Nursing
Prereq. for all NU courses is a major in nursing.
NU 128 Nursing Medication Calculations (1) Prereq.: Pre-nursing student with at least “C” in BY 105 and CH 106; at least “C” or concurrent enrollment in BY 201 and CH 205; and at least “A” in MA 127 or successful completion on the Math Skills for Nurses Proficiency Exam. This course is designed to develop mathematical skills needed for medication calculation and administration. The student will learn medication abbreviations and conversions as well as apply formulas and algebraic principles to solve calculations for medication dosages and IV administration. Spring sem.
NU 203 Fundamentals of Professional Nursing I (5) Prereq.: Valid CPR card; at least “ C” in BY 201, CH 205, EN 101, EN 102, and NU 128; and at least “C” in or concurrent enrollment in BY 202, NU 214, 215, and 218. This course is designed to introduce the student to the nursing profession and the health care system. The student will learn to apply concepts and principles regarding the nursing process, use of communication, growth and development, critical thinking, teaching, and research. Special emphasis is placed on the utilization of the nursing process to meet the basic needs of the adult individual throughout the aging process, focusing on the acute and chronically ill elderly. The student will also learn basic nursing skills in the area of health promotion and maintenance and will implement these skills in the nursing lab and healthcare setting. 4 hours lecture; 3 hours lab or clinical experience. Fall sem.
NU 204 Fundamentals of Professional Nursing II (5) Prereq.: Valid CPR card; at least “C” in BY 202, NU 203, 214, 215, 218; and at least “C” in or concurrent enrollment in BY 206, NU 226 and 314. This course is a continuation of NU 203 with the emphasis shifting to the utilization of the nursing process in providing care to the surgical patient and the aging process. The nursing skills required for application of the nursing process with these patients will be acquired in the nursing lab and a variety of settings. 4 hours lecture; 3 hours lab or clinical experience. Spring sem.
NU 214 Pharmacology (2) Prereq.: At least “C” in or concurrent enrollment in NU 203. This course is an introduction to the basic concepts and principles of pharmacology. With an emphasis on knowledge and nursing interventions required to promote therapeutic effects, these concepts are applied to health promotion and maintenance to patients across the lifespan. Students acquire knowledge regarding the pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics of major drug classes and commonly prescribed prototype medications within each drug class including therapeutic uses, adverse reactions, precautions, and contraindications. Safe administration of enteral and parenteral medications is learned by describing actual medication errors, discussing proper drug administration techniques, and reviewing dosage calculations. Fall sem.
NU 215 Physical Assessment (2) Prereq.: At least “C” in or concurrent enrollment in NU 203. This course covers assessment of the health status of the adult and child. Students develop the skill of interviewing and learn and demonstrate physical assessment techniques of inspection, palpation, percussion, and auscultation. Emphasis is given to the theoretical concepts and psychomotor skills necessary for physical assessment. Data collection through a complete health history and physical assessment of all body systems is included. Fall sem.
NU 218 Nutrition (1) Prereq.: At least “C” in or concurrent enrollment in NU 203. This is an introductory course in the basic science of nutrition. It covers basic principles of nutrition and their application to health promotion, maintenance, and disease prevention in the adult. The major macronutrients and micronutrients are learned along with application to the clinical setting. Students will also learn methods of conducting a nutritional assessment and principles for providing nutritional care to patients in various states of altered health. Fall sem.
NU 226 Pathophysiology (3) Prereq.: At least “C” in or concurrent enrollment in NU 204. This course teaches the normal cellular function of body systems as well as alterations that occur in various disease processes or disorders. The student will develop an understanding of the effects of altered states of health on body systems, and will have a stronger basis for planning nursing actions in the clinical setting. Spring sem.
NU 303 Medical-Surgical Nursing I (6) Prereq.: Valid CPR card and at least “C” in NU 305, 306, and PS 323. This course focuses on the utilization of the nursing process in meeting the needs of the medical-surgical patient and his family. The student will achieve advanced physical assessment skills and learn problem identification and planning while providing implementation of comprehensive nursing care. Learning experiences are provided in a variety of hospital clinical settings. 4 hours lecture; six hours clinical experience. Spring sem.
NU 305 Maternity Nursing (6) Prereq.: Valid CPR card and at least “C” in BY 206, NU 204, 226, and 314. This course focuses on the utilization of the nursing process with families during the childbearing period. The student will learn to provide nursing care throughout the normal as well as complicated pregnancy. Learning experiences are provided in various ambulatory and hospital agencies where antepartal, intrapartal, postpartal, and neonatal care are given. 4 hours lecture; 6 hours clinical experience. Fall sem.
NU 306 Psychiatric-Mental Health Nursing (5) Prereq.: Valid CPR card and at least “C” in BY 206, NU 204, 226, and 314. This course will introduce the student to the historical development of psychology and the study of human behavior and relationships. Causal factors of behavior such as emotion and frustration are also acquired. The course will focus on utilizing the nursing process to help meet the needs of individuals and families having difficulty coping and adapting to their life experiences. Although the promotion of mental health will be stressed, some learning experiences will deal with the more acute and chronic psychiatric disorders. 3 hours lecture; 6 hours clinical experience. Fall sem.
