BIOL 252 - Pathophysiology for Nursing 1

Course Description

Students will examine foundational concepts of pathophysiology and then focus on specific disorders within the cardiovascular, endocrine, and nervous systems of the human body with relevance to nursing practice. 

Topics

• Cell Adaptation, Injury, & Death

• Molecular Biology & Genetic Control of Cell Function & Cancer

• Mechanisms of Infectious Diseases & Immunity

• Inflammation & Tissue Repair

• Abnormal Immune Response

• Disorders of Blood Flow in the Systemic Circulation

• Disorders of Blood Pressure Regulation & Cardiac Function

• Disorders of Cardiac Conduction & Rhythm

• Heart Failure & Circulatory Shock

• Disorders of Endocrine Control of Growth & Metabolism

• Diabetes Mellitus & the Metabolic Syndrome

• Somatosensory Function, Pain, & Headache

• Disorders of Motor Function

• Disorders of Brain Function

• Sleep

• Mood, Thought, & Memory

Learning Outcomes

1. Demonstrate an understanding of foundational concepts of pathophysiology

2. Explain how and why normal physiology is altered in the pathogenesis of diseases with reference to cardiovascular, endocrine, and nervous systems

3. Correlate diagnostic and management protocols with the pathophysiology of diseases studied

4. Explain in simple terms the major aspects of a patient's disease to the patient

NURS 242 - Foundational Nursing Skills

Course Description

Learners gain knowledge and skill for select nursing interventions related to nursing care in the context of acute and chronic illnesses. Through experiential learning, accessing evidence and best practice guidelines, simulation, and demonstration, participants will gain knowledge, skills, and abilities for nursing practice. Learners demonstrate select psychomotor skills with appropriate assessments, clinical judgement, prioritization, technologies, and documentation. Learners will apply course concepts, principles, and decision-making while performing the psychomotor skills. Learners will engage with peers and instructors to seek and provide feedback.

Topics

• Oxygen Therapy & Airway Management

• Asepsis & Specimen Collection 

• Parenteral Medications

  • Preparing Medications for Injection

  • Subcutaneous Injections

  • Insertion & Maintenance of a Subcutaneous Butterfly

  • Intradermal Injections

  • Intramuscular Injections

• Introduction to Peripheral Venous Access Devices (PVADs) & Infusion Therapy

  • PVAD Indications & assessment

  • Infusion Therapy & Electronic Infusion Devices (Pumps)

  • PVAD Care & Removal

• Subcutaneous Insulin Administration

• Wound Assessment & Surgical Asepsis

  • Simple Sterile Dressing Change

  • Removal of Sutures & Staples

  • Management & Removal of Drains

Learning Outcomes

1. Demonstrate select foundational psychomotor skills safely and competently

2. Select and effectively use appropriate technologies and equipment for each foundational psychomotor skill

3. Explain the purpose, principles, and rationale related to select psychomotor skills

4. Demonstrate organization, dexterity, and prioritization at a foundational level

5. Demonstrate clinical judgement and decision-making

6. Evaluate self and others in relation to nursing interventions

7. Engage with evidence and best practice through accessing, interpreting, and explaining current research findings related to foundational psychomotor skills

8. Document nursing intervention, psychomotor skill, and related assessment findings using appropriate terminology and format, integrating nursing informatics

NURS 280 - Nursing Practice 3

Course Description

Learners will translate and develop knowledge, skills, and dispositions to provide safe, ethical nursing care in acute, sub-acute, and rehabilitative health care settings. Learners build on assessment skills, develop clinical judgement, and apply care planning, prioritization, and evaluation skills in collaboration with patients, family, and other health care professionals. Learners provide evidence-informed, holistic nursing care, including safe medication administration, health education, and therapeutic communication. Learners are expected to integrate nursing knowledge, pathophysiology, and pharmacology.

Learning Outcomes

1. Integrate nursing knowledge and skills in acute, sub-acute, and rehabilitation settings

2. Establish and maintain caring relationships in dynamic health care environments

3. Involve patient and/or family when designing and implementing patient care

4. Provide a moral and caring context that preserves and protects patient dignity

5. Utilize evidence and skills of inquiry to develop a decision-making process to gather information, plan, implement, and evaluate individualized and evolving care

6. Integrate knowledge of pathophysiology and pharmacology (e.g., hypoglycemia, hypertension, infection) in a nursing practice setting

7. Safely administer medications using a variety of routes

8. Demonstrate foundational psychomotor skills while providing safe and effective care

9. Demonstrate abilities in time management

10. Document clearly and concisely according to agency guidelines

11. Utilize teaching and learning theory to address client learning needs

12. Critically reflect on nursing practice and decision-making abilities

13. Demonstrate awareness of scope of practice in a nursing practice setting

14. Demonstrate effective communication and collaboration with the interprofessional health care team when making decisions to ensure patient-centered care

15. Identify, report, and take action on actual and potential safety risks to patient, self, or others

16. Apply the BCCNM standards in clinical practice within a written self-evaluation

PHIL 250 - Health Care Ethics

Course Description

Learners will gain an understanding of philosophical inquiry, including the ability to deploy a skeptical stance. Learners are given opportunities to explore historical and contemporary ethical decision-making in the context of health care, including common ethical dilemmas and the ethical challenges of everyday health care practice.

