NURS - Nursing
NURS 3175. Pharmacology in Nursing (4-0-4)Prerequisite: Admission to upper division nursing. This course provides an introduction to major drug classifications, principles of drug mechanism, distribution and absorption of drugs, actions, toxicity, and regulation of drugs. Knowledge gained in this course serves as a foundation to build upon in the clinical nursing courses where students calculate, administer, and assess the client's response to medications.
NURS 3176. Basic and Therapeutic Nutrition (2-0-2)Prerequisite: Admission to upper division nursing. Basic science of human nutrition and its role in health promotion and maintenance across the life cycle. Includes dietary management of common health problems.
NURS 3275. Foundations of Nursing Practice (6-8-8) Co-requisites: NURS 3276, NURS 3175, NURS 3176. This course provides experiences to foster the development of basic cognitive and psychomotor skills to serve as the foundation for nursing practice for patients of all ages. The focus is on basic nursing knowledge and skill related to hygiene care, asepsis and infection control, vital signs, mobility, elimination, enteral feeding nutrition, documentation, safety, wound care, peri-operative care, immunity alterations, rest and sleep, pain management, care of the elderly, vision and hearing impairment, loss and grief, and fluid, electrolyte imbalances. Principles of therapeutic communication, group dynamics, growth and development, teaching and learning, stress and adaptation, nursing theory, legal and ethical standards of care, critical thinking, and the nursing process are introduced. Clinical experiences include the ROPES course, patient care in long term care facilities, and patient care acute in-patient hospital units. (Course fee required.)
NURS 3276. Introduction to Health Assessment and Wellness (2-3-3)Prerequisite: Admission to upper division nursing courses. This course provides experiences to foster development of the basic knowledge and psychomotor skills necessary for assessing the health of clients throughout the life span, including eliciting a health history, conducting a basic physical examination, and integrating basic techniques of health assessment into patient care in varied settings. The focus of the course is on basic interviewing and physical assessment techniques, recognition of normal findings, and differentiating normal from the most common abnormal findings. (Course fee required.)
NURS 3277. Advanced Nursing Practice (8-12-12)Prerequisites: NURS 3175, NURS 3275, and NURS 3276; Co-requisite: NURS 3176. This course provides experiences to foster the development of cognitive and psychomotor skills necessary for the nursing care of patients of all ages with routine needs in medical, surgical, and mental health settings. The focus is on care of patients experiencing common endocrine, respiratory, cardiovascular, neurological, renal, gastrointestinal, musculoskeletal, blood, neoplastic, acid-base and psychological alterations. Principles of therapeutic communication, group dynamics, growth and development, teaching and learning, stress and adaptation, legal and ethical standards of care, critical thinking, and nursing process are integrated throughout the course. Clinical experiences include in-patient hospital units and a variety of out patient and community settings serving patients with physical and mental health problems. (Course fee required.)
NURS 3278. Conceptual Bases of Professional Nursing Practice (3-0-3)Prerequisite: Admission to upper division nursing; Co-requisite: NURS 3279. Designed for registered nurses seeking a BSN. degree. Synthesis of concepts, principles, theories and roles undergirding professional nursing practice including health promotion, prevention and wellness. Group dynamics/collaboration, written communications and principles of community health nursing practice are emphasized. Upon successful completion of the course, RN students are eligible to receive credit for NURS 3175, NURS 3176, and NURS 3277.
NURS 3279. Applied Pathophysiology (3-0-3)Prerequisites: NURS 3175, NURS 3176, NURS 3275, and NURS 3276; Co-requisite: NURS 3277. This course provides an overview of the pathophysiology of selected conditions focusing on the etiology, pathogenesis, physiological changes, and clinical manifestations of common health problems.  Emphasis is upon both the physiological changes that contribute to disease production, physiological changes that occur as a result of disease, and the body's compensation for these changes, as well as the application of this knowledge to the assessment of patients with commonly occurring disease and injury processes.
