PHILOSOPHY
The
Department of Nursing is an integral part of Augusta State University and
supports the
Mission
and goals of the institution. The Department
conducts a program of education that prepares its graduates to function in the
three roles basic to associate degree nursing practice in a variety of settings
(Council of Associate Degree Programs, 1990; Council of Associate Degree
Nursing Competencies Task Force, 2000).
The roles of provider of care, manager of care and member of the
discipline of nursing are inclusive of the core components of nursing practice:
professional behaviors, communication, assessment, clinical decision making,
caring interventions, teaching and learning, collaboration, and managing care
(Council of Associate Degree Nursing Competencies Task Force, 2000). The faculty shares with other health
professionals the goals of promoting, maintaining, and restoring the health of
people within their environment.
PATIENT
The
patient is considered to be an individual, family, population group, and/or
community. The patient is viewed as an
open system with biopsychosocial, cultural, and spiritual dimensions. The patient has innate worth and dignity as
well as basic needs, rights, and responsibilities in pursuing his/her own
health goals. Throughout the life span,
the patient exists in a dynamic state as a result of the interaction with the
environment. The patient presents with
a set of beliefs, values, past experiences, attitudes, coping abilities, and
functional patterns that contribute to health, quality of life, and achievement
of human potential. Individuals are
caring beings and enter into reciprocal caring relationships with others that
enable them to strive towards self-actualization.
ENVIRONMENT
The
environment consists of elements within the patient and his/her proximate and
global surroundings. Environmental
factors include: physiological, psychological, sociological, spiritual,
cultural, political, biological, chemical, physical, socioeconomic, and
technological influences. The patient
has an impact on the environment and the environment has an impact on the
patient. The interpretation and
perceptions of the environment are unique and based upon individual values and
beliefs.
HEALTH
Health
is the purpose of all nursing behaviors.
Health is a perceived state of being manifested by fluctuating human
responses across the life span. Health
is defined by the patient’s sense of well -being and optimal level of
functioning. Health is related to the
patient’s ability to cope with environmental stressors and to satisfy basic
human needs. Effective coping and
adaptation skills promote health.
Behavioral choices made by the patient and the availability of resources
have a powerful influence upon health.
Each individual has the right to choose to receive or not to receive
health care.
NURSING
PRACTICE
Nursing
is described in the ANA Social Policy Statement (1995) as having 4 essential
features:
t
attention
to the full range of human experiences and responses to health and illness
without restriction to a problem-focused orientation;
t
integration
of objective data with knowledge gained from an understanding of the patient
or
group’s subjective experience;
t
application
of scientific knowledge to the processes of diagnosis and treatment;
t
provision
of a caring relationship that facilitates health and healing. (p.6)
Therapeutic
nursing interventions embodies the art and science of nursing including those
systematic actions that demonstrate the application of cognitive, behavioral,
psychomotor, and affective processes utilized in the diagnosing of actual and
potential physiological and psychosocial health problems as well as the
planning, implementation, and evaluation of individualized health care designed
to meet the needs of patients across the life span in a safe, caring, and cost
effective manner within the legal and ethical framework of professional
nursing. Nursing actions
are based upon a theoretical knowledge base, critical thinking skills,
competency, collaboration, and caring.
Nursing establishes a relationship with the patient and actions are
directed toward working with the patient to help him/her to adapt to stressors
and achieve basic needs, thus promoting optimum health throughout the life
cycle. Nursing occurs within a caring
relationship with the client. The
caring relationship enables the exchange of information, feelings, and concerns
so the nurse and patient form a shared understanding of the meaning of illness
and wellness. Therapeutic nursing
interventions are developed through multi disciplinary collaboration among the
health care professionals and the patient.
NURSING
EDUCATION
Nursing
education is an interactive teaching-learning process between faculty and
students with both taking responsibility for learning. Learning about caring, takes place within a
context of caring. Faculty and students
learn together and knowledge is created through a process of exploration,
intellectual challenge, critical reflection, and self -awareness. Faculty use a variety of creative and
innovative approaches to stimulate students’ critical thinking skills and sound
clinical judgment. The curriculum
provides balance between general and nursing education courses, moves within a
continuum of increasing complexity, and conceptualizes a well defined
theoretical base. The foundational
concepts of nursing education are communication, competence, cultural
diversity, collaboration, and caring.
An Associate Degree in Nursing Education prepares for entry level
practice into the profession of Nursing.
This degree begins the life long learning process of formal nursing
education and professional development.
ASSOCIATE
DEGREE NURSING PRACTICE
Historically,
associate degree nursing programs “prepared registered nurses to provide direct
patient care to individuals with common recurring and/or predictable problems,
within a structured healthcare setting, with assistance and support from the
full scope of nursing expertise” (Council of Associate Degree Nursing
Competencies Task Force, 2000, p.3).
