Nursing

NURS 121 – Basic Nursing Concepts I 5
NURS 121 is the first didactic nursing course of the AASPN program. It introduces the student to the discipline of nursing and focuses on nursing process, concepts of health, illness, adaptation, and homeostasis. Content/principles related to the following units are included in this course: Introduction to Nursing, Activity & Rest, Endocrine: Vitals, Nursing Process, Skin Integrity: Protection, Fluid & Electrolytes, Endocrine: Diabetes, Oxygenation: Respiratory, Medications, and Advanced Clinical Skills. Pre-requisites: High school chemistry and algebra, or equivalent. Co-requisite: NURS 198A – Basic Nursing Concepts Clinical I. Fall

NURS 131 – Basic Nursing Concepts II 5
NURS 131 builds upon theory and skills taught in NURS 121 – Basic Nursing Concepts I. Physiologic and psychosocial concepts are incorporated into each unit, addressing adaptation problems and underlying scientific concepts through all stages of client growth and development. Content/principles related to the use of the nursing process in the following units are included in this course: Endocrine: Senses, Elimination: Genitourinary and Gastrointestinal, Psychosocial Concepts, Spiritual Care, Oxygenation: Cardiac, Neuro, Psych/Mental Health, Endocrine: Human Reproduction. Pre-requisites: NURS 198A – Basic Nursing Concepts Clinical I, NURS 121 – Basic Nursing Concepts I, CHEM 115, 115L – Introductory Chemistry and Lab, BIOL 211, 211L – Human Anatomy and Lab, PSYC 111 – Introduction to Psychology. Co-requisite: NURS 198B – Basic Nursing Concepts Clinical II. Spring

NURS – 188, 288, 388, 488 Pre-professional Activities 1-4
These elective courses involve participation in the Nursing Students Association (NSA) and are designed to aid in the development of professional roles and responsibilities as well as organizational skills. The student is provided leadership opportunities via campus/community service, continuing education offerings, and political involvement at local, state, and national levels. Registration for these courses occurs in the spring semester, retroactive to participation beginning in the fall semester. S/U grading only. Spring

NURS 198A – Basic Nursing Concepts Clinical I 1
NURS 198A is the initial clinical course, and focuses on the attainment of basic clinical skills in the campus laboratory. Client care scenarios are utilized to aid in student application of the nursing process throughout course units. Pre-requisite: High school chemistry and algebra, or equivalent. Co-requisite: NURS 121 – Basic Nursing Concepts I. S/U grade only. Fall

NURS 198B – Basic Nursing Concepts Clinical II 1
NURS 198B builds upon skills in 198A–Basic Nursing Concepts Clinical I, and is the second clinical course, in which students care for clients in all stages of growth and development, including death and dying. Clinical rotations include acute care, and extended care settings. Clinical experiences encompass restorative and supportive nursing skills. Pre-requisites: NURS 121 – Basic Nursing Concepts I, NURS 198A – Basic Nursing Concepts Clinical I, CHEM 115, 15L – Introductory Chemistry and Lab, BIOL 211, 211L – Human Anatomy and Lab, PSYC 111 – Introduction to Psychology. Co-requisite: NURS 131 – Basic Nursing Concepts II. S/U grade only. Spring

NURS 215 – Introduction to Pharmacology 2
NURS 215 introduces the student to concepts and principles related to basic pharmacology, with a specific focus on safe, effective drug therapy. Comprehensive application of the nursing process to pharmacologic intervention is integrated throughout the course. Content emphasizes drug therapy as a means of enhancing the client’s own adaptive mechanisms. The importance of utilizing current, credible sources of drug information is stressed.
NOTE: Students not enrolled in the nursing program may take this course, provided they have permission of the faculty teaching the course. Fall

NURS 231 – Psychiatric/Mental Health Nursing 1
NURS 231 introduces the student to concepts and principles of psychiatric/mental health nursing. The learner will be guided toward beginning competency in the nursing care of clients with persistent (chronic) mental illness. The student will identify common, well-defined deviations in mental health and related interventions. Selected learning focuses on issues of the lived experience of mental illness. Pre-requisites: NURS 131 – Basic Nursing Concepts II, NURS 198B – Basic Nursing Concepts Clinical II, NURS 240 – Fundamentals of Nutrition, PSYC 250 – Developmental Psychology, and BIOL 212, 212L – Human Physiology and Lab. Co-requisite: NURS 298A – Psychiatric/Mental Health Nursing Clinical. Summer

