Permission of the Department Chair is required. This course provides nursing clinical experience and skills laboratory practice for students currently enrolled in a nursing program or who are eligible to return to a nursing program. This course is designed for students who need clinical support, clinical remediation and/or socialization into the nursing profession. This course is NOT a part of the nursing curriculum. It will not substitute for a required nursing course and will not lead to a degree in nursing. This course is offered Summer and/or Fall semester.

This course is designed to provide pre-nursing students with
major tools to foster the essential competencies necessary
to be successful in both prerequisite nursing courses and
the GPC Program of Nursing. The competencies that a student
acquires include, but are not limited to, reading health-
related literature for comprehension, organizational
strategies, stress and time management, study and test-
taking skills, and the ability to use critical thinking
skills in the sciences and in nursing courses. By attaining
these competencies, students enhance their potential for
academic development, socialization into the role of student
nurse, and completion of the nursing program. The grade for
this course is satisfactory/unsatisfactory only.

This course utilizes critical thinking and pharmacological concepts to solve the many types of problems that may be encountered in the preparation of solutions and administration of medications. The course includes information that is essential to safe, accurate drug calculation in current clinical practice. Problems addressed will move from the simple to complex. With individualized instruction, students are encouraged to progress at their own rate and to master the skills involved in calculation of dosages. This course is required for nursing students who do not pass a Calculation of Dosages examination required for progression in the Nursing Program.

Fundamental Concepts of Nursing (NURS 1921) is offered in the first semester of the Generic Track in the nursing program. NURS 1921 focuses on the introduction to the profession of nursing and the role of the nurse in the healthcare system. It introduces the framework for the program of study and provides a foundation for nursing practice in the promotion and maintenance of health, prevention of illness, and care of patients/clients experiencing alterations in meeting basic health needs. The nursing process and concepts of holistic care, diversity, critical thinking, basic human needs, psychosocial needs, growth and development, legal/ethical issues, pharmacological principles, therapeutic interventions, and communication skills are emphasized. Selected content, including pharmacology and math calculations, is presented using on-line modules. This course includes classroom, clinical lab simulations, clinical practice in diverse health care settings and online experiences.

This course will allow first year nursing students to expand
their knowledge of a topic presented during the first year
of the program. Topics may include: Spanish for health
professionals, literature review of a health care issue or
disease, or further exploration of an aspect of the health
care delivery system.

Psychiatric/Mental Health Concepts of Nursing (NURS 1924) is offered in the first semester of the nursing program. NURS 1924 expands the student’s ability to apply the nursing process in the promotion, maintenance, and restoration of mental health for clients from diverse populations. The role of the nurse is expanded to include collaboration with clients, families, the interdisciplinary team and community agencies as it relates to the mental health client. Emphasis is placed on the acquisition of knowledge related to alterations in mental health and pharmacological principles. Principles of critical thinking are applied to the client with psychological distress and mental illness. Psychosocial concepts introduced during the prior nursing courses are expanded. This course includes classroom, clinical practice, and online experiences.

Bridge to Professional Nursing (NURS 1926) (LPN-RN Bridge only) is offered in the first semester of the LPN-RN Bridge Track in the nursing program. NURS 1926 introduces the advance placement student to framework of the program of study and provides the foundation for professional nursing practice in the promotion and maintenance of health, prevention of illness, and care of patients/clients experiencing alterations in physiological and psychobiological health. The application of the nursing process and concepts of holistic care, diversity, critical thinking, basic human needs, psychosocial needs, growth and development, legal/ethical issues, pharmacological principles, therapeutic interventions, and communication skills are emphasized. The role of the professional nurse is introduced and expanded to include patient/family education and collaboration with patients, families, the interdisciplinary team, and community agencies. Selected content, including pharmacological principles and math calculations is presented. This course includes classroom, clinical practice, clinical lab simulations and skills lab experiences.

Intermediate Concepts of Nursing is offered in the second semester of the nursing program. NURS 1930 focuses on the application of the nursing process in the promotion, maintenance, and restoration of health and prevention of illness for clients from diverse populations. The role of the nurse is expanded to include patient/family education and collaboration with patients, families, the interdisciplinary team, and community agencies. Emphasis is placed on the acquisition of knowledge related to pharmacological principles and pathophysiological alterations in health. Principles of critical thinking are applied to clients with physiological disorders. Concepts introduced during the prior nursing course are expanded and integrated. This course includes class, clinical practice, clinical lab simulations, and online experiences.

