Arkansas Northeastern College
Associate Degree Nursing
Course Syllabus
Title of Course:
Introduction to Nursing Intervention
Course Number:
NU 16007
Prerequisites:
Survey of Chemistry or General Chemistry I/Lab
Math for Health Sciences or College Algebra
Anatomy and Physiology I/Lab
Course Description:
Introduction to Nursing Intervention course focuses on the
assessment of overt client behavior as well as the nursing
process, roles of the Associate Degree nurse, and basic
nursing skills associated with activities of daily living. The
clinical lab component and long term care rotation
incorporates the skills taught in the classroom.
Required Textbooks:
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Fundamentals of Nursing – Vol. I - Theory, Concepts, and
Applications, 2nd ed. (Davis) Wilkinson & Treas
Fundamental of Nursing – Vol. 2 – Thinking, Doing, and
Caring, 2nd ed. (Davis) Wilkinson & Treas
Davis Q & A for the NCLEX-RN Examination (Davis) –
Ohman
Pharmacology and the Nursing Process, 5th ed.
(Saunders/Elsevier)
Pharmacology and the Nursing Process Study Guide, 5th ed.
(Saunders/Elsevier)
Test Successes, (w/CD), 5th ed. (Davis) – Nugent & Vitale
Taber’s Cyclopedic Medical Dictionary 21st ed. (Davis)
Lippincott Manual of Nursing Practice, 9th ed. (Lippincott) –
Nettina
Davis’s Drug Guide for Nurses (w/CD), 12th ed. (Davis) Deglin
Physical Examination & Health Assessment, 6th ed.
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Rationale:
(Saunders) – Jarvis
Student Laboratory Manual for Physical Examination &
Health Assessment, 6th ed. (Saunders) Jarvis
Nursing Diagnosis Manual: Planning, Individualizing, and
Documenting Client Care 2nd ed, (Davis) – Doenges,
Moorhouse, & Murr
Davis’s Comprehensive Handbook of Labroratory and
Diagnostic Tests with Nursing Implications, 3rd ed. (Davis)
Van Leeuwen & Leth
Stethoscope Kit – stethoscope, penlight & scissors
Supply Bag
To ensure the first semester nursing students have a
comprehensive understanding of the role of the associate degree
nurse, assessment skills, nursing process and basic nursing skills.
This course is the foundation for all courses required in the
Associate Degree Nursing program.
Course Objectives: Upon completion of the Introduction to Nursing Intervention
Course students will be provided the opportunity to:
 Utilize the nursing process and evidence-based practice to provide
direct nursing care to clients with selected common well defined
illnesses incorporating care socially, culturally, and to ethnic
diverse populations.
 Utilize critical thinking skills to plan safe and direct nursing care in
a systematic manner using the theories, concepts, principles, and
skills derived from the natural and behavioral sciences and the
humanities.
 Provide evidence-based nursing practice using principles of
medical and surgical asepsis.
 Promote health by using therapeutic interventions, principles of
teaching-learning theories and concepts and principles derived
from the natural and behavioral sciences and the humanities.
 Show an internalization of the qualities of caring and compassion
toward self, individual, and families while acknowledging the worth,
dignity, and uniqueness of each.
 Express verbal, nonverbal, and written communication skills while
interacting with clients, peers, and co-workers.
 Perform and delegate as appropriate nursing skills necessary to
promote continuity of care and assist clients toward adaptation.
 Demonstrate self-direction in selection of clinical experiences and
learning.
Clinical Objectives: Students are expected to and will be evaluated on the following:
 Utilize the nursing process as a basis for decision making in the
care of adult clients experiencing interferences in respiratory,
cardiac, mental health, and neurology components.
 Institute measures to insure health promotion for the adult client.
 Communicate effectively with clients, families, and healthcare
team members.
 Provide safe nursing care by utilizing previously learned skills and
acquiring additional skill with the guidance of the clinical instructor.
 Begin to establish priorities in nursing care.
 Implement actions based on decisions that are consistent with
standards for nursing practice, established policies and
procedures, and legal/ethical parameter.
 Seek assistance in situations beyond one’s knowledge and
experience.
 Incorporate aspects of socio-cultural diversity when providing
client care.