NURS 240 – Fundamentals of Nutrition 2
NURS 240 introduces the student to basic facts, principles and concepts relating to nutrition throughout the life cycle. The course focuses on: 1) helping the client achieve or maintain optimal nutritional status in promoting health and adaptation, and coping with illness; 2) studying nutritional disorders and deficiencies. The course emphasizes the application of these concepts in nursing situations. Pre-requisite: CHEM 115, 115L – Introductory Chemistry and Lab.
NOTE: NURS 240 is also available to students not enrolled in the Nursing Program, provided permission from the faculty teaching the course is obtained. Spring

NURS 241 – Intermediate Nursing Concepts I 4
NURS 241 is a sequential didactic course for students enrolled in the AASPN Program. The student will build upon theory and skills taught in previous nursing courses, and will progress toward mastery of the concepts of communication, critical thinking, and therapeutic nursing interventions as defined by the Department of Nursing. Content/principles related to the following units/topics are included in this course: (1) Fluid and Electrolytes, (2) Activity & Rest, (3) Human Reproduction & Sexuality, (4) Oxygenation: Cardiac, and (5) Protection. Physiologic and psychosocial factors are incorporated into each unit, identifying pertinent concepts from academic support courses. Pre-requisites: NURS 231 – Psychiatric/Mental Health Nursing, NURS 298A – Psychiatric/Mental Health Nursing Clinical. Co-requisite: NURS 298B – Intermediate Nursing Concepts Clinical I. Fall

NURS 251 – Intermediate Nursing Concepts II 4
NURS 251 is the final didactic course for students enrolled in the AASPN Program. The student continues to build upon theory and skills taught in previous courses. Content/principles related to the following units/topics are included in this course: (1) Elimination: GU, (2) Neurologic, (3) Oxygenation: Respiratory, (4) Elimination: GI, (5) Endocrine, and (6) Senses. Students will demonstrate mastery of the concepts of communication, critical thinking and therapeutic nursing interventions as defined by the Department of Nursing. Emphasis is placed upon assisting the student in making the transition from the role of student to graduate. Pre-requisites: NURS 241 – Intermediate Nursing Concepts I, NURS 298B – Intermediate Nursing Concepts Clinical I, NURS 215 – Introduction to Pharmacology. Co-requisite: NURS 298C – Intermediate Nursing Concepts Clinical II. Spring

NURS 298A – Psychiatric/Mental Health Nursing Clinical 1
A clinical course in which students actively engage in learning experiences with individuals and families who are experiencing well-defined mental health illnesses. Students utilize the nursing process to care for clients of all ages and in all stages of growth and development to optimize mental health. Clinical experiences encompass nursing practices that are restorative, supportive and promotive in nature. A portion of the clinical experience may be offered at North Dakota State Hospital located in Jamestown, ND. Pre-requisites: NURS 131 – Basic Nursing Concepts II, NURS 198B – Basic Nursing Concepts Clinical II, NURS 240 – Fundamentals of Nutrition, PSYC 250 – Developmental Psychology, and BIOL 212, 212L – Human Physiology and Lab. Co-requisite: NURS 231 – Psychiatric/Mental Health Nursing. S/U grade only. Summer

NURS 298B – Intermediate Nursing Concepts Clinical I 3
NURS 298B is a clinical course in which students actively engage in learning experiences aimed at assisting individuals and families to achieve optimal health by promoting adaptation. Students utilize the nursing process in caring for clients of all ages and in all stages of growth and development. Clinical rotations include wellness, acute care, extended care, and clinical learning laboratory settings. Clinical experiences encompass nursing practices that are restorative, supportive, and promotive in nature. Pre-requisites: NURS 231 – Psychiatric/Mental Health Nursing, NURS 298A – Psychiatric/Mental Health Nursing Clinical. Co-requisite: NURS 241 – Intermediate Nursing Concepts I. S/U grade only. Fall

NURS 298C – Intermediate Nursing Concepts Clinical II 4
NURS 298C is a capstone clinical course in which students actively engage in the care of clients/families in all stages of growth and development. Clinical rotations are concentrated in acute care and specialty settings. Clinical experiences encompass nursing practices that are restorative, supportive, and promotive in nature. Student activity is more self-directed and culminates in summative evaluation of AASPN program outcomes. Pre-requisites: NURS 241 – Intermediate Nursing Concepts I, NURS 298B – Intermediate Nursing Concepts Clinical I, NURS 215 – Introduction to Pharmacology. Co-requisite: NURS 251 – Intermediate Nursing Concepts II. S/U grade only. Spring

NURS 315 – Advanced Concepts I Child Health 2
This theory course explores advanced nursing concepts related to care of the acute and chronically ill child. Special consideration is given to the health problems and special needs of children and adolescents. Emphasis will be on restorative, supportive and promotive care in a variety of settings. Pre-requisite: Admission to the BSN Completion Program. Fall

