RN to BSN Course Descriptions
Required Courses
NURS-B 331 Transitions to Baccalaureate Practice (3 cr.) This course bridges the nurse to the essential elements of baccalaureate professional practice. Students examine intra and inter professional communication, collaboration, and teamwork to enhance quality patient care. Students explore nursing professional organizations, issues in professional practice, and the impact of lifelong learning on career development.
NURS-H 355 Data Analysis in Clinical Practice and Health-Care Research (3 cr.) This course introduces nursing and other health sciences students to the basic concepts and techniques of data analysis needed in professional health-care practice. Principles of measurement, data summarization, and univariate and bivariate statistics are examined. Differences in types of qualitative data and methods by which these types of data can be interpreted are also explored. Emphasis is placed on the application of fundamental concepts to real-world situations in client care.
NURS-B 304 Health Policy (3 cr.) Social, ethical, cultural, economic, and political issues that affect the delivery of health and nursing services globally are critically analyzed. Government and entrepreneurial interests are examined. Emphasis is placed on the impact of policy decisions on professional nursing practice and health services.
NURS-S 475 A Multisystem Approach to the Health of the Community (3 cr.) Basic epidemiological principles and community health nursing models are applied in collaboration with diverse groups. Disease prevention strategies are applied to individuals and populations to promote health. Students apply the concepts of community assessment, disease prevention, and health promotion to plan, implement, and evaluate interventions for populations in the community.
NURS-R 375 Nursing Research and Evidence-Based Practice (3 cr.) This course focuses on nursing research and evidence-based practice. Students develop skills in retrieving and appraising literature relevant to clinical problems, understanding the research process, and critiquing evidence from research publications and other sources to inform evidence-based nursing practice.
NURS-S 474 Applied Health Care Ethics (3 cr.) Building on the ANA Code of Ethics for Nurses, this course explores the nurse’s role in ethical clinical practice, academic work, health policy, and research conduct, focusing particularly on the advocacy role of the nurse. Common ethical problems are discussed and strategies for resolution of ethical dilemmas are applied.
NURS-S 487 Nursing Management (3 cr.) This course focuses on development of management skills assumed by professional nurses, including delegation of responsibilities, networking, and facilitation of groups, conflict resolution, leadership, case management, and collaboration. Concepts addressed include organizational structure, delivery systems, change, managing quality and performance, budgeting and resource allocation, staffing, scheduling, evaluation and career development.
NURS-B 404 Informatics (3 cr.) This course addresses nursing informatics: state of the science and issues for research, development, and practice. It clarifies concepts of nursing, technology, and information management; and comprises theory, practice, and the social and ethical issues in nursing and health care informatics.
NURS-R470 Clinical Nursing Practice Capstone (3 cr.) Note: this course must be taken in the final term for RN to BSN students. This course allows students to synthesize knowledge and skills learned in the baccalaureate program and to demonstrate competencies consistent with program outcomes and to refine their nursing practice skills. Students will plan and organize learning experiences, design a project, and practice professional nursing in a safe and effective manner.
Practice-Focused Courses
NURS-B 344 Comprehensive Health Assessment (3 cr.) This course focuses on the complete health assessment, the nursing process, and its relationship to the prevention and early detection of disease across the life span. Students learn the skills of interview, inspection/observation, palpation, percussion, and auscultation in assessing clients across the life span and comparing normal from abnormal findings.
NURS-K 301 Complementary Health Therapies (3 cr.) This course will serve as an introduction to a variety of complementary therapies, including healing touch, guided imagery, hypnosis, acupuncture, aromatherapy, reflexology, and massage. The class will critically examine each therapy through assigned readings, literature reviews, presentations, guest lecturers, and optional experiential activities.
NURS-K 305 New Innovations in Health and Health Care (3 cr.) This course explores emergent trends in health and health care, including technological advances in health care, developing approaches to care based on new knowledge and/ or research findings, and trends in health care delivery in a themed, survey or independent study format.