NU 308 Pediatric Nursing (5) Prereq.: Valid CPR card and at least “C” in NU 305, 306, and PS 323. This course focuses on the utilization of the nursing process with families during the child-rearing period. Special emphasis is placed on learning the adaptation of nursing care according to the patient’s level of growth and development. Ambulatory and hospital learning experiences are planned with healthy and ill children up through adolescents. 3 hours lecture; 6 hours clinical experience. Spring sem.
NU 314 Advanced Pharmacology (1) Prereq.: At least “C” in or concurrent enrollment in NU 204. This course builds upon basic pharmacological principles and expands knowledge of further drug classifications with an emphasis on pharmacokinetics, and pharmodynamics of major drug classes and commonly prescribed prototype medications within each drug class including therapeutic uses, adverse reaction, precautions and contraindications. Students are able to identify antidotes to drug toxicity or overdose. Students apply critical thinking skills to case studies focusing on pharmacological agents to treat pathological conditions. Spring sem.
NU 401 Community Health Nursing (5) Prereq.: Valid CPR card and at least “C” in all junior-level nursing courses. This course provides nursing students with the knowledge and skills essential for application of the nursing process with families and other groups in the community with emphasis on health promotion, preventive health, health teaching, and restorative health. Concepts of environmental health and epidemiology are also acquired. Learning experiences are planned in a variety of community settings. 3 hours lecture; 6 hours clinical experience. Fall sem.
NU 403 Medical-Surgical Nursing II (5) Prereq.: Valid CPR card and at least “C” in all junior-level nursing courses. This course focuses on the utilization of the nursing process in meeting the needs of the critically ill/emergency patient and his family. The student will learn rapid assessment, priority setting, planning and implementation of care to the patient in a life-threatening situation. This course also strives to enhance the skills of critical thinking, decision-making, independent judgment, prioritizing care, and delegation. Learning experiences are provided in the critical-care clinical settings. 3 hours lecture; 6 hours clinical experience. Fall sem.
NU 406 Research/Independent Clinical Study (3) Prereq.: Valid CPR card and at least “C” in all junior-level nursing courses. This course is divided into theoretical and clinical components. The theoretical class component provides instruction on the fundamentals of the research process. The student demonstrates his understanding of this process by evaluating published research and by developing a research proposal. The clinical component involves 42 hours of in-depth clinical field study in a selected area of interest. The faculty will assist the student in formulating behavioral objectives to be accomplished. 2 hours lecture; 3 hours clinical experience. Fall sem.
NU 408 Preceptorship (6) Prereq.: Valid CPR card; at least “C” in NU 401, 403, and 406; and concurrent enrollment in NU 410 and 412. This course focuses on providing the student with the opportunity to practice roles of a professional nurse in one clinical area with the assistance of faculty and a selected preceptor. Preceptorship assists the student in making the transition from the academic setting to the professional work setting. This experience provides opportunities for the student to incorporate the principles of leadership, decision making, research, change, and teaching/learning during the experience. The student is in the clinical setting 320 hours. 32 hours clinical experience. Spring sem.
NU 410 Issues and Trends in Professional Nursing (3) Coreq.: NU 408 and 412. Selected issues and trends in nursing and in health care in general will be learned with emphasis upon nursing education and practice, evolving roles of the professional nurse, career development, legislation, and professional ethics. The student will also learn the impact of social changes on nursing through the years. Spring sem.
NU 412 Senior Nursing Seminar (3) Coreq.: NU 408 and 410. This course provides the opportunity for synthesizing nursing theories, concepts, and principles from the entire curriculum into the total concept of the professional nurse. Students will learn the roles of the professional nurse with an emphasis on leadership and management roles. Students are prepared for the NCLEX-RN exam by weekly topical reviews by the nursing faculty. Discussion in the clinical area will be shared with an emphasis on application of the principles of leadership, management, delegation, and other supporting principles in decision making. Spring sem.
PS 206 General Psychology (3) Prereq.: Concurrent enrollment in NU 306. This course is designed to provide the student with the fundamental theories, concepts, and principles of psychology. The history and development of psychology are also emphasized. The student will be able to apply therapeutic psychological interventions and pertinent research findings to psychological problems. Fall sem.
PS 323 Developmental Psychology (3) Prereq.: At least “C” in or concurrent enrollment in NU 305 and 306. This course is designed to provide the nursing student with a basis for understanding the common changes that occur in individuals as they progress through the life span from birth to death. Emphasis is placed on the viewpoints of the major developmental theorists. The teaching, learning, and motivational factors of behavior are acquired along with common maturational crises in each phase of the life cycle. Changing family roles and biblical principles for each age group within the life span are also explored. Fall sem.