 Promote participation of the client in the plan of care.
 Practice as a member of the nursing profession by demonstrating
professional characteristics that include: a positive attitude and
relationship with clients and staff, concern for confidentiality,
punctuality, appropriate appearance, and assumption of
responsibility for own actions and learning.
Unit Outline and Instructional Objectives:
UNIT I
Introduction to Nursing/Nursing as a Profession/ Nursing Process
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Explain the role of the military in the development of the nursing profession.
Discuss the transitions nursing education has undergone in the last century.
Differentiate among the various forms of nursing education.
Explain how nursing practice is regulated.
Give four examples of influential nursing organizations.
Give one definition and one example of critical thinking.
List at least six critical-thinking skills
Explain ways in which nurses use critical thinking.
List the six overlapping and interdependent phases of the nursing process.
Describe what the nurse is doing in each phase of the nursing process.
Explain how critical thinking is used in the nursing process.
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Explain how nursing knowledge, the nursing process, and critical thinking work
together in full-spectrum nursing.
Define nursing assessment, including the four features common to all definitions.
Explain how assessment is related to each of the other steps of the nursing
process.
Name three requirements of the Joint Commission regarding patient assessment.
Define initial, ongoing, comprehensive, and focused assessment.
Explain the importance of discharge planning assessment.
Identify the following types of data: subjective, objective, primary source,
secondary source.
Identify at least four components of a nursing health history, and state the
purpose of each.
Describe the differences between directive and nondirective interviewing.
Compare and contrast open-ended and closed questions, including definitions,
uses, advantages, and disadvantages.
Discuss how to prepare for and conduct an interview.
Describe three circumstances in which you should validate data
Define the following terms: diagnosis, nursing diagnosis, diagnostic reasoning,
diagnostic label, defining characteristics, related factors, risk factors, health
problem.
Explain how nursing diagnosis is related to the rest of the nursing process.
Relate the history of nursing diagnosis since the 1950s, including the role of the
American Nurses Association and NANDA.
Differentiate between nursing diagnoses, medical diagnoses, and collaborative
problems.
Explain the differences between actual, risk, possible, syndrome, and wellness
nursing diagnoses.
Describe a process for determining a nursing diagnosis.
Explain why an etiology is always an inference.
Describe at least two frameworks for prioritizing nursing diagnoses.
Explain the relationship between nursing diagnoses and goals/interventions
Explain the importance of a written plan of care.
Define the following terms: goal, outcome, expected outcome, nursing-sensitive
outcome.
Differentiate between short-term and long-term goals.
List and give examples of the components of a goal statement.
Explain how a goal is derived from a nursing diagnosis.
Differentiate between essential and nonessential goals.
Write appropriate goals for actual, risk, and possible nursing diagnoses
Write realistic specific, concrete, and observable goals that do not conflict with the
medical plan of care and are stated in terms of patient responses/behaviors.
Compare and contrast independent, dependent, and interdependent
(collaborative) nursing interventions.
Give one example of a standardized wellness (health promotion) intervention and
one individualized nursing order for performing that intervention
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Define implementation
Describe nursing activities that occur in the implementation phase of the nursing
process.
Define evaluation. Explain how standards and criteria are used in evaluation.
Distinguish among ongoing, intermittent, and terminal evaluation.
Describe a process for evaluating client health status (outcomes).
Describe a process for evaluating the effectiveness of the nursing care plan.
Define nursing theory.
List four components of a theory.
Describe how a nursing theory is developed.
List the four essential concepts in a nursing theory.
List three ways nurses can use nursing theory.
Discuss the relevance of Florence Nightingale's nursing theory to contemporary
nursing practice.
Define nursing research.
Describe the significance of evidence-based nursing practice.
Describe the history of nursing research in the United States.
Compare and contrast quantitative and qualitative nursing research.
List three components of the research process, and explain their importance
Describe how to utilize nursing research in nursing practice
UNIT 2
Vital Signs
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State at least one nursing diagnosis that might be used to describe a problem for
each of the four vital signs: temperature, pulse, respirations, and blood pressure.
Describe the process of thermoregulation in the body.
Describe the process for taking oral, rectal, axillary, tympanic membrane, and
temporal temperatures.
