Concepts of Clinical Decision Making I Syllabus for 2019-2020
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Instructor Information

Office Location

West Campus Jones Hall 226

Office Hours

                                    Monday           12:30– 3:30 pm

Tuesday           3:15 – 4:30 pm

Wednesday     AM By appointment 9 – 11 am

                        PM Unavailable due to meetings and/or off campus                                      clinical assignments.

Thursday & Friday      Clinical off campus

 

Course Information

COVID-19 Protocols

Recording Policy

Disability Statement

If you have a disability (learning, mental, physical) that affects your ability to participate effectively and have access to any program or service at Amarillo College please contact Disability Services at (806) 345-5639 . Our offices are located in the Student Service Center office 112. More information may be found at www.actx.edu/disability.
Disability Services facilitates access to all programs and services according to the ADA, Americans with Disabilities Act and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act, as well as other federal and state laws.

Amarillo College Web Accessibility Policy Statement

Amarillo College is committed to providing equal access to all programs and services, including all working, learning, and service environments that affect equal access for persons with disabilities. This commitment to provide equal access and opportunity for persons with disabilities is in compliance with federal and state law. Amarillo College also strives to provide Electronic and Information Resources (EIR) that are accessible to all authorized users.

If you find you are unable to access material in an accessible format please contact the Disability Services Office at (806) 345-5639 . This office will work in conjunction with other campus resources to address and accommodate your issue in a timely manner.

Statement for Mental Health and Advocacy & Resource Center:

As a student you may experience a range of issues that can cause barriers to learning, such as strained relationships, increased anxiety, alcohol/drug problems, feeling down, difficulty concentrating and/or lack of motivation. These mental health concerns or stressful events may lead to diminished academic performance or reduce a student's ability to participate in daily activities. Amarillo College offers services to assist you with addressing these and other concerns you may be experiencing. If you or someone you know are suffering from any of the aforementioned conditions, you can learn more about the broad range of confidential mental health services available on campus by calling the AC Counseling Center at 806-371-5900. The AC Counseling Center website is https://www.actx.edu/counseling/ . Also, if you are in need of social services (affordable housing, utilities, transportation, food, clothing, childcare, medical/dental/vision, legal), please call the AC Advocacy & Resource Center at 806-371-5439. The AC Advocacy & Resource Center website is https://www.actx.edu/arc

Amarillo College Tutoring for Success Policy:

The Tutoring for Success policy applies to any student whose grade or performance in the course falls below a departmentally determined minimum threshold. In either of those cases, the instructor will direct the student to the appropriate tutoring service, which may be faculty-led, discipline-specific, and/or general. Under this policy, the instructor will follow specific departmental guidelines governing the use, duration, and grade component of the tutoring need.

Administrative Drop Policy

Students who do not attend class on or prior to the census date will be administratively dropped. Effective Fall, 2016

Student Withdrawal Procedures

Students who wish to withdraw from a course must complete all steps indicated on the Academic Withdrawal Request form by the course withdrawal deadline.

NOTE: Students who are attending Texas institutions of higher education, for the first time fall 2007 and later, may not withdraw from more than six courses during their academic career. This withdrawal limitation does not include dual credit or developmental classes (Senate Bill 1231 Rule 4.10.) For more information on Drop and Withdrawal Policies, please visit the Registrar's Office Web site.

Privacy Statement

The Amarillo College Privacy Policy is found at https://www.actx.edu/-amarillo-college-privacy-notice , and applies to all Amarillo College students.  If you have questions about this privacy statement or you believe that your personal information has been released without your consent, send email to humanresources@actx.edu .

Course

RNSG-1247-001 Concepts of Clinical Decision Making I

Prerequisites

Prerequisites: RNSG 1331 Corequisite: RNSG 1263

Course Description

Integration of previous knowledge and skills into the continued development of the professional nurse as a provider of patient-centered care, patient safety advocate, member of health care team and member of the profession. Emphasis on clinical decision-making for clients in medical-surgical settings experiencing health problems involving gastrointestinal disorders, endocrine and metabolic disorders, reproductive and sexual disorders, musculoskeletal disorders, eye-ear-nose-throat disorders and integumentary disorders. Discussion of knowledge, judgment, skills and professional values within a legal/ethical framework. This course lends itself to a blocked approach.

