Untitled document
At the conclusion of this course, the student should be able to:
1. Analyze a patient's medical record in 15 minutes or less, at a level sufficient to begin
providing safe and appropriate care.
2. Identify patients' care needs based on the pathophysiology of their admitting diagnoses and
comorbid conditions.
3. Prioritize care needs and develop plans, in collaboration with patients and families.
4. Set measurable goals for patients' health outcomes, and evaluate their attainment, in
collaboration with patients and families.
5. Create and implement teaching plans that are congruent with patients' cognitive and physical
abilities, motivation levels and goals.
6. Describe community resources that may be utilized to meet patients' needs.
7. Perform selected beginning medical-surgical nursing skills competently and appropriately,
consistent with theoretical knowledge base, agency policy, state law and cultural
considerations.
8. Discuss standard of care for patients with selected illnesses, including pharmacological
therapies.
9. Describe the evidence for selected aspects of standard of care, within and across diagnostic
categories.
10. Document patient care using paper or electronic health records, consistent with care
standards and agency policy.
11. Communicate therapeutically with acutely ill medical-surgical patients, with attention to
developmental, cultural and spiritual needs.
12. Adapt communication strategies to meet needs and abilities of patients.
13. Collaborate with members of the health care team to optimize patient care and to improve
care outcomes.
Untitled document
I. Theory
A. Introduction to Medical-Surgical Nursing
B. Intravenous Therapy I* - Advanced fluids and electrolytes
C. Intravenous Therapy II* - IV site assessments, care, and complications
D. Principles of Acid/Base Balance and Advanced Fluid and Electrolyte Disorders
E. Advanced Care of the Cardiovascular Patient I
1. Advanced nursing assessment and specific care considerations for the complex
cardiovascular patient population, includes comfort and pain management
2. Cardiovascular advanced pathophysiologies and complications
3. Complex Hypertension, Heart Failure and Congestive Heart Failure
F. Advanced Care of the Cardiovascular Patient II
1. Nursing assessment and specific care considerations for the cardiovascular patient
population with arterial deficits, includes comfort and pain management
2. Coronary Artery Disease
3. Peripheral Arterial Disease
G. Electrocardiogram (EKG) Interpretation*
1. Assessment of common dysrhythmias
2. EKG lead placement and procedure implementation
3. EKG rhythm strip interpretation
H. Nursing Care of the Surgical Patient
1. Nursing assessment and specific care considerations for the surgical patient population,
includes comfort and pain management
2. Surgical asepsis concepts
3. Pre- and Post-op Forms
4. Peri-operative patient management
5. Anesthesia medications
I. Nursing Care of the Patient with Vascular Deficits
1. Nursing assessment and specific care considerations for the patient population with
vascular deficits, includes comfort and pain management
2. Vascular deficits pathophysiology and complications
3. Signs, symptoms, treatment and coagulation therapies
4. Venous Thromboembolism, Deep Vein Thrombosis, and Peripheral Vascular Disease
J. Nursing Care of the Diabetic Patient II
1. Nursing assessment and specific care considerations for the complex diabetic patient
population, includes comfort and pain management
2. Advanced diabetes pathophysiology and complications
K. Nursing Care of the Renal Patient II
1. Advanced nursing assessment and specific care considerations for the complex renal
patient population, includes comfort and pain management
2. Renal advanced pathophysiologies and complications
3. Signs, symptoms, treatment and therapies
4. Bladder and ureter dysfunctions
5. Urinary diversion devices
L. Pain Management for Nurses
1. Basic and advanced nursing pain assessments
2. Signs, symptoms, treatment and therapies
3. Patient Controlled Analgesia (PCA) intravenous therapy and dosage calculations*
M. Health, Wellness, and Sexuality Across the Lifespan
1. Nursing assessment and specific care considerations for the patient population
experiencing health maintenance and sexuality deficits, includes comfort and pain
management
2. Treatment and therapies supporting self-concept and appropriate developmental stages
N. Responding to Emergent Situations
1. Basic nursing assessment and specific care considerations for the patient population
experiencing rapidly changing health conditions, includes comfort and pain
management
2. Signs, symptoms, treatment and therapies
3. Complications of Hypovolemic Shock, Sepsis, Infection, and Stress Response
O. Advanced Medication Administration
1. Additional common medications - various routes
2. Antibiotic therapy
3. Safety - avoiding medication errors
4. Administration time management
P. Ethics and Values in Nursing Practice
1. Nursing Code of Ethics
2. Promoting and modeling ethical nursing practice
*These items are introduced in lecture, and the related skills are performed in the lab
II. Skills
A. All skills review of ADN first semester medical-surgical skills topics
B. Intravenous Therapy: Primary and secondary infusions
C. IV manipulation skills, saline flushes
D. IV infusion pumps: Practice with IV bags, IVPBs, and PCA programs
E. Electrocardiography: Obtaining the electrocardiogram and interpretation of major
dysrhythmias
F. Simulation lab experience
III. Clinical
A. Clinical application of beginning medical-surgical nursing practice in the acute care
hospital setting: Standard patient care and pharmacotherapy
B. Communication and collaboration with acute care patients respecting cultural and spiritual
needs
Untitled document
Lecture-Related Assignments:
1. Reading 70-100 pages per week
2. Unit and standardized exams: 4-6 per semester. Minimum cumulative score of 75% on four
unit exams to continue in the nursing program
Lab-Related Assignments:
1. Reading prior to nursing skills demonstration15-50 pages per skill
2. Completion of media review prior to each skills lab (1 -2 hours per lab)
3. Practice skill performance in simulated lab
4. Completion of skills lab quizzes; 1 per skill (ungraded)
5. Demonstrate competency in 2 formal skill check-offs within 3 attempts related to each skill
lab topic: Pass/fail. Failure of skills competency results in dismissal from the nursing
program.
