Catalog 2013-2014

NUR - Nursing

NUR 201 Foundations of Nursing

For basic students only. This course introduces students to the foundations of professional nursing practice. Topics include historical, philosophical and theoretical perspectives in nursing. In addition, the concepts of caring, communication, critical thinking and cultural competence are introduced. Emphasis is placed upon self-care, the nursing process, nursing theory, and legal and ethical aspects of nursing.

Credit Hours: 3

Prerequisites

Acceptance to the nursing program.

NUR 210 Intro to Pathophysiology

For basic students only. This course provides students with a basic understanding of pathophysiology from a structural and functional organizational framework. It builds upon the student's knowledge in the sciences, and explores how alterations in structure and function disrupt the body as a whole. Physiological changes across the lifespan are examined. Students utilize critical thinking to analyze selected diseases for symptomatology, pathophysiology and implications for health care intervention.

Credit Hours: 3

Prerequisites

Prerequisite or corequisite: NUR 201.

NUR 213 Professional Skills in Nursing

For basic students only.  (NUR 213 and 213L must be taken concurrently).  This course gives students the cognitive knowledge necessary to provide basic, safe, and effective care to diverse populations.

Credit Hours: 3

Corequisites

NUR 201

NUR 213L Professional Skills in Nursing Lab

 

For basic students only.    This course provides the student with laboratory and clinical experiences directed toward the acquisition of foundational knowledge and skills to give safe, effective patient care to diverse populations.  Focus is placed on the application of foundational knowledge learned in NUR 213.  Experiences include lab and interactive computer activities, simulation experiences, and supervised clinical learning at selected health care facilities.

 

Credit Hours: 2

Corequisites

NUR 201, 213

NUR 218 Health Assessment and 218L

For basic students only. (NUR 218 and 218L must be taken concurrently.) This course provides the basic nursing student with knowledge and skills to obtain and record a health history and physical examination. Assessing the level of health and wellness of clients throughout the lifespan also is included. The course provides both a didactic and laboratory experience.

Credit Hours: 4

Prerequisites

BIO 183.

Corequisites

NUR 210.

NUR 301 Concepts of Professional Nursing

For RN to BSN students only. The nursing profession is analyzed with foci on professionalism, socialization, theories, roles and philosophies.

Credit Hours: 3
(W)

Prerequisites

Admission to the nursing program.

NUR 312 Nursing Care of Adults

For basic students only. (NUR 312 and 312L must be taken concurrently.) This course explores the concepts and theories necessary to promote and restore health of adults with biological problems and related physiological and psychological responses.

Credit Hours: 2

Prerequisites

NUR 201, 210, 218.

Corequisites

NUR 345

NUR 312L Nursing Care of Adults Laboratory

For basic students only. This course provides students the opportunity to apply concepts and processes to help adults in the promotion and maintenance of health. Students examine adults from physical, social, psychological and developmental perspectives through a combination of laboratory and supervised clinical practice activities. Clinical experiences will occur under faculty supervision in a variety of patient care settings.

Credit Hours: 1

Corequisites

NUR 312.

NUR 313 Nursing Care of Older Adults

For basic students only. This course is the examination of the theories of aging and developmental tasks of families who are aging. The physical, psychological, social, cultural, economic, legal, ethical and spiritual needs of aging persons are addressed.

Credit Hours: 2

Prerequisites

NUR 312 and 312L.

NUR 313L Nursing Care of Older Adults Laboratory

For basic students only. This course provides students the opportunity to apply concepts and processes of aging through a combination of laboratory and supervised clinical practice activities. Clinical experiences occur under faculty supervision in a variety of patient care settings.

Credit Hours: 1

Corequisites

NUR 313

NUR 314 Nursing Care of the Developing Family

For basic students only.  In this course, knowledge from the physical, biological, behavioral and social sciences as well as the humanities, is applied for the provision of safe nursing care of child-bearing families.  In a classroom setting, methodologies including case studies and interactive activities form the basis for the student to use the nursing process as a framework for addressing developmental change, illness prevention, health promotion, maintenance and restoration in child-bearing families.  Particular emphasis will be placed on the prenatal, intrapartum and postnatal period. 

Credit Hours: 2

Corequisites

NUR 314L.

NUR 314L Nursing Care of the Developing Family Laboratory

For basic students only. The course provides students the opportunity to apply the concepts associated with responses of families during the childbearing cycle through a combination of laboratory and supervised clinical practice activities. Clinical experiences occur under faculty supervision in a variety of childbearing patient care settings.

Credit Hours: 1

Corequisites

NUR 314.

