Healthcare Concepts III Syllabus for 2026-2027
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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-1438-001 Healthcare 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 Corequisites: RNSG 2363, RNSG

Course Description

In-depth coverage of health care concepts with nursing application through selected exemplars. Concepts include cellular regulation, end of life, immunity, interpersonal relationships, grief, human development (infant, child development,), intracranial regulation, mood/affect (major depression, bipolar disorders), comfort, sexuality, mobility, and reproduction (reproduction, sexuality, women's health). Provides continuing opportunities for development of clinical judgment skills. This course lends itself to a concept-based approach.  

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

(4 sem hrs 2 lec 6 lab)

Class Type

On Campus Course

Syllabus Information

Textbooks

Required Textbook/Electronic Resources

1. Course Manual for RNSG 1438; available on-line in Blackboard
2. Pearson (2022). Nursing: A Concept-based Approach to Learning 4th edition Volume 1 (ISBN: 9780136906346)& 2 (ISBN: 978013688395)
3. Pearson (2022).  Clinical nursing skills: A concept-based approach to learning, 4th edition, Volume 3 (ISBN: 9780136909507)
4. ATI Testing: Online https://www.atitesting.com/

Suggested Textbooks/Electronic Resources

1. On-line access to any general drug guide and laboratory manual
2. Billings and Hensel (2021), Lippincott Q&A Review for NCLEX_RN, 13th edition, Lippincott-Walters Kluwer. (9781975104665)

*No outside references/sources should be used for this course unless approved by the course instructor(s). 

Supplies

MOBILE DEVICE REQUIREMENTS:  

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

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)

Mobile Device Technical Requirements

(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

STUDENT PERFORMANCE / LEARNING OBJECTIVES

The student will utilize critical thinking and clinical reasoning and a systematic problem-solving process as a framework for providing care for patients in structured health care settings: and analyze the roles of the associate degree nurse in the provision of care for patients and families.

END OF PROGRAM STUDENT LEARNING OUTCOMES

Upon completion of the program the student will:

1. Practice nursing within a legal and ethical framework
2. Utilize a systematic process and clinical reasoning to promote, maintain, and restore the health of patients and their families within communities across the developmental lifespan.
3. Utilize evidence-based data to reduce patient risks and promote a safe and quality practice care environment
4. Collaborate with patients, families, and the interdisciplinary healthcare team to promote and provide quality, holistic, patient-centered care

END OF COURSE OUTCOMES (WECM):

Utilize a systematic process to analyze selected health care concepts for patients across the lifespan; prioritize nursing management of care for selected health care concepts: apply the learned concepts to their concepts or exemplars; and examine the interrelatedness among health care concepts to make clinical judgments for optimum patient care outcomes.

END OF COURSE STUDENT LEARNING OUTCOMESOUTCOMES (RNSG 1438)

Upon completion of the Healthcare Concepts III course, the student will:

1. Apply legal, ethical, and professional standards in nursing care of patients by demonstrating behaviors that exemplify accountability and adherence to professional values and professional standards in both nursing education and practice.
2. Utilize the nursing process and clinical judgment to analyze selected advanced health care concepts and their interrelatedness and manage nursing care to promote, maintain and restore the health of patients across the lifespan in a variety of health care situations for optimum patient care outcomes. 
3. Prioritize evidence-based practice to improve the safety and quality of patient-centered care for patients with advanced health care concepts across the lifespan in a variety of health care situations.
4. Collaborate with the patient, families and the interprofessional health-care team to promote and provide quality, holistic patient centered care for those with advanced health concepts across the lifespan in a variety of health care situations.

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 AND CLASSROOM GROUND RULES:

See General/Professional Conduct and Civility Statement  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 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.
2. 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.  

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.

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.

Grading Criteria

• Grading Criteria/ Grading Scale
  • A = 100-90%
  • B = 89-80%
  • C = 79-75%
  • D = 74-60%
  • F = below 60%

• 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 74%, letter grade of D 
    • 79.77% will be rounded to 80%, letter grade of B 
    • 79.499% will be rounded to 79%, letter grade of C 
    • 89.87% will be rounded to 90%, letter grade of A 
    • 89.478% will be rounded to 89%, letter grade of B 

The following criteria will be used to determine the course grade:

• Exams
  • Four Module Exams = 75% of the course grade
  • ATI Specialty Exam = 5% of the course grade
    • ATI Grading Table
      • Level 3 = 100 %
      • Level 2 = 88%
      • Level 1 = 75%
      • Below Level 1 = 65%
  • Final Exam = 15% of the course grade

