Clinical-Concepts of Clinical Decision Making II Syllabus for 2023-2024
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Instructor Information

Course Information

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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.

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Course

RNSG-2261-001 Clinical-Concepts of Clinical Decision Making II

Prerequisites

Corequisite: RNSG 1248

Course Description

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

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; 6 clinical)

Class Type

Clinical

Syllabus Information

Textbooks

Required Textbooks:

1. Harding, M., Kwong, J., Roberts, D., Hagler, D., & Reinisch, C. (2020). Lewis’s medical-surgical nursing: Assessment and management of clinical problems (11th ed.). Elsevier, Inc.

Supplies

Computer Requirements:

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

 

Additional Clinical Supplies:

1. A portable electronic device that meets the computer requirements outlined above
2. Reliable internet access to use on-site during the clinical time for course activities and assignments (AC & facility guest WiFi).
3. Reliable internet access to use off-campus outside of class time for course activities, assignments, and studying.
4. Clinical Uniform as outlined by the ADN Student Dress Code (see student handbook)
5. Stethoscope, penlight, scissors, and a watch with a second-hand function
6. Notebook paper, or small pocket notebook, and a clipboard or two-pocket folder
7. Writing utensils - pencil with eraser, pen (black) highlighter (yellow), and a dry-erase marker (black)

Student Performance

COURSE OUTCOMES:

 

Upon course completion of RNSG 2261 Clinical – Concepts of Clinical Decision Making II, the student will be able to:

 

In the Role of Member of the Profession:

1. Utilize an ethical-legal framework and professional standards while caring for adult and older adult patients.

2. Utilize personal strengths and weaknesses to promote the professional nursing practice.

3. Implement parameters and guidelines for quality nursing care for patients and families.

In the Role of Provider of Patient-Centered Care:

1. Function as a beginning nursing student to assist in the promotion, maintenance, and restoration of health of patients and families during adulthood and older adulthood.

2. Utilize a systematic process and clinical reasoning to provide holistic patient-centered care to adult and older adult patients and families.

3. Meet the unique psychosocial needs of adults and older adult patients and families.

4. Demonstrate basic principles of health teaching for patients and families during adulthood and older adulthood.

5. Utilize basic nursing skills in the care of adult and older adult patients.

6. Demonstrate compassionate behaviors and appropriate communication skills for the care of diverse adults and older adults.

7. Utilize community resources available for meeting the needs of adult and older adult patients and families.

In the Role of Patient Safety Advocate:

1. Apply evidence-based practice data to improve the safety and quality of patient care for adult and older adult patients.

2. Practice according to professional standards and organizational accreditation requirements to promote and ensure patient safety.

In the Role of Member of the Healthcare Team:

1. Collaborate with other disciplines to provide holistic patient-centered care to adult and older adult patients.

2. Demonstrate appropriate communication skills while interacting with other health care team members in the care of adult and older adult patients.

3. Utilize current technology in the efficient management of holistic patient-centered care for adult and older adult patients. 

4. Demonstrate the role of the professional nurse in relation to other health care team members.

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 and Clinical Ground Rules:

1. Students are full partners in fostering a clinical environment that is conducive to learning. In order to assure that all students have the opportunity to gain from time spent in class/clinical 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 from the instructor for the offending student to leave the class/clinical.
2. See Associate Degree Nursing Student Handbook, Professional, American Nurses Association Code of Ethics, and Amarillo College Student Rights and Responsibilities.

Grading Criteria

Grading Criteria/Grading Scale:

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

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

There will be no rounding of grades. For example, a 79.6 is a "C" and will not be rounded to an "80" or "B".

1. 100% of the clinical grade is determined by the performance of clinical competencies on the Clinical Performance Evaluation of Competencies (CPEC).
2. Competencies will be assigned a “4”, “3”, “2”, “1”, or “0”. A score of “0” in one or more competencies will result in clinical failure.

Rounding of Grades:   

The final course average will be rounded to the tenth place. For example, a course average of 79.50% would be rounded to 80%. Additional examples of final course averages rounded to the tenth place include:  

• 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 individual assignment, quiz, or examination scores earned during a semester. This includes all didactic (classroom and online) and clinical scores as well as Evolve Specialty Exam, ATI Specialty Exam scores. For example, a 79.50% Module exam score will not be rounded to 80% and a Module Exam score of 79.499% will not be rounded to 79%. 

Assignments and Clinical Competencies:

1. Clinical Orientation
2. Clinical Simulation
3. Dosage and Solution Exam
4. Pre-Clinical Assignment
5. Patient Care Plan Assignments
6. Clinical Project Assignment
7. Intravenous Push Competency
8. Physical Assessment Competency

Additional Assignment and Clinical Competencies Information:

1. Students must attend, participate, and successfully complete the clinical dosage and solution exam, clinical orientation, clinical simulation, clinical facility experiences, and clinical assignments to meet course requirements to successfully pass the course.
2. Due dates of assignments and clinical competencies will vary depending on the clinical rotation the student is assigned to.  The student clinical rotation schedule will be provided by the end of week two. 
3. Additional details for due dates and times of assignments and clinical competencies for clinical rotations are provided in the Blackboard course and/or by the instructor by verbal and/or written communication.  

Late Assignments:

1. Late assignments will result in grade reduction and will be reflected in the overall clinical grade on the CPEC.  
2. It is the student's responsibility to communicate with the instructor if the student is unable to complete the assignment by the verbal or written due date and time.

Attendance

Attendance Policy:

1. Regular attendance is necessary for satisfactory achievement. Therefore, it is the responsibility of the student to attend clinical. Students must attend 100% of the clinical days. Extenuating circumstances will be reviewed on an individual basis; however, 100% of clinical hours must be completed to successfully pass the course.  
2. It is the student's responsibility to verbally communicate with the instructor if the student will be late or absent from any clinical experience.  Failure to contact the instructor will result in a clinical warning (see clinical warning policy). Multiple attendance infractions may result in the student's inability to successfully complete the course. 

Calendar

Additional Information

Academic Grievances:

A student who has a grievance concerning an academic course in which he or she is enrolled should utilize the chain of communication in the following order:

1. Assigned Clinical Instructor: See the clinical schedule and assigned clinical instructor for additional contact information
   • Local RNEC Instructors will provide contact information on the first day of class.
2. Instructor: Rebecca Matthews (806) 354-6018 (Preferred Method of Contact: Remind)
3. Associate Degree Nursing Assistant Program Director/Coordinator: Teresa Herrera (806) 467-3002
4. Associate Degree Nursing Program Dean - Kim Crowley (806) 354-6087
5. Associate Degree Nursing Dean/Division Committee: Kim Crowley to schedule appointment
6. Dean of Health Sciences: Kim Boyd (806) 354-6060
7. Associate VP of Academic Affairs:  Becky Burton (806) 371-5122
8. VP of Academic Affairs:  Dr. Tamara Clunis (806) 371-5226