NUR 315 Nursing Care of Children

For basic students only. This course presents the essential concepts, theories and developmental processes vital in understanding the health concerns and problems of children, adolescents and their families. Students examine family-centered nursing care in the health promotion and health maintenance of infants, children and adolescents.

Credit Hours: 2

Corequisites

NUR 315L

NUR 315L Nursing Care of Children Laboratory

For basic students only. This course provides students the opportunity to apply the essential concepts, theories and processes useful in meeting the health and developmental needs of children and their families. Learning experiences are provided to emphasize the role of the nurse and continuity of care in meeting the needs of children and families in acute care and community settings.

Credit Hours: 1

Corequisites

NUR 315.

NUR 318 Health Assessment

For RN to BSN students only. Health Assessment provides the nurse with the knowledge to obtain and record a history and physical examination, as well as to assess the level of health and wellness of the client throughout the lifespan. This course offers a didactic and laboratory experience.

Credit Hours: 4

Prerequisites

Pre or corequisite: NUR 301

NUR 322 Contemporary Issues in Health Care

For basic and RN to BSN students. The health care delivery system is examined from political, economic, legal and ethical perspectives with particular emphasis on the written analysis of legal and ethical dilemmas related to the practice of nursing.

Credit Hours: 3
(W)

NUR 345 Pharmacology

For basic students only. This course introduces students to the fundamentals of pharmacology and therapeutics in the treatment of illness, and the promotion, maintenance and restoration of health in patients across the lifespan. The major drug categories are reviewed with emphasis placed on the therapeutic use, action and adverse reaction, as well as benefits and risks to the drug therapy. This prepares the health professional for safe, therapeutic pharmacological interventions.

Credit Hours: 3

Prerequisites

NUR 201, 210 and 218.

Corequisites

NUR 312.

NUR 346 Expressive Art in Healing

Subtitle: Health Promotion through the Arts. This course examines creativity through a variety of expressive art forms to promote healing for clients and to heal the healer, an imperative for holistic nurses. Various art forms are explored, including visual arts, mask-making, visual and written journals, storytelling, movement and others. Students experience expressive arts through guided exercises and art practices.

Credit Hours: 3
(A)

NUR 347 Clinical Human Nutrition

For basic students only. This course provides information on the fundamentals of nutrition and application. Nutritional needs across the lifespan and nutritional support in selected disorders are specifically discussed.

Credit Hours: 2

Prerequisites

NUR 201, 210 and 218.

NUR 392 Transcultural Healthcare in Latin America

All students: permission of instructor. This course allows students to travel to a selected Latin American country to apply community health promotion and disease prevention concepts in a transcultural environment.(once annually)

Credit Hours: 3
(IG)

Prerequisites

NUR 301 (RN to BSN), or 200 level courses (Basic BSN), or HSC 120 or 236 and HSC 350 or PSY 211 (ESC students). Co- or NUR 318 and 322 (RN to BSN).

NUR 400 Cultural Diversity in Health Care

This course explores interrelationships between diversity, socio-cultural, economic and political contexts of health and illness. It increases the student's awareness of the biological variation, time and space perception, spiritual dimensions and complexities involved in caring for people with diverse world views. There is focus on specific cultural groups including African Americans, Native Americans, Asian Americans, Hispanic Americans and selected additional ethnically diverse groups.

Credit Hours: 3

NUR 410 Mental Health Nursing Across the Lifespan

For basic students only. This course examines the biological, environmental, cultural and interpersonal factors that predispose individuals to mental illness. Mental health is viewed as the continuous adaptation to the inevitable stressors of life, and deviations are a result of the inability of individuals to adapt to life's stressors. Individuals are viewed holistically across the lifespan.

Credit Hours: 2

Prerequisites

NUR 322, 312, 312L, 313, 313L, 314, 314L, 315, 315L, 345 and 347.

NUR 410L Mental Health Nursing Across the Lifespan Laboratory

For basic students only. The course provides students the opportunity to apply the concepts of mental health nursing through a combination of laboratory and supervised clinical practice. Clinical experiences occur under faculty supervision in a variety of settings in which patients and families with acute and chronic mental health problems may be found.

Credit Hours: 1

Corequisites

NUR 410.

NUR 412 Nursing Care of Clients in the Acute Care Setting

For basic students only. This course examines advanced concepts related to patients experiencing complex multi-system biological problems and related physiological and psychological responses.

Credit Hours: 4

Prerequisites

Completion of 300 level nursing core. Prerequisites or corequisites: NUR 410, 410L and 412L.

