Clinical - Nursing Concepts III Syllabus for 2026-2027
Return to Syllabus List

Instructor Information

Course Information

AI Statement

Collusion is defined as “the unauthorized collaboration with another person or by any other means, including artificial intelligence (AI) and computer translators, in preparing work for fulfillment of course requirements.” Using AI like (ChatGPT or Google Gemini) to create a document is considered colluding. The use of Generative Artificial Intelligence on specific assignments is at the discretion of the instructor.

Title IX and Sexual Misconduct Reporting

Amarillo College prohibits discrimination and harassment based on sex, including sexual harassment, sexual assault, dating violence, domestic violence, and stalking, under Title IX and Texas Education Code §51.253–255. Faculty and staff are mandatory reporters and must share any related concerns with the Title IX Coordinator at titleix@actx.edu. Reports and additional information are available at https://www.actx.edu/hr/title-ixtitle-ix. Confidential counseling and advocacy services are available through the Counseling Center and Advocacy & Resource Center.

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 Enrollment Center, Suite 700. 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:

Tutoring for Success applies to any student whose overall performance in the course falls below 75%. The instructor will create the task in the Student Engagement Portal (Watermark) to direct the student to the appropriate tutoring service, which may be faculty- or SI-led, discipline-specific, and/or general. The tutoring service assigned, the due date for when the tutoring must be completed, and the amount of tutoring required are at the discretion of the instructor. Additionally, the task will alert the student’s success team. Students who do not fulfill the assigned tutoring task may be subject to program- and course-specific penalties that could result in a grade reduction and/or in not being allowed to progress in the course until the tutoring requirement has been satisfied.

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 .

Statement on State-Authorized Courses at Amarillo College

For-credit academic and workforce education courses offered at Amarillo College are limited to the course options available in the statewide inventory for two-year public institutions. Courses in the state-authorized lower-division Academic Course Guide Manual and Workforce Education Course Manual have specific descriptions that prescribe course content and may include specific student learning outcomes. The Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board (THECB) maintains and regularly updates these manuals. Amarillo College faculty and leaders ensure that these courses are aligned with THECB guidelines and evaluated based on student performance outcomes. Students enrolled in these courses are expected to engage with and learn course content. According to the AC Board of Regents Policy Manual, "faculty members are entitled to academic freedom in the conduct of research and teaching and are tasked with the associated responsibilities" (DGC). Students are entitled to academic freedom in the classroom, as well, and faculty "must not attempt to force on students a personal viewpoint and must at all times allow diversity of opinion" (Amarillo College Academic Affairs Manual).

Course

RNSG-2363-001 Clinical - Nursing Concepts III

Prerequisites

Prerequisites: BIOL 2401, BIOL 2402, ENGL 1301, EDUC 1100, HITT 1205, RNSG 1216, RNSG 1128, RNSG 1430, RNSG 1161, RNSG 1201, RNSG 1433, RNSG 2262, RNSG 1125, RNSG 1126, PSYC 2301, any SPCH course Pre or Co-req: BIOL 2420 Co-Requisites: RNSG 1438, RNSG

Course Description

A health-related work-based learning experience that enables the student to apply specialized occupational theory, skills, and concepts. Direct supervision is provided by the clinical professional.

Student Resources Student 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

Hours

(3 sem hrs 9 clinical)

Class Type

Clinical

Syllabus Information

Textbooks

REQUIRED TEXTBOOKS:

Pearson Education. (2023). Nursing: A Concept-Based Approach to Learning (4th ed.). Pearson

ATI Testing: Online (already purchased and utilized product in previous courses)

Supplies

Computer / Mobile Device Requirements:

Students are required to have a computer with a full operating system for class and clinical.

Students are required to have regular, reliable access to a computer with a stable Internet connection. (Any device older than 4 years may not have the processing power to work with Blackboard ATI, or Respondus Lockdown Browser)

(Chromebooks, Microsoft Surface, iPads, and Android devices not supported and should not be used.)

Internet speed:

 5 Mbps (ideally 10 Mbps or more). Internet speed test:  www.speedtest.net.

Browser Requirements:

Browser Notes:

• JavaScript and cookies must both be enabled within browser.
• Some browsers may require users to enable tabbing.
• Some content may only be made accessible by disabling browser's popup blocker.
• Session Timeout Counter: Allow status bar updates via script to view timeout counter
• Browser extensions known to cause issues: Netflix Teleparty, Malwarebytes, Grammarly, Kaskpersky, and DuckDuckGo.

