UNIVERSITY OF ALABAMA SCHOOL OF NURSING UNIVERSITY OF ALABAMA AT BIRMINGHAM UNDERGRADUATE STUDIES COURSE OVERVIEW COURSE NUMBER: COURSE NAME: CREDITS: TIME ALLOTMENT: PLACEMENT: RESPONSIBLE FOR COURSE: NUR 474Q/ NUR 574Q Transition to Professional Nursing Practice for RNs Four (4) semester hours 60 theory hours per semester This course is the first course in the curriculum for RN Mobility students. Offered fall, spring, and summer terms each year. Rhonda McLain, RN, DSN, Course Manager Doug Oliver, RN, MSN, CNS-BC RESOURCE PERSONS: UASON faculty with expertise in selected content areas PRE- and CO- REQUISITES: Admission to RN Mobility Program/ RN-MSN (Second degree) option RELATIONSHIP TO OTHER COURSES: This course provides students with the opportunity to increase their knowledge and skills necessary to facilitate transition into professional nursing practice at the baccalaureate level. This course provides a foundation for students as they progress in the RN Mobility Program. NUR 474Q is a pre-requisite for NUR 397Q Community and Public Health Nursing for RNs, NUR 457Q Leadership and Management for Professional Nursing for RNs, and NUR 458QL Clinical Practicum for RNs. NUR 574Q is a pre or corequisite for NUR 597Q and NUR 557Q. OBJECTIVES: Upon completion of NUR 474Q/ NUR 574Q, the student will: 1. Synthesize theoretical and empirical knowledge from nursing science, humanities, and the behavioral and natural sciences in planning and providing nursing care for clients within the context of family. 2. Demonstrate knowledge of professional nursing role behaviors related to care provider, teacher, advocate, research consumer, and collaborator. 3. Analyze the historical, legal, political, ethical, and theoretical foundations impacting professional nursing. 4. Examine the role of the professional nurse in assisting client and their families in adapting to the effects of acute, chronic, and/or long-term environmental variables on health outcomes. 5. Engage in critical inquiry to examine factors influencing the role of a professional nursing in a changing healthcare system. 6. Analyze societal and healthcare changes that promote the need for advanced education in nursing. 7. Demonstrate competency in communication skills necessary for the professional nurse. COURSE DESCRIPTION: Using an online format, this course is designed to enhance the registered nurse s knowledge of the role of the professional nurse in meeting the health needs of society. Historical, legal, political, and ethical issues affecting the profession will be
examined. The relationship between selected issues, trends, and theories and professional nursing practice will be analyzed. Students will examine behaviors related to various roles of the professional nurse, including caregiver, teacher, advocate, research consumer, and counselor. Additionally, this course addresses communication skills necessary to a professional nurse including writing and computer literacy. For students enrolled in NUR 547Q, this course is a transition course into the RN-MSN option for post-baccalaureate degree RN Mobility students. Evaluation methods for the course will be different than those students enrolled in NUR 474Q. TYPES OF FACILITIES UTILIZED: School of Nursing facilities; Lister Hill Library; Mervyn Sterne Library; online resources TEACHER/LEARNER ACTIVITIES: A variety of learning activities and teaching strategies will be used to promote achievement of course objectives. Activities include online classroom discussion, specific written assignments, guided and independent study, use of case studies, and self-assessments. Students have the opportunity to access theoretical information, completed selected assignments, interact with classmates, and communicate with course faculty via computer technologies. The student is expected to actively participate in online class activities and to engage in independent study to augment online classroom discussion. EVALUATION: Upon completion of this course, the student will: NUR 474Q Activity Course Objectives Percentage Discussion Participation 1-7 30% Weekly Assessment Quizzes 1-7 30% Scholarly Paper Draft 1-7 5% Scholarly Paper (Final) 1-7 15% Teaching Project 1-7 15% APA Quiz 1-7 5% NUR 575Q Activity Course Objectives Percentage Discussion Participation 1-7 30% Weekly Assessment Quizzes 1-7 30% Scholarly Paper Draft 1-7 5% Scholarly Paper Final 1-7 20% Teaching Project 1-7 10% APA Quiz 1-7 5% A letter grade is assigned in accordance with the University of Alabama at Birmingham's grading system. The grade required for passing is determined by the School of Nursing's grading policy. Any assignment submitted for a grade in this course is subject to electronic review for plagiarism. All students enrolled in NUR 474Q/ NUR 574Q are expected to comply with the School of Nursing Honor Code. For specific clarification and further information, please refer to the UAB School of Nursing Student Handbook located at http://www.uab.edu/son. Any student who believes that he/she has a need for disability services should contact the Office of Disability Support Services at the Hill University Center.