NURS 316 – Advanced Concepts II Adult 4
This course will focus on advanced nursing concepts related to adults experiencing acute and chronic illness including changes associated with aging. Disruptions in major body systems and multi-system disorders will be included. Concepts of care will focus on practices that are restorative, supportive and promotive in collaboration with other health care professionals. Pre-requisites: BIOL 357 – Pathophysiology, NURS 321 – Health Assessment, NURS 398A – Health Assessment Clinical, NURS 328 – Nursing Role Transition, NURS 315 – Advanced Concepts I Child Health. Co-requisites: NURS 330 – Nursing Research, NURS 331 – Community Health I, NURS 398B – Clinical Concepts I. Spring

NURS 321 – Health Assessment 2
This course focuses on the health assessment of the individual. The student will acquire knowledge and skills in assessment of health status utilizing a systematic approach to obtaining a history, performing a physical exam and making inferences from collected data. Pre-requisites: Admission to the BSN Completion Program or AASPN/RN licensure. Co-requisite: NURS 398A – Health Assessment Clinical. Fall

NURS 328 – Nursing Role Transition 2
This theory course will introduce the student to professional nursing concepts and facilitate the transition from technical to professional nursing practice. Concepts include legal and professional practice parameters, nursing process, ethics, critical thinking and decision making, and relevant current issues. Pre-requisite: Admission to the BSN Completion Program. Co-requisites: NURS 315 – Advanced Concepts I Child Health, NURS 321 – Health Assessment, NURS 398A – Health Assessment Clinical. Fall

NURS 330 – Nursing Research 2
The focus of this course is on the research process and the role of the BSN prepared nurse as a consumer of nursing research. The student is introduced to the research process, application and utilization of research in professional nursing practice. The student will participate in activities related to critical analysis and utilization of nursing research in practice. Pre-requisites: NURS 321 – Health Assessment, NURS 398A – Health Assessment Clinical, NURS 328 – Nursing Role Transition, NURS 315 – Advanced Concepts I Child Health. Co-requisites: NURS 316 – Advanced Concepts II Adult, NURS 331 – Community Health I, NURS 398B – Clinical Concepts I. Spring

NURS 331 – Community Health I 2
This course will introduce the student to community health nursing and community based nursing practice. The course focuses on health promotion, risk reduction and disease prevention for individuals and families throughout the lifespan. The course explores the role of the nurse in assessment of health risks and in developing appropriate intervention strategies. Students will be introduced to various career opportunities in non-traditional nursing and health care settings. Pre-requisites: NURS 328 – Nursing Role Transition, NURS 321 – Health Assessment, NURS 398A – Health Assessment Clinical, NURS 315 – Advanced Concepts I Child Health. Co-requisites: NURS 398B – Clinical Concepts I, NURS 316 – Advanced Concepts II Adult, NURS 330 – Nursing Research. Spring

NURS 398A – Health Assessment Clinical 1
The clinical focus of this course affords the student the opportunity to utilize skills gained in the co-requisite course, Health Assessment. The student will obtain a health history, perform a physical examination and make inferences from collected data. Pre-requisites: Admission to the BSN Completion Program or AASPN/RN licensure. Co-requisite: NURS 321 – Health Assessment. S/U grade only. Fall

NURS 398B – Clinical Concepts I 3
The focus of this course is to apply theory and skills learned in didactic courses to meet the health care needs of individuals and families in both traditional and non-traditional nursing practice settings. Students will enter new environments to provide inpatient, ambulatory and community based nursing care. Pre-requisites: NURS 321 – Health Assessment, NURS 398A – Health Assessment Clinical, NURS 315 – Advanced Concepts I Child Health, NURS 328 – Nursing Role Transition. Co-requisites: NURS 316 – Advanced Concepts II Adult, NURS 330 – Nursing Research, NURS 331 – Community Health I. S/U grade only. Spring

NURS 416 – Advanced Concepts III Special Populations 2
This theory course explores the role of the registered nurse in caring for special populations of clients. These populations may include the gerontologic, end-of-life, oncologic, psychiatric, maternal, and newborn client. In addition, health care issues related to women and men individually, chronic illness in children and adults and issues seen in the culturally diverse population may be examined. Concepts of care will focus on practices that are restorative, supportive and promotive in a variety of settings. Pre-requisites: All 300 level nursing courses, PSYC 370 – Abnormal Psychology, NURS 425 – Nursing Leadership and Management, NURS 431 – Community Health II, NURS 498A – Clinical Concepts II. Co-requisites: NURS 435 – Synthesis, NURS 498B – Clinical Concepts III. Spring

