This course covers the process of growing older with reference to theories on universal aging. Students will learn to improve the function, quality of life, and self-care abilities of the elderly well, to assist them in maintaining independence. Topics include aging-related changes; the role of the family and other aggregates; how elderly adults define and promote their health; the use of community resources.
Students learn the leadership and management roles of the nurse within collaborative teams. Concepts of power dynamics, management, human resource management, principles of assignment and delegation, conflict resolution, and program planning and evaluation are emphasized. Leadership is explored within the complexities of today’s public policy systems and profession-based systems and organizations. Strategies to critique and facilitate the use of evidence including research and practice guidelines for evidence-informed nursing and collaborative practice are examined.
Students build on concepts of pathophysiology and disease processes gained from NURS 232. The focus is on selected human structures and functions that support physical and mental health and wellbeing, including glucose and hormone regulation, cellular regulation (including cancer), clotting, perfusion, and sensory perception. Attention is given to pharmacology for addiction and mental health issues. Pharmacological applications, including complementary therapies related to major acute physical and mental health conditions for persons and families across the lifespan, are a focus. Weekly independent clinical skills study and labs are a required component of the course.
Students learn about acute, episodic, and life-threatening mental and physical illness for stable and unstable persons across the life span. Attention is specifically given to select cognitive, mood and effect, social functioning disorders, and psychiatric emergencies as well as select cardiovascular, circulatory and hemolytic function, digestive and gastrointestinal, endocrine and metabolic, respiratory and gas exchange, and reproductive disorders. Understanding ethical dilemmas and legal issues and the application of cultural competence and safety and evidence informed practice is a focus. The course is divided into three modules: mental health illness; physical health illness; and illness during pregnancy and childhood.
This integrated practice experience focuses on the care of stable and unstable persons experiencing acute, episodic, and life-threatening physical health challenges or injuries and mental health issues.
Principles of primary health care and the nursing process are applied. Students have opportunities to strengthen previous skills as well as integrate new psychomotor skills and techniques including professional and ethical practice, communication, evidence-based practice and best practice guidelines, and critical thinking and judgment. Includes clinical applications.
Advanced Nursing Therapeutics for Care of Persons Experiencing Complex Multi-System Health Challenges
Students apply advanced critical thinking and judgment and apply the nursing process in care of persons experiencing complex multi-system physical and mental health problems across the life span. Emphasis is on the interaction among multiple developmental, biophysical, psychosocial, spiritual,and sexual functions and structures for persons experiencing complex co-morbidities and chronic illness.
Students build their understanding of health assessment, health education, self-management, support, and restoration and apply advanced nursing therapeutics including pharmacological and complementary therapies. A one hour weekly virtual clinical application review is a required component of the course.
Care of Persons Experiencing Acute, Episodic & Life-Threatening Illness across the Life Span II
Students build their competence in the care of persons experiencing acute, episodic and life-threatening illness with emphasis on the aging population. Students apply theories related to select common current and emerging acute, episodic and life-threatening illness. Concentration is given to biophysical concepts for select genital-urinary, immune and lymphatic, integumentary, muscular-skeletal, and neurological and sensory disorders. Students advance their application of evidence and best practice guidelines.
During this integrated practice experience, students focus on the care of persons experiencing complex multi-system physical and mental health challenges (co-morbidities and chronic illness) and caring for multiple persons. Principles of primary health care and the nursing process are applied.
Opportunities to strengthen previous theoretical application, critical thinking and judgment, evidence-informed practice, communication skills, and therapeutic skills through the care of persons and families experiencing complex comorbidities and chronic physical and mental illness and in the care of multiple persons. Includes clinical applications.
A theory- and practice-based course exploring chronic health issues related to violence, immune system dysfunction, cancer, and other selected conditions. Cultural diversity, competency and safety, the consequence of an altered immune system, infection, symptom management, women's health, and palliative care will be studied from a nursing perspective in this course.
Students critically examine local and global contemporary issues in nursing, nursing education, and delivery of health care. Students also critique theories that guide nursing practice, knowledge development approaches in nursing, and health information and communication technologies. Particular emphasis is on transitioning from student to beginning practitioner role and on professional career development that includes values clarification, professional image, professional socialization, nursing licensure and regulation, and inter-professional practice.
Email: stfxonline@stfx.ca
