe this knowledge facilitates an understanding of the person,
environment, and health and stimulates individual growth and involvement in the
profession and the community. The COD Practical Nursing Program faculty believe in
incorporating information and trends based on current influences on health care and
nursing that impact the community the college serves. To meet that end, the Practical
Nursing Program meets yearly with representatives of community facilities that constitute
the membership of the Practical Nursing Program Advisory Council.
The COD Practical Nursing Program faculty believe it is necessary to have a curriculum
developed by nursing experts. Therefore, the curriculum of the COD Practical Nursing
Program is driven by the faculty and based on national and state standards. These
standards include the National Association for Practical Nurse Education and Service
(NAPNES) Standards of Practice for Licensed Practical/Vocational Nurses, the NAPNES
Code of Ethics for Nurses, and the Standards of Professional Conduct for Practical
Nurses from the State of Illinois Rules for the Administration of the Nursing and
Advanced Practice Nursing Act, Section 1300.43. Using these standards, the faculty is
responsible for identifying the knowledge and competencies required of students in each
nursing course, for establishing minimum standards for demonstrating such, and
evaluating student performance to determine the degree to which standards have been
met.
The faculty believe a person is a unique holistic being with physical, emotional,
intellectual, social, spiritual, and environmental needs. These needs, which are common
to all human beings regardless of culture, race, or gender, exist throughout a person’s life
span and are influenced by levels of health and interaction with the environment. Nursing
care is provided considering the person, health, and environment within a health care
delivery system. Diversity of individuals is a core component for practical nursing.
Students learn to understand, respect, and accept any differences and similarities among
the varied patients in their care. Faculty provide the same understanding, respect, and
acceptance of any differences and similarities among the varied students who enroll in
the COD Practical Nursing Program.
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The faculty believe the person’s internal and external environment is the sum of all the
conditions and elements that make up their surroundings and influence their
development. An individual’s environment directly influences the level of wellness and
ability to reach full potential as a thinking, creative, productive person.
The faculty believe in a nursing framework for the planning of nursing care and use
Maslow’s hierarchy of basic needs as a framework that facilitates data collection for
planning holistic patient care.
The nursing process is used as the clinical problem-solving process to provide a scientific
approach to patient care. The faculty teach students that the roles of the Practical Nurse in
applying the nursing process, under the direction of a qualified health care professional,
include data collection, planning, implementation, and evaluation to provide safe,
effective nursing care for patients at all points on the health continuum, in all stages of
the life span, and in any of the health care delivery systems.
Teaching-Learning
The faculty view the teaching-learning process as a dynamic, logical interchange between
the learner and the educational environment. Learning involves the acquisition of
knowledge, skills, attitudes, values, and critical thinking and is evidenced by meaningful
use of these acquired factors in the care of patients. The faculty believe that individuals
learn in a variety of ways and that a diversity of resources should be available to meet
individual student learning needs. The faculty believe in instructor-guided and student
self-directed learning; thus, the primary roles of the instructor are those of teacher,
facilitator, evaluator, advisor, and resource person. The faculty is responsible for assisting
individual students to become knowledgeable, demonstrate competencies, and meet the
program outcomes needed for entry into beginning practical nursing practice.
Learning is enhanced when the learner’s knowledge level is identified to plan appropriate
teaching, when educational experiences are organized in a logical sequence that promotes
continuity, and when the individual student’s unique needs and strengths are considered.
The faculty value a learning environment which:
 Is supportive of learning
 Fosters healthy interdependence
 Is respectful of and concerned about students
 Empowers students in their present and life-long learning
The faculty value a caring environment for students which promotes flexible, accessible
educational experiences for a diverse student body. Adult learning principles are used in
all interactions with students providing self-directed, purposeful learning respectful of
knowledge and experience students bring to the educational environment. Adult learning
theory empowers learners with mentoring and guidance allowing both autonomy and
responsibility in learning experiences.
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The nursing faculty acknowledge the core competencies of The Scope of Practice for
Academic Nurse Educators (NLN, 2005) and aspire to incorporate the eight competencies
in their daily teaching activities. The faculty also acknowledge the importance of
evidence-based nursing education and strive to incorporate best practice into their
teaching.
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Purposes of the COD Practical Nursing Program
The purposes of the Practical Nursing Program at College of DuPage include the
following:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Provide a dynamic educational pathway in a college environment for entry into
practical nursing (PN) practice.
Continually evolve to reflect local community needs, and current and emerging
health care delivery systems.
Instill the importance of critical thinking, caring behaviors, and skillful
therapeutic nursing interventions when providing patient care in all areas of
nursing practice to promote, maintain, or restore health, and prevent illness for
individuals and groups across the life span.
Graduate a beginning practitioner who is competent at the entry level and
provides nursing care to a diverse patient population within a variety of health
care settings.
Promote continual learning and advancement within the profession by
encouraging and facilitating articulation into the COD Associate Degree Nursing
program.
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Program Outcomes
The following outcomes have been established for graduates for the COD Practical
Nursing Program. The competencies are adapted from those drafted by the National
Association for Practical Nurse Education and Service (NAPNES) (2006):
At the completion of an LPN program, the student will display the following
outcomes:
1. Professional Behaviors:
Program Outcome: Function as a competent Practical Nurse within a legal and ethical
framework to provide holistic care to patients from diverse backgrounds.
Competencies which demonstrate this outcome has been met:
1. Comply with the ethical, legal, and regulatory frameworks of nursing and the
scope of practice as outlined in the Illinois Nurse Practice Act.