For different patient situations, choose the best way to take the temperature,
including site and equipment
Discuss the concept of a “normal” temperature.
Explain the physiological mechanisms of fever.
Describe the methods for obtaining peripheral and apical pulses.
Given a client’s age and pulse rate, rhythm, quality, and equality; differentiate
between normal findings and those that should be referred to the primary
healthcare provider,
Explain how respirations are regulated in the body.
Given a client’s age and respiratory rate, depth, and rhythm; chest movement;
and associated clinical signs; differentiate between normal findings and those that
should be referred to the primary healthcare provider.
Define arterial oxygen saturation, hypoxia, hyperventilation, and hypoventilation
Describe the physiology of blood pressure, including references to systolic,
diastolic, pulse pressure, and mean arterial pressure.
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State the normal blood pressure for the average adult.
Explain why it is important to interpret a client’s blood pressure pattern rather than
relying on a single reading.
Describe the process of obtaining a brachial blood pressure reading.
Discuss the importance of cuff size when obtaining a blood pressure reading.
Define hypotension, hypertension, essential hypertension, and secondary
hypertension.
Demonstrate the ability to locate and properly name the peripheral pulse sites
(validated during physical assessment return demonstration).
Demonstrate the ability to accurately assess temperature, pulse, respirations, and
blood pressure (validated by return demonstration).
Bedmaking/Patient Transfer/Positioning/ Range of Motion
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Explain the principles of proper body mechanics when providing patient care
Demonstrate how to make an occupied and an unoccupied bed (validated by
return demonstration).
Demonstrate the ability to perform various techniques of patient transfers, lifting,
and positioning (validated by return demonstration).
Demonstrate the ability to perform passive range of motion exercises (validated
by return demonstration).
UNIT 3
Physical Assessment
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Demonstrate basic methods commonly used to collect data on the physical health
status.
Describe the major characteristics to be observed in each anatomical area when
doing a physical exam.
Identify and demonstrate the appropriate exam methods for each body system.
Demonstrate proficiency in documenting a head-to-toe physical exam (validated
by return demonstration).
UNIT 4
Safety
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List the three leading causes of accidental death in the United States.
Identify factors that create safety risks.
Identify at least five safety hazards in the home environment and interventions to
prevent injury from them.
Discuss the steps to follow when you suspect that a client has ingested
poisonous substance.
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Describe the choking rescue maneuver and identify instance when it is
appropriate to use.
Describe the four main physical hazards that are found in the community and
Interventions prevent injury from them.
Describe and give examples of hazards that we encounter in the healthcare
agency.
Identify four interventions to prevent falls in the healthcare agency.
Discuss when it is appropriate to use siderails in the healthcare agency.
Properly apply restraints and discuss measures to prevent injury in clients who
are restrained.
Discuss at least one data collection instrument that is used to assess the client
who is a risk for falls.
Formulate a nursing diagnosis in relation to preventing injury in the environment.
Write and individualized goal for clients with a nursing diagnosis for Risk for Falls.
Activity/Crutch Walking/Restraints
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Discuss the physiology of movement.
Describe the five forms of exercise discussed in this chapter.
Compare the effects of exercise and immobility on the body.
Describe the physical activity recommended for health promotion, cardiovascular
fitness, and
maintenance of healthy weight.
Discuss factors that affect body alignment and activity.
Identify patients who are at risk for immobility concerns or activity intolerance.
Develop a plan of care for patients with decreased activity tolerance.
Implement care related to a patient's mobility problems.
Demonstrate the proper technique for crutch-walking (validated by return
demonstration).
Demonstrate the proper use of restraints (validated by return demonstration).
Blood Glucose Monitoring
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Discuss the purpose of blood glucose monitoring.
Demonstrate proper technique of blood glucose monitoring (validated by return
demonstration).
Math Workshop
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Convert measurements within the metric system, household system, and
apothecary system.
Recognize commonly used medical abbreviations.
Describe safety guidelines for drug administration including error-prone
abbreviations, sound alike/look alike medications, and high alert medications such
as insulin and anticoagulants.
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Discuss basic formulas for calculating drug dosages.
Calculate drug dosages with at least 90% accuracy.
