Practical Nursing

This course introduces concepts related to patient safety, entry level nursing skills, and quality care in today’s healthcare settings. Methods to improve patient outcomes with a focus on continuous quality improvement will prepare the nursing student for practice in an interdisciplinary team environment. The Joint Commission’s National Patient Safety Goals (NPSGs), Core Measures, Critical Values and Never Events will be introduced and introduction to the Institute of Medicine (IOM), Institute for Health Care Improvement (IHI) and Quality and Safety Education for Nurses (QSEN) initiatives. A focus on patient satisfaction and case management is discussed throughout the course. The nursing process is introduced within this course providing the foundation for all nursing interventions. In addition, the course introduces medical terminology into the nursing curriculum. Medical Terminology provides basic review and writing medical terms. This course fosters the development of a vocabulary of common suffixes, prefixes, and word roots. Terms are introduced in the context of human anatomy and physiology to foster understanding in meaning.

This course introduces the concepts of pharmacology to the role of the practical nurse in using medications to maximize health and wellness. Drug classifications emphasized within the context of the nursing process using a body-systems approach. The student learns common medication actions, interventions, and adverse effects and nursing interventions. Client teaching is integrated throughout. Factors influencing the administration, use, and effectiveness of medications are explored. This course provides instruction and practice in dosage calculation.

This course creates the foundation for future learning and the development of the requisite skills and competencies required for nursing practice as a member of the health care team. Content includes communication and interview concepts, teaching-learning principles, documentation, physical assessment and nursing skills. Concepts of holistic care, developmental stages, culture and diversity, evidence-based practice, and the practical nurse’s role in promoting health and wellness are explored. Clinical and simulated learning assignments provide hands-on learning experiences that enable the student to develop skills for the provision of safe and effective nursing care with adult clients in a structured environment.

This course explores the role of the nurse in helping individuals to maximize health and wellness during the natural and healthy process of aging. The student will learn normal physiologic, psychological, and social changes as well as common health alterations associated with aging. Specific health conditions discussed include: altered sensory input, menopause, osteoporosis, malnutrition, depression, Alzheimer’s and dementia, COPD, and CHF. End of life issues are also discussed. Actual and simulated clinical experiences provide students with opportunities to practice the delivery of nursing care to selected client situations.

This course introduces the student to the use of self within the context of relationships to promote and maximize the health and wellness of clients in diverse settings. The student will explore foundational concepts of mental health such as stress, coping, developmental stage risks, anxiety, depression, common psychiatric disorders, and the interaction between physical and mental health. Emphasis is placed on communication and teaching–learning processes.

This course explores the role of the licensed practical nurse in the promotion of health and wellness in individuals within a structured health care setting. The nursing process forms the framework for applying critical thinking and problem-solving skills to client centered nursing care involving common health problems. This holistic approach to client-centered care focuses on adults in diverse settings with primary pathology in the cardiovascular, respiratory, special senses, and integumentary systems. Actual and simulated clinical experiences provide the student with opportunities to demonstrate competency in the delivery of nursing care in selected client situations.

This course prepares the student to perform IV skills within the scope of practice for LPN’s in Pennsylvania. Actual and simulated clinical experiences provide the student with opportunities to demonstrate competency in selected clinical situations.

This course focuses on the provision of nursing care to childbearing mothers and newborns utilizing the nursing process and critical thinking skills. Care of the woman and infant during the prenatal, intrapartum, neonatal, and postpartum periods are also explored. Actual and simulated clinical experiences provide the student with opportunities to demonstrate competence in caring for mothers and infants.

This course introduces the student to the role of the nurse in promoting health and wellness in children. Growth and development, anticipatory guidance, and common health problems of children from infancy through adolescence are emphasized. Actual and simulated clinical experiences provide the student with opportunities to apply concepts and skills related to nursing of children.

This course introduces the student to the concepts related to collaboratively prioritizing, delivering, and coordinating care within the context of the healthcare team. Concepts of leadership, delegation, supervision, and the management of care for multiple clients within the scope of the licensed practical / vocational nurse are examined. Development of team leadership and followership skills, including communication, collaboration with other members of the health care team and delegation to unlicensed personnel is highlighted.

This course builds upon prior learning to further develop clinical decision-making skills. Students use clinical evidence to plan care for individuals of diverse backgrounds within a structured environment. The nursing process forms the framework for prioritizing care and making basic delegation decisions. A holistic approach focuses on caring for individuals experiencing common health care problems with primary pathology in the endocrine, gastro-intestinal, genito-urinary, musculo-skeletal, and neurologic systems. Actual and simulated clinical experiences provide students with opportunities to demonstrate competency in the delivery of nursing care in selected client situations.

This capstone course is designed to assist the student in the transition from the educational environment to the work environment. The student is provided opportunities to demonstrate competency in meeting the terminal educational outcomes of the program in actual and simulated clinical environments. Current healthcare workplace issues are examined. The course explores issues of responsibility and accountability for practice and continuing personal and professional growth and development. Role responsibilities as well as licensure application procedures are discussed relative to meeting state licensing requirements for the practical nurse. Emphasis is placed on seminars dedicated to NCLEX-PN preparation using multiple learning methods.

This course provides the student with an introduction to promoting health and wellness with individuals in diverse community-based settings. Key concepts covered in this course include: wellness promotion, independence and interdependence, discharge planning, chronic illness, HIV, and health care delivery environments such as outpatient clinics, homes, and diagnosis- based care centers. A community project provides an opportunity to examine population groups along the age continuum in the community.