Nursing: Pre-Licensure BSN

NURS 2002 – Introduction to Professional Nursing – 2 credit hours

This course provides an overview of student success strategies to be utilized for program and NCLEX success. The student is introduced to concepts and theories underlying professional nursing practice with a focus on role expectations and behaviors. The student will learn numeracy skills specific to nursing situations. Measurements, medication dosage calculations, fluid rates, time calculations, percentages, and dimensional analysis are math components introduced in this course. The student is familiarized with the philosophy and program outcomes of the pre-licensure B.S.N. program. Prerequisite: Admission to the pre-licensure B.S.N. program. Course rotation: Fall.

NURS 2013 – Health Assessment – 3 credit hours

Prepares the student to conduct a comprehensive, patient-centered, spiritually and culturally appropriate holistic assessment of individuals across the lifespan. Effective communication through written, verbal, nonverbal, and emerging technologies is emphasized. Priority is placed on the collection, processing, and interpretation of subjective and objective client data. The nursing process as the organizing framework for nursing practice and the role of the nurse as provider of care are explored. Opportunities are provided to apply concepts and skills with clients in the clinical laboratory and the clinical setting. Prerequisites: BIOL 2624 with a minimum grade of C, NURS 2002 with a minimum grade of C, and NURS 2024 with a minimum grade of C. Course rotation: Spring. Theory hours: Two. Total clinical hours: 45.

NURS 2024 – Foundations of Professional Practice – 4 credit hours

Builds upon concepts and skills presented in NURS 2002. Introduces theoretical and evidence based concepts, standards, and skills basic to beginning professional nurse practice. Utilization of the nursing process, clinical reasoning, critical thinking, and caring in the provision and coordination of patient-centered care are emphasized. The student is introduced to psychomotor activities for basic care of the simulated client in the laboratory. Clinical experiences in long-term care settings provide opportunities for application of theory to practice. Prerequisite: Admission to the pre-licensure B.S.N. program. Course rotation: Fall. Theory hours: Two. Total clinical hours: 90.

NURS 3013 – Pharmacology – 3 credit hours

Presentation of the principles of pharmacotherapeutics applicable to professional nursing practice. Emphasis is upon the nurse’s collaborative role and responsibilities related to safe medication administration. Focus is placed upon understanding the physiological actions of drugs, expected client responses, common and major adverse effects, contraindications, and implications for nursing. Drug dose computation is included in the course. Prerequisites: BIOL 2104 with a minimum grade of C, all 2000-level nursing courses with minimum grades of C, and NURS 3204 with a minimum grade of C. Course rotation: Fall.

NURS 3105 – Adult Health Nursing I – 5 credit hours

Provides students with theory and evidence pertinent to managing adult health problems. Provision of safe, patient-centered care through the application of clinical reasoning, critical thinking, and caring is emphasized. Students communicate effectively, engage in interprofessional collaboration, and utilize information management and technologies to provide safe, patient-centered care to adults with acute and chronic alterations in health. Learning experiences are provided in the simulation laboratory and in the acute care clinical setting. Prerequisites: BIOL 2104 with a minimum grade of C, all 2000-level nursing courses with minimum grades of C, and NURS 3204 with a minimum grade of C. Course rotation: Fall. Theory hours: Three. Total clinical hours: 90.

NURS 3204 – Pathophysiology – 4 credit hours

Applies acquired knowledge from the basic sciences to alterations in pathophysiology and diseases. Students examine alterations in physiological processes that disrupt or impair health and the body’s response to illness and disease. Disease etiology, incidence/prevalence, risk factors, and clinical manifestations are examined. Prerequisites: BIOL 2624 with a minimum grade of C, NURS 2002 with a minimum grade of C, and NURS 2024 with a minimum grade of C. Course rotation: Spring.

NURS 3305 – Maternal/Newborn/Family-Centered Nursing – 5 credit hours

Provides the student with nursing theory and evidence-based practice principles needed to recognize and promote health during pregnancy and childbirth. Focus is on pregnancy and childbirth as natural processes. High-risk obstetrical clients and subsequent nursing care are identified and discussed. Students demonstrate clinical reasoning, critical thinking, and caring to design and deliver safe, spiritually and culturally appropriate, patient-centered care. Clinical practice takes place in a variety of settings to allow for learning experiences that emphasize clinical prevention and health promotion of the childbearing family. Prerequisites: NURS 3013 with a minimum grade of C and NURS 3105 with a minimum grade of C. Course rotation: Spring. Theory hours: Three. Total clinical hours: 90.

NURS 3355 – Pediatric/Family-Centered Nursing – 5 credit hours

Assists students in meeting the health care needs of children and families experiencing potential and actual alterations in health. Course content includes evidence-based, spiritually and culturally appropriate, patient-centered care of the child from infancy to adolescent years. Emphasis is placed on clinical prevention, health promotion, disease prevention, and illness management. Clinical practice takes place in a variety of settings to allow for learning experiences that emphasize clinical prevention and health promotion of the childrearing family. Prerequisites: NURS 3013 with a minimum grade of C and NURS 3105 with a minimum grade of C. Course rotation: Spring. Theory hours: Three. Total clinical hours: 90.  

