BSN
ORGANIZING FRAMEWORK AND CURRICULUM DEVELOPMENT PLAN
(REVISED FALL 2005)
The
philosophy of the Department of Nursing serves as the organizing framework and
declares the beliefs and assumptions that support the mission of the BSN
program. Beliefs about human beings, environment, health, nursing, teaching and
learning, and the capstone concepts of caring, critical thinking, holism,
communication, professional roles, teaching/learning, the domains of nursing
and the nursing process are defined and described within the
philosophy. In addition, Roach’s (1987)
characteristics of competence, confidence, commitment, conscience, and
collaboration as well as the concept of culturally competent care guide the
curriculum and outcomes.
Caring
Theoretical
knowledge related to caring is introduced in NURS 3122, Professional Concepts.
During the first semester of nursing, Caring Groups, an experiential activity
designed to provide the students with the opportunity to learn caring,
experience caring and practice caring are implemented. The Caring Group
experience is continued each semester throughout the nursing program. The
caring group curriculum begins with concepts related to caring for self and
progresses to caring for each other, for colleagues and for patients.
Activities within caring groups emphasize each of the progressive phases of
caring. In addition, caring is included as an objective in each nursing course
and is emphasized in class and clinical settings. Assessment of learning
outcomes related to caring occurs in NURS 4422, Senior Seminar, where students
orally present their perception of learning and experiencing caring during the
nursing program.
Critical Thinking
Theoretical
concepts related to critical thinking are introduced in NURS 3122, Professional
Concepts. Classroom activities are designed to explore these concepts and to
provide practice in the critical thinking process. This course is designated as
a Writing Across the Curriculum course and the
informal/formal writing activities encompass critical thinking/writing
concepts.
Critical
Thinking skills are further developed through activities in each nursing
course. In the clinical courses (NURS
3135 - Professional Nursing Practice, 3235 - Mental Health Nursing Practice,
3245 - Family Health Nursing Practice, 3355 - Junior Practicum, 4335 - Adult
Health Nursing Practice, 4345 - Community Health Nursing Practice and 4468 -
Senior Practicum, 4470 - Community Health Nursing for RN Students, N4475 -
Nursing Leadership and Management for RN Students), the ability to use critical
thinking in assessing, diagnosing, planning, implementing and evaluating
nursing care is evaluated.
Learning
activities in NURS 3172 and each of the nursing skills courses (NURS 3182,
3272, and 4382) require that students utilize scientific concepts and research
findings to assess individuals and implement therapeutic nursing interventions.
Research
and Evidence-Based Nursing Practice (NURS 3222) focuses on evidence-based
clinical practice and the use of critical thinking in evaluating research
findings and their application to nursing practice. This course is also
designated as a Writing Across the Curriculum course and the informal/formal
writing activities encompass critical thinking/writing concepts.
Senior
Seminar (NURS 4422) emphasizes the use of critical thinking in analyzing
nursing practice issues from a historical, contemporary and futuristic
perspective. It is also designated as a Writing Across
the Curriculum course and the informal/formal writing activities encompass
critical thinking/writing concepts. Assessment of learning outcomes related to
critical thinking occurs in NURS 4422, Senior Seminar, where students write a
position paper and orally present their perception of learning critical
thinking during the nursing program.
Nursing
Leadership and Management (NURS 4433) is designed to encourage the use of
critical thinking in the decision making process with nursing management
situations.
Holism
Theoretical
concepts related to holism are introduced in NURS 3122, Professional Concepts.
The emphasis is on learning to view self and others as holistic beings with
diverse cultural perspectives. This includes a view of the importance of
self-awareness and self-empowerment. Within the nursing practice courses (NURS
3135 - Professional Nursing Practice, 3235 - Mental Health Nursing Practice,
3245 - Family Health Nursing Practice, 3355 - Junior Practicum, 4335 - Adult
Health Nursing Practice, 4345 - Community Health Nursing Practice and 4468 -
Senior Practicum, 4470 - Community Health Nursing for RN Students, N4475 -
Nursing Leadership and Management for RN Students), students are expected to
demonstrate patient care from a holistic perspective. NURS 3172, Health
Assessment, includes assessment within a holistic framework. NURS 3272, Nursing
Skills II, introduces the student to holistic interventions such as relaxation
exercises, therapeutic touch, music, imagery and humor. Activities related to
specific interventions with these therapies are included in subsequent courses
such as NURS 4335, Adult Health Nursing Practice.
Professional Roles
The
introduction to the professional roles of nursing begins in NURS 3122,
Professional Concepts. The provider of care role is emphasized in each clinical
practice and skill-oriented course.