Student ResourcesStudent Resources Website

Department Expectations

Occupational License Disclaimer

Notice to Students enrolled in an educational program for preparation of issuance of certain occupational licenses:

Students enrolled in an educational program in preparation for obtaining certain occupational licenses are potentially ineligible for such license if the student has been convicted of an offense. For further information, please contact:

Melodie Graves
Justice Involved Advocate
Student Service Center 117
mgraves24@actx.edu
806-371-5995
Make appointment at https://melodiegraves.youcanbook.me

You can also contact the Legal Clinic, or the faculty member in charge of the educational program that you seek to enroll in. The further information you will receive will include notification to you of your right to request a criminal history evaluation letter from the licensing authority in order to clarify your particular situation.

Hours

(2 sem hrs; 2 lec, 1 lab)

Class Type

On Campus Course

Syllabus Information

Textbooks

REQUIRED:

  1. Faculty course syllabus and manual for RNSG 1247 for current semester.
  2.  Hinkle, J. L. & Cheever, K. H.: Brunner and Suddarth’s: Textbook of Medical –Surgical Nursing. 14th Edition. 2018. J.B. Lippincott Williams & Wilkins
  3. Access to Hesi Patient Reviews with RN Case Studies (at Evolve Elsevier)
  4. Access to Elsevier Adaptive Quizzing (EAQ) (at Evolve Elsevier)
  5. IV Start Kit

SUGGESTED:

  1. Any Nursing Care Plan Book
  2. Any Medical Dictionary
  3. Any Laboratory & Diagnostic Test Reference
  4. Any Drug Guide
  5. Any NCLEX reference book or program.

Clinical requirement- Mobile Device with Webcam, Maximum size 10 inch

System

Requirements

Minimum               

Recommended 

Operating System

Windows 7, 8, or 10

Mac OSX 10.6, 10.7, 10.8, or 10.9

Windows 10

Mac OSX 10.7, 10.8, or 10.9

Processor

1 GHz processor

2 GHz or faster processor

Memory

2 GB of RAM

4 GB of RAM or higher

Monitor Resolution

1024 x 768

1024 x 768 or higher

Free Hard Disk Space

32 GB of free disk space

64 GB or higher of free space

Internet Connection

Broadband (high-speed) Internet connection with a consistent minimum speed of 1.5 Mbps.

Broadband (high-speed) Internet connection with a speed of 4 Mbps or higher

Internet Browser**

Respondus Lockdown Browser and IE8, IE9, Safari 4+, Chrome or Firefox

Respondus Lockdown Browser and Firefox

Java

Java is required to use Blackboard. Download Java.

Macromedia Flash Player

Flash is required to play videos within the Blackboard system. Download Flash  

Supplies

IV Start Kit. Obtained in bookstore.

  • Computer and internet access is mandatory. The student is responsible for timely completion of the laboratory and classroom assignments.
  • If a student does not have home internet access, or there is an interruption of service, the student can complete laboratory assignments in the computer center on west campus or in the Library on 9th at the AC room.  
  • Once blackboard assignments, labs, or quizzes are closed, they will not be randomly reopened for completion. If the student has sincere extenuating circumstances that affect completion, it is the student’s responsibility to contact the instructor for reconsideration within one week of assigned completion date.

Student Performance

This course requires class and laboratory assignments. Some laboratory assignments will be on campus and others will be on-line. 

Course Student Learning Outcomes for 1247:

Upon completion of RNSG 1247 Concepts of Clinical Decision-Making I, the student will be able to:

Member of the Profession:

  1. Describe knowledge of professional standards and an ethical-legal framework pertinent to caring for adult patients.
  2. Identify personal strengths to promote professional development.
  3. Find evidence-based practice data relevant to providing quality nursing care to adults.

Provider of Patient-Centered Care:

  1. Discuss interventions to assist in the promotion, maintenance and restoration of health of the adult patient.
  2. Utilize a systematic process and clinical reasoning skills to develop evidence-based, patient-centered plans of care that address the unique needs of the adult patient.
  3. Identify theoretical concepts and principles to meet the unique psychosocial needs of the adult patient.
  4. Summarize principles of health teaching needs in the care of adults.
  5. Identify basic nursing skills utilized in the care of the adult patient.
  6. Outline effective compassionate behaviors and communication skills for providing care to diverse adult patients.
  7. Identify possible community and in-patient resources in meeting the needs of diverse adult patients.

