Nursing Degree Requirements

RNRS210 Foundations of Professional Nursing (3 cr)

Introduces essential elements of nursing theory as a foundation for professional practice. It is predicated on the assumption that nurses play a significant role in promoting health across the life span at the individual, group, and societal level. The knowledge and skills necessary to assess psychosocial and physical health status and facilitate the development of therapeutic and collaborative relationships are explored.

RNRS211 Caring: Nursing Assessment and Intervention (3 cr)

Clinical and laboratory application of basic concepts discussed in NRS 210. Emphasis on assessment and health promotion. Interventions include comfort and safety, interviewing, basic concepts related to teaching/learning and development of nurse/client relationships.

RBIO 410 Pathology (3 cr)

Study of the macroscopic and microscopic features, the clinical signs and symptoms, and the therapeutic considerations of human diseases in the world today.

RNRS310 Professional Nursing: Adult Health (4 cr)

Psychosocial and physiological nursing care is discussed in relation to adults within a nursing framework. Nursing process and critical thinking are further developed with emphasis on health screening and early intervention.

RNRS311 Caring: Adult Health Nursing (4 cr)

Combines lab and clinical to develop physical assessment skills, application of therapeutic interventions and critical thinking, emphasizing assessment and planning. Experiences to further develop psychological assessment and development of nurse/client relationships are provided. Major focus is on adult clients in an acute care setting.

RNRS312 Pharmacology (2 cr)

Course is a survey of pharmacology and provides a pre-clinical foundation for the scientific study of drugs. It includes a study of the major drug classes and explores their pharmacological action on biological systems at physiological and molecular levels. The course also reviews principles and concepts derived from research, which are necessary for understanding drug effects.

RNRS315 Caring: Nursing Skills Lab (1 cr)

Presents the knowledge of psychomotor skills, unique to professional nursing practice, used to meet the therapeutic, physiological, comfort, and safety needs of adult clients in a variety of settings. Skills are practiced and evaluated in the laboratory environment prior to application in the clinical setting.

RNRS340 Professional Nursing: Long Term Health Issues (4 cr)

Nursing care with families emphasizing the long term management of physical and mental health problems. Focus is on chronic illness across the life span.

RNRS341 Collaborative Practice in Long-Term Care (4 cr)

Managing nursing care with individuals and families experiencing complex, long term health concerns. Emphasis on interdisciplinary, collaborative planning and continuity of care.

RNRS 409 Liberation Nursing (3cr)

Students will analyze health problems/issues from a critical perspective using a model of reflection and action. Specific health problems/issues will also be examined in the context of three different disciplines (health, anthropology, and economics). Upon completion of the course, students will define their personal and professional role in addressing complex health problems in their communities and beyond.

RNRS390 Research in Professional Nursing (3 cr)

Introduction to methods of inquiry including interpretive and empirical approaches. Basic statistical measurements are studied in relation to understanding nursing research. Topics include critiquing nursing research, exploring application of research to practice and identifying researchable nursing problems and appropriate methodologies.

RNRS410 Professional Nursing: Families in Transition (4 cr)

Nursing care with families experiencing transition such as pregnancy and parenting. Issues related to environmental contexts, political awareness, health care systems, family dynamics, children and adolescents and women’s health are examined.

RNRS411 Caring: Families in Transition (4 cr)

Nursing care with families, young children and adolescents and women in a variety of settings. Major focus is on health promotion and health maintenance.

RNRS412 Leadership Within the Health Care System (3 cr)

Study of the health care system, including models for organizing nursing care. Leadership approaches to coordinate care, promote shared decision making, improve client outcomes, and effective use of resources are explored. Professional nursing roles and responsibilities in a rapidly changing sociopolitical environment are examined.

RNRS440 Adult Health: Advanced Concepts in Acute Care (2 cr)

Theory course addressing advanced acute adult medical-surgical issues. Content focuses on application of the nursing process to individuals in high acuity settings. Emphasis will be placed on the integration of pathophysiology, pharmacology, and hemodynamics in multisystem illnesses. Course meets 2 hours a week for 8 weeks.

RNRS460 Professional Nursing: Health of Communities (4 cr)

Nursing concepts are integrated with those of public health science and community to promote health outcomes in the community. The role of nursing in affecting health care policy is examined.

RNRS461 Nursing Care with Aggregates (4 cr)

Nursing care of culturally diverse families, aggregates, and communities. Skills in health assessment, education, and health promotion are extended to groups in communities. In addition, the development of partnerships with community members and groups is emphasized.