Clinical-Related Assignments:
1. Completion of the safe medication dosage calculation exam with a score of 95% or better by
the third attempt. This assignment is not graded for purposes of this course, but failure to
pass this assignment with a grade of 95% or better on the third attempt will result in a failed
grade and dismissal from the nursing program.
2. Clinical practice in acute care hospital settings (two 8 hour days per week). Students must
meet minimum problem-solving skills and performance standards to pass this course. Provide
safe care to 1-2 patients each clinical shift. Rubric graded: Pass/Fail. Achieving a pass in
clinical practice is required to remain in the nursing program.
3. Preparation for clinical assignments by reviewing patient's chart: Collecting data base
completing pathophysiology form, and researching medication and treatment skills
- approximately 3-4 hours per week
4. Completion of clinical assessment tools, approximately 2 per week
5. Participation in case conferences for analysis of patient care situations in group setting each
clinical shift
6. Develop, implement, and evaluate 1 teaching plan to meet assigned patient needs. Rubric
graded Pass/Fail, with remediation for failure.
7. Preparation of nursing care plan (3 nursing diagnoses per plan). Includes data
collection, data analysis, development of plan for nursing care with specific interventions
and evaluation of effectiveness. Rubric graded Pass/Fail, with remediation for failure.
8. Preparation and participation in 1 simulation lab scenario (ungraded)
Untitled document
California regulations for RN practice: accessible via California Board of Registered Nursing Internet website
Davis's Drug Guide for Nurses. 16th ed. Vallerand, A.H. and Sanoski, C. A. 2018. F.A. Davis. 2018
Gerontological Nursing. 9th ed. Eliopoulos, C.Lippincott. 2018
Varcarolis' Foundations of Psychiatric Mental Health Nursing: A Clinical Approach. 8th ed. Halter, M. Saunders. 2018
Dimensional Analysis: Calculating Dosages Safely. 2nd ed. Horntvedt, T. F.A. Davis. 2019
Pocket Companion for Physical Examination and Health Assessment. 8th ed. Jarvis, C. Saunders. 2019
Pharmacology: A Patient-Centered Nursing Process Approach. 9th ed. McCuistion, L.E. and Dimaggio, K. and Winton, M.B. Elsevier. 2017
Medical-Surgical Nursing. 10th ed. Lewis, S. M. and Heitkemper, M. M. and Dirksen, S.R. Mosby/Elsevier. 2019
Pathophysiology: The Biologic Basis for Disease in Adults and Children. 6th ed. McCance and Huether. Mosby Purnell. 2013 (classic)
Swearingen's Manual of Medical Surgical Nursing Care. 7th ed. Monahan, F. Mosby. 2010 (classic)
Mosby's Nursing Video Skills Student Online Version. 4th ed. Mosby Elsevier. 2013 (classic)
Mosby's Manual of Diagnostic and Laboratory Tests. 6th ed. Pagana, K. and Pagana, T. Elsevier/Mosby. 2017
Clinical Nursing Skills and Techniques. 9th ed. Perry, A.G. and Potter, P.A. and Ostendorf, W. Elsevier/Mosby. 2017
Phillips Manual of IV Therapeutics. 7th ed. Gorski, L. F.A. Davis. 2018
Fundamentals of Nursing. 9th ed. Potter, P.A. and Perry, A.G. Mosby. 2016
Pearson Nursing Diagnosis Handbook. 11th ed. Wilkinson, J.M. Pearson. 2016