Patient Safety Advocate

  1. Discuss evidence-based practice data from current literature that supports safe, quality nursing care to adults.
  2. Outline governmental and organizational requirements and professional standards pertinent to safe care of adults.

Member of the Healthcare Team

  1. Explain the professional nurse’s role in participating with other disciplines to provide patient-centered care to adults.
  2. Summarize appropriate communication skills to use while interacting with other health care team members caring for adult patients.
  3. Explain ways that current technology can be utilized in the efficient management of holistic patient-centered care for adults.
  4. Discuss the professional nursing role within the health care team while providing care to adults.

Students Rights and Responsibilities

Student Rights and Responsibilities

Log in using the AC Connect Portal

In order to receive your AC Connect Email, you must log in through AC Connect at https://acconnect.actx.edu .

If you are an active staff or faculty member according to Human Resources, use "Exchange". All other students, use "AC Connect (Google) Email".

Expected Student Behavior

BEHAVIORAL EXPECTATIONS

  • Students are full partners in fostering a classroom environment which is conducive to learning. In order to assure that all students have the opportunity to gain from time spent in class students are prohibited from engaging in any form of behavior that detracts from the learning experience of fellow students.
  • Inappropriate or disruptive behavior in the classroom may result in a request for the offending student to leave class.
  • All cell phones, pagers, noisy devices are to be turned off or put on vibrate. Only emergency communications should be answered and students need to quietly leave the lecture hall if necessary.
  • No text messaging in class. No non-classroom work nor non-relavant work should be engaged in during lecture and class time. 
  • Students are expected to maintain high academic standards and not engage in any form of cheating as outlined in ADN testing policy found at:
  • ADN Student Handbook
  • See the A.D.N. Student Handbook “Professional Conduct”, ANA code of Ethics for Nurses, and the AC Student Rights and Responsibilities.
  • Student injury information for lab and clinical http://www.actx.edu/allied_health/index.php?module=article&op=print&id=33
  • Student Services: Tutoring services are available on West Campus in Building D. 806-354-6020 or https://www.actx.edu/tutoring/west-campus-tutoring

  • West Campus Success Center in building B room 112. Phone: 806-356-3651.

  • AC Counseling Center phone: 806-371-5900.  The AC Counseling Center website is https://www.actx.edu/counseling/

  • If you are in need of social services (affordable housing, utilities, transportation, food, clothing, childcare, medical/dental/vision, legal), please call the AC Advocacy & Resource Center at 806-371-5450. The AC Advocacy & Resource Center website is www.actx.edu/arc

Grading Criteria

GRADING CRITERIA/GRADE SCALE:

The following criteria will be used to determine your grade.

Why is the grading scale higher? (Passing is 75%)

The National Council Licensure Examination for RNs (NCLEX-RN) has become harder, to reflect the need for nurses who have a high level of critical thinking and clinical reasoning skills. The increase in patient acuity and nursing responsibilities is placing greater demand on current entry-level nurses in comparison to their cohorts in the past. The National Council for State Boards of Nursing (NCSBN) prepares the NCLEX-RN and establishes the minimum passing standard.

The Grading scale for RNSG 1247 is:

A = 90-100%

B = 80-89%

C = 75-79%*

D = 60-74%

F = below 60%

  1. Final Course Grades are NOT rounded.

    For example: If your average is 74.98 then with NO  rounding, your average is a D. If your average is 89.98, with NO rounding your average is a B.

2. The final grade will consist of the grades on three module exams,required remediation before exams,  the evolve exam,  a comprehensive final exam, lab assignments and quizzes and *completion of mandatory review on the evolve exam.

Module I                                 22%

Module II                                22%

Module III                               22%

Class Quiz grades                    4%

LAB grades                              3%

EVOLVE exam                         5%

Comprehensive Final               22%

Course Tutoring Requirement.

Required tutoring will be prescribed each time a student does not achieve the minimum passing score of 75% on a Module Exam.Students who do not complete the required tutoring will not be allowed to take the course’s next Module Exam.Students who do not complete the required tutoring and are not allowed to take the next Module Exam will earn a grade of zero (Ø) for that exam.

