PROGRAM OF LEARNING

I. PROVIDER OF CARE

Critical Thinking

Nursing Process

Communication

Teaching/Learning

Therapeutic Interventions

Clinical Decision Making

Human Needs Across the Life Span

Physiologic

Psychosocial

Spiritual

Cultural

Environmental

Health-Illness continuum

Health Problems

Health Promotion

Nutrition

Pharmacology

Levels of Prevention

II. MANAGER OF CARE

Communication

Decision Making

Coordination/Leadership

Collaboration

Delegation

Technology/Informatics

III. MEMBER OF THE DISCIPLINE OF NURSING

Legal-ethical Concerns

Caring

Responsibility/Accountability

Patient Advocate

Standards of Practice

Life Long Learning

Participation

SCOPE OF PRACTICE

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Revised 3-1-01
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 simple to more 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 across 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.

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Approved at Curriculum Committee Meeting 11-18-96

Revisions approved 3-1-01