I. General Information

1. Course Title:
Professional Nursing Role Transition

2. Course Prefix & Number:
NURS 1547

3. Course Credits and Contact Hours:

Credits: 3

Lecture Hours: 3

Lab Hours: 0

4. Course Description:

This course is designed to build on concepts, clinical reasoning, and skills attained in the fundamentals courses. Content includes the integration of advanced communications skills, critical thinking and nursing judgment, the educator role, and nursing leadership and management skills. Selected RN psychomotor skills will be taught and evaluated in a realistic, simulated, learning environment with an emphasis on the application of the nursing process and use of evidenced-based practices that promote patient safety and quality in the performance of psychomotor skills. The goal is to provide exposure to actual clinical situations that will promote confidence and the ability to provide safe, quality, patient-centered care in the clinical setting as the student transitions to the RN role. This course focuses on the hands-on application of clinical reasoning and psychomotor skills through quizzes, worksheets, exams, videos, audio power points, skills test out, and simulation.

5. Placement Tests Required:

Accuplacer (specify test):

No placement tests required

Score:

6. Prerequisite Courses:

There are no prerequisites for this course.

7. Other Prerequisites
Acceptance into Advanced Standing Nursing Program

9. Co-requisite Courses:

There are no corequisites for this course.

II. Transfer and Articulation

III. Course Purpose

1. Program-Applicable Courses – This course is required for the following program(s):

Nursing - Associate in Science Degree

IV. Learning Outcomes

1. College-Wide Outcomes

College-Wide Outcomes/Competencies	Students will be able to:
Analyze and follow a sequence of operations	Identify a beginning level of nursing process to accurately assess, plan, implement, and evaluate holistic, patient-centered care as it relates to the diagnosis and treatment of actual, potential, and collaborative health problems of clients and families across the lifespan.
Work as a team member to achieve shared goals	Discuss pharmacological and non-pharmacological therapies as they relate to the management of actual health problems across the lifespan.
Discuss/compare characteristics of diverse cultures and environments	Discuss the concepts of lifespan (pediatrics and geriatrics) as they relate to the diagnosis and treatment of actual or potential health problems with clients and families.

2. Course Specific Outcomes - Students will be able to achieve the following measurable goals upon completion of the course:

• Identify a beginning level of nursing process to accurately assess, plan, implement, and evaluate holistic, patient-centered care as it relates to the diagnosis and treatment of actual or potential nursing and collaborative health problems of clients and families across the lifespan;
• Identify the attributes and resources of a patient, including development, functional ability, and family dynamics;
• Identify the personal preferences of a patient including culture, motivation, and adherence; 
• Describe the teaching and learning process including how to facilitate the acquisition of knowledge, skills, and attitudes promoting a change in behavior;
• Discuss beginner level health promotion and maintenance concepts that incorporate the knowledge of expected growth and development principles, prevention and/or early detection of health problems, and strategies to achieve optimal health across the lifespan;
• Discuss pharmacological and non-pharmacological therapies as they relate to the management of actual health problems across the lifespan; 
• Discuss the Quality and Safety Education for Nurses Project (QSEN) as well as the knowledge, skills, and attitudes (KSAS) that are expected to be met by the end of the program;
• Discuss the concepts of lifespan (pediatrics and geriatrics) as they relate to the diagnosis and treatment of actual or potential health problems of clients and families;
• Discuss concepts of Surgical Nursing and Activity-Exercise: Pattern: Musculoskeletal Function as they relate to the diagnosis and treatment of actual or potential health problems of clients and families across the lifespan;
• Calculate medication orders to ensure safe administration of medication and the prevention of errors and sentinel events;
• Describe care competencies in the areas of communication, collaboration, safety, technology and informatics, evidence, and health care quality and the attributes and roles of the professional nurse, including professionalism and clinical judgment;
• Describe risk factors and practices that contribute to medication errors, and evaluate one’s own techniques for best practice and quality improvement;
• Explain the scope of practice for the professional nurse and the transition process from the LPN role to the RN role; and 
• Relate theory with research-based evidence to develop a foundational knowledge of the art and science of nursing, including concepts related to pathophysiological processes and caring behaviors utilized in the care of patients and families. 

V. Topical Outline

Listed below are major areas of content typically covered in this course.

1. Lecture Sessions

1. Patient attributes and resources (development, functional ability, family dynamics)
2. Patient personal preferences (culture, motivation, adherence)
3. Attributes and roles of the rurse (professionalism, clinical judgment)
4. Care competencies (communication, collaboration, safety, technology and informatics, evidence, health care quality)
5. Scope of practice/role transition
6. Nursing process
7. Teaching/learning
8. Head-to-toe assessment
9. Documentation
10. QSEN
11. Evidence-based practice
12. Pharmacology
13. Medication administration concepts
14. Pediatrics
15. Gerontology
16. Surgical nursing
17. Activity exercise pattern: musculoskeletal