This course emphasizes the provision of professional nursing care for clients with acute medical and surgical conditions. The student uses the concepts of person, health, nursing, and environment, and builds upon knowledge gained in the basic sciences and other prerequisite nursing courses. During the beginning of the semester, nursing medication skills are taught in mediated learning situations and applied in the clinical setting. Later, intermediate nursing skills, pharmacotherapeutics, common disease causation theories, and treatment modalities are taught in lecture with concurrent clinical practice in a variety of settings. The nursing process is emphasized and utilized in theory and concurrent practice.
Students actively participate in the development and self-evaluation of their learning and practice.
The course provides a foundation of nursing knowledge in the care of families in all phases of the perinatal period. A family-centered approach is emphasized throughout the course. Initially, the student is introduced to the nursing care of low-risk perinatal families. The course concludes with a focus on the unique nursing care of high-risk perinatal families. Human development concepts are a central focus of the course.