Online BSN: Curriculum

This course serves to assist the registered nurse in the transition to baccalaureate nursing practice. Growth as a BSN prepared nurse surfaces through the examination of topics surrounding professional nursing practice, Nursing Standards of Practice, ethical comportment, advocacy, evidence-based practice with statistical literacy, and nursing competencies.

Prerequisites: Admission to the RN to BSN Program. The Department of Nursing reserves the right to remove students form the course who do not meet the course requirements and prerequisites. This is the first NURS course taken in the SMSU RN to BSN Program. It may be taken alone or in conjunction with other NURS courses. This course must be successfully completed prior to taking further NURS courses in future semesters.

This course builds on previously acquired nursing knowledge, skills, and attitudes to holistically assess and plan care for culturally diverse individuals, families, and groups. Students examine the use of Transcultural Nursing frameworks to guide the nursing process.

Pre-requisite: Admission to the RN to BSN Program. The Department of Nursing reserves the right to remove students from the course who do not meet the course requirements and prerequisites.

Students will explore factors that impact the individual, family, community, and health care systems in a rural setting. Chronic illness, end of life care, ethical issues, interdisciplinary collaboration, person centered care, as well as social determinants of health are explored.

Pre-requisite: Admission to the RN to BSN Program required. The Department of Nursing reserves the right to remove students from the course who do not meet the course requirements and prerequisites. This course must be successfully completed prior to taking NURS 434.

This course will explore patterns of illness and wellness in the individual. Concepts related to pathophysiology will be explored. Health promotion and disease prevention are highlighted. The impact of genomics, lifestyle, and social determinants of health are addressed. Content in this course builds upon previous knowledge of natural sciences.

Pre-requisite: Admission to the RN to BSN Program required. The Department of Nursing reserves the right to remove students from the course who do not meet the course requirements and prerequisites.

This course introduces students to scientific inquiry in the discipline of nursing. Students study a basic foundation of the nursing research process. The overview includes the steps in the research process, research designs, research methodology, data collection, analysis, ethical conduct related to human research, lifelong learning, and evidence-based practice in nursing. The emphasis is placed on developing students as effective consumers of research.

Pre-requisite: Admission to the RN to BSN Program. The Department of Nursing reserves the right to remove students from the course who do not meet the course requirements and prerequisites. This course must be successfully completed prior to taking NURS 435, NURS 436, or NURS 437.

Students examine concepts, ethics, and theoretical frameworks of public health and population-based nursing care in this course. Students apply public health principles to health promotion, risk reduction, and disease prevention needs of persons, families, communities, and populations. Students study self-care and lifelong learning in the role of the professional nurse.

Prerequisite: Admission to the RN to BSN program. The Department of Nursing reserves the right to remove students from the course who do not meet the course requirements and prerequisites.

Students will work with the course faculty to determine public/community health clinical experiences. Students will collaborate with community partners and health agencies to assess populations, develop health promotion projects, provide health education, and assist vulnerable populations within communities to maintain optimal health.

Pre-requisite: Admission to the RN to BSN Program is required. The Department of Nursing reserves the right to remove students from the course who do not meet the course requirements and prerequisites. This course must be successfully completed prior to taking NURS 450.

Students in this course analyze the historical and current factors that impact healthcare systems and population health. Students examine healthcare policies and information technology (informatics) as they influence the nature and function of nursing practice related to safe, person-centered care, and self-care. Students examine the connection between interprofessional collaboration, healthcare policy, and informatics.

Prerequisite: Admission to the RN to BSN program. The Department of Nursing reserves the right to remove students from the course who do not meet the course requirements and prerequisites.

Students in this course focus on nursing leadership and management concepts in the contemporary healthcare environment. Students will engage in the exploration and discovery of challenges facing the emerging nurse leader. Students develop leadership skills related to providing safe, quality care for communities and healthcare organizations.

Prerequisite: Admission to the RN to BSN Program. The Department of Nursing reserves the right to remove students from the course who do not meet the course requirements and prerequisites.

Students in this public/community health clinical course study the baccalaureate nursing leadership role in population health settings. Students partner with community agencies to apply and evaluate the population-focused nursing process. Students consider levels of disease prevention and practice, community assessment, and interprofessional collaboration in various community settings to promote optimal health. Students explore a variety of community-based settings that promote and advocate for healthy outcomes for individuals, families, communities, and populations.

Prerequisite: Admission to the RN to BSN Program. Completion of NURS 400 and NURS 410. The Department of Nursing reserves the right to remove students from the course who do not meet the course requirements and prerequisites.

This course provides an advanced analysis of rural health care disparities, disparities of health for the rural population, along with strategies to care for the rural population. Areas of emphasis will include: unique demographics of the rural population, nursing theories applied to vulnerable populations, recruitment and retention issues for rural healthcare, and challenges facing rural hospitals.

Admission to the Nursing Program required. The Department of Nursing reserves the right to remove students from the course who do not meet the course requirements and prerequisites.

This course assists the registered nurse in enhancing and improving critical thinking, clinical judgment, and clinical reasoning skills. Emphasis is the application of clinical reasoning skills to a quality improvement project. The nurse uses interprofessional collaboration to promote change and improve health outcomes.

Prerequisite: Admission to the RN to BSN Program and NURS 430 or 390 Evidence-Based Practice. The Department of Nursing reserves the right to remove students from the course who do not meet the course requirements and prerequisites.

This course builds on previously acquired liberal arts and nursing knowledge, skills, and cultural considerations related to health assessment. The foundation of health assessment is in research evidence and evidence-based practice.

The Department of Nursing reserves the right to remove students from the course who do not meet the course requirements and prerequisites.

This course focuses on an introduction to theories and concepts of behavioral health nursing, psychopathy, and treatment modalities related to the nursing care of clients and their families. This course is designed to provide the learner with basic knowledge and a skill set that will enable them to function in the clinical environment as they provide, manage, and coordinate care when working with clients and families experiencing disturbances in mental health.

Admission to the Nursing Program required. The Department of Nursing reserves the right to remove students from the course who do not meet the course requirements and prerequisites.