Professional Nursing Competencies 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.

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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-1216-001 Professional Nursing Competencies

Prerequisites

Prerequisites: BIOL 2401, BIOL 2402, ENGL 1301, EDUC 1100, HITT 1205 Pre or Co-req: Any SPCH course Corequisites: RNSG 1128, RNSG 1430, RNSG 1161, RNSG 1201

Course Description

Development of professional nursing competencies in the care of patients throughout the lifespan. Emphasizes psychomotor skills and clinical reasoning in the performance of nursing procedures related to the concepts of: clinical judgment, comfort, elimination, fluid and electrolytes, nutrition, gas exchange, safety, functional ability, immunity, metabolism, mobility, and tissue integrity. Includes health assessment and medication administration. 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

(2 sem hrs 1 lec 4 lab)

Class Type

On Campus Course

Syllabus Information

Textbooks

Suggested:

1. Any Medical Terminology Dictionary (Taber’s is the best and most used in Nursing)
2. Any Laboratory & Diagnostic Test Reference

Apple Mac

 MacOS Big Sur or Monterey i5 or M1(new Processor) 16GB of memory or more

256GB or 512Gb of Hard-Drive

Supplies

Skills Bag from AC Bookstore,  Stethoscope, Royal blue uniform, watch with a second hand

Student Performance

Students are expected to follow the AC Student Rights and Responsibilities.

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

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 silence. No text messaging in class. Only emergency communications should be answered and students need to quietly leave the classroom/lab if necessary.

Students are expected to maintain high academic standards and not engage in any form of cheating as outlined in ADN testing policy found at: http://www.actx.edu/nursing/index.php?module=article&id=226

See the A.D.N. Student Handbook “Professional Conduct”, ANA code of Ethics for Nurses, and the AC Student Rights and Responsibilities.

*The instructor reserves the right to ask students to leave the classroom for any disruptive, aggressive, or unprofessional behavior issues.

policy, the instructor will follow specific departmental guidelines governing the use, duration, and grade component of the tutoring need.

Grading Criteria

The following criteria will be used to determine your grade:

Passing course grade: 75% or higher

No late assignments will be accepted for this course

Rationale: 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.

Course Grade:
Case Studies     5%
Weekly Quiz     10%
Head to Toe Standardized Patient Check-Off    15%
Cumulative Exam    15%
Skills Check Offs    30%
Practicum    25%
    
Total    100%

SKILLS CHECK OFFS

Students must demonstrate competency on all assigned skills. Competency is defined as scoring a minimum of 90% on each skills grading rubric AND earning a “Yes” on all sections of the rubric labeled as “Yes/No”. Students will have 2 opportunities to demonstrate competency for each required skill. If competency is demonstrated on the first attempt, the grade earned will be entered into the gradebook. If a student is unable to demonstrate competency on the first attempt of a skill, that student MUST remediate and practice the skill. It is the student’s responsibility to schedule both the remediation and re-test. Remediation must be completed prior to the retest (cannot be done on the same day as the retest), and the retest MUST BE COMPLETED prior to the next Skills Check Off. If a student demonstrates competency on the second attempt of a Skill (as defined above), the grade entered into the gradebook will have a 15 point deduction. ***Failure to demonstrate competency of the skill on a second attempt will result in failure of the course. Additionally, students are only allowed to repeat 3 skills. Inability to demonstrate competency on any further skills will result in course failure.***  In either of these events, the student will be required to drop RNSG 1216 with a grade of F. The student must also drop RNSG 1430 and RNSG 1161.

The Head to Toe Assessment will follow the same grading as outlined above, with two opportunities to demonstrate competency.

You will have only 1 attempt on the Practicum.

There are no retests on quizzes, the cumulative exam, or the practicum, so make sure you are prepared to take them on their scheduled days.

Attendance

1. Regular attendance is required for satisfactory achievement in this class.
2. Less than 90% attendance of classroom hours may result in failure of the course.
3. Attendance will be taken for each class.
4. Individuals not present during roll call or those who LEAVE EARLY will be recorded as absent.
5. Individuals who are late to class should sit in a seat near the door when they come in so as to minimize distractions. Students may move during a break.
6. Individuals late to class will be recorded as tardy. Students must also check in with the instructor to inform them that they have arrived or may otherwise be counted as absent.
7. All assignments must be completed on time. No late work will be accepted after the posted due dates.
8. Any anticipated class/lab absence must be reported to the instructor prior to absence.

Missed Quizz or Exam:

If a quiz or exam is missed, the make-up must be taken as soon as the student returns to campus, and prior to the next class meeting. It will be given outside of the course meeting hours, and will be in the format of the instructor’s choosing. That format may include written exam questions, short answer, fill-ins, or essay questions. The instructor must be notified if the student is unable to attend the exam. The instructor may request a medical release for absences related to illnesses and must have that release prior to the make-up exam.

It is the student’s responsibility to contact the instructor and arrange for any make-up exam within the required time frame and provide general documentation of absence.

Calendar

Additional Information

No additional information available