NURS 3380. Issues & Roles in Professional Nursing (3-0-3)Prerequisites: Admission to RN-BSN Program. This course is designed to enhance students' sense of professionalism and pride in the profession. A variety of topics will be included, such as historical perspectives, empowerment in nursing, critical thinking in decision making, case management, expanded nursing roles, ethical and legal issues and others generated by student interest.
NURS 3555. Selected Topics in Professional Nursing (3-0-3)Prerequisite: Admission to BSN upper level program and approval of Nursing Department Chair. Specialized topics from nursing taught by means of lecture, discussion, special seminar, guided independent study, directed experience in the field of nursing, online learning activities, clinical investigation and/or other methods as appropriate.
NURS 4000. BSN Exit Exam (0-0-0)Prerequisite: Department Approval. The exit exam is required for graduation from the BSN nursing program. It is to be taken during the Spring term of the senior year in the nursing program, in accordance with Department of Nursing policy.
NURS 4175. Nursing Research (3-0-3)Prerequisites: MATH 1127 with a grade of C or better and admission to upper division nursing. Focuses on evidence based practice and the research process to enable students to become informed consumers of research and capable of applying research findings in their practice. The course includes research design, critique of selected nursing studies, identification of research questions, finding and critically analyzing best evidence, and development of 'best practice' guidelines.
NURS 4177. Leadership in Nursing (4-0-4)Prerequisites: NURS 3275, NURS 3276, NURS 3175, NURS 3176, NURS 3277, and NURS 3279. Application of theories and concepts related to leadership and management in the professional nurse role within selected health care systems. Focuses on contemporary trends that influence health care delivery and nursing practice.
NURS 4276. Family and Community Nursing (3-9-6) Utilization of the nursing process with families, aggregates and communities to promote wellness, prevent illness and maintain health. Course content includes the concepts of epidemiology, levels of prevention, ecology and concepts applicable to working in community settings. (Course fee required.)
NURS 4278. Managed Care and Nursing Case Management (3-3-4)Prerequisites: NURS 4175 and NURS 4276. Focuses on managed care as an organized system for financing, delivering, and managing appropriate quality, cost effective health care services. How professional nurses demonstrate their value in the managed care system is described. The practicum experience will focus on the role of the nurse as a case manager, a project that is mutually negotiated with the health care organization, will provide the framework direction for the student's activities. (Course fee required.)
NURS 4279. Complex Care in Nursing Practice (4-9-7)Prerequisite: NURS 4176. This course provides experiences to foster development of advanced cognitive and psychomotor skills necessary for providing nursing care for adults and children experiencing complex and/or multi-system physiological and/or psychological health problems. The focus is on the management and nursing care related to acute threats to life, limb, and/or mental well-being. Clinical experiences include intensive care units, emergency departments, and acute psychiatric facilities. (Course fee required.)
NURS 4280. Community & Family Nursing (7-12-11)Prerequisite: NURS 3277 and NURS 3279 with a grade of C or better in each. Utilization of the nursing process with families in childbearing and child rearing phase of family development, families at risk, aggregates and communities to promote wellness, prevent illness, and maintain health. Health problems of the reproductive and lactation systems are also included. Selected mental health concepts are integrated throughout. Course content includes the concepts of epidemiology, levels of prevention, ecology and theoretical frameworks applicable to working in community settings. Clinical experiences are provided in a variety of settings. (Course fee required.)
NURS 4377. Senior Preceptorship (0-9-3) A capstone learning experience in which senior nursing students synthesize and apply theories, concepts, knowledge, skills and abilities from the sciences, humanities, and nursing to nursing practice.  The course includes precepting, activities to review for NCLEX-RN licensing exam (at student's expense), and the Nursing Exit Exam. (Course fee required.)
NURS 4378. RN Senior Professional Projects (0-9-3) Pre-requisites: NURS 3278. A capstone learning experience for senior RN nursing students in which students synthesize and apply theories, concepts, knowledge, skills and abilities from the sciences, humanities, and nursing to professional nursing practice. The course includes student projects agreed upon by the student and instructor.