Hygiene
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Explain how personal hygiene relates to health and well-being.
Identify factors influencing personal hygiene practices.
Discuss delegation of hygiene activities to nursing assistive personnel (NAP).
Discuss the nurse’s role in determining a client’s self-care ability.
Identify nursing diagnoses related to self-care ability and hygiene practices.
Describe normal and abnormal assessment findings of the skin, feet, nails
mouth, hair, eyes, ears, and nose.
State the importance and purpose of bathing.
Described the following types of baths: complete, assist, partial, towel, bag,
shower tub, and therapeutic.
Apply the nursing process to common hygiene-related problems of the skin, feet,
nails, mouth, hair, eyes, ears, and nose.
Demonstrate nursing skills to promote patient hygiene, such as bathing, foot
care, and bed making.
Demonstrate care of the eyes, ears, and teeth, including glasses, contacts,
hearing aids, and dentures.
Discuss the relationship between a patient’s overall well-being and the immediate
environment.
Infection Control
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Discuss the six links in the chain of infection.
Describe the stages of a typical infectious process.
Summarize the roles of the various barriers involved in the body’s primary
defenses.
Describe four processes involved in secondary defense.
Compare and contrast humoral and cell-mediated immunity.
Identify activities that promote immune function.
Discuss the factors that place an individual at increased risk for infection.
Explain why it is important to be aware of emerging infectious diseases.
Explain why multiple-drug-resistant pathogens are of special concern in
healthcare.
Identify standard precautions to prevent transmission of infection through blood
and body fluids.
Describe additional precautions that must be taken when there is concern about
contact, droplet, or airborne disease transmission.
Compare and contrast methods of preventing infection by breaking the chain of
infection.
Implement measures to prevent healthcare-related infections.
Use medical asepsis when providing care to clients.
Discuss infection prevention and control measures in the home and community.
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Implement sterile technique in selected patient care activities.
Discuss the nurse’s role in recognizing, preventing, and helping to contain the
spread of a biological epidemic.
UNIT 5
Wound Care
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Discuss the factors that affect skin integrity.
Identify wounds based on accepted classification schemes.
Describe the three phases of wound healing.
Distinguish primary intention healing, secondary intention healing, and
tertiary
intention healing.
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Describe the three types of wound drainage.
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Review the major complications of wound healing.
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Explain the factors involved in the development of pressure ulcers.
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Use the Braden scale to assess risk for pressure ulcers.
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Assess and categorize pressure ulcers based on the pressure ulcer staging
system.
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Provide nursing care that limits the risk of pressure ulcer development.
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Differentiate the kinds of chronic wounds.
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Accurately chart assessment of a wound.
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Demonstrate appropriate technique for irrigating a wound.
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Describe care of a wound with a drain.
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Differentiate the five forms of wound debridement.
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Discuss the different kinds of tissue found in wounds.
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Discuss when and how to use absorbent, alginate, collagen, gauze
dressings,
transparent films hydrocolloids, hydrogels, foam, and antimicrobial
dressings.
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Describe guidelines to follow when applying heat or cold therapy.
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Demonstrate bandage and binder application.
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Demonstrate proper procedure for wound care (validated by return
demonstration).
Urinary Elimination
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Describe the normal structure and function of the organs in the urinary system.
Describe the processes of urine formation and elimination.
Discuss factors that affect urinary elimination.
Describe the contents of a nursing assessment and physical examination focused
on urinary elimination.
Accurately measure urine output.
Describe procedures for collecting various types of urine specimens.
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List and describe diagnostic tests used in identification of urinary elimination
problems.
Discuss common elimination problems: urinary tract infection, urinary retention,
and urinary incontinence.
Identify nursing diagnoses associated with altered urinary elimination.
Describe nursing interventions that promote normal urination.
Provide care for clients experiencing urinary problems.
Perform urinary catheterizations following accepted procedures (validated by
return demonstation).
Discuss nursing care appropriate for clients who have a urinary diversion.
Oxygenation
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Describe the structure and function of the respiratory and cardiovascular
systems
Identify individual, environmental, and pathological factors that influence
oxygenation.
Assess oxygenation, breathing, circulation, and gas exchange.