NURS 425 Nursing Leadership and Management 3
This course introduces the student to the leadership and management concepts used by nurse managers. The course explores the five functions of leadership and management and exposes the student to the theoretical and practical knowledge needed by nurses in a changing health care system. Pre-requisites: All 300 level nursing courses. Co-requisites: NURS 431 – Community Health II, NURS 498A – Clinical Concepts II, PSYC 370 – Abnormal Psychology. Fall

NURS 431 – Community Health II 3
This course expands upon the concepts of health promotion introduced in Community Health I to focus on community based and population focused strategies for prevention, identification and management of health risks. The course introduces students to the nursing process as applied to targeted groups and vulnerable populations and emphasizes intervention through group health education. Emphasis is placed on the importance of understanding human diversity in order to provide quality health care to populations. Pre-requisites: All 300 level nursing courses. Co-requisites: PSYC 370 – Abnormal Psychology, NURS 498A – Clinical Concepts II, NURS 425 – Nursing Leadership and Management. Fall

NURS 435 – Synthesis 2
This course is a capstone experience in which the student will synthesize professional nursing knowledge, roles and values. In addition, the student will explore the professional role expectations for transition into the workplace. Pre-requisites: All 300 level nursing courses, NURS 425–Nursing Leadership and Management, NURS 431 – Community Health II, NURS 498A – Clinical Concepts II. Co-requisites: NURS 416 – Advanced Concepts III Special Populations, NURS 498B – Clinical Concepts III. Spring

NURS 498A – Clinical Concepts II 3
This course expands upon the client care concepts introduced in Clinical Concepts I to focus on leadership and management opportunities in both traditional and non-traditional health care settings. Emphasis is placed on utilizing the nursing process to provide community based and population focused strategies to address health risks. Targeted group health education is a major theme. Pre-requisites: All 300 level nursing courses. Co-requisites: PSYC 370 – Abnormal Psychology, NURS 425 – Nursing Leadership and Management, NURS 431 – Community Health II. S/U grade only. Fall

NURS 498B – Clinical Concepts III 5
This capstone experience will enable the student to integrate knowledge and skills from previous courses and develop self-confidence in critical thinking and decision making. The student will collaborate with selected health professionals in diverse practice settings and incorporate all nursing roles necessary for competence as a beginning practitioner. Pre-requisites: All 300 level nursing courses, NURS 425 – Nursing Leadership and Management, NURS 431 – Community Health II, NURS 498A – Clinical Concepts II. Co-requisites: NURS 435 – Synthesis, NURS 416 – Advanced Concepts III Special Populations. S/U grade only. Spring

NURS 291, 491 – Nursing Seminar 1-6
This course is designed for the exploration of specific topics which are not covered in regularly scheduled course work.

NURS 292, 492 – Experimental Course 1-4
A unique class, designed by the instructor and/or department, not currently listed in the University catalog. An experimental course may be offered for a maximum of two semesters. After that time, the course must be either assigned an appropriate, permanent course number and formally listed in the University catalog, or its usage must be discontinued.

NURS 293, 493 – Peer Tutoring 1-6
Students may earn credits by tutoring. Tutors are needed every semester in almost all academic areas. Interested students should contact Student Support Services. (Maximum eight credits may be applied to graduation.)

NURS 294, 494 – Independent Study, Undergraduate Research 1-6
INDEPENDENT STUDY: An individualized study not listed as a regular course in the University catalog. Content, etc., to be determined by instructor and student. Requires approval by instructor and department chair. Fall, Spring, Summer.
UNDERGRADUATE RESEARCH: Research topic must be approved prior to registration by instructor. Written analysis of research activities required at end of semester. Requires approval by instructor and department chair. Fall, Spring, Summer.

NURS 295, 495 – Service Learning 1-6
Credit may be granted for certain extra-curricular activities for which there is a direct connection and correlation between the activity and the academic objectives of a specific course in the University catalog. The appropriateness of the activity and subsequently awarding of academic credit will be at the discretion of the appropriate departmental chair.

NURS 296, 496 – Study Tours 1-6
Provides students the opportunity to make an extensive trip to a location either inside or outside the United States, which will subsequently provide the student with life experiences that relate directly to a specific academic discipline. Not available in all departments. Available at departmental and discipline discretion only.

NURS 299, 499 – Special Topics, Readings 1-6
SPECIAL TOPICS: A uniquely-designed advanced topics course within a specific discipline. Course content and other related academic requirements to be determined by the instructor. Requires approval by department chair.
READINGS: Readings in educational and various specific professional publications and journals related to a specific academic discipline. Requires approval by department chair.