DESALES UNIVERSITY
Department of Nursing & Health
COURSE NO.:
NU 205
COURSE TITLE:
Fundamentals of Nursing
CREDIT HOURS:
4
3 hours class and 2 hours on-campus lab weekly
OFFERED:
Fall Semester
PREREQUISITES:
Sophomore level standing, CH 103, CH 104, BI 263, BI 264
INSTRUCTOR:
Mrs. Shelley Yeager, M.S.N., R.N.; ext. 1368 (work); (610) 7400538 (home); shelley.yeager@desales.edu (e-mail);
http://www4.desales.edu/~sey0 (web site)
OFFICE LOCATION:
Dooling Hall, Room 125 B
OFFICE HOURS:
Monday, 9:00-11:00; Wednesday, 9:00-11:00; Friday, 9:00 12:00; or by appointment
COURSE DESCRIPTION:
Basic foundational nursing course. Introduces students to
foundational concepts of person, health, environment, and
nursing. Focuses on the nursing process, basic nursing care,
therapeutic communication skills, and the role of the nurse as a
member of the health care team.
OBJECTIVES:
1. Develop verbal and written communication skills.
2. Explain the roles and functions of members of the health
care delivery system.
3. Incorporate the nursing process and begin to think critically
to promote wellness and prevent illness.
4. Explain the legal and professional regulation of nursing
practice.
5. Describe the influence of Christian Humanism on everyday
living, health, and illness.
6. Demonstrate an awareness of environmental and cultural
influences in the care of the person.
TEACHING METHODS:
Lecture, discussion, nursing process exercise, computer
modules, role-playing, overhead visuals, guest lecturers,
demonstration, return demonstration, small group discussions,
videotape presentations, exams, skills tests.
GRADING AND
EVALUATION:
Theory Tests - 3 @ 15% each
Theory Final Exam
Nursing Process Exercise
APA Format Exercises
Weekly Nursing Skills Laboratory Tests
Weekly Nursing Skills Laboratory Practical Tests
= 45%
= 25%
= 10%
= 10%
= 10%
= Pass/Fail
The three unit tests will be based on the previous material presented; the
final exam will be cumulative from the beginning of the semester with
emphasis on new material. Any material from required readings,
lectures, and group discussions may be tested as well as applications of
this material.
Written assignments not handed in on due dates will be penalized five
points for EACH day they are late.
The grading scale for NU 205 is as follows:
A
AB+
B
BC+
= 94-100
= 90-93.99
= 87-89.99
= 83-86.99
= 80-82.99
= 77-79.99
C
CD+
D
F
= 74-76.99
= 71-73.99
= 68-70.99
= 65-67.99
 64.99
C is an unacceptable final grade for this course. C+ or above is a
passing grade. A passing grade in the nursing skills laboratory sessions
AND theory is necessary for passing the course.
ATTENDANCE
POLICY:
All students must show evidence of completion of their mandatory
health work and current BCLS/CPR status prior to 12/12/03. Lack of
evidence of completion of their mandatory health work and current
BCLS/CPR status by this date will result in nursing skills laboratory failure
and, thus, course failure.
MANDATORY attendance is required at all scheduled theory
examinations and nursing skills laboratory sessions. As such,
attendance at each scheduled theory examination and nursing skills
laboratory session will be taken. Attendance at all scheduled lectures is
EXPECTED. As such, attendance at each scheduled lecture will also be
taken.
Unpreparedness for nursing skills laboratory sessions will result in
removal from the nursing skills laboratory session and a “0” for the
experiences covered in the nursing skills laboratory session.
Each student is responsible for reporting his/her UNAVOIDABLE
absence from a scheduled theory examination and/or nursing skills
laboratory session to the instructor PRIOR TO the time arranged for the
experience.
Makeup work for UNAVOIDABLE absences from scheduled theory
examinations and/or nursing skills laboratory sessions is to be
INITIATED BY THE STUDENT with the instructor within 48 hours of the
missed experience except in emergency situations. However, any
makeup for absences from scheduled theory examinations and/or
nursing skills laboratory sessions will be CONDUCTED AT THE
DISCRETION OF THE INSTRUCTOR and, IN NO CASE, is such
makeup time guaranteed.
Two absences from nursing skills laboratory sessions and any absence
from scheduled theory examinations will result in failure to attain
satisfaction of course objectives and, thus, course failure.
PLAGARISM POLICY: Refer to the Academic Honesty Policy on page 27-29 of the 2003-2005
Bulletin of Information.
REQUIRED TEXTS:
American Psychological Association. (2001). Publication manual
of the American Psychological Association (5th ed.). Washington, D.C.:
Author.
Doenges, M., Moorhouse, M., & Geissler, A. (2002). Nurses
pocket guide: Nursing diagnoses with interventions (8th ed.).
Philadelphia, PA: F. A. Davis.
F. A. Davis Company. (2001). Taber’s cyclopedic medical
dictionary (19th ed.). Philadelphia, PA: F.A. Davis.
Kee, J., & Marshall, S. (2000). Clinical calculations with
applications to general and specialty areas (4th ed.). Philadelphia, PA:
W. B. Saunders.
Purnell, L., & Paulanka, B. (2003). Transcultural healthcare: A
culturally competent approach (2nd ed.). Philadelphia, PA: F.A. Davis.
Silvestri, L. (2002). Saunders Q & A Review for NCLEX-RN (2nd
ed.). Philadelphia, PA: Saunders.
Taylor, C., Lillis, C., & LeMone, P. (2001). Fundamentals of
nursing: The art and science of nursing care (4th ed.). Philadelphia, PA:
Lippincott.
TOPICAL CONTENT:
1. History of nursing
2. Introduction to nursing: role, careers, levels of practice, trends,
practice guidelines, organizations
3. Critical thinking and nursing practice
4. Nursing models and frameworks for health care delivery
5. Therapeutic communication
6. Introduction to the nursing process: assessing, diagnosing, planning,
care plan development and overview of therapeutic interventions,
implementation, evaluation, documenting, referring, and conferring
7. Patient rights, informed consent, and advanced directives
8. Patient admission, discharge, and discharge planning
9. Values and ethics in practice
10. Safe environment: injury prevention, restraints, fire, radiological,
biological, and chemical safety precautions
11. Body mechanics: proper application and positioning
12. Introduction to asepsis: infection control, handwashing, and isolation
procedures
13. Basic patient hygiene: bathing, oral care, hair care, foot care, perineal
care, bedmaking
14. Skin integrity and wound care: wound dressing methods, wound care,
pressure ulcers, introduction to skin care products, indications and
implications for use
15. Stress, adaptation, coping, and illness models
16. Rest and sleep
17. Vital signs: assessment skills and application to the nursing process,
thermoregulation
18. Impact of culture, ethnicity, and spirituality on health beliefs and
health care
19. Professional and legal regulations of nursing practice
APPENDICES:
All assigned audiovisual materials are considered by the Department of
Nursing and Health as part of the required reading assignments and, as
such, must be viewed and completed by the students on their own time.
APPROVALS:
Instructor’s Signature: _______________________________________
Date: ______
Department Chair’s Signature: _________________________________
Date: ______