Nursing in the Community (RN to BSN)

Midwestern State University     Wilson School of Nursing                                 Fall 2012

NURS 4143/4144 Community Health Nursing

Dr.  Marty Gibson                             940-397-4097

Office 322

Martha.Gibson@mwsu.edu

Cell: 251-751-1120

Course Description   

Students are exposed to a variety of settings where the nurse functions in the community.

Concepts relevant to community health nursing of epidemiology, health promotion, health planning/teaching, cultural awareness, consumerism, legislation, and world health concerns are explored. Emphasis on planning and providing nursing care for individuals, families, groups, and communities is related to community assessment, health promotion/patient education, and primary-secondary-tertiary prevention.

Co requisite   NURS 4143 (Clinical Component of the course).

Credit Hours

Seven credit hours to include four (4) lecture hours and nine (9) clinical hours per week. Clinical hours will total one hundred thirty-five (135) hours for the semester. These clinical hours are scheduled as part of a clinical portfolio that will be completed by you to match your schedule.

Required Textbooks/Supplies:

Stanhope, M. & Lancaster, J. (2010). Foundations of Nursing in the Community (3^rd ed). St Louis: Mosby/Elsevier.

American Psychological Association. Publication manual of the American Psychological Association (6th ed.). Washington DC

Learning Experiences

Lecture notes, Power points, videos, pod cast, chat sessions, assigned and independent readings as well as web-based research with resources, community assignments, discussion on D2L, and clinical. Students are expected to be mature learners and self-directed in the acquisition of basic community health nursing knowledge. Students should be prepared to participate in activities and discussions having read the readings and supplemental material.  Students are encouraged to ask questions.  Participation is a big part of this course. Participation in the class will be monitored by the instructor and will be based on how often a student is in the course reading posts, commenting on post, asking questions, etc. 

Clinical Competence will be evaluated through the student’s portfolio, clinical evaluations, journals, and other clinical assignments. Participation in clinical will exemplify professional community health nursing. Students must comply with guidelines and contract stipulations at their clinical site. As per the Wilson School of Nursing, all students will be expected to portray a professional image.

Coded AACN Essentials and Coded DECS of Graduates of Texas Nursing

AACN Essentials:  For further information regarding the AACN Essentials identified for each course objective, refer to http://www.aacn.nche.edu/education-resources/baccessentials08.pdf.

DEC Competencies:  In the DEC Competencies below, the following designations apply:  I:  Member of a Profession II. Provider of Patient-Centered Care, III:  Coordinator of Care, III:  Patient Safety Advocate and IV: Member of the Health Care Team.  For further information regarding the competencies identified for each course objective, refer to http://www.bon.texas.gov/about/pdfs/delc-2010.pdf.

EVALUATION:

Theory Grade Required to Pass: The weighted grades from the quizzes and assignments in this class when averaged together must be 74% or above to pass this course:

Note: All clinical components of the course must be completed with a grade of pass to complete the course.  Students must make arrangements with the clinical instructor prior to missing a clinical to obtain alternate clinical assignments to satisfy these requirements.

Clinical Competence 

The clinical instructor using the Grading Criteria for the Community Clinical Components will evaluate competence in clinical performance. All components must be completed with a grade of “pass” to complete the course.

Professional Image:

Students are to present a professional image at all times.

1. Clean and well-maintained professional or athletic shoes.  Hair clean, neat and trimmed including facial hair for men. Hair is to be worn in a manner that prevents it from falling forward over the patient. Hair must be self-contained and unadorned. Clips, pins, ties must be the same color as the hair; no large bows permitted.  Hair must be natural colors only.  NO feathers or adornments allowed in the hair. Jewelry may include a wedding ring, a watch and one pair of earrings that do not dangle and are no larger than a dime. A single neck chain is allowed.
2. An approved MSU BSN name badge is to be worn at all times.  No cologne or perfume; makeup in moderation.  Nails must be maintained as clean, neat and trimmed short with NO polish.   Artificial nails are not permitted by the health care agencies.  NO visible tattoos.
3. In addition to the requirements found in the BSN Handbook the students will maintain professional dress when not in the BSN uniform. Professional dress does not constitute jeans or casual clothing. The student will wear slacks that are neat and clean. The shirt or blouse or jacket will cover the student while the student is actively participating in clinical. For example, if there is separation between the shirt and slacks it is not acceptable. Shirt/blouse must not fall forward when bending forward. The image you present reflects the university, your profession and yourself. If you are not in compliance with these guidelines you will receive a clinical failure for the day and will be required to make up that clinical.
4. Students should be prompt to clinical.  In the event of an emergency that might necessitate your tardiness, you are to contact the clinical instructor and agency.  A reassignment of a make-up clinical will be done if deemed more appropriate.
5. Beepers and cellular phones are to be muted during all clinical experiences so that others will not be disturbed. Students are only allowed to use cell phones during breaks away from the clinical setting or after the clinical experience are over.
6. Incidents of disregarding professional ethics or standards of care may also include but are not limited to the following:

                  Nonconforming to the dress code

                  Unprofessional/inappropriate language or gestures

                  Unprofessional/inappropriate behavior

                  Disregarding patient confidentiality

Patient negligence including leaving the premises early without permission from the preceptor and/or agency and/or letting the clinical instructor know

                  Omissions and falsification and/or lying on any of your paperwork

Studying for exams, completing other course paperwork, etc. during class and/or clinical.

Clinical Failure:

1. Clinical failures are awarded students who fail to meet the objectives of the clinical experience, students who fail to uphold the ANA Practice Standards and the ANA Code of ethics, students who fail to maintain patient safety, and students who fail to complete all of their clinical hours.

Infractions constituting clinical failure:

STUDENTS ARE NOT TO ADMINISTER MEDICATIONS UNLESS DIRECTLY SUPERVISED BY A FACULTY MEMBER OR PRECEPTOR

Failure of the clinical component of the course occurs when the student receives an unsatisfactory rating in any area of the evaluation tool or does not complete the 135 hours of clinical. Absences will be rescheduled at the discretion of the course coordinator.

Certain behaviors result in an unsatisfactory rating in the professional behavior section of the evaluation rubric.  Note: Some of these will not apply to your setting, but they are this is the rubric for all BSN courses at MSU.

Three incidents of infractions to the standard of professional behavior to include but not limited to:

 Arriving to a clinical experience without completing the pre-clinical assignment even if allowed to stay in the clinical

 Not conforming to the dress code even if allowed to stay in the clinical

 Not bringing appropriate supplies to the clinical experience even if allowed to stay in the clinical

 Unprofessional/inappropriate language or gestures

 Unprofessional/inappropriate behavior such as disrespectful behavior, chewing gum, using tobacco products in non-smoking areas, disruptive behavior, or failure to comply with a written or verbal instruction including reminders to update immunizations and other clinical requirements

 Arriving late to any clinical site even if allowed to stay in the clinical

 Non-compliance with the policy to notify the instructor and the agency of a clinical absence prior to the absence or as soon as possible if immediate notification is not possible

 Non-compliance with the policy to receive written prior approval before attending the clinical and/or the policy to notify the clinical instructor of absences prior to attending the clinical or as soon as the student realizes he/she must leave the clinical experience.

 Leaving the premises without permission from the clinical instructor

 Failure to complete assignments by the due dates

 Failure to return from meals or breaks at the assigned time

 Use of a cell phone for calling, texting, e-mailing or receiving calls, texts or e-mails in the clinical area unless given permission by the clinical instructor

Two incidents of infractions to the standard of professional behavior to include but not limited to:

 Disregarding patient confidentiality without malice or intent to disclose

 Patient negligence that does not result in patient injury

 An error in care that does not harm a patient

 Committing two infractions from the list above as well as one in this list

Infractions to the standard of professional behavior that results in immediate failure of the clinical component of the course to include by not limited to:

 Administering medications without the direct supervision of a faculty member or preceptor

 Failing to check two patient identifiers prior to administering medications.

 The smell of alcohol on the breath

 Testing positive for illicit drugs or alcohol

 An error in care or patient negligence that harms a patient

 Falsification, omissions, and/or lying

 Intentionally revealing confidential information

 Placing self, staff or patient at risk of harm due to abandonment of duties and/or sleeping during clinical experiences

 Cheating, collusion, plagiarism, or stealing. Cheating/collusion/plagiarism – cheating means intentionally using or attempting to use unauthorized materials, information, or study aids in any academic exercise; collusion means the

unauthorized collaboration with another person in preparing work offered for credit; plagiarism means intentionally representing the words or ideas of another as one’s own in any academic exercise.

 Performing in an unsafe manner.

 Failure to report a patient care error or incident.

 Physical or verbal abuse of patients, patient’s family members, faculty or staff

Clinical Components

Note* All clinical components of the course must be completed with a grade of pass to complete the course.  The assignments indicated in blue will count as a clinical experience and as an assignment, since the assignment has a clinical component.