Students with a Visa status of F1 or J1 must make an appointment with the course faculty no later than Week #2 of the semester to plan how the student will meet federal immigration regulations. APPROPRIATE USES OF TECHNOLOGY POLICY: The use of any personal computational or communications devices, not otherwise governed by UAB or course policies, is subject to the approval of the instructor. This includes (but is not limited to) the use of calculators, computers, personal digital assistants, text pagers, and cell phones. Any use of such devices without instructor approval is not permitted. The use of such devices without permission of the instructor is considered a violation of UAB s non-academic conduct policies. The use of such devices to facilitate an act of academic misconduct (such as cheating or plagiarism) is considered a violation of the UAB Academic Honor Code and will be sanctioned as outlined in the Code. COURSE POLICIES: 1. Students are expected to monitor course email on a regular basis (at least every other day but preferably every day). 2. All written assignments submitted for a grade must be typed in MS Word. Assignments submitted after the due date/time may have points deducted from the overall grade. 3. Students who do not complete a unit quiz by the due date/time will receive a grade of 0 unless the course instructor was notified of extenuating circumstances PRIOR to the closing of exam availability. All quizzes are to be completed by the student independently and with NO resources (e.g. books, notes, etc.). TEXTBOOKS: American Psychological Association. (2001). Publication manual of the American Psychological Association (5th ed.). Washington, DC: Author. Blais, K. K., & Hayes, J. S. (2011). Professional nursing practice: Concepts and perspectives (6 th ed.). Upper Saddle, NJ: Pearson Prentice-Hall. Originally approved by Faculty Organization June 25, 2007 Revised May 11, 2009 Please retain this date on all subsequent revisions
UNIVERSITY OF ALABAMA SCHOOL OF NURSING UNIVERSITY OF ALABAMA AT BIRMINGHAM TOPICAL OUTLINE NUR 474Q Transition to Professional Nursing Practice for RNs TOPICS Module 1: Foundations of Professional Nursing Practice Continuing your Nursing Education Socialization to Professional Nursing Roles Historical and Ethical Influences on Professional Practice Legal and Health Policy Influences on Professional Practice Interdisciplinary Communication in Professional Practice Advanced Nursing Education and Practice Module 2: Professional Nursing Roles Theories and Frameworks for Professional Nursing Practice Nurse as Health Promoter and Caregiver; Critical Inquiry and Clinical Judgment Nurse as Educator Nurse as Advocate and Collaborator; Communication Skills and Techniques Nurse a Research Consumer Nurse as Change Agent Module 3: Professional Nursing in a Changing Society Changing Health Care Delivery Systems and Health Care Economics Nursing in a Diverse World: Health Disparities, Cultural Influences; Spiritual Influences Power and Politics in Nursing Practice Role of the Professional Nurse in the Future
UNIVERSITY OF ALABAMA AT BIRMINGHAM UNIVERSITY OF ALABAMA SCHOOL OF NURSING Core Performance Standards for BSN Admission and Progression NUR 474Q Transition to Professional Nursing Practice for RNs Issue Standard Some Examples of Necessary Activities within the course (not all inclusive) Critical Thinking Critical thinking ability sufficient for clinical judgment Synthesize reading assignments, able to write course assignments Interpersonal Communication Interpersonal abilities sufficient to interact with individuals and groups from diverse backgrounds Communication abilities (hearing, speaking, reading, and writing) sufficient for interaction with others in verbal and written form Interact with classmates and course instructors on course related subjects, able to work with other students on a group project Communicate with faculty and other students via e-mail and electronic threaded discussions Motor Skills Hearing Visual Physical abilities sufficient to use a computer. Auditory ability sufficient to complete class assignments Visual ability sufficient to participate in course activities Complete written assignments and examinations by typing on the computer Listen to online audiovisual presentations Complete reading assignments and watch audiovisual presentations (Adapted from the SCCEN March 1993 recommendations related to the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) implications for nursing education) Submitted: June 2007 Adopted: June 2007
Scholarly Paper: Is Nursing a Profession? The Purpose of This Assignment is for you, the student, to 1. Demonstrate synthesis of content addressed in this course; 2. Demonstrate ability to write a scholarly paper; and 3. Demonstrate learned APA Formatting techniques. A three to five page paper is required for this course. This activity will enable you to: 1. Explore and articulate your own beliefs about nursing as a profession; 2. Express thoughts clearly in writing; and 3. Learn the basic elements of preparing a scholarly paper using the format of the American Psychological Association (APA), 2010. The paper must be typed in Microsoft Word and submitted electronically. Directions for students taking NUR 474Q: Review Qualities of a Profession by Joel and Kelly (2002) identified on page 18 in your textbook. In this paper you will present your argument about whether nursing is a profession does it meet the qualities identified by Joel and Kelly? More specifically: 1. Provide an introduction to your paper that includes * a definition of a profession * clear purpose statement 2. Select a minimum of four but no more than six of the qualities of a profession identified by Joel and Kelly. * For each quality present an argument for or against nursing as a profession. NOTE: You are not being evaluated on your specific belief but rather in your ability to present your argument. Your job is to convince us that nursing IS a profession or that it is NOT a profession. * Use at least one additional reference for each quality to support your viewpoint. 3. The paper must include headings to assist with organization of your paper. One way to do this is to use the main topic of each of your chosen qualities as the heading. 4. Provide a summary conclusion to your paper.
