Nutrition

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Class
VNSG 1116

Introduction to nutrients and the role of diet therapy in growth and development and in the maintenance of health. CIP Code Description: 51.3901 VNSG 1116 (Licensed Practical/Vocational Nurse Training) 16 Contact hours, 1 Semester Credit Hour.

Course Learning Objectives

Identify the basic nutrients; discuss the role of nutrients in growth and development and health maintenance; and identify diet therapy associated with disease processes.  

  1. Identify the basic nutrients. (DECs II-C;  SCANS C5, C6, F1, F2, F3, F4)   
    1. Identify the basic nutrients including carbohydrates, lipids (fats), proteins, vitamins, minerals, and water.  
    2. Discuss the relationship of nutrition and health.  
    3. Identify a balanced diet.  
    4. Use concepts from basic sciences and support courses 
  2. Discuss the role of nutrients in growth and development and health maintenance.  (DECs II-B,E;  SCANs C11, F1, F2, C14)  
    1. Recognize nutrition as a fundamental principle of disease prevention and health promotion/restoration of patients.  
    2. Identify a pregnancy and lactation diet.
    3. Summarize diets for infancy, childhood, and adolescence.
    4. Outline diets for young, middle, and late adulthood individuals.
    5. Recognize cultural differences across the lifespan and how they affect nutrition.
    6. Recognize the vocational nurse’s role in contributing to the plan of care by collaborating with interdisciplinary team members.  
  3. Identify diet therapy associated with disease processes. (DECs IIE;  SCANs C9, C10, C11, C14, F1, F5, F8, F9)  
    1. Discuss the relationship of diet to obesity and weight control.  
    2. Describe diets prescribed for diabetes mellitus, cardiovascular disease, renal disorders, gastrointestinal problems, cancer, and patients with special needs.  
    3. Identify principles and factors that contribute to the maintenance or restoration of  health and prevention of illness 
  4. Demonstrate communication as it relates to nutritional health.(DECs II-C;  SCANs  C8,

C18, C19)  

    1. Utilize computers, printers, Internet, e-mail, and course software to complete the course.  
    2. Use written, verbal, and non-verbal modes of communication including information technologies.  
  2. Recognize the vocational nurse’s role in nutritional therapy.

(DEC II-C; SCANs  C9, C10, C11, C14, F1, F2, F7, F8, F9, F13)  

    1. Relate the vocational nurse’s role on the interdisciplinary health care team for   selected nutrition issues.  
    2. Identify dietary interventions for patients with nutritional needs that vary from   normal.  
    3. Recognize the VN role in contributing to the plan of care by collaborating with   interdisciplinary team members. 
    4. Discuss referral of patients and their families to community resources
Required Textbooks

Foundations & Adult Health Nursing, 8th ed. 2019, Cooper, K. & Gosnell, K. Elsevier.   ISBN 978-0-323-48437-4 

Foundations & Adult Health Nursing, 8th ed. Study Guide, Cooper, K. & Gosnell, K. 2019 ISBN 978-0-323-52459-9 

Saunders Comprehensive Review for the NCLEX-PN Examination. 7th ed., Silvestri. 2019.  Saunders Elsevier.   ISBN: 978-0323-48488-6 

Elsevier Adaptive Quizzing; NCLEX Case Studies

Evaluation Standards

Unit Exams are equivalent to 40% of the final semester grade  

  1. Unit exams should be taken when scheduled.  
  2. No exam will be given before the scheduled time or date.  
  3. If a test is missed due to an absence, the student must contact the instructor upon first day of return to Weatherford College to schedule make-up exam. 
  4. Fifteen points will be automatically deducted for make-up exams. Make-up exams are at the discretion of the instructor.  
  5. The student is responsible to seek out the instructor, and/or testing center to arrange for an appointed time for the make-up exam.
  6. Assignments/EAQs are equivalent to 30% of the final semester grade.  The EAQs must be submitted on time and completed at a level two.  Per instructions, they should be uploaded in the appropriate area.  Any EAQ below a level two will result in a zero in the gradebook.
  7. Maintenance and awareness of grades and attendance are the responsibility of the individual student.
  8. ONE absence is allotted for Nutrition class per semester. Please refer to the Student Vocational Nursing Policy Manual for detailed attendance guidelines.
  9. Failure to achieve a final average course grade of 75% or better will result in course failure and will keep the student from progressing to the summer semester as outlined in the SVN Policy Manual.
  10. If at any time during the semester the student encounters course difficulty or concerns it is the responsibility of the student to contact the instructor immediate to obtain proper and immediate resolution.