Interpret diagnostic testing related to oxygenation, breathing, circulation, and gas
exchange.
Develop nursing diagnoses related to oxygenation, breathing, circulation, and gas
exchange.
Plan outcomes and interventions for maintaining and improving oxygenation.
Safely and correctly perform common nursing procedures related to oxygenation,
breathing perfusion, and gas exchange.
Evaluate adequacy of oxygenation, breathing, perfusion, and gas exchange, and
modify nursing activities appropriately based on outcomes.
Described a procedure for safe oxygen administration.
Describe measures for mobilizing airway secretions.
Implement measures for promoting optimal respiratory function (e.g., positioning).
Explain how to suction the upper and lower airways.
Provide care for patients requiring artificial airways.
Provide care for patients requiring mechanical ventilation.
Provide care for patients requiring chest tubes.
Provide measures to promote peripheral circulation.
Recognize medications used to enhance pulmonary and cardiovascular function.
Use identified outcomes to evaluate care for patients with oxygenation and
circulation problems.
Demonstrate proper procedure for tracheostomy care (validated by return
demonstation).
Nutrition
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Identify the types, functions, metabolism, and major food sources of (1) the
energy nutrients, (2) vitamins, (3) minerals, and (4) water.
Differentiate among the various sources of nutritional information (e.g., USDA
dietary guidelines, food guide pyramids, DRIs, nutrition facts labels).
Calculate a client's basal metabolic rate.
Identify the primary nutritional considerations of various developmental stages.
Discuss how each of the following affects and is affected by nutritional status:
lifestyle choices, vegetarianism, dieting for weight loss, culture and religion,
disease processes, functional limitations, and special diets.
Describe tools and techniques for gathering subjective data about nutritional
status.
Compare the effectiveness of various anthropometric measurements.
Explain the significance of body mass index.
List at least five physical assessment findings that indicate nutritional imbalance.
Identify laboratory values that are indicators of nutritional status.
Discuss the need for and advisability of vitamin and mineral supplementation.
Describe nursing interventions for patients with special needs: Impaired
swallowing, NPO, older adults, and nausea.
Describe techniques for assisting patients with meals.
Identify and discuss six nursing interventions for Imbalanced Nutrition: Less Than
Body Requirements and six Interventions for Imbalanced Nutrition: More Than
Body Requirements.
Safely provide enteral and parenteral nutrition for patients.
Demonstrate proper technique for nasogastric tube placement (validated by return
demonstation).
UNIT 6
Medication Administration
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Name at least five sources of medication information.
Distinguish among various systems for naming and classifying medication
Review various systems for storing and distributing medications.
Examine the factors affecting drug absorption.
Present three modes of drug distribution throughout the body.
Determine what factors affect pharmacokinetics.
List the types of medication orders, including the methods for communicating
prescriptions.
Describe appropriate steps you would take if communicating a medication error.
Discuss the agencies and legislation that help to ensure drug quality and safety.
Discuss the routes by which medications are absorbed in the body, including each
one's advantages and disadvantages.
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State the primary site of drug metabolism (biotransformation) in the body.
Explain how drug excretion occurs at each of the following sites: kidneys, liver,
gastrointestinal tract, lungs, and exocrine glands.
Define onset, peak, and duration of drug action; therapeutic level, peak level, and
trough level; and biological half-life.
Compare and contrast primary, secondary, and cumulative effects; and adverse,
toxic, allergic, anaphylactic, and idiosyncratic reactions.
Define drug–drug interaction, antagonistic drug relationship, synergistic drug
relationship, drug incompatibility, and medication contraindications.
Correctly calculate drug dosages, including (a) conversion among the metric,
apothecary, and household measurement systems and (b) working with units and
milliequivalents (mEq).
Describe nursing assessment before, during, and following the administration of a
drug.
Plan care for clients with problems of Risk for Injury and Noncompliance related to
medications.
Administer medications using the "checks and rights of medication." Demonstrate
the correct procedure for administering medications by the oral, enteral, inhalant,
and parenteral routes (validated by return demonstration).
Perform proper technique for use of a metered-dose inhalant (MDI).
Demonstrate intramuscular injection procedure at the following sites:
ventrogluteal, deltoid, and vastus lateralis.