Advances in technology, demands of managed care resulting in shorter
hospital stay, increased acuity and complexity of patient care needs, diversity
of healthcare settings, have necessitated changes in nursing education. Preparation of the associate degree nurse
emphasizes the commonalities of nursing practice identified by the National
council of State Boards of Nursing (1998): providing for a safe, effective care
environment; physiological integrity; psychosocial integrity; and health
promotion to meet client needs. The
focus continues to be the diagnosis and treatment of human responses to actual
and potential health problems across the life span, however, emphasis is
focused on care of adult patients since that is the predominant clientele for
our graduates. In the role as provider
of care, current knowledge in nursing concepts, principles, processes,
and skills will be utilized to develop the cognitive, psychomotor and affective
abilities necessary to make sound clinical nursing decisions and to practice
competently. In the role as manager of
care, knowledge and understanding of principles of patient/client care
management, legal parameters of nursing practice, roles, responsibilities and
skills of members of health care team and communication, collaboration and
delegation skills will be used to make decisions regarding priorities of care,
to delegate specific aspects of care and direct others to use time and
resources efficiently and to seek assistance when necessary. In the role as a contributing member of the
discipline of nursing and the practice of quality nursing care, it is expected
graduates will have a commitment to professional growth,
continuous learning, and self-development; will practice within established
standards, and will be an active participant of the profession of
nursing.
References
American
Nurses Association. (1995). Nursing’s social policy statement. Washington,
D.C.:
Author.
Council
of Associate Degree Programs.
(1990). Educational outcomes of
associate degree programs: Roles and
competencies (Pub. No. 23-2348). New
York: National League for Nursing.
National
Council of Associate Degree Nursing Competencies Task Force. (2000). Educational competencies for graduates of
associate degree nursing programs. Sudbury, MA: Jones and Bartlett Publishers
and National League for Nursing.
c:\dept\philosop.doc
Approved
at Curriculum Committee Meeting 2-26-96
Revisions
Approved 3-1-01
PROGRAM
OF LEARNING
PROGRAM
OF LEARNING
The
program of learning of the Department of Nursing reflects the collective view
of the faculty and the mission of Augusta State University. Like the University, faculty are “committed
to excellence in teaching, advancement of knowledge, and enrichment of the
community in a climate that fosters humane values and a life-long love of
learning.” These values are exemplified
throughout the philosophy and program of learning.
As
an Associate of Science program, selected general education courses are
required which enhance and provide a knowledge base for the nursing
courses. The University knowledge
outcomes of contemporary world, the United States, human behavior, and sciences
are met through the general education courses.
Outcome skills of thinking, communication, mathematics and critical
appreciation are specifically addressed through the general education and
nursing courses. The broadened
perspectives outcomes of decision-making, tolerance, and learning are demonstrated
through the general education and specifically emphasized in nursing
courses.
Nursing
students are encouraged to continue their formal education in nursing through
the Georgia Linc program. A
baccalaureate in nursing program for registered nurses is available through the
Medical College of Georgia (MCG).
Nursing faculty advisors at Augusta State University encourage students
to complete their core requirements for their baccalaureate degree while
completing our program.
The
curriculum of the nursing program encompasses a wide scope of subject
matter. The nursing courses are
sequenced so that content and experiences progress from the more simple to
complex. Students are introduced to
concepts that are subsequently reinforced to build upon and strengthen
understanding.
The
curriculum is structured around the roles of the Associate Degree nurse
(Council of Associate Degree Programs, 1990).
The graduate is expected to actualize the core components and
competencies in the roles of provider of care, manager of care, and member of
the discipline of nursing (Council of Associate Degree Nursing Competencies
Task force, 2000). The model (see
above) depicts the scope of practice of the associate degree nurse as a
synthesis of the three roles.
Provider
of Care
The
role of provider of care involves critical thinking to intervene into
increasingly complex nursing care problems.
Understanding and synthesis of knowledge regarding human needs across
the life-span and the health-illness continuum provide the basis for this
process, while clinical competence is the demonstrative form of caring. The provider of care role is introduced in
the first nursing course and is built upon throughout the program as the
student gains in knowledge, understanding, skills, and ability to think
critically and to solve increasingly complex and ambiguous nursing care
situations in a variety of settings.
The components of the provider of care role are discussed below.
Critical
thinking. Critical thinking is a deliberate,
non-linear intellectual process of actively and skillfully conceptualizing,
analyzing, synthesizing and evaluating information to make judgments based on
evidence rather than conjecture. The
information is gathered from or generated by observation, experience,
reflection, reasoning or communication.