• Assignments
  • ATI Lab Hour Assignments = 2% of the course grade
  • Quiz Assignments = 3% of the course grade

• Grading Scale
  • A = 100-90%
  • B = 89-80%
  • C = 79-75%
  • D = 74-60%
  • F = below 60%

• 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 74%, letter grade of D 
    • 79.77% will be rounded to 80%, letter grade of B 
    • 79.499% will be rounded to 79%, letter grade of C 
    • 89.87% will be rounded to 90%, letter grade of A 
    • 89.478% will be rounded to 89%, letter grade of B 

• There will be no rounding of assignments, quizzes, or examination scores earned during the semester.  This includes all didactic (classroom and online) and clinical scores as well as ATI Speciality Exam scores.  For example, a 79.50% module exam score will not be rounded to 80% and a module exam score of 97.499% will not be rounded to 79%.
• Any make-up exams should be taken within one week of the scheduled exam.  Make-up exams may be multiple choice, short answer, and/or essay.  Students who are late to an exam may not be allowed to take the exam. All students are required to take all exams, including the final exam.
• Assignments and quizzes will not be accepted after the due date.  Any assignment or quiz not submitted by the due date will be given a grade of zero (0).
• ATI lab hour assignments must be submitted by the due date with a minimum score of 75%.
• Multiple attempts are allowed before the due date. Late or incomplete submissions will receive a zero (0) in the gradebook. Students must still complete the assignment and meet the 75% requirement to fulfill lab hours associated with the course.  The zero (0) will remain in the gradebook. Failure to complete all ATI lab assignments with a minimum score of 75% will result in ineligibility to take the final exam, a zero (0) on the final exam, and course failure.
• One ATI medical-surgical specialty examination will be administered during the semester. The ATI Specialty Exam is 5% of the total class grade. The level achieved conversion score (%) will be used as the grade for the exam. A remediation plan is sent to students by ATI after the specialty exam.
• All students must access the provided remediation through ATI after the ATI specialty exam. ATI assessments will be done throughout the semester. These assessments are utilized to establish readiness for the National Council Licensing Examination (NCLEX). All students will be required to complete the focused review based on the results of the assessment. The Focused Review must be completed by the due date listed on the respective course calendar(s) in which the student is enrolled. If the focused review is not completed, then the student will not be allowed to sit for the Final Exam and will receive a grade of (0) for the Final Exam. Please see the A.T.I. grading and focused requirement table below.

• Level 3 = Conversion Score = 100% = Focused Review Time = 1 hour
• Level 2 = Conversion Score = 88% = Focused Review Time = 2 hours
• Level 1 = Conversion Score = 75% = Focused Review Time = 3 hours
• Level 4 = Conversion Score = 65% = Focused Review Time = 4 hours

TUTORING POLICY:

Please review this policy in the ADN Student Handbook for detailed information.

Students who do not achieve a minimum passing score of 75% on a module exam are required to:

• Meet with the instructor to review the exam/and or complete a remediation packet.
• Complete additional tutoring as deemed necessary by the instructor.
• Complete required tutoring, either during the exam review or at the West Campus Tutoring Center.
• If required, tutoring is to be completed at the West Campus Tutoring Center. The student will make an appointment with a professional tutor and attend the assigned tutoring. The tutor will notify the instructor of completed tutoring sessions; the student should follow up with the tutor and instructor is ensure the tutoring completion notification has been sent.
• Students may also be required to complete a Required Remediation Assignment prior to taking the next exam. The instructor will notify the student of the Assignment and the due date for the assignment.

Students who do not complete the required tutoring for a Module exam may not take the next module exam.

Attendance

Regular attendance is necessary for satisfactory achievement. Therefore, it is the responsibility of the student to attend class.  Less than 90% attendance in class or lab may result in a course failure.  Class roll will be taken for each class.  Absences will be noted.  Individuals not present for roll call will be recorded as absent.  Any anticipated class/lab absence must be reported to the instructor before the scheduled class start time.  Most classes will use an electronic roll call which requires the use of a smartphone, or tablet mobile device.

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. Instructor: Rebecca Matthews (806) 354-6018 or Cynthia Benderman (806) 354-6078
2. Associate Degree Nursing Program Director – Dr. Kerrie Young Contact (806) 467-3002
3. Associate Degree Nursing Program Dean - Kim Crowley (806) 354-6087
4. Dean of Health Sciences: Kim Boyd (806)354-6060
5. Associate Vice President of Academic Affairs:  Becky Burton (806) 371-5122
6.  Vice President of Academic Affairs:  Frank Sobey (806) 345-5518