I. General Information

1. Course Title:
Professional Nursing Practicum I

2. Course Prefix & Number:
NURS 1545

3. Course Credits and Contact Hours:

Credits: 2

Lecture Hours: 0

Lab Hours: 6

4. Course Description:

The first course in a three-semester clinical sequence that focuses on application of the nursing process, including assessment, planning, intervention, and evaluation with adults experiencing chronic illness. Clinical application of communication skills, teaching and learning principles, and various nursing psychomotor skills is emphasized in order to provide safe, quality client-centered care and promote human flourishing. The clinical site will be in a long-term care setting.

5. Placement Tests Required:

Accuplacer (specify test):

No placement tests required

Score:

6. Prerequisite Courses:

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:
Demonstrate reading and listening skills	Identifies use of evidence-based practice in basic nursing interventions in the LTC setting.
Demonstrate interpersonal communication skills	Demonstrates use of verbal and nonverbal therapeutic communication techniques in the long-term care (LTC) setting.
Analyze and follow a sequence of operations	Assesses data, formulates nursing diagnoses and client-centered goals, and develops nursing interventions including rationale for identified nursing interventions for residents in the LTC setting.

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

• Demonstrates focused assessments accurately and completely for the long-term care (LTC) client;
• Demonstrates use of verbal and nonverbal therapeutic communication techniques in the LTC setting;
• Identifies client learning needs and provides information in the LTC setting;
• Assesses data, formulates nursing diagnoses and client-centered goals, and develops nursing interventions including rationale for identified nursing interventions for clients in the LTC setting;
• Works cooperatively with others and contributes to the outcomes of the client care in the LTC setting
• Demonstrates knowledge, skills, and attitudes for safe client care in performance of basic nursing skills in the LTC setting;
• Identifies and reports abnormalities in client condition in the LTC setting;
• Demonstrates professional behaviors included in the nursing handbook and course syllabi in the LTC setting;
• Identifies treatments that can be safely delegated in the LTC setting;
• Identifies use of evidence-based practice in basic nursing interventions in the LTC setting;
• Demonstrates understanding of quality improvement methodologies in the LTC setting;
• Navigates the electronic health record to retrieve information to support care of the client in the LTC setting; and
• Responds appropriately to safety technologies in the LTC setting.

V. Topical Outline

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

2. Laboratory/Studio Sessions

1. Student will complete 8 shifts in Long Term Care which includes an orientation shift
• Each day a student is assigned a resident and completes a Head to Toe Assessment and cares for that resident during the shift
• Each day the student is also assigned an in-depth assessment to complete in one of the following areas, Cardiovascular, Respiratory, Communication, Quality and Safety, Leadership, Nutrition and Integument and Elimination. 
• Student is also expected as a part of the nursing team during the shift, helping with tasks as needed that come up.
2. Simulation Day 1
• Application of Nursing Process in simulated client care setting
• Review of Head to Toe Assessment.
• Documentation
• Orientation to the clinical site
3. Simulation Day 2 
• Head to Toe assessment of the Acute Care Client with abnormal findings in simulated setting
• Priority Nursing interventions for abnormal findings in simulated setting