2. Utilize educational opportunities for continued personal and professional growth.
3. Identify personal potential and consider career mobility options.
4. Identify personal strengths and weaknesses for the purpose of improving
performance and life long learning.
5. Demonstrate accountability for nursing care provided by self.
6. Function as an advocate for the health care consumer.
7. Identify the impact of economic, political, social, cultural, and demographic
forces on the role of the Practical Nurse in the delivery of health care.
8. Serve as a positive role model within health care settings and the community.
9. Participate as a member of a practical nursing organization.
2. Communication:
Program Outcome: Effectively communicate with patients, significant support
person(s), and members of the health care team incorporating interpersonal and
therapeutic communication skills.
Competencies which demonstrate this outcome has been met:
1. Utilize communication skills when interacting with patients, significant others,
and health care team members.
2. Communicate relevant, accurate, and complete information.
3. Report and document data collected, interventions, and progress toward patient
outcomes.
4. Maintain organizational and patient confidentiality.
5. Utilize information technology to support and communicate the planning and
provision of patient care.
6. Utilize appropriate channels of communication.
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3. Assessment:
Program Outcome: Holistically collect assessment data from multiple sources,
communicate data to appropriate health care providers, and evaluate patient response to
interventions.
Competencies which demonstrate this outcome has been met:
1. Collect data related to basic physical, developmental, spiritual, cultural,
functional, and psychosocial needs of the patient.
2. Collect data within established protocols and guidelines from various sources
including patient interviews, observations/measurements, health care team
members, family, significant others, and health records.
3. Document data collected.
4. Communicate findings to appropriate health care personnel.
5. Collect data to evaluate the patient’s response to interventions based on the
established patient plan of care.
6. Document findings of the evaluation data.
4. Planning:
Program Outcome: Work with members of the health care team to organize and
incorporate assessment data to plan/revise patient care based on established nursing
diagnoses, and assessment and evaluation data.
Competencies which demonstrate this outcome has been met:
1. Utilize knowledge of normal values to identify deviation in health status to plan
care.
2. Contribute to the development of nursing care plans utilizing established nursing
diagnosis for patients with common, well-defined health problems.
3. Prioritize planned nursing interventions.
4. Assist in the review and revision of nursing care plans to meet the changing needs
of patients.
5. Assist with modification of patient care as indicated by the evaluation of
outcomes.
5. Caring Interventions:
Program Outcome: Demonstrate a caring and empathetic approach to the individualized
care of each patient.
Competencies which demonstrate this outcome has been met:
1. Protect and promote the patient’s dignity.
2. Identify and honor the emotional, cultural, religious, and spiritual influences on
the patient’s health.
3. Demonstrate caring behavior towards the patient and significant support
person(s).
4. Provide competent and safe nursing care in a variety of settings.
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5. Provide a safe physical and psychosocial environment for the patient and
significant others.
6. Implement the prescribed care regimen within the legal, ethical, and regulatory
framework of Practical Nursing practice.
7. Assist the patient and significant support person(s) to cope with and adapt to
stressful events and changes in health status.
8. Assist the patient and significant others to achieve optimum comfort and
functioning.
9. Instruct patient regarding individualized health needs in accordance with an
established teaching plan and keeping with the Practical Nurse’s knowledge level.
6. Managing:
Program Outcome: Implement patient care through skillful performance of therapeutic
nursing interventions, recognizing need for changes and collaborating with others to
change the plan of care.
Competencies which demonstrate this outcome has been met:
1. Assist in the coordination and implementation of an individualized plan of care
for patients and significant support person (s).
2. Assume responsibility for managing own actions when providing nursing care for
individuals and groups.
3. Assist the patient and significant support person (s) to access available resources
and services.
4. Implement nursing strategies to provide cost efficient care.
5. Demonstrate competence with current technologies.
6. Function in the role of the Practical Nurse in a variety of health care delivery
systems.
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References
Alfaro-LeFevre, R. (2006). Applying the nursing process: A tool for critical thinking.
Philadelphia: Lippincott.
National Association for Practical Nurse Educators and Service (NAPNES). (2003).
Standards of practice for LPN/VNs. Silver Spring, MD: Author.
National Association for Practical Nurse Education and Service (NAPNES) (2006).
Draft: Standards of practice for LPN/VNs. Silver Spring, MD: Author.
National Council of State Boards of Nursing (2006). Business book NCSBN 2006 annual
meeting: The threshold of regulatory excellence: taking up the challenge.
Chicago: Author.
National Council of State Boards of Nursing (2005). NCLEX-PN examination: Detailed
test plan for the national council licensure examination for licensed
practical/vocational nurses. Chicago: Author.
National Federation of Licensed Practical Nurses, Inc. (NFLPN). (2003). National
practice standards for the licensed practical/vocational nurse. Raleigh, NC:
Author.
National League for Nursing (2005). The scope of practice for academic nurse educators.
New York: Author.
Porter-O’Grady, T. (2006). A new age for practice: Creating the framework for evidence.
In K. Malloch & T. Porter-O’Grady, Introduction to Evidence-Based Practice in
Nursing and Health Care. Boston: Jones and Bartlett Publishers.
Taylor, C., Lellis, C., & LeMone, P. (2005). Fundamentals of nursing: The art and
science of nursing care. (5th ed.). Philadelphia: Lippincott Williams & Wilkins.
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