Professional Nursing Competencies

Class

Transition to professional nursing competencies in the care of patients throughout the lifespan. Validates proficiency in 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.

Course Learning Objectives
  1. Apply concepts and principles necessary for the performance of professional nursing skills across the lifespan
  2. Demonstrate clinical reasoning in the performance of safe professional nursing skills
  3. Perform a comprehensive head to toe and a focused health assessment
  4. Demonstrate proficiency in safe medication administration.
Required Textbooks
  • ATI (Assessment Technologies Institute) resources https://www.atitesting.com/
  • Lippincott The Point website for electronic textbooks/readings and concept library http://nursingconcepts.lww.com/. See Student ADN Handbook for textbook listings
  • Nursing: A concept-based approach to learning (3rd ed.). (2019). Hoboken, NJ: Pearson
Evaluation Standards

Evaluation Methods:

80%                   Check Offs

20%                   Assignments

100% total

Grading Criteria:

89.5-100%   A               79.5-89%   B                  74.5-79%   C                           74% and below   F                 Withdraw W

Skill Evaluation:

Students must successfully demonstrate mastery of designated skills prior to performing

the skill in the clinical setting. Students will receive a grade of 100% if the tested skill is passed on the first attempt. Skills which are passed on the second attempt will receive a grade of 75%.  Skills which

require three attempts to pass will receive a grade of 0%. All required skills must be passed prior to the end of the course in order to pass the course.  This includes any skills which have incurred a score of 0%.  If a required skill is not satisfactorily passed within three attempts, the student will fail the course.

Assignments: See CANVAS for details

Course Progression

Basic Skills:

Tissue Integrity, Mobility/Safety, Comfort, Immunity/Safety, Elimination/Nutrition, Perfusion/Gas Exchange, Thermoregulation

Advanced Skills:

Medication Safety*, Tissue Integrity, Clinical Judgment/Assessment*, Patient Education, Nutrition*, Safety, Elimination*, Fluid & Electrolytes**, Gas Exchange*, Clinical Judgment/Situational

*Required Skills: Medication Administration, Head to Toe Assessment, Nasogastric tube insertion/removal, Urinary Catheterizatio, Venipuncture, Tracheostomy Care

A final grade of C or better must be achieved to successfully pass this course.

A = 89.5 – 100%           B = 79.5 – 89.4%              C = 74.5 – 79.4%          F = 74.4 and below

Absences

Attendance to all classes is expected. All fall/spring 16 week lecture/lab courses, or summer 12 week lecture/lab courses will allow two absences per semester. All Summer Transition lecture/lab courses are allowed one absence due to the abbreviated 10 week length of the semester. Any spring semester transition courses taught within 8 weeks are also allowed only one absence due to the abbreviated length.  Any absences that occur beyond the allowed number of absences will result in a 10% deduction from the final course grade for each further absence. Arriving more than 15 minutes late for class, or leaving class more than 15 minutes early will result in accruing an absence.  If the absence occurs on a scheduled exam date, the student will be allowed to take the exam within one week as scheduled by the instructor. However, an automatic 10- point deduction will be applied to exam grade. If a student knows an absence will occur on a scheduled exam date, the student may make arrangements with instructor to take the exam early without penalty.

Disabilities

ADA Statement:

Any student with a documented disability (e.g. learning, psychiatric, vision, hearing, etc.) may contact the Office on the Weatherford College Weatherford Campus to request reasonable accommodations. Phone: 817-598-6350 Office Location: Office Number 118 in the Student Services Building, upper floor. Physical Address: Weatherford College 225 College Park Drive Weatherford, TX.

Academic Integrity
Academic Integrity is fundamental to the educational mission of Weatherford College, and the College expects its students to maintain high standards of personal and scholarly conduct. Academic dishonesty of any kind will not be tolerated. Academic dishonesty includes, but is not limited to, cheating on an examination or other academic work, plagiarism, collusion, and the abuse of resource materials including unauthorized use of Generative AI. Departments may adopt discipline specific guidelines on Generative AI usage approved by the instructional dean. Any student who is demonstrated to have engaged in any of these activities will be subject to immediate disciplinary action in accordance with institutional procedures.
Hope Statement
Any student who faces challenges securing basic resources such as food, clothing, or housing and believes this may affect their performance in their course of study is urged to contact the Director of Student Resources, Dr. Deborah Cregger, for support at (817) 598-6444. Her office is on the first floor of Student Services. If the student prefers, they may contact their instructor, who can reach out on their behalf. Weatherford College also provides the Coyote Pantry. The Pantry maintains boxed and canned foods for students in need. The location of the Coyote Pantry is two blocks west of the Weatherford campus at the Baptist Student Ministry (118 E. Park Ave., Weatherford). Pantry hours are Mon-Thurs. 8:30 am-4:30 pm and Fri. 8.30 am-12:00 pm (817-599-6586).