Nursing education functions to help students develop the ability to
think critically through evaluation and appropriate application of knowledge
from nursing and other disciplines in making independent decisions in nursing
practice situations (nursing process).
Critical thinking in nursing practice is presented during the
introductory course as the student is exposed to the nursing process and
language of nursing diagnoses. During
subsequent courses students learn increasingly complex skills in didactic and
clinical settings through a variety of teaching and learning strategies. Interviewing skills to obtain nursing
history are built upon as the student learns to differentiate between
therapeutic and nontherapeutic communication techniques. These increasing communication skills are
then expected to be used to assist individuals, families, and groups as they
experience stressful life situations.
Teaching/learning strategies assist the student to increasingly involve
the individual and family in clinical decision making. Caring therapeutic interventions are
demonstrated as increasingly complex skills are mastered and the student learns
to adapt them to patient care needs in a variety of settings.
Human
needs throughout the life span.
Functional health patterns provide the structure for assessment of needs
of patient, family and community. An
integrated life span approach used to examine physiologic, psychosocial, spiritual,
cultural, and environmental factors influencing optimal functioning. Critical thinking skills are utilized to
identify dysfunctional patterns, prioritize these within imposed constraints,
and implement appropriate strategies.
Health-Illness
continuum. Understanding of normal
physiologic functioning derived from anatomy/physiology courses is expanded to
an emphasis on wellness and health promotion behaviors through an early
teaching project in conjunction with Augusta State University’s annual health
fair. Commonly occurring chronic
illnesses in the elderly are introduced in the first course as students
encounter these patient care needs in the nursing home setting. Pathophysiologic conditions commonly
seen in ambulatory adults and children are introduced. This knowledge is built upon as increasingly
complex and life threatening pathophysiologic conditions creating major
dysfunction are the foci of subsequent nursing courses. Pharmacotherapeutics and nutrition are
threaded throughout the nursing courses.
Primary, secondary, and tertiary levels of prevention are emphasized
with specific learning experiences in all three areas of prevention. The health promotion aspect of the provider
role and appropriate experiences are included.
Manager
of Care
The
role of manager of care is introduced in the initial nursing course and
emphasized throughout the first year as students are introduced to and utilize
multiple information management systems during their learning laboratory
experiences and in various clinical placements. The majority of the theoretical and experiential emphases for
this role are provided in the second year of nursing courses, however. Communication and relationship skills are
expanded to include group dynamics and process, team-leading and member
behaviors. Students practice the skills
of decision making, collaboration, delegation, coordination, organization, and
advocacy as they function as team leader/member in their various clinical groups
throughout the second year of nursing courses. The knowledge and increasing competence in the role of provider
of care are built upon in the second year as the student cares for a small
group of patients. Expectations for the
use of technology in the care of individuals, families, and groups are
increased.
Member
of the Discipline of Nursing
This
role, as the others, is introduced in the initial nursing courses as standards
of introduced. Emphasis on this role
occurs in the final semester as students assume more competence, responsibility
and accountability in all nursing roles.
Socioeconomic and political forces affecting nursing practice introduced
and explored previously are analyzed in depth. Ethical standards of the profession of
nursing and the legal framework of practice are expected to be internalized
values. Active participation in the
profession of nursing, commitment to professional growth and development and
lifelong learning are inculcated into the graduate. Caring-about, caring-for, and caring-with the patient with compassion,
empathy, skill, and competence is the synthesis of the three nursing roles.
References
Council
of Associate Degree Programs.
(1990). Educational outcomes of
associate degree programs: Roles and
competencies (Pub. No. 23-2348). New
York: National League for Nursing.
National
Council of Associate Degree Nursing Competencies Task Force. (2000). Educational competencies for graduates of
associate degree nursing programs. Sudbury, MA: Jones and Bartlett Publishers and
National League for Nursing.
c:\dept\learning.doc
Approved
at Curriculum Committee Meeting 11-18-96
Revisions
approved 3-1-01
Augusta
State University
Department
of Nursing
Educational
Outcomes
Students
completing the Associate of Science degree in nursing will be able to:
1. Identify human responses to actual or
potential health problems through the utilization of
critical
thinking in order to apply a problem solving approach and intervene
appropriately
to
promote, maintain, and restore health.
2. Manage and coordinate patient care through
goal directed interactions with individuals,
groups,
and members of the multi disciplinary health team in a variety of settings.
3. Demonstrate caring behaviors toward patients
regardless of their diagnoses, personal
characteristics,
background or actions.
4. Practice within the discipline’s ethical and
legal framework.
5. Anticipate changes and assume responsibility
for personal and professional growth to meet
the
challenges of an ever evolving health care system.
c:\dept\outcomes.doc
Approved
at Curriculum Committee Meeting 2-26-96
Reviewed
and Affirmed 3-1-01