This course focuses on development and health concepts across the lifespan with the context of physical, cognitive, social, and emotional domains.

This course will allow the second year nursing student to
analyze a topic presented during the second year of the
program. Topics may include: the relationship of language
and culture, an in-depth analysis of a health care issue or
disease, or a further exploration of a community or clinical
issue impacting the profession of nursing.

This elective course is designed to provide students who have an interest in becoming a Registered Nurse with a glimpse into the profession. Students will spend time learning about some of the roles and functions of a registered professional nurses through guest lectures, interactive discussions, and an opportunity to have hands on time with simulated activities related to patient care.

The course will focus on pathophysiological processes of common diseases and will be organized by body system. An understanding of normal physiology concepts is essential for successful completion of the course.

This course is designed to introduce the student to the basic principles of pharmacotherapeutics, pharmacodynamics and pharmacokinetics, in order to equip the student to safely administer drugs, assess drug therapy and educate clients in all clinical settings.

The course is an introduction to the nursing profession which provides the student with requisite knowledge that subsequent nursing courses build upon. It is designed to facilitate the student’s acquisition of knowledge and understanding regarding the profession. Topics will include historical influences, current issues ethical issues, trends, professionalism and governance. The course will also examine the nurse’s role in health promotion, disease prevention, and restoration of health across the lifespan. The nursing process will be utilized to plan care for common clinical phenomena and nursing concepts.

The course is designed to facilitate the student’s acquisition of both health assessment and basic nursing skills and mastery of basic drug calculations. It is composed of three distinct components: health assessment and basic skills theories, and laboratory/clinical performance. In order to pass the course students must pass all three components. Under faculty supervision, the student develops and refines professional practice. (4 hrs didactic credit; 2 hrs clinical credit [90 clinical contact hrs]).

This course focuses on assisting pre-licensure students to prepare for verification of previous nursing knowledge and/or nursing skills so they can re-enter or transfer in to the undergraduate program in the Byrdine F. Lewis School of Nursing (BFLSON). The student and faculty will determine the appropriate credit hour allocation based on previous nursing courses completed and the nursing knowledge and/or nursing skills that need to be confirmed.

This course focuses on the application of the nursing
process in the promotion of health and the prevention/
management of illness in the child-rearing family. Emphasis
is placed on the promotion of health and management of
illness and complications of pregnancy, the birth process
and childhood. Students will have the opportunity to utilize
the nursing process in a variety of family, maternal/newborn
and pediatric settings. Concepts introduced in prior nursing
courses will be expanded and integrated with diverse
populations. This course includes classroom and clinical
experiences. It is offered fall and summer semesters.

Childbearing Family Concepts of Nursing (NURS 2922) is offered in the third semester of the nursing program. NURS2922 focuses on the application of the nursing process in the promotion of health and the prevention/management of illness in the child-bearing family. Emphasis is placed on the promotion of health and management of illness and complications during pregnancy, the birth process and the neonatal period. Students will have the opportunity to utilize the nursing process in a variety of family and maternal/newborn settings. Concepts introduced in prior nursing courses will be expanded and integrated with diverse populations. This course includes classroom, clinical practice, simulation, and community experiences.

This course expands the student’s ability to apply the
nursing process in the promotion, maintenance, and
restoration of mental health for clients from diverse
populations. The role of the nurse is expanded to include
collaboration with clients, families, the interdisciplinary
team, and community agencies as it relates to the mental
health client. Emphasis is placed on the acquisition of
knowledge related to alterations in mental health and
pharmacological principles. Principles of critical thinking
are applied to the client with psychological distress and
mental illness. Psychosocial concepts introduced during
prior nursing courses are expanded. This course includes
classroom, clinical practice, and online experiences. This
course will be offered summer 2005 and fall 2005 only.

This course expands the student’s ability to apply the
nursing process in the promotion, maintenance, and
restoration of mental health for clients from diverse
populations. The role of the nurse is expanded to include
collaboration with clients, families, the interdisciplinary
team and community agencies as it relates to the mental
health client. Emphasis is placed on the acquisition of
knowledge related to alterations in mental health and
pharmacological principles. Principles of critical thinking
are applied to the client with psychological distress and
mental illness. Psychosocial concepts introduced during the
prior nursing courses are expanded. This course includes
classroom, clinical practice, seminar, and online
experiences. This course is offered in the third semester of
the Nursing Program.