Course Requirement: *Evolve Remediation

All students must access the on-line remediation through HESI Assessment after the course’s evolve/HESI specialty or custom exam.  All students will develop an individualized study packet, and review areas designated as needing improvement. Completion of remediation and development of a study packet is due by the due date listed on the course calendar. If remediation is not completed, then the student will not be allowed to sit for the course’s final examination and will earn a grade of zero (0) for the final examination. This will lead to failure of the course.  

Start with the essential packets then move to the recommended packets; completed remediation includes:

  • Completing the pre-test
  • Reviewing provided content in the packet
  • Completing the post-test
  • Completing the required remediation time
  • Completing the required number of packets
  • Optional: self-made quizzes for low scoring areas using the EAQ

Evolve Score

Minimal Number of Packets

Remediation Time

900 or higher

2

1 hour

899-850

4

2 hour

849-800

6

3 hour

799-750

8

4 hour

749-700

10

5 hour

699 or below

12

6 hour

Missed Exam: If a module exam is missed, the make-up exam must be taken within one week of the scheduled exam (prior to the next class meeting). The instructor must be notified if the student is unable to attend the exam.

It is the student’s responsibility to contact the instructor and arrange for any make-up exam within the required time frame

Attendance

ATTENDANCE POLICY:

  • Regular attendance and appropriate participation is required for satisfactory achievement in this class.
  •  Less than 90% attendance of classroom hours may result in failure of the course.
  • Class roll will be taken for each class and on-campus lab assignments. 
  • Individuals not present for roll call will be recorded as absent.
  • All assigned labs must be completed.
  • Any anticipated class/lab absence must be reported to the instructor.

Calendar

See detailed tentative calendar under Content section of your class on Blackboard. Be able to access and make changes to the calendar on the first day of class.

Week 1 and 2 require your presence in your 1247 class on Tuesday and times on Thursday and Friday. We will go over this information the first class day. Please note that class test times are off class scheduled times. This is due to the availability of test times in the WC Computer Center. Also please note, there are a few class times that may combine groups. These will be discussed on the first class day. 

Bring a copy or be able to access the syllabus, manual, lab assignment sheet on the first class day. The first class day is mandatory and extremely important to attend. The first hour will cover requirements, scheduling and overall class design. The second hour will cover information on Infusion Therapy (Parenteral therapy). Bring or be able to access the outline for infusion therapy on this first class day. You can find it under Content/ Module I Information.

Please contact the instructor if you have any questions. Thank you!

Additional Information

COURSE COMMUNICATION:

  • AC Connect will be used for course communication.
  • Emails will be sent through ACConnect (Blackboard) as well as course announcements.
  • Students need to check the on-line course frequently for information and announcements.
  • Module folders have content folders in them on blackboard (BB). Students need to be familiar with the BB set-up of the course.  

First Class Day: 

  • Students are expected and required to attend the first class day scheduled. (Very Important!)
  • Students are encouraged to bring their electronic notebook device or laptop to class for the notes needed.
    • If you do not like taking notes on your computer or device, you may need to consider paper copies of your powerpoint outlines for each class. You will be required to fill in certain areas and take some specific notes. These outlines are in blackboard under content for 1247.   
  • First class day you will need access to a copy of the syllabus for RNSG 1247 and the manual. (electronic or paper). Both the syllabus and the manual are in a folder under the content area for RNSG 1247 on blackboard. We will be reviewing various areas for information, specific projects, and competencies.
  • Bring a paper copy of “Student Professional Contract for RNSG 1247” from p. 3 in the Manual. You will be handing this in at the first class. 
  • Bring a paper copy of Tutoring Contract p. 5 from the Manual.You will be handing this in at the first class. 
  • First class day you will need access to the outline or power points for Infusion Therapy (Parenteral Therapy) which can be found under Content in the Module 1 folder.   
  •  First class day you will need to be able to access the schedule (calendar) for RNSG 1247. You will find this in RNSG 1247 on blackboard. We may be making some changes to the schedule (calendar).
  • First class day you will need access to a copy of the Lab Assignments sheet (electronic or paper).  
  • Quiz 1 over Infusion Therapy is due very soon. See the calendar for due date. This will be found on blackboard under 1247.
  • Thank You!

If you have any questions, please contact the instructor. Thank you.

Syllabus Created on:

12/17/19 12:03 PM

Last Edited on:

12/17/19 1:22 PM