Additional downloads:

Adobe Acrobat Reader DC https://get.adobe.com/reader/

Microsoft Office 365 free https://products.office.com/en-us/student/office-in-education

Amarillo College IT department Assistance

• https://www.actx.edu/its/stories/troubleshooting-network-and-wifi-issues-for-students
• Need Further Assistance? • If your issue persists, please contact IT support for further assistance. We are working to improve the overall experience for all users. For blocked devices or specific issues with institutional devices, opening a ticket will help us resolve the issue promptly. To open a ticket, send an email to Technology Information Center @ tic@actx.edu . In the email, please put what your issue is and any error or explanation of what is happening. You can attach screenshots or anything else you think may help us figure out your problem quicker. If you can, please provide the MAC address of your device you are having an issue with. If you do not know how to find this, Google is your friend or we can help you once we make contact. For more info on getting support and opening a ticket go here: https://www.actx.edu/its/support

Student Performance

COURSE REQUIREMENTS

1. Meet all requirements for admission into the Associate Degree Nursing Program.

2. Concurrent enrollment in RNSG 1438 (Healthcare Concepts III) and RNSG 2363(Clinical Nursing Concepts III). If one must be repeated, both must be repeated.

3. Must achieve 75 or more on the Work-Based Learning Tool. A score of “0” in any of the Clinical Performance Competencies will result in clinical failure.

4. Achieve at least 90% on the Dosage and Solution Test prior to administering medications in the clinical setting. Students may retake the Dosage and Solution Test only twice each semester. Students who do not achieve 90% or greater on the first scheduled test and first retake test will be required to review the questions they missed with the instructor and placed on contract for self-directed remediation. Students who do not achieve 90% or greater by the third attempt will fail the clinical course(s) that require the Dosage and Solution Test.

5. All clinical time will be required to meet board standards. Should the student have a dire circumstance and miss a clinical day, the clinical experience will need to be made-up to meet clinical objectives and board standards.  No more than one clinical make up day allowed.  Extenuating circumstances will be evaluated on an individual basis; however, 100% of clinical hours must be complete to successfully pass the course.  Students who arrive late to clinical will be required to make up the clinical day.  If a student must be absent from any clinical day including orientation, simulation, and facility clinical assignment days, the clinical instructor must be notified prior to scheduled reporting time. Failure to properly notify the instructor may result in failure of the clinical component of the course. (Refer to “Student Professional Contract” in Course Manual) Specific instructions on how to notify the instructor will be given during clinical orientation.

6. Students will not be allowed to participate in the clinical experience without current immunizations, flu, TB testing and annual screening, and the American Heart Association CPR for Healthcare Providers.  A Class II Clinical Warning will be issued for no current documentation. It is the students’ responsibility to ensure that all documentation is presented on the first day of class.  It is the student’s responsibility to ensure they remain current throughout the clinical course.  

7. Students must participate in all clinical simulation and orientation in full uniform (See dress code policy).

8. Students must complete all active learning assignments (pre-clinical assignment, weekly clinical assignments, and clinical project.) 

9. A Class II Clinical Warning will be issued for insufficient work. (See clinical warning policy).

10. Students must be knowledgeable about medications before administration. Students must be under the direct supervision of the clinical instructor or registered nurse in the preparation and administration of medications including topical, oral, injections (intramuscular, subcutaneous, intradermal), IV fluids, IV flushes, IVPB and IV push. Students are responsible for knowing the type and rate of IV solutions ordered. Students must observe the flow rate and IV insertion site for signs of infiltration or signs of reaction and report to the clinical instructor or registered nurse. Students may adjust the rate of flow of IV solutions, hang IV fluids, including syringe pumps, discontinue IV fluids, and perform phlebotomy and venipuncture under the direct supervision of the clinical instructor or registered nurse. 

COURSE OUTCOMES

Upon course completion of RNSG 2363 Clinical Nursing Concepts III, the student will be able to:

1. Demonstrate professional accountability through adherence to ethical, legal, and regulatory standards in complex patient care situations while adhering to professional nursing standards when managing care, ethical dilemmas and legal responsibilities in diverse clinical settings including adult medical-surgical, obstetric, pediatric and mental health nursing while caring for patients and families.

2. Relate pathophysiology to assessment findings, pharmacotherapeutics, and differentiate between normal and abnormal findings to identify actual or potential problems while prioritizing patient care needs based on acuity, status changes, and available resources when caring for patients and families across the lifespan in diverse clinical settings including adult medical-surgical, obstetric, pediatric and mental health nursing.

3. Promote safe, evidence-based interventions to provide high-quality patient-centered care across the lifespan and evaluate the effectiveness of implemented interventions and perform skills/procedures to optimize patient outcomes and minimize risks for patients and families across the lifespan in diverse clinical settings including adult medical-surgical, obstetric, pediatric and mental health nursing.

4. Coordinate with interdisciplinary team members and nursing peers to formulate a safe, holistic, patient-centered plan of care while utilizing culturally adaptive, professional communication techniques during interactions with patients, families, healthcare team members, peers, and nursing faculty while caring for patients and families across the lifespan in diverse clinical settings including adult medical-surgical, obstetric, pediatric and mental health nursing.