This course fosters development of essential competencies
for successful socialization into the profession of nursing. The competencies that the students acquire include but are
not limited to application of critical thinking for problem
solving; cooperation and professional communication with
peers, faculty, and the community; facilitation of group
process; and acceptance of responsibility for decisions. By attaining these competencies, students enhance their own
personal development as well as their socialization into the
profession of nursing. Only members of the National Student
Nurses’ Association (NSNA) and therefore, Georgia Perimeter
College Association of Nursing Students (GaPCANS), are
eligible to take this elective service-learning course.

Childrearing Family Concepts of Nursing (NURS 2927) is offered in the third semester of the nursing program. NURS 2927 focuses on the application of the nursing process in the promotion of health and the prevention/management of illness in the child-rearing family. Emphasis is placed on the promotion of health and management of illness and complications during childhood. Students will have the opportunity to utilize the nursing process in a variety of family and pediatric settings. Concepts introduced in prior nursing courses will be expanded and integrated with diverse populations. This course includes classroom, clinical practice, clinical lab simulations, some online experiences, and community experiences.

Advanced Concepts of Nursing (NURS 2928) is the capstone course of the nursing program. NURS 2928 enhances the application of the nursing process in the management of nursing care, care to groups of patients/clients with multi-system problems, and enables role transition from student to professional nurse. Emphasis is placed on the promotion, maintenance and restoration of health and prevention of illness in groups of clients from diverse populations and settings. The management component focuses on critical analysis, independent judgment, and the application of the principles of leadership. Concepts introduced in prior nursing courses are expanded and integrated with classroom, clinical practice, clinical lab simulations, and online experiences. NOTE: All General Education courses must be completed before enrolling in NURS 2928.

This course is designed to facilitate the professional Nurse’s understanding of selected pathophysiological concepts and their relationship to nursing care of clients. The course will build on previously learned principles of basic anatomy and physiology. Selected pathophysiological principles will be applied to various disease states with an emphasis on the relationship between these concepts and the nursing care of clients.

This course focuses on the study of basic principles of human nutrition and application, within the concepts of wellness, primary prevention, and illness. The course is designed for students in the nursing program.

This course focuses on the complex forces that influence health policy and program planning. Emphasis is placed on ecological, economic, ethical, legal, and social issues. The role of the nurse as an advocate for the civil and social rights and health care issues of the public is addressed.

Emphasis is placed on ecological, political, economic, and social issues and the role of the practitioner as advocate for the civil and social rights of the public. These components provide insight into future trending, forecasting and program planning in the public sector.

This course is designed to enhance the Registered Nurse’s perception of the role of the professional practitioner in meeting the health needs of society. Selected issues and trends in nursing will be examined and their relationship to professional nursing practice will be analyzed. Topics will include a wide range of selected issues driven by the current professional and social environment. Graduates of diploma nursing and associates degree programs will be awarded college credit for successful validation of the basic nursing knowledge as part of this course.

This course will examine evidence-based practice research in the provision of patient-centered care. Students will gain an overview of major research concepts as applied to health care. Emphasis is placed on critical evaluation of published and empirical research.

The course focuses on the nursing knowledge and skills needed to care for adults in acute care settings with the goals of assisting individuals and their families in promotion, maintenance, and restoration of optimal patterns of health. Under faculty supervision, the student develops and refines professional practice.

This course is designed to provide the Registered Nurse with an overview of the major research concepts as applied to theprofession of nursing. Emphasis is on how to critically evaluate and apply published and empirical research. Serves as
one of the two Critical Thinking through Writing (CTW) courses required of all nursing majors.

The course focuses on the application of nursing knowledge and skills in the care of women and childbearing families. The goal is to foster health promotion, maintenance, and/or restoration of optimal patterns of health. Emphasis is given to early detection and intervention of altered health patterns for women throughout their lifespan and during the childbearing period. Under faculty supervision, the student develops and refines professional practice. (3 hrs didactic credit; 2 hrs clinical credit [90 clinical contact hrs]).

The course focuses on the application of nursing knowledge and skills needed to safely care for children and their families. The goal is to foster health promotion, maintenance, and/or restoration of optimal patterns of health. Under faculty supervision, the student develops and refines professional practice. (3 hrs didactic credit; 2 hrs clinical credit [90 clinical contact hrs]).