Explain why the dorsogluteal site is no longer recommended for intramuscular
injections.
List five steps you can incorporate in your practice to ensure safe medication
administration and prevent a medication error.
Documentation
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Explain the purposes of documentation.
Compare the differences between electronic and written documentation.
Identify a variety of charting formats and their purposes.
Use paper and electronic documentation in the clinical setting.
Describe guidelines for documentation.
Identify approved abbreviations to use in charting.
Follow documentation guidelines to accurately record patient health status,
nursing interventions, and patient outcomes.
Discuss the key elements of giving an oral patient report.
Explain the process for verifying or questioning a medical prescription.
Critique samples of charting.
Ethics & Values
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Define morals, ethics, bioethics, and nursing ethics.
Discuss what is meant by ethical agency.
Identify at least four factors that contribute to the frequency of nurses' moral
problems.
Differentiate personal values and morality from professional values.
Explain how developmental stages, values, moral frameworks, professional
guidelines, and moral principles affect moral decisions.
Describe five major ethical principles that are used in reasoning about healthcare.
Compare and contrast four moral frameworks: consequentialism (e.g.,
utilitarianism), deontology, an ethics of care, and feminist ethics.
Identify the moral issues and principles involved in a given ethical situation.
Identify at least eight contemporary ethical issues in healthcare.
Explain how nurses can use knowledge of values transmission and values
clarification to facilitate the ethical decision making of clients.
Describe a systematic approach for resolving ethical dilemmas.
Discuss the concept of an integrity-producing compromise.
Describe the nurse's obligations in ethical decisions.
Discuss the roles of the nurse as client advocate in the delivery of ethical nursing
care.
Apply the steps identified in the MORAL model for ethical decision making to
issues nurses encounter in patient care.
Legal Issues
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Identify four basic sources of law.
Discuss direct implications of the Bill of Rights to nursing practice.
Explain the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) and how it
protects patients and affects healthcare workers.
Discuss various aspects of the Patient Self-Determination Act affecting
healthcare.
Give examples of situations involving accommodation that conforms to Americans
with Disability Act (ADA).
Present patient-care situations involving state mandatory reporting by a
healthcare worker.
Apply concepts of Good Samaritan laws to nurses outside the workplace.
Discuss various types of practice guidelines that factor into providing reasonable
and prudent nursing care.
Present seven rights of nurses within the healthcare workplace.
Discuss the Nurse Practice Act as it affects clinical nursing decisions and actions.
Explain disciplinary actions for unacceptable nursing decisions or action and the
impact on nursing licensure.
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Discuss basic principles of criminal law controlling nursing practice.
Discuss basic principles of civil law controlling nursing practice, including different
type of torts and medical–legal liability.
Present the phases of the litigation process as it might occur with a nursing
malpractice case.
Discuss common causes of malpractice litigation.
Identify measures to decrease the likelihood of committing nursing malpractice.
Rest/ Sleep/Pain
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Explain why rest and sleep are important.
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Describe the functions and physiology of sleep.
Explain circadian rhythms and how they relate to sleep.
Identify factors that influence rest and sleep.
Describe nursing implications for age-related differences in the sleep cycle.
Identify at least five common sleep disorders.
Perform a comprehensive sleep assessment using appropriate interview
questions, a sleep diary, and a sleep history.
Formulate nursing diagnoses that identify sleep problems that may be treated
through specific nursing interventions.
Plan, implement, and evaluate nursing care related to specific nursing diagnoses
addressing sleep problems.
Define pain.
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Classify pain according to origin, cause, duration, and quality.
Describe the physiological changes that occur with pain.
Discuss two physiological mechanisms involved in pain modulation.
Discuss factors that influence pain.
Identify the effect of unrelieved pain on each of the body systems.
Discuss nonpharmacological pain relief measures.
Describe pharmacological measures, including nonopioid analgesics, opioid
analgesics, and adjuvant analgesics.
Describe chemical and surgical pain relief measures.
Explain why pain should be considered the fifth vital sign.
Identify the steps involved in creating a pain management program for a client.
Write an individualized goal for a client with a nursing diagnosis of Acute Pain.
Write an individualized goal for a client with a nursing diagnosis of Chronic Pain.
