Nursing RN

Nursing/RN, Associate of Applied Science

Prerequisite Courses

General Education Course: Science (lab)
Prerequisite(s): Two years of college preparatory laboratory science or equivalent.

This course is an in-depth study of the structure and function of the human body.  The course content highlights the chemical, cellular and tissue levels of organization, and the anatomy and physiology of the integumentary, skeletal, muscular and nervous systems.  In the laboratory students will examine models and preserved specimens, and conduct physiological as well as computer simulated experiments.  Students that successfully complete this course will be able to identify relevant anatomical structures and integrate this knowledge with a physiological understanding of the systems covered in this course.  Completion of Human Anatomy and Physiology II (BIOL 125) may be required for transfer of credits.  The Honors Option is available for this course.

General Education Course: Science (lab)
Prerequisite(s): BIOL 124 - Human Anatomy & Physiology I.

This course is an in-depth study of the structures and functions of the general and special senses and the endocrine, cardiovascular, lymphatic, immune, respiratory, digestive, urinary and reproductive systems.  In the laboratory students will examine models and preserved specimens, and conduct physiological as well as computer simulated experiments.  Students that successfully complete this course will be able to identify relevant anatomical structures and integrate this knowledge with a physiological understanding of the systems covered in this course.  The Honors Option is available for this course.

This degree requires a minimum math proficiency through MATH 020 Elementary Algebra.

Complete any developmental courses required in reading and writing, including ESL (English as a Second Language) courses.

The ATI Test of Essential Academic Skills (TEAS) is required of all applicants. Scores will be used to determine admission. (www.atitesting.com)

Overall college GPA of 2.75 or higher

FIRST YEAR - FALL SEMESTER

General Education Course: English Composition
Prerequisite(s): Grade of A in ENGL 050 Introduction to College Reading and Composition I or ENGL 060 Introduction to College Reading and Composition II, grade of B in ENGL 050 or ENGL 060 with corequisite of ENGL 070 English Composition I Workshop, or appropriate score on placement test.

English Composition I is the first in a two-course composition sequence. The central purposes of English Composition I are to develop critical reading and thinking skills and to write thesis-driven, text-based essays. The course takes a process-oriented approach to writing that incorporates prewriting, drafting, reviewing, and revising. Students in English Composition I learn basic research skills and apply them to at least one text-based research essay. 
 

Prerequisite(s): BIOL 125 - Human Anatomy & Physiology II , 2.75 Cumulative GPA, MATH 020 Elementary Algebra .
Corequisite(s): Pharmacology Clinical Calculations Placement Test or NURS 016 - Pharmacology Clinical Calculations, ENGL 111 - English Composition I, FITN 115 - Dynamics of Fitness & Wellness, NURS S01, NURS L01, NURS C01 and NURS T01.

This first clinical nursing course focuses on providing safe basic nursing care utilizing techniques based on scientific rationales. Concepts related to wellness states, growth and development in the adult client, principles of communication, cultural diversity, legal and ethical standards of health care, nutrition for health maintenance, safe and comfortable environment, pharmacotherapeutics, the nursing process and fluid and electrolytes are introduced. The student is guided in developing clinical reasoning skills for problem solving to be used in the classroom, college lab and clinical lab settings. The student will begin to explore wellness states associated with various developmental levels, and alterations in wellness states associated with surgical clients, clients with fluid and electrolyte imbalances and clients with cancer. The college laboratory, the clinical laboratory and community experiences provide settings for the student to develop basic care skills. This course acquaints the student with the role of the nurse as a provider of care, a manager of care and as a member of the profession of nursing. This is accomplished through competencies reflective of holistic human needs within a practice philosophy which incorporates clinical reasoning, collaboration, therapeutic interventions, growth and development, teaching and learning principles, clinical practice standards, community based care, health care systems, current trends, communication, ethical behaviors, caring, self growth and accountability. Students are responsible for 3 independent hours of lab skill preparation each week. A satisfactory clinical evaluation, a satisfactory college learning lab evaluation and a minimum theory grade of a 78 are required for progression in the program. Fall offering only. The lab component of this course is where the students learn the skills needed and are tested on those skills which will be used in the clinical environment. This course may be transferable to other nursing programs based on their content and criteria in Foundations of Nursing.

Corequisite(s): Concurrent enrollment in NURS 101 Foundations of Nursing , NURS 015 Nursing Seminar , or NURS 130 Nursing Transition .

Pharmacology Clinical Calculations is designed to assist nursing students to safely calculate, prepare, and administer medications. There will be a review of basic math concepts and an introduction to the formulas, knowledge and skills necessary to solve drug dosage problems that occur in the practice of nursing.