The
role of manager of care is introduced in the NURS 4335, Adult Health Nursing
Practice, and progresses to more complex management skills in NURS 4433,
Leadership and Management and NURS 4475, Nursing Leadership and Management for
RN Students. In NURS 4475, the clinical experience focuses entirely on the role
of manager of care. In NURS 4433, the classroom content focuses on the role of
manager with students completing clinical management activities in NURS 4468,
Senior Practicum.
The
role of member of profession is initiated in NURS 3122, Professional Concepts.
NURS 4422, Senior Seminar, provides the opportunity for synthesis and
integration of information related to the role of member of profession.
Activities related to member of profession are integrated throughout the
curriculum. There is an active chapter of the Georgia Association of Nursing
Students (GANS) and the National Student Nurses Association (NSNA) at
Domains of Nursing
The
domains of nursing practice (Benner) are addressed in NURS 3122, Professional
Concepts, and NURS 3135, Professional Nursing Practice, and provide a
foundation for use in subsequent nursing practice courses. The domains guide
student practice and performance assessment in all the clinical courses.
Specific domains are emphasized in various courses. The domains of Helping,
Teaching-Coaching, Diagnostic and Patient Monitoring, and the Administration
and Monitoring of Therapeutic Interventions and Regimens are emphasized in NURS
2023, Applied Pharmacology, and in all clinical practice and skill-related
courses. For example, establishing the helping relationship is emphasized in
NURS 3182, Nursing Skills I. Effective Management of Rapidly Changing
Situations is emphasized in NURS 4335, Adult Health Nursing Practice, and NURS
4382, Nursing Skills III. The domain, Organizational and Work Role
Competencies, is addressed in NURS 4382 - Nursing Skills III, NURS 4433 -
Nursing Leadership and Management, and NURS 4475 - Nursing Leadership and
Management for RN Students.
Ensuring
Quality Health Care is a focus for NURS 4433, Nursing Leadership and
Management, and NURS 4475, Nursing Leadership and Management for RN Students.
Learning activities include projects related to assessing institutional plans
for monitoring quality.
Nursing Process
The
nursing process is a systematic method that provides a framework for planning
and meeting the healthcare needs of patients and is introduced in NURS 3135,
Professional Nursing Practice. The five steps include assessment (gathering
data about the patient), diagnosis (analysis of data and identification of
problems), planning (development of goals, outcomes, and nursing
interventions), implementation (implementing the nursing interventions), and
evaluation (assessment of outcomes and achievement of goals). All clinical and
skills-related courses utilize the nursing process for professional
decision-making.
Synthesis of Caring,
Critical Thinking, Holism, Professional Roles and Domains of Nursing
The
students explore caring, critical thinking and holism from a personal
perspective in NURS 4422, Senior Seminar, through self-reflection of personal
and professional growth related to these concepts. Understanding of these
concepts is demonstrated through an oral presentation.
Additional Concepts
The
curriculum is also organized around other significant concepts that include:
health promotion and maintenance, culturally competent nursing care, writing
and scholarship, and Communication.
Health Promotion, Maintenance, Protection and
Disease Prevention: Healthy People 2010
An
emphasis on health promotion, maintenance, protection and disease prevention is
based on the crite
Culturally Sensitive Nursing Care
The
importance of culturally sensitive nursing care is introduced in NURS 3122,
Professional Concepts, and is integrated into each course. The provision of
culturally competent care is a focus of NURS 3245, Community Health Nursing
Practice, and NURS 4470, Community Health Nursing for RN Students. The
manager’s role in providing culturally competent nursing care is a component of
NURS4433, Nursing Leadership and Management, and NURS 4475, Nursing Leadership
and Management for RN Students.
Writing and Scholarship
The
curriculum has a strong emphasis on scholarship and writing. NURS 3222,
Research and Evidence-Based Nursing Practice, focuses on research utilization
and prepares students to read, critique, and utilize nursing research in the
delivery of care in their clinical nursing courses. Students graduating from
the program earn seven hours of Writing Across the
Curriculum (WAC) credit in nursing (NURS 3122 - Professional Concepts, NURS 3222
- Research and Evidence-Based Nursing Practice, NURS 4422 - Senior Seminar).
Communication
All
aspects of communication, including oral, written and electronic, are
integrated throughout the curriculum. Professional and therapeutic
communications are a focus of the practice, manager, and member of a profession
courses.
Roach’s (1987) Characteristics
The
characteristics of competence, confidence, commitment, conscience, and collaboration
are the foundation for program outcomes and are emphasized throughout the
curriculum.
Teaching/Learning
The
concepts related to teaching and learning are introduced in NURS 3122,
Professional Concepts, and NURS 3135, Professional Nursing Practice. Activities
related to teaching and learning is emphasized in each course.