At the successful conclusion of the course the student be able to:

1. Accept responsibility and accountability for own nursing practice and professional development.
2. Establish a collaborative relationship with the patient, the patient's family, staff and instructor in providing safe, effective nursing care.
3. Use effective therapeutic communication while working with patients, families, staff and faculty.
4. Implement the nursing process, and Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs, to adult patients with complex/acute health care conditions.
5. Assess, monitor, and provide appropriate nursing interventions and follow-up evaluation for patients experiencing complex/acute health care conditions.
6. Use effective communication and relevant teaching-learning theories to provide patient teaching to optimize recovery, health maintenance and illness prevention.
7. Modify plans of care based on patient outcomes.
8. Accurately perform medication, intravenous fluid and nutritional fluid rate calculations for clients receiving such medications and nutritional support.
9. Provide discharge planning using appropriate acute and community resources.
10. Effectively provide intravenous therapy including: a. client preparation; b. venipuncture techniques; c. use of controllers and pumps; d. detection of complications of IV therapy; e. safe administration of intravenous medications, hyperalimentation and fat emulsion therapy, blood and blood component therapy; f. use of special techniques related to IV therapy.
11. Provide discharge planning and community resource referral in collaboration with the health care team.
12. Implement a cost effective, patient-centered, holistic and multidisciplinary care plan;
13. Employ ethical and legal guidelines when working with patients and their families who are experiencing complex alterations in their health.
14. Implement the nursing process in the care of patients across the lifespan who are experiencing actual or potential problems with adaptation related to: a. ineffective oxygenation; b. ineffective autoregulation ; c. cellular dysfunction (hematological, immune, oncological); d. ineffective nervous system regulation; e. ineffective perfusion (shock); f. end of life issues.

Linkage of course to the Associate of Applied Sciences Degree Mission and Outcomes, Nursing Program Mission, Nursing Program Outcomes and General Education Outcomes.

Link to the Associate of Applied Sciences Degree Mission and Outcomes

The purpose of the Associate of Applied Science degree is to provide employment-related knowledge and skills necessary to succeed in a chosen field of study.

Students who complete programs in occupational areas are expected to demonstrate that they

1. Know subject area of the degree
2. Are able to acquire skills and perform tasks necessary for employment or career enhancement

Link to the Nursing Program Mission

The mission of the nursing program at Western Nevada College is to meet the nursing educational needs of the service area. The program prepares qualified students to function as entry-level registered nurses and transfer to higher degree programs.

Graduates are prepared to function in a variety of health care settings, providing culturally sensitive, holistic nursing care to individuals and families across the lifespan. The nursing faculty supports graduate competency in an evolving and complex health care environment by facilitating the students' development of clinical judgement, promoting professional behaviors, and fostering the value of lifelong learning.

Link to at least one Nursing Program Educational Outcome

Utilize the nursing process in a competent and caring manner to safely meet the bio/psycho/social/cultural and spiritual needs of patients across the lifespan in a variety of health care settings.

Integrate knowledge derived from the bio/psycho/social sciences, humanities, and nursing to achieve deliberative and competent decision-making that is grounded in evidence based practice to achieve best practice outcomes.

Apply concepts of cultural awareness, cultural sensitivity and respect for persons when working with diverse populations.

Link to at least one general education outcome

Have college-level skills in reading, writing, and oral communication appropriate to their degree and/or emphasis.

Have appropriate technological skills, including computer skills.