This course is designed to teach the student the necessary information to improve  fitness and wellness by adhering to a healthier lifestyle.  Student will learn how to  assess physical fitness and implement a program based on those results that will  enhance their fitness levels.  Stress reduction, nutrition and weight management,  and management of risk factors for major disease will be explored to improve life expectancy and overall quality of life.

First Year - Spring Semester

General Education Course: English Composition
Prerequisite(s): ENGL 111 English Composition I .

English Composition II is the second in a two-course composition sequence that continues to expand and refine analytical writing and critical reading skills. Students produce a series of documented essays based on a range of fiction and non-fiction sources, focusing on the challenges posed by writing longer essays and using advanced research techniques.

General Education Course: Social Science
Prerequisite(s): Placement into ENGL 111 English Composition I with ENGL 070 English Composition I Workshop , or higher.

Psychology is the scientific study of behavior and mental processes.  Psychology studies the interaction among biological, social, and personal influences that describe, explain, predict, and control behavior.  This course presents a broad survey of basic concepts, theories, and research in the field of psychology. Topics include research methods, development, neuroscience, learning and cognition, personality theories, psychological disorders, and therapy.

Prerequisite(s): NURS 101 - Foundations of Nursing, ENGL 111 - English Composition I.
Corequisite(s): ENGL 112 - English Composition II, PSYC 103 - Introduction to Psychology, NURS L11, NURS C11, S11 and NURS T11.

This course builds upon previous learning, requiring the student to carry out increasingly skillful assessments and interventions with adult patients having complex needs.  This is accomplished through an interdependent relationship with theoretical knowledge and clinical faculty and staff.  The course extends and refines the cognitive, psychomotor and affective skills acquired in Foundations of Nursing.  It focuses on the development of plans of care that require increasingly comprehensive assessment skills, development of appropriate nursing diagnoses, goals, outcome criteria, interventions and evaluations. The course objectives assist the student to integrate the roles of the nurse as provider of care, manager of care and member of the profession of nursing. This is accomplished through competencies reflective of holistic human needs, clinical reasoning, interdisciplinary collaboration and decision making, culture of safety and growth. Satisfactory clinical evaluation, satisfactory skills lab testing and a theoretical grade minimum of 78 are required for progression in the program. Offered in the spring semester.

Note: All clinical nursing courses and science courses must be completed with a minimum of a “C” grade. Nursing of Adults I is taught in the second semester of the first year of the nursing program, spring offering only.

Second Year - Fall Semester

Prerequisite(s): NURS 111 - Nursing of Adults I or NURS 130 - Nursing Transition.
Corequisite(s): BIOL 133 - Principles of Microbiology , SOCI 101 - Introduction to Sociology and a Humanities elective. Must also register for NURS C22.

Psychiatric-Mental Health Nursing is one of two 7 ½ week module courses taught in the third semester of the four semester nursing clinical courses. Students are expected to show evidence of retention of previous learning, carrying out increasingly skillful assessment and interventions with clients with complex needs, through an inter-dependent relationship with clinical faculty and staff. It is designed to introduce students to basic concepts of Psychiatric-Mental Health Nursing. The course is based on a holistic and humanistic framework, emphasizing clinical reasoning, caring and evidence based practice and best practice standards. It progresses from the study of individuals and groups experiencing high-level wellness to variations in wellness experiences. Continuing themes of lifespan perspective of growth and development, therapeutic communication and documentations, nutrition, social, cultural, racial and ethnic dimensions, pharmacotherapeutics, client advocacy, teaching, and legal and ethical standards are explored. Emphasis is placed on counseling and personal self-awareness and transformational growth. Traditional psychotherapeutic and integrative health therapies are addressed. Students have the opportunity to carry out the nursing process and develop beginning level clinical skills in individual and group counseling at a variety of mental health agencies and with a diverse group of psychiatric clients. The course includes four lecture hours (4 credit hours), twelve clinical hours and independent lab per week. Satisfactory clinical evaluation and a minimum theory grade of C is required for progression in the program. See orientation manual for grading. Fall semester offering only.

Prerequisite(s): NURS 111 - Nursing of Adults I or NURS 130 - Nursing Transition.
Corequisite(s): BIOL 133 - Principles of Microbiology, SOCI 101 - Introduction to Sociology and  a Humanities elective. Students must also register for NURS C23.

