RN to BS in Nursing Requirements

 

NURS	325	Environmental Health:  Nursing Perspective	4 Credits
In this course the RN student will focus on an understanding of environmental health as it relates to nursing practice. Principles of national and global environmental health concepts will be addressed through the major topics in the environmental health field. This course is two-fold: One part of the course will cover key areas of environmental health to instill awareness about the topic. Additionally, the student will earn a certificate from FEMA by completing the Community Emergency Response Training (CERT). In the second part of this course, nursing students will apply environmental health principles to their current area of employment, and utilize the concepts to enhance their practice. This will be accomplished through an understanding of how to protect self in nursing practice, the ANA's position on environmental health, and how to complete an exposure history on a patient or client. All of the concepts learned in this course will culminate in a learning project that will involve an in-depth understanding of a current environmental issue.
NURS	380	Dimensions of Nursing	3 Credits
This course is designed for RN students as a bridge to the organizing framework of the curriculum and to professional nursing. The philosophy of nursing, historical evolution of nursing, and implications for the future along with professional nursing competencies are emphasized. Processes and values guiding professional practice are discussed, as well as the expanded ethical role of the professional nurse within the health care delivery system. Finally, the concepts of communication, teaching, learning, and diversity will be examined. All concepts learned in this class will be examined and applied through the lens of the student's current nursing practice.
NURS	385	Teaching, Mentoring, and Health Promotion	4 Credits
This course will prepare the RN student with teaching and presentation skills appropriate to the nurse's teaching-coaching role. Principles of adult teaching/learning, characteristics of learners, barriers to teaching/learning, learning theory, assessment and evaluation of teaching/learning, instructional methods, and instructional materials will be addressed. Students will evaluate the most current evidence based teaching-learning practices as well as demonstrate sources of health information. The aforementioned concepts will be demonstrated through a service-learning project that will be disseminated to a community agency as well as to academic peers followed by peer evaluation.
NURS	391	Nursing Theory and Research	4 Credits
This course will prepare the RN student to explore nursing theory and the research process. This course is two-fold: One part of the course will focus on research ethics and students will earn a certificate on Protecting Human Research Participants through the National Institute of health. In the second part of this course students will identify a practice problem in their current area of employment and utilize course concepts to offer evidence-based solutions to that problem. As learned in NURS 385, students will present their research findings at their place of employment.
NURS	410	Nursing Leadership Capstone RN to BS	6 Credits
In this course the RN student will have an opportunity to demonstrate competency skills, and knowledge gained through previous course work and service learning. An important aspect of this course, and a central concept throughout this program, is nursing leadership. The student will have three opportunities to demonstrate their new knowledge of expanded nursing leadership. First, using discussion format students will provide peers with content on assigned topics such as problem solving, change, conflict, organizational assessment, and legal and ethical aspects of practice. Overall the quality of health care practices will be examined. Secondly, students will continue with a service learning activity that they developed in NURS 385 (Teaching, Mentoring, and Health Promotion). Finally, the student will complete a capstone and management experience at an agency or organization that is different from where they currently practice in order to diversify their nursing background. (WCore: SC)
NURS	450	Older Adults in the Community	4 Credits
In this course the RN student will focus on the physical, mental, emotional, social, and spiritual aspects of aging. Through the evidence based practice concepts learned in NURS 390 and the teaching mentoring concepts learned through NURS 385, students will assess the health patterns of an older adult in the community to identify the environmental factors impacting the community-dwelling older adult. The student will acquire knowledge about diverse community resources available for older adults in the community. To coincide with NURS 385, students will continue with a focus on health promotion relevant to their older adult in the community. (WCore: QE)
NURS	470	Culture, Health, and Illness	5 Credits
This course explores cultural diversity and its influence on healthcare and disparate health outcomes. Students will be exposed to topics such as: the nursing population's impact on health care disparities, health disparities and inequities in minorities, HIV and AIDS, ethnicities, religion, and the gay, lesbian, and transgender community. While students explore those topics they will seek out best practices along with integrative modalities in treating underprivileged and minority populations. Other topics that will be addressed will be global health, and principles of genetics and genetic influence on health. Finally, students will be exposed a culture of their choice in an in depth level and use evidence-based practice to shared best practices related to caring for and treating their culture of choice. (WCore: EWRLD)