Internships have been done at the nearby Blue Ridge Medical Center, the Virginia Baptist Hospital Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, and at the Kluge Children's Rehabilitation Center. All students are assigned a nursing faculty member as an advisor when they declare nursing as their major. A curriculum guide provides a suggested pattern of completing the nursing courses and a list of essential functions outlines skills and abilities required in nursing. See description of these nursing courses below. In this course, students explore nursing as a career.
Nursing is examined from contemporary and historical perspectives.
The contributions of nursing leaders from the past and the present are explored as a basis for understanding the roles of nurses in the health care system. A variety of self-assessment tools are used to help students identify personal strengths and potential career interests. In this course students are introduced to a comprehensive, systematic approach to health assessment. Students learn the components of a complete health history, including interviewing and documentation. In addition, students are introduced to the techniques of physical assessment and practice in a laboratory setting.