You must use a minimum of three scholarly references other than your textbook. The length of the paper should be no less than three and no more than five pages. Read the Evaluation section, below, very carefully. It will assist in composing the paper. You may want to review the scoring rubric, also on the course site. Be sure to review the Writing Module for instructions and tips on use of Microsoft Word and APA Style formatting. Directions for students taking NUR 574Q: Review Qualities of a Profession by Joel and Kelly (2002) identified on page 18 in your textbook. In this paper you will present your argument about whether nursing is a profession does it meet the qualities identified by Joel and Kelly? More specifically: 1. Provide an introduction to your paper that includes * a definition of a profession * clear purpose statement 2. Select a minimum of four but no more than six of the qualities of a profession identified by Joel and Kelly. * For each quality present an argument for or against nursing as a profession. NOTE: You are not being evaluated on your specific belief but rather in your ability to present your argument. Your job is to convince us that nursing IS a profession or that it is NOT a profession. * Use at least one additional reference for each quality to support your viewpoint. 3. Discuss if and how the ANA Standards of Professional Practice are reflected in your work setting.3 4. The paper must include headings to assist with organization of your paper. One way to do this is to use the main topic of each of your chosen qualities as the heading. 5. Provide a summary conclusion to your paper. 6. You must use a minimum of three scholarly references other than your textbook. 7. The length of the paper should be no less than five and no more than eight pages. 8. Read the Evaluation section, below, very carefully. It will assist in composing the paper. You may want to review the scoring rubric, also on the course site. 9. Be sure to review the Writing Module for instructions and tips on use of Microsoft Word and APA Style formatting.
EVALUATION: Papers will be evaluated on Content, Structure, use of appropriate supportive references, and use of APA format, as specified below. CONTENT (40 points total) (50 points total for NUR 574Q) Introduction of topic (5 points) Several sentences introducing the topic of the paper. Definition of profession is included Explicit and complete statement of purpose (5 points) Inclusion of explicit statement = 3 points Inclusion of complete scope of topic = 2 points Inclusion of key points relevant to the topic of the paper (30 points) (40 points for NUR 574Q) Identifies four to six qualities of a profession Describes the quality Supports argument for/against nursing as a profession using each quality STRUCTURE (25 points total) Organization of ideas and clarity of communication Organization and flow of ideas = 6 points Stays within prescribed length = 3 points Clarity of expressing ideas = 6 points (15 points) Correct mechanics of writing (10 points) Grammar, spelling, punctuation REFERENCES (25 points total) (20 points for NUR 574Q) Use of current professional literature Selection of three (minimum) appropriate current professional references other than texts = 5 points References correctly presented in APA Format at the end of the paper = 10 points Documented use of literature by reference citations in body of paper, in proper APA format = 10 points (5 points for NUR 547Q) Use at least 3 current professional references, other than textbooks that are required in the School of Nursing. (SON texts may be used in addition to these 3 references.) Online and print professional references may be used. Note that professional references are authored by individuals who have appropriate credentials to speak with authority on the topic. (Look at the author's academic credentials, professional position, and the source in which the article is published.) Professional references are written to be read by a professional audience rather than the lay public. Current references are those published within the past ten years (1999-2009). References that are older than 10 years may be used if they are
"classic" works or necessary to document historical information. FORMAT (10 points total) (5 points for NUR 547Q) APA format (other than references) (10 points) Cover sheet Proper format Use of headings Font style and size