NUR 412L Nursing Care of Clients in the Acute Care Setting Laboratory

For basic students only. The course provides the opportunity for students to apply advanced concepts and processes required to help adults with complex multi-system problems. Students examine adults from physical, social, psychological and developmental perspectives through a combination of laboratory and supervised clinical practice activities. Clinical experiences occur under faculty supervision in a variety of acute care settings.

Credit Hours: 3

Corequisites

NUR 412.

NUR 415 Leadership and Management

For basic students, RN to BSN students, or with instructor approval. This course examines key concepts in leadership and management within the health care system. Emphasis is on organizing and delivering health care, assessing financial resources, planning, managing human resources, improving quality and promoting positive change.

Credit Hours: 3

Prerequisites

For basic students, completion of 300-level nursing core. For RN to BSN students, completion of NUR 301.

NUR 420 Principles of Community Health

For RN to BSN students. This course focuses on the community health system by examining it from historical, organizational and political perspectives. Emphasis is on analysis of epidemiological trends and the relevance of community assessment to community health nursing practice. The impact of local, state and federal legislation is explored related to the impact on community health.

Credit Hours: 3

Prerequisites

NUR 301

NUR 421 Clinical Leadership

This course expands on leadership and management concepts for health care providers. Emphasis is placed on the evaluation of student projects and dissemination of knowledge learned.

Credit Hours: 3

Prerequisites

NUR 411.

NUR 422 Principles of Community Health Nursing

For basic students or RN to BSN students. This course focuses on the community health system by examining it from historical, organizational and political perspectives. Emphases are on analysis of epidemiological trends and the relevance of community assessment to community health nursing practice. The impact of local, state and federal legislation is explored related to the impact on community health.

Credit Hours: 3

Prerequisites

NUR 301 for RN to BSN students.

Corequisites

NUR 422L

NUR 422L Community Health Laboratory

For basic students only. The course provides the opportunity to synthesize and apply the cognitive knowledge gained in NUR 422 through supervised clinical practice. Students provide culturally competent care to individuals, families and groups in a variety of community agencies. This course includes approximately 4 hours per week in a clinical practicum experience plus a class seminar.

Credit Hours: 2

Corequisites

NUR 422.

NUR 423-623 Palliative Care

This course will review the key concepts of palliative care and end-of-life nursing care. Topics covered utilizing the End-of-Life Nursing Consortium (ELNEC) training modules will include: pain and symptom management, ethical issues, cultural considerations, communication techniques, care during the final hours of life, and loss, grief and bereavement. In addition, the practice of palliative care in special populations and in various settings will be discussed. This course will be highly interactive and will include opportunities to hear from guest speakers that are experts in the field of palliative and end-of-life care.  

Credit Hours: 3

Prerequisites

For NUR 423: NUR 201, 210, 213, 213L, 218, 218L. For NUR 623: Graduate student status.

NUR 430 Holistic Care: Alternative Therapies for Self-Care and Professional Practice

Open to non-nursing students. This course examines alternative health practices from a cross-cultural perspective. Healing interventions such as acupuncture, biofeedback, homeopathy, meditation, and traditional Chinese and herbal medicine are studied and demonstrated by practitioners. Emphases are on the historical underpinnings of holistic health practices and the political/economic ramifications on global health. This course also compares and contrasts nontraditional modalities of health care with industrial models.

Credit Hours: 3
(IG) (NW)

NUR 432 Introduction to Nursing Research

Students will learn about discipline-specific writing and research processes for nursing studies and engage nursing research through formal and informal writing work.

Credit Hours: 2
(W)

Prerequisites

Prerequisites for basic students: NUR 201 and statistics. Prerequisites or corequisites for RN to BSN students: NUR 301, and statistics.

NUR 438 Principles of Family Health

For RN to BSN students only. This course focuses on the theoretical concepts of family development and functioning essential to understanding the contemporary family and the current trends related to families. The course emphasizes the role of the nurse in assessing and planning intervention strategies needed to provide comprehensive nursing care to families.

Credit Hours: 3

Prerequisites

Prerequisite or corequisite: NUR 432.

NUR 440 Community/Family Practicum

For RN to BSN students only. This course provides the student with the opportunity for in-depth experiences with individuals, families and groups in the health system. This clinical practicum enables the student to synthesize the knowledge acquired in NUR 420 and 438.

Credit Hours: 4

Prerequisites

NUR 318. Corequisites or NUR 420 and 438.

NUR 446 Senior Practicum

For RN to BSN students only. This course provides the student the opportunity to synthesize nursing knowledge and to experience professional role implementation in a variety of health care settings.

Credit Hours: 4

Prerequisites

NUR 432. Corequisites or NUR 411 and 440.