Topics

• Codes of Ethics & Ethical Decision-Making Frameworks

• Introduction to Ethical Theory & Utilitarianism

• Beneficence & Non-Maleficence 

• Deontology

• Autonomy

• Virtue Ethics

• Integrity

• Care, Feminist, & Relational Ethics

• Truth-Telling & Truthfulness

• Privacy & Confidentiality

• Justice

• Ethics & Nursing in a Changing World

Learning Outcomes

1. Examine and evaluate traditional and emergent ethical theories in relation to ethics in health care

2. Summarize the historical development of ethics and moral philosophy

3. Differentiate amongst ontological, epistemological, and ethical concerns

4. Demonstrate an understanding of self as a moral agent

5. Examine health care concerns from a skeptical stance

6. Apply ethical reasoning and judgement to professional practice in health care contexts

7. Examine nursing and other professional and cultural codes of ethics for their application in professional practice

8. Integrate a framework for ethical decision-making into professional practice in the health care context

NURS 243 - Intermediate Nursing Skills

Course Description

Learners gain knowledge and skill for select nursing interventions, integrating related competence in nursing assessment and foundational skills. Through experiential learning, accessing evidence and best practice guidelines, simulation, and demonstration, participants will gain knowledge, skills, and abilities for nursing practice. Learners demonstrate select psychomotor skills with appropriate assessments, clinical judgement, prioritization, technologies, and documentation. Learners will apply course concepts, principles, and decision-making while performing the psychomotor skills. Learners will engage with peers and instructors to seek and provide feedback.

Topics

• Central Venous Access Devices (CVADs)

  • Flushing & Drawing Blood from a Peripherally Inserted Central Catheter (PICC)

  • Flushing & Drawing Blood from a Non-Tunneled Central Venous Catheter (NT-CVC)

• Administering Intravenous Medications

  • Continuous Infusion via the Primary Bag

  • Intermittent IV Medication Administration

  • Bolus/Direct IV Medication Administration

  • Intravenous Insulin & Heparin Administration

• Advanced Wound Care & Ostomy Care

  • Chronic Wounds Care & Irrigation Principles

  • Wound Irrigation & Packing

  • Ostomy Care

• Nasogastric Tubes & Enteral Feeding

  • Insertion & Maintenance of a Nasogastric Tube for Decompression

  • Insertion & Maintenance of a Nasogastric Tube for Feeding

  • Gastrostomy Tubes Care & Maintenance

Learning Outcomes

1. Demonstrate select intermediate psychomotor skills safely

2. Select and effectively use appropriate technologies and equipment for intermediate psychomotor skills

3. Explain the purpose, principles, knowledge, and rationale related to select intermediate psychomotor skills

4. Demonstrate organization, dexterity, and prioritization in intermediate psychomotor skills

5. Demonstrate proficiency in advanced medication math

6. Demonstrate clinical judgement and decision-making of fundamental and intermediate skills for complex and unstable situations

7. Evaluate self and others in relation to intermediate nursing interventions

8. Engage with evidence and best practice through accessing, interpreting, and explaining current research findings related to psychomotor skills

9. Document nursing interventions, psychomotor skill, and related assessment findings using appropriate terminology and format, integrating nursing informatics

10. Contribute to quality improvement through evidence-informed and best practice in the health care setting

NURS 290 - Consolidated Practice Experience 2

Course Description

Learners will integrate, consolidate, and generate knowledge, skills, and dispositions in the context of acute and chronic health challenges across human systems. Learners provide safe, ethical nursing care in acute and specialty health care settings. Learners focus on clinical reasoning, care planning, prioritization, and evaluation in collaboration with patients in the context of acute and chronic health challenges and co-morbidities, family, and other health care professionals. Learners apply knowledge of the role of registered nurses in informed consent, the Mental Health Act, legal and regulatory requirements. Learners provide health care, including medication administration, and nursing interventions in the context of an interprofessional team. Learners demonstrate clear, caring communication and documentation for patients, families, and other health care providers.

Learning Outcomes

1. Integrate, consolidate, and expand nursing knowledge and skills in the acute and specialty care settings

2. Display initiative and self-awareness to promote collaborative interactions with patients, family, and within the health care team

3. Develop and negotiate priorities of care with patients, including emerging priorities

4. Anticipate potential patient health issues and their consequences

5. Promote continuity of care through collaboration with patient, family, and other health professionals

6. Integrate an understanding of informed consent as it applies in multiple contexts, verifying understanding of information and supporting patients as active participants

7. Provide and advocate for a moral and caring context that preserves and protects patient dignity and minimizes patient vulnerability

8. Utilize chronic illness theory to support patients in managing chronic and persistent health challenges

9. Utilize evidence-informed practice, a decision-making process, and clinical reasoning skills to gather information, plan, implement, and evaluate person-centered care across the lifespan

10. Integrate and apply the Quality and Safety Education for Nurses (QSEN) competencies to promoting safe, patient-centered care

11. Safely administer medications and evaluate effectiveness of medication administration utilizing basic principles of pharmacology

12. Demonstrate safe and effective psychomotor skills while providing care

13. Organize own workload and demonstrate abilities in time management to meet assigned responsibilities

14. Assist patients and families to identify and access community resources in promoting health and well-being

15. Apply knowledge of colonization, residential schooling, and the history of "Indian hospitals" when caring for Indigenous patients and families

16. Document clearly and concisely according to agency guidelines and legal and moral responsibility

17. Utilize teaching and learning theory, to address patient and family learning needs, and evaluate effectiveness of health education

18. Utilize pertinent nursing and patient data using standardized terminologies to support clinical decision-making and quality improvement

19. Critically reflect on nursing practice, clinical reasoning, and decision-making

20. Demonstrate awareness of scope of practice and question or seek assistance in the context of unclear or questionable directions

21. Recognize and seek assistance as necessary to protect patient health and safety

22. Identify, report, and take action on actual and potential safety risks to patient, self, or others