Nursing of Adults II is one of two 7 ½ week modules taught in the third semester of the four semester nursing clinical course sequence.  The module builds upon previous learning, requiring the student to carry out increasingly skillful assessment and intervention with patients with complex needs through an inter-dependent relationship with clinical faculty and staff.  In this module the student will explore the theoretical content and carry out the nursing process with adults, aged adults and frail elderly with chronic, catastrophic and critical illness and injury. Focus will be on patients experiencing actual or potential disruptions in wellness states such as: failure in neurologic, sensory and renal integration, and multi-system failure.  Students will also learn and utilize management principles and techniques necessary for managing the care of groups of patients.  Four hours of lecture and two days (12 hours total) of clinical practice per week for both day and evening students are required.  A service learning experience is also required.  An Honors Option is also available.  A satisfactory clinical evaluation and a minimum theory grade of “C” are required for progression in the program.  Students must also register for NURS C23 (clinical). Fall semester offering only.

Select a course from the appropriate category of the General Education list. Current Moral and Social Issues (PHIL-106) is the preferred Humanities course.

General Education Course: Science (lab)
Prerequisite(s): MATH 020 - Elementary Algebra and one of the following: BIOL 124 - Human Anatomy & Physiology I, BIOL 101 - General Biology I, or BIOL 111 - Principles of Biology.

This course focuses on the interrelationship between the host and microorganisms. Emphasis is placed on the causative agents of disease and their identification, pathogenesis, transmission, and control in laboratory, clinical and residential settings. The fundamental concepts of microbial evolution, genetics, and metabolism will be covered as well as an overview of virology, protozoology, mycology and immunology. Fundamental microbiological methods such as aseptic technique, culture methods, microscopy, metabolic and physiological tests, bacterial isolation and identification, and molecular analysis will be covered. (Biology majors should take BIOL 221 - Microbiology . Credit will not be granted for both courses.) Three hours of lecture and a three hour laboratory session per week.

General Education Course: Social Science
Prerequisite(s): Placement into ENGL 111 English Composition I with ENGL 070 English Composition I Workshop , or higher.

Introduction to Sociology is a systematic investigation of the basic concepts and principles of sociology with emphasis on culture, social relationships, groups, institutions and social structure.

Second Year - Spring Semester

Prerequisite(s): NURS 123 - Nursing of Adults II, NURS 122 - Psychiatric Mental Health Nursing.
Corequisite(s): NURS 211 - Trends in Nursing, NURS C24

Nursing of Families with Children is one of two 7 ½ week modules taught in the final semester of the four semester nursing clinical course sequence.
 This course focuses on the nursing process for families with well and sick children.  A family centered, holistic approach provides the organization for the course, within the framework of clinical reasoning, caring and nursing practice competencies.  Commonly occurring deviations from wellness experienced by children, family responses and appropriate nursing interventions are discussed as well as the growth and development of well children. Clinical study is provided on pediatric units, nursery schools, well-baby clinics and in selected schools.  There is an optional honors section available.
 A satisfactory clinical evaluation and a minimum theory grade of 78 are required for progression in the program. Students must also register for NURS C24 (clinical).

Upon completion of the course, the successful learner will be able to demonstrate understanding of basic principles of growth and development, primary pediatric diseases, dynamics of families with sick children and basic pediatric nursing skills.

Prerequisite(s): NURS 123 - Nursing of Adults II and NURS 122 - Psychiatric Mental Health Nursing.
Corequisite(s): NURS 211 - Trends in Nursing , NURS C25, and a Humanities elective.

Nursing of the Childbearing Family is one of two 7-½ week modules taught in the final semester of the four semesters nursing clinical course sequence.  The course focuses on nursing care during the Childbearing experience and considers the health needs of mothers, newborns, and supportive networks in the local and global community.  The course addresses normal events of childbearing, common problems of mothers and infants, and common complications that occur to mothers and infants during the childbearing cycle.  Students develop clinical skills in labor and delivery and postpartum units, newborn nurseries, and prenatal clinics.  The nursing process is the vehicle for responding to human needs and evidenced wellness states.  A service learning experience and/or honors section is optional.  Four lecture hours and twelve clinical hours is required for both day and evening students.  A satisfactory clinical evaluation and a theory grade of 78 are required for progression in the program.  Students must also register for NURS C25 (clinical). Spring semester offering only.

Prerequisite(s): NURS 122 - Psychiatric Mental Health Nursing , NURS 123 - Nursing of Adults II.
Corequisite(s): NURS 125 - Nursing Care for the Childbearing Family , NURS 124 - Nursing of Families with Children.

Trends in Nursing is designed to examine historical, philosophical, ethical and legal aspects of nursing practice, contemporary issues facing nursing, and the influence of societal trends on nursing practice and the health care delivery system. These major areas are considered within the context of the global community and the macro and micro society.

Learning and Service are closely intertwined at Raritan Valley Community College in a program called Service Learning. By successfully creating a required Trends in Nursing Service Learning Project students develop their academic skills, sense of civic responsibility and commitment to the community. This course is a program requirement for second-year nursing students.

Any college-level course.

Total Credits 68