COURSE SYLLABUS
1. TITLE OF COURSE: Transition into Practical Nursing
PREFIX/NUMBER: NUR 169 CREDIT HOURS: 5.0 Total
CONTACT HOURS: 30.0 Theory
90.0 Clinical
2. PREREQUISITE: Admission to Nursing Program and successful completion of preceding required program course work or permission of the program director.
3. CO-REQUISITE:
4. COURSE DESCRIPTION:
Provides the student with a transition into the practical nurse role. Emphasis is placed on professionalism in nursing, communication, entry into practice, provider and manager of care and nursing management and leadership. The student assumes the role of the practical nurse as they manage patient care.
5. STANDARD COMPETENCIES:
I. Course Competencies
A. Identify roles and responsibilities, legal and ethical issues and standards of professional practice that are unique to practical nursing.
B. Identify and discuss the practical nurse’s role as a member of the health care team as an advocate, liaison and coordinator.
C. Develop skills for searching, acquiring, retaining and leaving a job as a practical nurse.
D. Demonstrate knowledge of nursing accountability with emphasis on supervision, assignment and delegation in the role of the practical nurse.
II. Clinical Competencies
A. Demonstrate skill in verbal, nonverbal and written communication with individuals in a health care setting.
B. Utilize the principles of holistic care in the application of the nursing process.
C. Use critical thinking skills to make clinical judgments and provide safe nursing care.
D. Utilize the nursing process to identify the needs of the individual and family in order to provide health care education, achieve positive outcomes and support self-care activities.
E. Collaborate with other members of the health care team to identify available resources which assist the individual to attain optimal health.
F. Demonstrate management and leadership skills in the clinical setting.
6. EVALUATION PROCEDURES:
To pass this course a student must achieve an average of 76% or above on exams given in the theory portion of the course.
Resume 15%
Cover Letter 5%
Resignation Letter 5%
Take Home Final 50%
Group Presentation 25%
Grading Scale
Raw Score Range Letter Grade
93 to 100 A
85 to 92 B
76 to 84 C
69 to 75 D
0 to 68 F
* Students passing (achieve at or above national average) ERI testing on first attempt will receive the full 5%.
Students passing on the second attempt along with written documentation of remediation to the instructor will receive 3%.
Students not passing after 2 attempts will receive 0%.
Grading Scale
Raw Score Range Letter Grade
93 to 100 A
85 to 92 B
76 to 84 C
69 to 75 D
0 to 68 F
Teaching methods may include: lecture/discussion, guest speakers, audio visual aids, case studies, demonstration/practice skill checks in lab, group presentations, and papers/bibliography cards.
Special Remarks:
It is the philosophy of the nursing faculty that students are adult learners. Conferences are available on request for enhancing theory comprehension, clinical interventions and test review.
A passing grade of 76% or above is necessary to pass the course. When a student has failed (less than 76%) or withdrawn from a course, the student is ineligible to continue in the program or until the course is repeated and a satisfactory grade is achieved.
For complete information regarding failure/continuation/readmission see Failure/Continuation/Readmission Policies in the Nursing Student Handbook.
Each exam grade will be calculated as a percent and carried out to the nearest hundredth. The final course grade will be rounded off to an even number.
The tardiness policy as listed in the Nursing Student Handbook will be followed.
Punctuality is essential. Students must report to the class/clinical site at or before the time designated for the experience. In the case of tardiness, students are required to notify the instructor prior to the time scheduled for the class/clinical experience.
Assignments/Missed Exams: It is the student's responsibility to obtain all material presented and to complete all course assignments. If prior arrangements are made or extenuating circumstances exist, makeup of tests may be allowed. Late homework papers will not be accepted unless those same extenuating circumstances exist.
Test Taking:
1. Retaking the same test, for any reason, is not permitted.
2. Ten percent will be deducted from original grade if a test is taken after the scheduled time. Final exams must be taken at scheduled time.
3. Papers or extra assignments cannot be completed to raise a test grade, test average, or course grade to 76%.
7. TOPICAL OUTLINE
I. Introduction
A. Professionalism
1. Nurse Practice Act
2. History of nursing
3. Professional organizations
4. Multiple roles of LPN
5. Licensure
6. Educational models
7. Burn out
8. Reality shock
9. Impaired Nurse
B. Communication
1. Therapeutic Communication
2. Cultural Sensitivity
3. Forms of Communication
4. Mental Health concepts
C. Entry into Practice
1. Ethical, legal issues; i.e., Advanced Directives and Informed Consent
2. Nursing care delivery models
3. Continuous Quality Improvement (CQI)
4. Job readiness and career development
D. Provider and Manager of Care
1. Application of nursing process to LPN role
2. Teaching/learning
3. Referrals, resource management
4. Time management
5. Advocacy/client rights
6. Continuity of care/prioritization
E. Nursing Management/leadership
1. Theories of management/leadership
2. Conflict management
3. Delegation/assignments
4. Power issues/member of health care team
8. METHODS OF INSTRUCTION:
To be successful in this course, students are expected to participate in discussions, readings, in-class writing, computer assessment testing, math exercises and peer review activities. The instructor may assign point values to such activities.
9. ACADEMIC INTEGRITY:
The very nature of higher education requires that students adhere to accepted standards of academic integrity. Therefore, Pueblo Community College has adopted a policy of academic conduct as described in the Student Handbook and outlined in the Nursing Student Handbook. Violation of academic integrity may be defined to include the following: cheating, fabrication, facilitating academic dishonesty, plagiarism and unauthorized collaboration, falsification, abuse of academic materials, and personal misrepresentation. It is the student’s responsibility to be aware of the behaviors that constitute academic dishonesty. If an instructor determines that an act of academic/ clinical dishonesty has taken place, the student(s) will receive a zero for the test or assignment. This grade penalty will result in a failing grade in lecture or clinical and dismissal from the program. Conditions for readmission to the program may be specified by the Department Chair/Coordinator.
10. ADA NOTICE:
Students who have a documented disability may be eligible to receive accommodations for this class. Please contact the Disability Resources Center at 549-3446 for further information.