Grading Scale  

90 ‑ 100...................................................................................................................................... A

80 ‑ 89......................................................................................................................................... B

74 ‑ 79........................................................................................................................................ C

65 ‑ 73........................................................................................................................................ D

64 & Below.................................................................................................................................. F

Grades will be based on whole number scores. Grades are not rounded.

Course Grading 

4 Quizzes................................................................................................................................. 30%

3 Discussion Boards................................................................................................................ 20%

3 Pro MED and Outbreak....................................................................................................... 10%

Community Assessment/Windshield Survey.............................................................................. 30%

Literacy Brochure.................................................................................................................... 10%

Total:..................................................................................................................................... 100%                                                                                       

Discussion Boards:

There are three discussion board exercises.  Do not use attachments on posts or replies on the discussion board.  It makes it more difficult for students to read your posts. Your post should answer the question that I have posted on the Discussion Board link.  Anything that is not your thought or words should be cited.  This citation will include an in-text citation and a reference at the end of your posting.  Since these are not attachments, do your best on the APA formatting.  I realize that you will not necessarily get the correct spacing.  Your discussion board post needs to be scholarly and contribute to the body of knowledge of the entire group.  You will need to reply to 2 students on each of the 3 discussion board postings.  This should also be scholarly.  Please follow the netiquette and be professional.

ProMED

The ProMED assignment requires 3 different postings that reflects critical thinking and contributes positively to the learning environment of the class. Students should read other student’s postings and reply to 1 student per due date.   The ProMED assignment will be posted on the Discussion Board thread when made available and requires a heading with the student’s name, the date, the archive number, the city/and or country, the disease/condition discussed, and a brief summary of the topic with your reflections on why it would be important for a community health nurse to learn about the topic, or how the topic might affect your practice, you personally, your community, etc. Participation will be monitored.

Behavior Change Plan

Each student will identify one behavior to change this semester. This takes the place of a portion of your clinical hours, so students are expected to complete this project to receive credit for the course.  Instructions can be found in Module 2 These topics should be chosen and approved via WebCT email to Dr Gibson by September 9^th. The contract portion of the plan will be submitted via the assignment drop box in Module 1.  A progress report assignment will be due in Module 2 and will be submitted in the assignment drop box. A literacy brochure will be part of this assignment and will be submitted in the Module 3 assignment drop box. The completed assignment will be submitted via the assignment drop box in Module 4.

Online Quizzes:

There will be four online quizzes- one at the end of each module.

Program Planning and Community Assessment

An assessment of the community through a windshield survey will be completed. That information along with your service learning portfolio will be useful in the program planning portion of this course. The assessment will be submitted via the drop box in Module 1.

The Clinical Portfolio

This is an assignment that will be submitted when all of your clinical hours are completed.  A spot for submission has been created in Module 4. 

Student Responsibilities:

Students are responsible for all policies found in the BSN Handbook. Non-compliance with BSN requirements may lead to clinical and course failure. Students and faculty are expected to read and use the information presented in “Netiquette” and the course “Code of Conduct”.

 Non-compliance in the expectations of these documents will incur a reduction in your grade.

1. The learner is expected to function as an adult learner in college level study. The learner is to comply with the following assignment guidelines.
2. All assignments will be written in Microsoft word. Assignments that are written in other programs will not be graded unless other arrangements are made with the instructor.
3. Discussion board assignments are posted on the discussion board to the thread indicated.  They will not be graded in any other form unless prior arrangements are made with the instructor.
4. All assignments must indicate your name and the name of the assignment on each page. Pages are to be numbered. This includes discussion boards and ProMEDS.
5. Please communicate through Web CT emails that must begin with your name, and the subject of the communication
6. You are to read their course email at least twice weekly and to respond to messages within the week.
7. The faculty is expected to respond to the course email within the week it is sent. Faculty is not expected to respond on weekends. Feedback on assignments can be expected within two weeks of the assignment due date.
8. The quickest way to get a response from me is to text me.  My cell number is 251-751-1120. 

Late Work:

Contact the instructor immediately whenever you determine that your work will be late.  If the instructor is not notified to make arrangements,      grade adjustments and penalties will be given as warranted. Late assignments will incur a five-point deduction from the grade for each day the assignment is late, including weekend days.

Grade Posting:

Faculty may include comments to your grade when submitted on the assignment drop box. There also might be replies on the DB or ProMED posts requesting clarification or additional information.  Please monitor these as well.  Carefully read the comments for further clarification of the grade and required additions or corrections to the assignment. Contact the instructor if you have questions or concerns.

Failure to do assignments, quizzes, etc.  will result in a grade of zero for that assignment.