NUR 447 Legal Nurse Consulting I

This course provides students the opportunity for in-depth exploration of legal foundations of nursing practice liability issues, nursing malpractice, and the American legal system (with special emphasis on Florida law and personal injury claims). Case analyses, synthesis of fact and law, and introduction to written and oral communication skills that are essential in the role of legal nurse consultant are the foci, as well as the steps inherent in discovery. The evolving roles of legal nurse consultants are explored.

Credit Hours: 3

Prerequisites

NUR 322 (or equivalent).

NUR 448 Legal Nurse Consulting II

This course provides students the opportunity to develop skill and knowledge related to the process of performing legal research (including record reviews) and medical and legal verbal and written communication. Emphases are on conducting and organizing literature searches, and reviews and facilitation of life-care and end-of-life planning, as well as preparation of documents for trial. The roles of expert witness and risk manager also are explored.

Credit Hours: 3

Prerequisites

NUR 322 (or equivalent), NUR 447.

NUR 449 Legal Nurse Consulting Practicum

This course provides the legal nurse consultant student with a capstone clinical experience to apply the theoretical legal nurse consulting principles learned in the previous courses in the sequence.

Credit Hours: 2

Prerequisites

NUR 447 and 448.

NUR 450 Independent Study in Nursing

An independent study that provides students with an opportunity to pursue a topic or project under the guidance of a nursing faculty member. By permission of instructor and department director. May include a practicum.

Credit Hours: 1-3

NUR 451-459 Selected Topics in Nursing

For elective credit only. An in-depth study of a selected nursing topic of concern to students and faculty. Emphasis is on contemporary issues affecting nursing and health care.

Credit Hours: 1-3

NUR 452 Clinical Preceptorship

For basic students only. This course focuses on the integration, analysis, and synthesis of knowledge acquired throughout the nursing curriculum. The student utilizes knowledge from the physical, biological and behavioral sciences to provide safe, high quality, culturally competent nursing care. Critical thinking skills are further developed. The student incorporates principles of teaching and learning to promote, maintain and restore health.

Credit Hours: 5

Prerequisites

Lower-core courses and NUR 412, 412L, 410 and 410L.

NUR 453 Special Topics: Clinical Leadership Practicum

Credit Hours: 1-3

NUR 454 Senior Seminar

For basic students only. This seminar course addresses professional role transition and assists the student in preparing for the NCLEX-RN licensure examination.

Credit Hours: 2

Corequisites

NUR 415

NUR 465 Improving Healthcare Outcomes

Focuses on identifying and analyzing health care problems using a Microsystems framework. Discusses high volume, high priority clinical problems common to primary, secondary, and tertiary health care facilities. Emphasizes exploration of current best evidence on a variety of clinical problems. Provides a foundation for the development of an evidence-based project grounded in a Microsystems approach.

Credit Hours: 3

Prerequisites

NUR 300 level courses.

NUR 600 Scholarly and Professional Communication in Nursing

For graduate students only.  This course focuses on communication skills and strategies for nursing professionals. Students will develop the ability to construct logical and appropriately referenced papers and presentations in nursing. Students will practice writing position papers, policy issue briefs, nursing theory applications and nursing research proposals, and conducting nursing education presentations.  Must be taken in first academic term.

Credit Hours: 3

NUR 601 Professional Issues and the Nurse Practitioner

For graduate students only.  This course focuses on current practice issues related to the emerging role of the nurse practitioner in health care delivery.  Emphases are on critical review and analysis or role implementation strategies, and role performance as a clinician, educator, case manager, leader, consultant and colleague.

Credit Hours: 2

Prerequisites

Prerequisite or Corerequisite: NUR 600 or GRE equivalent.

NUR 605 Theory Development in Nursing

For graduate students only. Emphasizes theory development in nursing science in terms of historical perspective, concept formulation and available models. Selected theories are analyzed.

Credit Hours: 3

Prerequisites

Prerequisite or corequisite: NUR 601.

NUR 615 Nursing Research

For graduate students only. Focuses on research process and the use of evidence-based practice. Provides opportunity for development of a research proposal or evidence-based practice project.

Credit Hours: 3

Prerequisites

Prerequisites or corequisites: NUR 601 and statistics.

NUR 618 Advanced Health Assessment and Lab

For graduate students only. This course builds on the competencies acquired in a baccalaureate nursing assessment course, and expands expertise in completing comprehensive assessment and developing diagnostic reasoning skills. The course includes a laboratory experience.

Credit Hours: 4

Prerequisites

Prerequisites or corequisites: NUR 601, 605 and 615.

