This course prepares students with foundational knowledge as it relates to the role of the Practical Nurse in today’s healthcare settings. Students will learn fundamental concepts and skills and the nursing process in order to provide optimal individual and population-based patient care within the scope of practice of the practical nurse. Students will be introduced to nursing theory, medical terminology, effective interpersonal communication skills, holistic and culturally competent care, national patient safety goals in nursing, critical thinking and hierarchy related to quality and safety, and evidence-based practice. Students are also introduced to basic medication dosage and calculation.

This course is the clinical component that pairs with NRP 110 Foundations of Practical Nursing I. In this course, the beginning practical nursing student will integrate content from classroom learning into the skills laboratory and clinical setting including professional behaviors and the role of the practical nurse. Students will demonstrate culturally diverse, holistic care of the patient and family, critical thinking and hierarchy with decision-making skills, quality and safety in the clinical setting, and professional practice and nursing care aligned with the practical nurse scope of practice.

This course is designed to build on previous knowledge learned in the Foundations of Practical Nursing I and provides the opportunity to develop additional competencies necessary to meet the care of the adult, surgical, and geriatric population.Students will discuss nursing theory as it relates to safe and effective care of the adult patient population. Students are introduced to potential risk factors, nutritional and cultural considerations of the surgical and geriatric patient, critical thinking and decision-making skills related to care for the immobilized patient, and the effects of medications on diverse patient populations. Students will continue to demonstrate knowledge of medication dosage and calculations.

This course is the clinical component that pairs with NRP 120 Foundations of Practical Nursing II. Students apply the knowledge obtained from the didactic portion of courses to their skills lab and patient care settings. Students will demonstrate their knowledge of national patient safety outcomes as related to patient care by completing a skills checklist and clinical evaluation. Students will show culturally, diverse, holistic care to the patient and family. Students will demonstrate critical thinking and hierarchy, and decision-making skills related to quality and safety in the clinical setting.

This course is part one of a two-part series focusing on medical/surgical practical nursing care of the adult client. This course will focus on conditions associated with endocrine, gastrointestinal, urinary, sensory, cardiovascular, respiratory, musculoskeletal, reproduction systems, and infection manifestations. The student will learn safe, culturally sensitive care, principles of therapeutic communication with diverse populations, evidence-based practice, and the nursing process to prioritize the needs of adult patients. Students will build upon the knowledge of medication dosage and calculations and relate the medications associated to these conditions.

This course is the clinical component that pairs with NRP 130 Practical Nursing Medical/Surgical I. In this course, students will apply their previously learned physical assessment skills in the clinical setting to patients with endocrine, gastrointestinal, urinary, sensory, cardiovascular, respiratory, musculoskeletal, reproductive, and infectious conditions. Students will also demonstrate safe, culturally competent, patient centered care to diverse populations while using evidence-based practice and the nursing process to prioritize the needs of adult patients.

This course focuses on understanding common psychiatric/mental health disorders, current treatments, pharmacologic modalities, and therapeutic communication. The practical nursing student will learn how to conduct mental status exams and evaluate psychiatric disorders using standardized assessment scales, and best practices to identify therapeutic treatment settings, resources, and treatment modalities for optimal outcomes. Students will learn to respect the needs and safety of clients with psychiatric disorders while preserving their rights.

This course is the clinical component that pairs with NRP 134 Practical Nursing Psychiatric/Mental Health. Students will focus on understanding common psychiatric/mental health disorders, current treatments, pharmacologic modalities, and therapeutic communication. Students will perform mental health exams and standardized assessment scales in the clinical setting.

This course builds on concepts of previous nursing courses with an emphasis on utilizing the nursing process in caring for children and their families within the practical nurse scope of practice. Students will gain knowledge of physiological, cognitive, and psychosocial developmental changes occurring in the pediatric population, professionalism, accountability, and effective communication with patients, families, and the inter-professional team. Students will increase their knowledge of medications and dosage and calculations related to the pediatric population.

This course is the clinical component that pairs with NRP 240 Practical Nursing Care of the Child and Family. Students will integrate knowledge of physiological, cognitive, and psychosocial developmental changes when caring for children in various clinical settings and simulated clinical experiences. The focus of this course is the application of nursing skills, critical thinking, professionalism, accountability, and effective communication with children, their families/caregiver. Students will learn about the role of the inter-professional team in the community, homecare, and clinical care settings to provide safe evidence based practice within the practical nurse scope of practice.

In this course, the practical nursing student will build upon previous knowledge and skills to learn about women’s health, family-centered nursing care, care of the childbearing families during the prenatal, intrapartum, and postpartum periods, and care of the newborn. This course will focus on the role of the practical nurse within their scope of practice to provide patient/family-centered nursing care to culturally diverse individuals and their families during childbearing and women’s health. The student will also increase their knowledge of medications and dosage calculations related to the childbirth and the newborn.

This course is the clinical component of NRP 242. The Practical Nursing students will have dedicated time for obstetrical clinical experiences during the prenatal, intrapartum, postpartum periods, and care of the newborn. The focus of this clinical is the application of nursing skills, knowledge, and critical thinking necessary to provide safe evidence-based practice for culturally and socially diverse childbearing families within the Practical Nursing scope of practice.

This course is part two of a two-part series focusing on medical/surgical nursing care of the adult client. This course will focus on common alterations in the neurologic disorders, burns, hematology, shock/trauma, multi-system organ failure, and bioterrorism. In their final term, students will learn about safe, culturally competent patient-centered care for diverse populations, and apply evidence-based practice and the nursing process to prioritize the needs of adult patients.

This course is the clinical component that pairs with NRP 250 Practical Nursing Medical/Surgical II. In this course, students will apply their previously learned knowledge and skills in the advanced clinical care setting within their scope of practice. Students will master safe, culturally competent patient-centered care to diverse populations in the clinical setting. Students will apply evidence-based practice and the nursing process to prioritize the needs of the adult patient by participating in clinical simulation and inter-professional collaboration.

This course is provided in the last term to prepare the practical nurse (PN) to use their scope of practice for legal and ethical considerations, effective communication as a leader, handling conflict, safe delegation and assignments, professional responsibilities, coordination care, and leading and managing care of their clients. This course will also look at role transition from student to nurse, licensing, and responsibilities of the newly licensed practical nurse. The course will also prepare the practical nurse student in preparation for taking the NCLEX-PN.