Introduction to Nursing Syllabus for 2020-2021
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Instructor Information

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-1309-001 Introduction to Nursing

Prerequisites

Corequisites: RNSG 1105 and RNSG 1301

Course Description

Overview of nursing and the role of the professional nurse as provider in patient-centered care, patient safety advocate, member of health care team, and member of the profession. Content includes knowledge, judgment, skills and professional values with a legal/ethical framework.  This courses 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

(3 sem hr; 3 lec, 1 lab)

Class Type

On Campus Course

Syllabus Information

Textbooks

Course Manual for RNSG 1309 Introduction to Nursing

Potter, Perry, Stockert, & Hall, Fundamentals of Nursing  10^th Ed., Elsevier- Mosby, 2017,

Silvestri, Comprehensive Review for the NCLEX-RN Examination, 7^th Ed. Saunders-Elsevier, 2014.

Supplies

Student Performance

Student Performance/Learning Outcomes

The student will identify concepts for the provision of nursing care; describe the roles of the nurse in the delivery of comprehensive care; describe the use of a systematic problem-solving process; and utilize critical thinking skills.

Course Student Learning Outcomes

Member of a profession:

1. Identify an ethical-legal framework and applicable professional standards of nursing practice.

2. Identify avenues for personal and professional development in nursing practice.

3. Describe characteristics of quality nursing care and ways to promote the nursing profession.

Provider of Patient-Centered Care:

4. Acquire foundational knowledge, skills, and attitudes required to assist in the promotion, maintenance, and restoration of health of patients and their families.

5. Identify components of a systematic process and clinical reasoning required to provide holistic patient-centered care.

6. Identify basic psychosocial and common cultural needs of patients and families.

7. Identify the basic priniciples of health teaching for patients and families.

8. Demonstrate competency in the performance of basic nursing skills in a laboratory setting.

9. Discuss compassionate behaviors and appropriate communication skills for the care of diverse patients and families.

10. Identify the role of community resources in meeting the needs of patients and families for comprehensive, quality care.

Patient Safety Advocate

11. Explain the relationship of evidence-based practice to safety and quality in patient care.

12. Identify federal, state, and local governmental requirements for patient safety.

Member of the HealthCare Team

13. Identify the role and responsibilities of the professional nurse in providing holistic patient centered care.

14. Recognize appropriate communication skills for interacting with other health care team members.

15. Identify the various types of technology used in patient care.

16.Identify the role of the professional nurse in coordination of holistic patient-centered care.

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/Classroom Ground Rules

See A. D. N. Student Handbook Professional Conduct,  ANA Code of Ethics, and Amarillo Student Rights and Responsibilities.

Civility Statement

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, 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 may result in a request for the offending student to leave class.

Medical Insurance Coverage

The Affordable Care Act requires that all U. S. citizens and legal residents have medical insurance coverage. If accidental injury occurs, students are required to file a claim with their personal insurance company. The Hartford insurance policy,currently in place at Amarillo College, is an accident policy that provides coverage over and above any other valid and collectible insurance held by the student.

Required Tutoring 

Students who not achieve a passing score of 75% on a module exam are required to meet with the course instructor, attend prescribed tutoring sessions, and return the completed prescription verified by the tutor’s signature. Any student that does not complete required tutoring will not be allowed to take the course’s next module exam and will earn a grade of zero (0) for that exam. 

Academic Progression and Graduation Requirement for All Students 

According to the Academic Progression and Graduation requirements for All Students, “Students must have a grade of “C” or better in all required courses in order to progress to the next level in the nursing program. Any didactic nursing course with a required co-requisite clinical course is integrated and inseparable from the clinical course; therefore, a student must pass both courses with a “C” or better in the same semester in order to be eligible to enroll in the next level of courses. Students admitted to the ADN program in spring 2014 and thereafter are 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.”

Course Requirements

1. A 75% or above combined average from module examinations, the second EVOLVE specialty exam, required assignments to indlude Evolve case studies, nutrition worksheet, and cultural assignment and the course final examination.
2. Must attend 90% of all scheduled classroom hours.
3. Completion of the EVOLVE Fundamental Specialty examinations and remediation.
4. All students must access the on-line remediation through HESI assessment after the 1^st course EVOLVE specialty exam. All students will develop an individual study packet, and review all areas designated as needing improvement. Completion of remediation and development of a student packet is due by the Friday before the 2^nd scheduled specialty exam. See student Professional Contract for required remediation hours. If it is not completed as assigned, then the student will fail the course due to failure to complete this requirement.
5. Completion of the end of course and/or faculty evaluations.
6. Satisfactory completion of any student/instructor contracts.
7. All student achieving a score of less than 75% of a module exam are required to attend prescribed tutoring sessions prior to the next module exam. Any student that does not complete prescribed tutoring will not be allowed to take the next module exam and will earn a grade of zero (0) for that exam.
8. Completion of all required assignments including: EVOLVE Case Studies by their respective due dates.
9. Failure to complete any of the course requirements will result in a grade of “F” for the course.

Grading Criteria

Grading Criteria/Grade Scale

The following criteria will be used to determine your grade:

1. A = 90-100; B = 80-89; C = 75-79; D = 60-74; F = below 60.There will be no rounding of grades. Example: a 79.8 will be a "C" not a "B".
2. Average of the Module Examinations (4) = 70% of the course grade 
3. Final Examination = 25% of the course grade
4. EVOLVE Fundamental Specialty Examination - Two examinations will be given during the semester. All students must access the online remediation through HESI Assessment after the course's specialty exam. All students wil develop an individualized study packet, and review all areas designated as needing improvement. Completion of remediation and development of a study packet is due by Friday before the scheduled second Specialty Exam.  If it is not completed as assigned, then the student will fail the course because of a failure to complete this requirement. The conversion score from the second EVOLVE exam will count as 5% of the final course grade. 
5. Required independent assignments will make up 5% of the course grade (Evolve case studies, nutrition worksheet, and cultural assignment).
6. Make up examinations must be taken within the same week of the missed exam, and could consist of both essay and multiple choice questions. 
7. Students who do not achieve a passing score of 75% on any module exam are required to meet with the course instructor, attend prescribed tutoring sessions, and return the completed prescription verified by the tutor’s signature. Any student that does not complete required tutoring will not be allowed to take course’s next module exam and will earn a grade of zero (0) for that exam. 

NOTE: The course grade is determined by the module examinations, the final examination, the second EVOLVE Specialty exam, and successful completion of all of the course requirements. 

Attendance

Attendance Policy

Regular attendance is required for successful completion of the course.  Less than 90% attendance may result in failure of the course. Students are required to notify faculty in advance of class absence.

Calendar

Additional Information

Course Description

Overview of nursing and the role of the professional nurse as provider in patient-centered care, patient safety advocate, member of health care team, and member of the profession.  Content includes knowledge, judgment, skills and professional values with a legal/ethical framework.  This course lends itself to a blocked approach. (3 sem hours; 3 lec, 1 lab)

Academic Grievances

A student who has a grievance concerning an academic course in which he or she is enrolled should make an appeal in the following order to the:

1)     Instructor: DeeAnne Sisco

2)     Team/Level Coordinator:  Jan Cannon

3)     Assistant Program Director: Dr. Debby Hall 356-3607

4)     Program Director: Dr. Sandy Brannon 354-6010

5)     Associate Dean of Health Sciences: Kim Boyd 354-6060

6)     Dean of Health Sciences:  Kim Crowley 354-6087

7)     Associate VP of Academic Affairs:  Becky Burton 371-5122

8)     VP of Academic Affairs:  Dr. Tamara Clunis 371-5226