NUR 645 Clinical Pharmacology

For graduate students only. This course emphasizes the clinical application of the major classifications of drugs and the development of knowledge needed by the advanced practice nurse to assure that drug therapy is based on sound therapeutic judgments and decision-making processes. A lifespan approach is utilized to address client needs of drug therapy in primary, secondary and tertiary care settings. Statutory authority for prescription writing protocols is examined.

Credit Hours: 3

Prerequisites

NUR 655. Prerequisites or corequisites: NUR 601, 605, and 615.

647 Health Promotion and Disease Prevention for Families and Communities

For graduate students only.   This course provides the opportunity for the advanced practice nurse to understand and integrate health promotion and disease prevention concepts in a patient centered, culturally appropriate way.  This includes principles of planning, implementation, and evaluation of evidenced based care to individuals, families, and communities. 

Credit Hours: 3

NUR 655 Advanced Pathophysiology

For graduate students only. This course addresses the concepts that contribute to alterations in health status of clients throughout the life cycle. Concepts of focus include the cellular environment, altered tissue biology, and principles of genetics as they apply to health status, immunity and cellular proliferation.

Credit Hours: 3

Prerequisites

Prerequisites or corequisites: NUR 601, 605 and 615.

NUR 660 Health Policy Development

For graduate students only.  Focuses on the analysis, application and synthesis of selected health policy concepts, models and theories. Leadership qualities needed to influence the political system at all stages in the policy process will be incorporated. Emphasis is on issues of importance to the continued development and empowerment of the nursing profession. Provides students with an opportunity to examine the relationship of political advocacy to all phases of the policy process.

Credit Hours: 3

NUR 665 Improving Healthcare Outcomes

For graduate students only.  Focuses on identifying and analyzing health care problems using a Microsystems framework. Discusses high volume, high priority clinical problems common to primary, secondary, and tertiary health care facilities. Emphasizes exploration of current best evidence on a variety of clinical problems. Provides a foundation for the development of an evidence-based project grounded in a Microsystems approach.

Credit Hours: 3

NUR 675 Practicum in Adult Primary Care I

This practicum course provides the opportunity to apply knowledge and skills learned in the classroom in caring for adults in primary care settings. This practicum includes a minimum of 224 hours of supervised clinical practice in a variety of settings. Students may enroll in no more than one practicum courses in a single academic term.

Credit Hours: 4

Prerequisites

Corequisites or NUR 677 and successful completion of oral comprehensive examination.

NUR 676 Practicum in Older Adult Primary Care

This practicum course provides the opportunity to apply knowledge and skills learned in the classroom in caring for the older adult in primary care settings. This practicum includes a minimum of 224 hours of supervised clinical practice in a variety of settings. Students may enroll in no more than one practicum courses in a single academic term.

Credit Hours: 4

Prerequisites

Successful completion of oral comprehensive examination. Pre- or corequisite: NUR 677.

NUR 677 Clinical Management of the Adult Client

This course emphasizes primary care management of common acute and chronic health problems of adult clients.

Credit Hours: 3

Prerequisites

NUR 618, 645 and 655.

NUR 685 Practicum in Infants, Children and Adolescent Primary Care

This practicum experience provides the opportunity to apply knowledge and skills learned in the classroom in caring for infants, children and adolescents in primary care settings. This practicum includes 224 hours of supervised clinical practice in a variety of settings. Students may enroll in no more than one practicum courses in a single academic term.

Credit Hours: 4

Prerequisites

Prerequisite or corequisite: NUR 687. Successful completion of oral comprehensive examination.

NUR 686 Practicum in Women's Primary Care

This practicum course provides the opportunity to apply knowledge and skills learned in the classroom in caring for women in primary care settings. This practicum includes a minimum of 224 hours of supervised clinical practice in a variety of settings. Students may enroll in no more than one practicum courses in a single academic term.

Credit Hours: 4

Prerequisites

Successful completion of oral comprehensive examination. Prerequisite or corequisite: NUR 697.

NUR 687 Clinical Management of Infants, Children and Adolescents

This course emphasizes primary care management of common acute and chronic health problems of infants, children and adolescents.

Credit Hours: 3

Prerequisites

NUR 618, 645 and 655.

NUR 695 Selected Topics in Nursing

An in-depth study of a selected nursing topic of concern to students and faculty. Emphasis is on contemporary issues of global relevance affecting nursing and health care.

Credit Hours: 1-3

Prerequisites

Permission of instructor and department director.

NUR 697 Clinical Management of Women and Older Adults

This course emphasizes primary-care management of common acute and chronic health problems of women and older adults.

Credit Hours: 3

Prerequisites

NUR 618, 645 and 655.