Exam Procedures:

The Weatherford College Vocational Nursing Program exam policy, which can be found in the VNP Student Handbook, will be followed for this course.

Students are encouraged to review the rationale of questions for computerized tests immediately after submitting the exam.

Students that score less than 75% on an exam are encouraged to meet with the instructor to identify strategies for improvement of exam scores. Please see course schedule for exam dates.  Grading:

Evaluation

Percent

Assignments/EAQs

30%

Quiz/Projects

30%

Unit Exams

40%

Total Evaluation

100%

A= 89.5 to 100  

  1. = 79.5 to < 89.5
  2. = 74.5 to < 79.5

F = < 74.5  

Instructional Methods

Didactic portion to include lecture, PowerPoint presentation, study guides, quizzes, food diaries, interactive Kahoot game(s)

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).
SCANS

Essential Competencies (DECs) & Secretaries Commission of Achieving Necessary Skills 

Differentiated (SCANS) will be aligned throughout the syllabus.  Essential Competencies of Graduates of Texas Vocational Nursing Educational programs and SCANS competencies can be accessed from Texas Board of Nursing.   SCANS information can be obtained from the document Identifying and Describing The Skills Required by Work published by The Secretary’s Commission on Achieving Necessary Work Skills.  

I. Member of the Profession 

  1. Function within the nurse’s legal scope of practice and in accordance with regulation and the policies and procedures of the employing health care institution or practice setting.
  2. Assume responsibility and accountability for the quality of nursing care provided to patients and their families.
  3. Contribute to activities that promote the development and practice of vocational nursing. 
  4. Demonstrate responsibility for continued competence in nursing practice, and develop insight through reflection, self-analysis, self-care, and lifelong learning. 
  5. Provider of Patient-Centered Care 
    1. Use clinical reasoning and knowledge based on the vocational nursing program of study and established evidence-based practice as the basis for decision-making in nursing practice.
    2. Assist in determining the physical and mental health status, needs, and preferences influenced by culture, spirituality, ethnicity, identity, and social diversity of patients and their families, and in interpreting health-related data based on knowledge derived from the vocational nursing program of study. 
    3. Report data to assist in the identification of problems and formulation of goals/outcomes and patient-centered plans of care in collaboration with patients, their families, and the interdisciplinary health care team.
    4. Provide safe, compassionate, basic nursing care to assigned patients with predictable health care needs through a supervised, directed scope of practice.
    5. Implement aspects of the plan of care within legal, ethical, and regulatory parameters and in consideration of patient factors. 
    6. Identify and report alterations in patient responses to therapeutic interventions in comparison to expected outcomes. 
    7. Implement teaching plans for patients and their families with common health problems and well-defined health learning needs. 
    8. Assist in the coordination of human, information, and physical resources in providing care for assigned patients and their families.
  6. Patient Safety Advocate 
    1. Demonstrate knowledge of the Texas Nursing Practice Act and the Texas Board of Nursing Rules that emphasize safety, as well as all federal, state, and local government and accreditation organization safety requirements and standards. 
    2. Implement measures to promote quality and a safe environment for patients, self, and others. 
    3. Assist in the formulation of goals and outcomes to reduce patient risks. 
    4. Obtain instruction, supervision, or training as needed when implementing nursing procedures or practices.
    5. Comply with mandatory reporting requirements of the Texas Nursing Practice Act. 
    6. Accept and make assignments that take into consideration patient safety and organizational policy. 
  7. Member of the Health Care Team
    1. Communicate and collaborate in a timely manner with patients, their families, and the interdisciplinary health care team to assist in the planning, delivery, and coordination of patient-centered care to assigned patients. 
    2. Participate as an advocate in activities that focus on improving the health care of patients and their families. 
    3. Participate in the identification of patient needs for referral to resources that facilitate continuity of care, and ensure confidentiality.
    4. Communicate patient data using technology to support decision-making to improve patient care. 
    5. Assign nursing activities to LVNs or unlicensed personnel based upon an analysis of patient or work place need. 
    6. Supervise nursing care by others for whom the nurse is responsible.
    7. Assist health care teams during local or global health emergencies or pandemics to promote health and safety, and prevent disease.