Explain how to use a patient-controlled analgesia (PCA) system.
Describe a method for evaluating a pain management program.
Leadership & Delegation
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Distinguish leadership, followership, and management.
Compare and contrast authoritarian, democratic, & laissez-faire leadership styles.
Explain the differences between transactional and transformational theories.
Discuss the qualities and behaviors that contribute to effective leadership and
followership.
Discuss the qualities and activities that contribute to effective management.
Explain how a SWOT analysis or a SOAR analysis can help you prepare to
become a leader and manager.
 Discuss the qualities of preceptors and mentors.
 Present strategies for effective followership.
 Describe the challenges presented to nurse managers by the economy and the
nursing labor market.
 Define power and empowerment.
 Describe several ways in which nurses can be empowered.
 Explain why communication skills are important to nurse leaders and managers.
 Describe the change process.
 Identify methods of dealing with change.
 Describe the major concepts of conflict, conflict resolution, and informal
negotiation.
 Describe the major concepts of safe and effective delegation.
 Set short- and long-term personal and career goals.
 Organize your work to make effective use of time.
Age Appropriate Care
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Discuss the principles of growth and development.
Compare and contrast developmental task theory, psychoanalytic theory,
cognitive theory, and the psychosocial theory of growth and development.
Outline the major principles involved in moral and spiritual development.
Identify conditions that influence growth and development at all ages.
Discuss the cognitive and psychosocial challenges for each age group, infant
through middle age.
Identify common health problems seen in each stage of development.
Describe any special assessments unique to each age group.
Discuss age-appropriate interventions for each age group.
Incorporate developmental principles into nursing care.
Discuss the relationship of life expectancy and livable communities.
Discuss the developmental challenges for each older adult age group.
Identify common health problems seen in each group and for all older adults.
Describe any special assessments unique to each group or older adults.
Discuss age-appropriate interventions for older adults and for each group.
Incorporate developmental principles of aging into nursing
Explore the concepts of health and illness from a holistic perspective.
Compare and contrast three models of health and illness.
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Describe the various ways that people experience health and illness.
Identify factors that disrupt health.
Describe the five stages of illness behavior.
Differentiate between acute and chronic illness.
Identify factors that influence individuals' responses to illness.
Apply the concepts presented in this chapter to a variety of patient care situations.
Explain what the concepts in this chapter mean to you as you work toward
becoming a full-spectrum nurse
Bowel Elimination
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Identify the basic structures and functions of the gastrointestinal system.
Discuss factors that affect bowel elimination.
Describe normal bowel elimination.
Differentiate among the various types of bowel diversions.
Discuss common bowel elimination problems.
Identify appropriate nursing history questions to assess bowel elimination
problems.
Perform a physical examination focused on bowel elimination.
List and describe diagnostic tests used to identify bowel elimination.
State nursing diagnoses associated with altered bowel elimination.
Describe nursing interventions that promote normal bowel elimination.
Provide care for clients experiencing alterations in bowel elimination.
Discuss nursing care associated with the use of bowel diversions.
UNIT 7
Psychosocial Health
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Explain the relationship of psychosocial factors to overall health and development.
Identify the factors that influence the development and stability of self-concept.
List the four interrelated components of self-concept.
Identify 10 general categories to include in a comprehensive psychosocial
assessment.
Perform an assessment using the domains of self-concept, self-esteem, selfidentity, and body image.
Develop a nursing care plan for patients exhibiting disturbances in self-concept
and self-esteem.
Identify nursing diagnoses, outcomes, and interventions specific to body image
disturbance.
Describe interventions for preventing depersonalization.
Describe the anxiety continuum.
List the psychological and physiological effects of anxiety.
Recognize the levels and symptoms of anxiety that are severe enough to merit
referral to a mental health professional.
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Devise a nursing care plan for the nursing diagnosis of Anxiety.
Identify several ways in which clients manifest depression.
Differentiate between mild depression and that which should be referred to a
mental health professional.
Recognize depression in older adults.
Describe nursing interventions for patients who are depressed.
Identify nursing interventions for patients with a diagnosis of Risk for Suicide
Spirituality
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Describe the differences and similarities between religion and spirituality.
Discuss what is meant by spirituality.