This elective course is designed to provide opportunities for students to better understand the multiple specialty roles of pediatric nursing in the acute and ambulatory settings. Through didactic material and clinical experiences, the student will have the opportunity to learn and demonstrate the clinical skills needed for providing safe, family centered care in a variety of pediatric specialty sites. The student will apply concepts of evidence-based practice, quality and patient safety, and nursing role delineation across various pediatric settings.

The course focuses on the application of nursing knowledge and skills in the care of individuals whose health patterns are associated with mental illness. The course builds upon requisite knowledge of therapeutic use of self, knowledge and application of the nursing process, principles and concepts of cultural diversity, communication theory, and psychopharmacology. The major focus of the clinical component is on developing the student’s ability to provide evidence-based patient-centered care in a holistic manner to individuals whose health patterns are associated with mental illness. Under faculty supervision, the student develops and refines professional practice
(3 hrs didactic credit; 2 hrs clinical credit [90 clinical contact hrs]).

This course builds on the Registered Nurse’s knowledge and clinical experience in developing comprehensive health and physical assessment skills. Emphasis will be placed on the use of critical thinking skills in the differentiation of normal and abnormal physical findings. The course will also focus on interviewing patients and obtaining health histories.

This course provides a historical, cultural and sociopolitical perspective of health and health care in Central America. Students will increase their knowledge of different cultures, health care and differing health care systems. Within this context, students will focus on individuals’ health, the health of the communities in which they live, and how the health of the community impacts the health of the individual. Students will apply evidence-based nursing practice to the goal of improving health at the individual and population levels through an emphasis on health promotion, disease prevention and health education. Under faculty supervision, students develop and refine clinical practice. Successful completion of this course serves as a prerequisite for the study abroad trip to Nicaragua.

The course provides the student with an opportunity to complete readings and/or literature review on a special topic in nursing under the guidance of an instructor with expertise in the selected topic area. The student may elect to complete one to three credit hours of study.

This course focuses on nursing care of critically ill patients and families. Emphasis is placed on day-to-day knowledge required of a critical care nurse, such as assessments and interventions related to pathophysiology, pharmacology and technology.

This course will introduce the four major categories of trauma and the traumatic response. The course will be tailored to examine the complete spectrum of trauma: signs and symptoms of the traumatic response; evidence based research regarding recognition, response and treatment of trauma with a holistic paradigm; and the role of early intervention and community tools in both prevention and response to trauma. This course is designed for senior level undergraduate students and master’s level students.

Prior to Master’s work for RN-MS students. The course focuses on the acquisition and application of evidenced-based nursing practice with the goal of improving health at the individual and population levels. Emphasis is placed on health promotion and disease and injury prevention in collaboration with the client and key stakeholders. Under faculty supervision, the student develops and refines professional practice (3 hrs didactic credit; 2 hrs clinical credit [90 clinical contact hrs]). This course may include a Signature Experience component.

(Critical Thinking Through Writing). This course focuses on the transition from the student role to the professional nurse role and the application of principles of leadership and management in health care delivery systems. Emphasis is placed upon the student assuming responsibility for nursing practice decisions and actions. This class has been identified by the Byrdine F. Lewis School of Nursing and Health Professions as a Critical Thinking through Writing course (CTW) for the nursing major.

The course focuses on the transition to professional nursing practice. Working with a nurse preceptor, the student assumes the role of the registered nurse and provides patient-centered care that is based on current evidence-based practice. (Clinical contact hours: 180 hours). This course may include a Signature Experience component.

This course focuses on the application of evidence-based practice with complex health care problems across the lifespan. The nurse’s role in development, initiation, and evaluation of patient-centered care is emphasized.

The course focuses on the development, design and application of principles of leadership and management of health care delivery systems. Emphasis is placed upon assuming responsibility for nursing practice including decision making and nursing actions. Serves as one of the two Critical Thinking through Writing (CTW) courses required of all Nursing majors.

This course will explore healthcare informatics, current issues and basic Informatics concepts. Emphasis will be placed on information/data management and the use of technology to improve patient safety and work effectiveness.

Emphasis is placed on health promotion, disease and injury prevention in collaboration with the client and key stakeholders. Under faculty supervision, the student refines professional practice.

Corequrisites: NURS 3520, NURS 4640. This course focuses on Critical examination, synthesis, and evaluation of professional nursing care. Strategies are developed to facilitate synthesis of professional nursing roles including the nurse researcher, teacher, manager, advocate, and care provider. Students will also participate in dialogue of ethical-legal issues affecting various professional nursing roles. Continuous self-evaluation of professional role synthesis is emphasized.