Students 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

See A.D.N. Student Handbook-Professional Conduct ADN Student Handbook, American Nurses Association Code of Ethics, and A.C. Student Rights and Responsibilities Amarillo College Student Rights and Responsibilities.  

1. Students are full partners in fostering a classroom environment that is conducive to learning. Students are expected to participate in the in activities.  To assure that all students can gain from time spent in class unless otherwise approved by the instructor; students are prohibited from engaging in any form of behavior that detracts from the learning experience of fellow students. Inappropriate behavior in the classroom or clinical may result in a request from the instructor for the offending student to leave the class or clinical.

2. See ADN Student Handbook, American Nurses Association Code of Ethics, and Amarillo College Student Rights and Responsibilities.

3. Students have signed many contracts that are in the ADN Student Handbook,. One of these policies is about the two-strike policy which states: A student is ineligible to continue in the program when they have two or more course failures. A course failure means a grade of “D” or “F” and when a student withdraws (drops) from a course.

4. Academic integrity and honesty are central components of a student’s education.  Every student has a role in maintaining the academic reputation of Amarillo College and the Division of Nursing.  Students are to refrain from engaging in plagiarism, cheating on exams (including discussion of test questions following exams), falsifying work, assisting other students in completing graded work, and/or recording exam reviews and tutoring sessions with an instructor.  Cheating in any form is strictly prohibited and may result in dismissal from the program. See ADN Student Handbook.

5. Students will have pre-simulation, pre- clinical, and care plan assignments that must be completed by the verbal and/or written date provided.  See Blackboard course for detailed information.

A.I. STATEMENT: 

Students may engage with AI tools to enhance learning, critical thinking, and clinical decision-making. AI resources may be used to supplement instruction, generate study materials, practice clinical reasoning, and clarify concepts. All work submitted for grading must be the student's own original work. Using AI (such as ChatGPT, Google Gemini, or similar tools) to write, generate, or complete any portion of an assignment is considered collusion, unless specific instructor permission/guidance is explicitly provided. Unauthorized AI use will be addressed according to the academic dishonesty procedures outlined in the Student Handbook.

 Collusion is defined as “the unauthorized collaboration with another person or by any other means, including artificial intelligence (AI) and computer translators, in preparing work for fulfillment of course requirements.” Using AI like (ChatGPT or Google Gemini) to create a document or complete an assignment is considered colluding. The use of Generative Artificial Intelligence on specific assignments is at the discretion of the instructor. 

Grading Criteria

GRADING CRITERIA/GRADING SCALE:

The following criteria will be used to determine the grade:

A = 89.5 - 100

B = 79.5 - 89.4

C = 74.5 - 79.4

D = 59.5 - 74.4

F = 0 - 59.4  

Rounding of Grades:   

The final course average will be rounded as follows:

74.62% will be rounded to 75%, letter grade of C 

74.38% will be rounded to a letter grade of D 

79.77% will be rounded to a letter grade of B 

79.499% will be rounded to a letter grade of C 

89.87% will be rounded to a letter grade of A 

89.478% will be rounded to a letter grade of B 

There will be no rounding of individual assignment, quiz, or examination scores earned during a semester. This includes all didactic (classroom and online) and clinical scores as well as ATI Specialty Exam scores.

1. The grade will be determined by: Work-Based Learning Tool =100% of grade.

2. In order to meet clinical competencies, all clinical absences including clinical orientation, clinical shifts and simulation must be made up.

3. The instructor will schedule clinical make-up day. Time, location, and date will be announced one week prior to the scheduled date. NOTE: There will be one make-up day only. More than one clinical absence can result in a clinical failure.

Attendance

Students must complete 100% clinical hours.  No more than 1 excused absence will be permitted. That absence will be made up on a set day as designated by the course instructor. A clinical absence of more than 1 day may result in course failure.

Calendar

Additional Information

ACADEMIC GRIEVANCES:

A student who has a grievance concerning an academic course in which they are enrolled should make an appeal in the following order:

1. Clinical Rotation Instructor: See clinical rotation schedule/assigned clinical instructor contact information
2. Instructor of Record: Catherine Stout (806) 354-6047 or Julie Beyer (806) 354-6078
3. Associate Degree Nursing Program Director: Kerrie Young 
4. Associate Degree Nursing Program Dean: Kim Crowley (806) 354-6087
5. Dean of Health Sciences: Kim Boyd (806)354-6060
6. Associate VP of Academic Affairs:  Becky Burton (806) 371-5122
7. VP of Academic Affairs:  Dr. Frank Sobey (806) 345-5518

Syllabus is subject to change.