For each of the religions briefly covered in this chapter, describe its major beliefs
and their implications for nursing care.
Identify five barriers to spiritual care.
Perform a spiritual assessment.
Distinguish the differences between spiritual care diagnoses and those that may
serve as etiologies of other nursing diagnoses.
Plan nursing interventions based on the data obtained in a spiritual assessment.
Examine your own level of comfort in terms of performing spiritual interventions.
Describe the collaborative efforts to ensure the spiritual care of the patients or
family.
Death & Dying
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Differentiate between loss and grief.
Name and describe at least four types of loss.
Identify the stages of grief as described by Engel, Worden, Rando, and Bowlby.
Compare and contrast the four types of grief.
List and discuss at least five factors that affect grieving.
Define death according to the Uniform Determination of Death Act.
Give a definition of higher-brain death.
Create a timeline of the dying process, indicating the physiological signs and
symptoms common to each stage.
List and describe the Kübler-Ross stages of dying and grief.
Define end-of-life care, hospice care, and palliative care.
Identify the legal and ethical issues involved in death and dying.
Assess, diagnose, plan, and implement care of dying patients and their families.
Describe the responsibilities of the nurse regarding postmortem care.
Identify nursing interventions to help clients who are grieving.
Culture
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Explain why cultural competence is important for nurses.
Explain what is meant by "culture."
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Discuss concepts pertaining to cultural diversity in nursing.
Identify the characteristics of culture, including their relationship to acculturation.
Discuss patterns of behavior that can reflect cultural and ethnic influences.
Identify vulnerable populations in the United States.
Define and give an example of culture universals and of culture specifics.
Differentiate between cultural archetypes and cultural stereotypes.
Describe the culture of the North American healthcare system, including
professional subcultures. Identify the phenomena of culture, including how they
can affect the nursing care needs of clients and families.
Discuss the differing views of culturally diverse clients, including biomedical,
holistic, and alternative health systems, such as folk medicine.
Discuss the definitions, theories, and models relating to the provision of culturally
competent care.
Explain guidelines for performing a transcultural assessment, including a cultural
assessment model.
Recognize the cultural implications inherent in nursing diagnoses. Describe
nursing strategies that promote delivery of culturally competent care to clients and
their families.
State some techniques for communicating with clients when there is a language
barrier.
Course Requirements, Evaluation, and Assessment Methods:
1.
Grades are calculated based on a percentage of the following categories:
Unit exams
50%
Final exam
25%
ATI Test counts as one exam grade
Other (Math Exam, Quizzes, Modules)
25%
Total
100%
*Students must achieve an 80% average on unit exams (50%) and the final
exam (25%) as stipulated to pass the course and before including the other
assignments (25%) in the overall final grade.
2.
Grading Scale:
100 – 91%
90 – 85%
84 – 80%
79 – 70%
69 – below
A
B
C
D
F
3.
Clinical/laboratory Grade
Students must demonstrate proficiency in certain clinical skills. Many of the
skills must be evaluated in the campus lab before the student will be
allowed to be in the clinical setting. Students must successfully perform
each skill before entering the clinical facilities or they will not receive a
passing grade for the course.
Campus lab practice times will be established based on the level of the
skill. Each student will be required to sign-in for each assigned practice
session. Practice of skills is a prerequisite before a student’s skill is
checked off by an instructor. Practice time will be logged by the student in
the Skills Practice Manual located in the clinical lab.
The clinical portion of the course is graded on a pass/fail basis and is
composed of satisfactory performance of nursing care in the hospital
clinical setting and satisfactory active participation in clinical conferences.
The student will be kept informed of his/her performance in the clinical area
through periodic evaluations. The student is encouraged to seek the
instructor's assistance at any time.
4.
Mathematics Competency Exams:
Students will be required to demonstrate basic mathematical skills in
computing drug dosages. The mathematics exam will be given prior to the
last day to drop classes in the semester (Dates to be announced). The
student must achieve a score of 90% or better. A maximum of 3
opportunities will be given to each student to achieve this score of 90%.
The score from the first test will be the recorded score. Should any student
fail to complete the test at the required 90% level, failure of the course will
result (regardless of the course average).
Reviewed/revised 9/11