Failure Policy:

You must meet all course requirements.  A grade of “F” will be assigned if requirements are not met. You are expected to pass both clinical and theory components of the course. Failure in either clinical performance or theory components will result in failure of the course.

The faculty reserves the right to recommend to the School of Nursing Chair and College of Health and Human Services Dean withdrawal of a student from the nursing program for health, legal, or academic reasons, particularly if client care is jeopardized.  In addition, the student must perform within the ANA Standards of Practice and Code of Ethics.  See MSU B.S.N. Student Handbook for additional requirements. If student performance falls below acceptable standards of practice, then the student will not successfully complete the clinical component of the course.

Cheating Policy

The B.S.N. Program does not condone cheating in any form and considers it as a serious offense that could result in removal from the program.  Dishonesty on examinations, falsifying any paperwork, using other student’s work and plagiarism defines cheating.  Plagiarism is further defined as "the act of using source materials of other persons (either published or unpublished) without following the accepted techniques of crediting, or the submission for credit of work not the individual's to whom credit is given.” (MSU Student Handbook, Standards of conduct, Item 10.) Offending material that may constitute plagiarism includes, but is not limited to bibliography cards, formal papers, book reports, written nursing care plans, etc. For further information regarding cheating and any subsequent actions to be taken please refer to the policy statement in the B.S.N. Student Handbook.

Plagiarism Statement

By enrolling in this course, the student expressly grants MSU a “limited right” to all intellectual property created by the student for the purpose of this course.  The “limited right” shall include but shall not be limited to the right to reproduce the student’s work product in order to verify originality, and for educational purposes.

MIDWESTERN STATE UNIVERSITY STUDENT HONOR CREED

“As an MSU Student, I pledge not to lie, cheat, steal, or help anyone else to do so.”

As students at MSU, we recognize that any great society must be composed of empowered, responsible citizens. We also recognize universities play an important role in helping mold these responsible citizens. We believe students themselves play an important part in developing responsible citizenship by maintaining a community where integrity and honorable character are the norm, not the exception.

Thus, we, the Students of Midwestern State University, resolve to uphold the honor of the University by affirming our commitment to complete academic honesty. We resolve not only to be honest but also to hold our peers accountable for complete honesty in all university matters.

We consider it dishonest to ask for, give, or receive help in examinations or quizzes, to use any unauthorized material in examinations, or to present, as one’s own work, work or ideas which are not entirely one’s own. We recognize that any instructor has the right to expect that all student work is honest, original work. We accept and acknowledge that responsibility for lying, cheating, stealing, plagiarism, and other forms of academic dishonesty fundamentally rests within each individual student.

We expect of ourselves academic integrity, personal professionalism, and ethical character. We appreciate steps taken by University officials to protect the honor of the University against any who would disgrace the MSU student body by violating the spirit of this creed.

Written and adopted by the 2002-2003 MSU Student Senate

Course Attendance

Students are expected to participate in all portions of this online course.

Clinical Attendance

Students are expected to attend all clinical experiences that are scheduled.  Students are responsible for notifying their clinical instructor if they are to be absent from clinicals. Students are also to notify the agency of the absence as well. Unless it is an emergency, notification must be prior to the scheduled clinical experience.  All clinical time missed must be completed to pass the class. This includes schools, agencies and program planning.  Any clinical absences will be made up at the discretion of the faculty member and will be scheduled by the faculty.

Academic Support and Advising:

The student is required to review the resources found on the Academic Support home page http://academics.mwsu.edu/supportcenter/. Further information may located by contacting the offices of each department found listed on this page.

The student is required to effectively utilize the resources found at Moffitt library on campus. Students are expected to tour the library after the course orientation and locate the resource librarian assign to nursing. Distance policies for library usage are to be located by asking at the resource desk. Review the library home page http://library.mwsu.edu/ for further information.

The Americans with Disabilities Act

Midwestern State University does not discriminate on the basis of an individual's disability and complies with Section 504 and the Americans with Disabilities Act in its admission, accessibility, and employment of individuals in programs and activities.  MSU provides academic accommodations and auxiliary aids to individuals with disabilities, as defined by law, who are otherwise qualified to meet academic employment requirements.  For assistance call (940) 397-4618 or (940) 397-4515.

It is the student's responsibility to declare any disabilities.  After declaration, preferably at the beginning of each semester, the student needs to contact individual instructors to determine any reasonable accommodations that may be required.

The Community faculty reserves the right to make changes to this syllabus at any time. Please note: This is the official course syllabus for student use this semester; therefore, students enrolled in this course will be held accountable for all of the contents.