NURS 4003 – Nursing Research – 3 credit hours

Provides an overview of the research process and utilization of current nursing research in evidence-based practice. Issues of scientific merit and relevance of research to clinical practices will be explored. Emphasis is placed on the role of research in clinical problem solving, practice, and evaluation. Prerequisites: MATH 2403 with a minimum grade of C, COMM 2103 with a minimum grade of C, and all 3000 level nursing courses with minimum grades of C. Course rotation: Fall.

NURS 4105 – Mental Health Nursing – 5 credit hours

Prepares students to provide spiritually and culturally appropriate, client-centered care to individuals across the lifespan experiencing acute and chronic mental/behavioral health problems. Students examine issues and trends affecting the provision of care to patients with common mental disorders or mental health needs. Clinical experiences take place in a variety of health care settings. Prerequisites: HS 3103 with a minimum grade of C and all 3000-level nursing courses with minimum grades of C. Course rotation: Fall. Theory hours: Three. Total clinical hours: 90.

NURS 4154 – Community Health Nursing – 4 credit hours

Includes health promotion and primary, secondary, and tertiary prevention as applied to the nursing care of individuals, families, groups, and populations in the community. Clinical practice is focused on evidence-based nursing practice with groups and populations. The concept of system is applied to health and community and is evaluated in light of nursing theories and public health frameworks. Community assessment and collaboration with community partners are explored as essential components in community-focused clinical decision-making. Demographic and epidemiologic data are explored to identify populations at risk. Trends and issues in public health, including access to resources and delivery of care, are addressed. Students analyze political, economic, social, and environmental factors that influence community and global health. Clinical experiences are designed and provided in a variety of community settings. Prerequisites: All 3000-level nursing courses with minimum grades of C. Course rotation: Fall. Theory hours: Three. Total clinical hours: 45.

NURS 4204 – Leadership in Nursing – 4 credit hours

The role of the professional nurse as a leader and manager of care in the nursing profession and health care delivery is analyzed. Emphasis is placed on the three distinct roles that emerge from the nursing discipline. These include provider of care, manager of care, and member of the profession. Healthcare and nursing are viewed from the service and business context with exploration of specific leadership and management skills. Contemporary issues related to health care delivery are explored with an examination of ethical, legal, and regulatory processes. Knowledge and behaviors consistent with professional nursing practice are stressed within a paradigm that views the nurse as a leader and collaborator within the interprofessional team. Prerequisites: NURS 4003 with a minimum grade of C, NURS 4105 with a minimum grade of C, and NURS 4154 with a minimum grade of C. Course rotation: Spring. Theory hours: Three. Total clinical hours: 45.

NURS 4304 – Adult Health Nursing II – 4 credit hours

Provides students with theory and evidence pertinent to managing complex adult health problems. Emphasis is on the provision of safe delivery of patient-centered care through the application of clinical reasoning, critical thinking, and caring. Students communicate effectively, engage in interprofessional collaboration, and utilize information management and technologies to provide safe, patient-centered care to adults with complex acute and chronic alterations in health. Learning experiences are provided in the simulation laboratory and in the acute care clinical setting. Prerequisites: NURS 4003 with a minimum grade of C, NURS 4105 with a minimum grade of C, and NURS 4154 with a minimum grade of C. Course rotation: Spring. Theory hours: Three. Total clinical hours: 45.

NURS 4402 – Nursing Synthesis – 2 credit hours

Provides a culminating experience in which students synthesize nursing and general education knowledge. The course provides core nursing content review and interactive tools to assist students in identifying nursing content strengths and weaknesses. Students will demonstrate focused study and apply interactive exam techniques prior to taking the National Council Licensure Examination (NCLEX). Prerequisites: NURS 4205 with a minimum grade of C and NURS 4304 with a minimum grade of C.

NURS 4504 – Capstone in Nursing – 4 credit hours

Provides students with a culminating intensive clinical experience. The students are given the opportunity to integrate clinical and theoretical learning from previous nursing courses. Through a preceptorship experience, the student will further his/her transition from student nurse to the role of the professional nurse. The primary purpose of this course is to develop competency in nursing care, including organizational, prioritizing, and decision-making skills. Critical care content will be delivered in this course. This component will focus on synthesizing nursing knowledge and advanced skills in caring for individuals and families experiencing crises. Note: Because this course integrates the 90 of the 120 hour Kentucky Board of Nursing (KBN) required practicum experience, it must be taken during the semester immediately prior to graduation. Prerequisites: NURS 4204 with a minimum grade of C and NURS 4304 with a minimum grade of C. Course rotation: Spring. Theory hours: One. Total clinical hours: 135.