Theoretical Basis of Nursing Practice 3 Cr. The purpose of this course is to assist the student in developing an understanding of the roles and responsibilities of the professional nurse. The course provides a foundation for the future role as a professional colleague in the health care team. Learning to work in groups and resolving conflicts are emphasized throughout the course. The concepts of critical thinking, accountability, ethics, and legalities will be examined within the context of a caring professional practice.
Students trace the historical evolution of nursing as a means of understanding our present status.
Theories of nursing and nursing research as forces influencing present practice and the future of nursing are examined. Offered fall and spring. Focus of this course is on the development of assessment and critical thinking skills needed by the nurse in the data collection phase of the nursing process and includes communication and interviewing, nursing history, vital signs, interpretation of routine laboratory data, and the physical examination. Opportunities are provided for skill development in communicating effectively and in a caring manner while collecting and recording subjective and objective data, identifying factors that present health risks or actual overt alteration in functional patterns and health status, developing outcomes for and interventions related to the helping and teaching domains of practice, and documenting all aspects of the nursing process. NSG 201, BIO 117.