NUR 1025 Fundamentals of Nursing

This course provides an introduction to the nursing profession. Students will learn the
Course roles basic to nursing practice, nursing process, and how nurses are involved in health
Description: promoting activities to meet client needs. Pre-Req: Program Admission; Co-Req: NUR
1025C, 1060C, and 1142. (3-hour lecture)
Course Competency Learning Outcomes

Competency 1: The student will identify the • Communication

development of contemporary nursing practice • Numbers / Data
by: • Critical thinking
• Information Literacy
1. Identifying the concepts of health, health care
delivery and the settings and resources available
in the community.
2. Discussing the roles of the registered
professional nurse.
3. Identifying roles of the members of the health
care team including physician, social worker, case
manager, dietitian, physical therapist, respiratory
therapist, licensed practical nurse, and unlicensed
assistive personnel.
4. Discussing interactions between the registered
professional nurse and other members of the
health team.
• Communication
Competency 2: The student will value the nursing
• Numbers / Data
process as the framework for meeting the health
needs of individuals by: • Critical thinking
• Information Literacy
1. Identifying the phases of the nursing process.
2. Discussing the importance of a comprehensive
and accurate data base on which a diagnosis, plan,
and interventions are based.
3. Discussing the importance of establishing
priorities before planning interventions.
4. Using the nursing process in discussing a
patient care scenario.

Updated Spring 2021

5. Personalizing the nursing care plan to meet
individual client needs.
• Communication
Competency 3: The student will identify the
• Numbers / Data
diverse roles of the nurse required in the
• Critical thinking
management of client care by:
• Information Literacy

1. Discussing the role of the nurse as educator,

advocate, collaborator, and manager of client
care.
2. Explaining the independent, dependent, and
collaborative functions of nurses.
3. Recognizing the nurse’s role in identifying and
reporting medical errors 4. Discussing major
categories of sentinel events.
5. Differentiating between active and latent
errors.
• Communication
Competency 4: The student will discuss values
• Numbers / Data
clarification from the perspective of nursing
• Critical thinking
practice in a multicultural, pluralistic society by:
• Information Literacy

1. Defining the concept of holistic being.

2. Identifying the interrelated physiological,
psychologic, sociocultural, spiritual and
environmental dimensions of the client.
3. Discussing the concept of delivering culturally
competent care.
4. Identifying the impact of cultural diversity on
the delivery of health care.
• Communication
Competency 5: The student will describe the • Numbers / Data
critical thinking process in nursing practice by: • Critical thinking
• Information Literacy

1. Identifying the components of the critical

thinking model.
2. Comparing the relationship between critical
thinking and the nursing process .

Updated Spring 2021

 • Communication
Competency 6: The student will apply principles
of therapeutic communication and the teaching • Numbers / Data
learning process by: • Critical thinking
• Information Literacy

1. Explaining the elements of the communication

process.
2. Distinguishing therapeutic, non-therapeutic and
social communication.
3. Discussing teaching and learning with respect to
the communication process.
3. Integrating principles of teaching and learning
with the phases of the nursing process.
• Communication
Course Competency 7: The student will apply the • Numbers / Data
concept of basic human needs in planning nursing • Critical thinking
care by: • Information Literacy

1. Identifying methods that increase a client’s

safety.
2. Identifying methods that prevent deterioration
in skin integrity.
3. Describing correct body mechanics in delivering
patient care.
4. Explaining factors that affect oxygenation in
delivering client care.
5. Discussing factors that influence bladder and
bowel elimination.
5. Explaining the aspects of a nutritional
assessment and its impact on nursing care.
6. Using knowledge of the processes of digestion,
absorption and elimination.
7. Identifying the hazards of immobility and their
relationship to client care.
8. Identifying factors that influence comfort and
pain.
9. Comparing safety needs of special populations
of patients.
• Communication
Course Competency 8: The student will
• Numbers / Data
identify principles of growth and development by:
• Critical thinking

Updated Spring 2021

 • Information Literacy

1. Identifying client needs throughout the life

cycle 2. Identifying special needs of the aging
population.
3. Discussing the role of the nurse in the stages of
death and dying.
4. Discussing the legal and ethical implications in
end of life care.
• Communication
Course Competency 9: The student will • Numbers / Data
discuss concepts of perioperative nursing by: • Critical thinking
• Information Literacy

1. Discussing the cognitive, psychological, and

physical aspects of preparing a client for surgery.
2. Describing the nurse’s role in caring for the
client during the preoperative, intraoperative, and
postoperative phases.
3. Defining the concept of “surgical asepsis”
4. Discussing methods of minimizing
postoperative complications.
• Communication
Course Competency 10: The student will • Numbers / Data
identify principles of stress and adaptation by: • Information Literacy

1. Describing the physiological and psychological

responses to stress.
2. Giving examples of stress reduction techniques.
• Communication
Course Competency 11: The student will identify • Numbers / Data
the nurse’s role in preserving visual and auditory • Critical thinking
health by: • Information Literacy

1. Describing the physiological processes involved

in normal visual and hearing.
2. Identifying common abnormalities of the visual
and auditory systems.
3. Identifying nursing responsibilities in managing
the care of clients with selected visual and
auditory pathologies.

Updated Spring 2021

 • Communication
Course Competency 12: The student will • Numbers / Data
apply the mechanisms of fluid, electrolyte and • Critical thinking
acid-base balance by: • Information Literacy

1. Describing the role of fluid and electrolytes in

body function.
2. Comparing signs and symptoms of specific fluid
and electrolyte imbalances.
3. Identifying nursing management of specific fluid
and electrolyte imbalances.
4. Comparing and contrasting types of intravenous
solutions and indications for use.
5. Describing pH and the mechanisms that
regulate acid-base balance.
6. Analyzing arterial blood gas results.
7. Identifying normal and abnormal
manifestations of respiratory and metabolic
acidosis and alkalosis.
• Communication
Course Competency 13: The student will • Numbers / Data
identify the nurse’s role in the preparation and • Critical thinking
administration of medications by: • Information Literacy

1. Identifying the factors that influence the actions

of drugs.
2. Comparing and contrasting the different routes
of medication administration.
3. Explaining the importance of the “five rights” of
medication administration.
4. Stating the legal and ethical implications of
medication administration.
5. Outlining error prone situations and methods
for improving patient outcomes.
6. Discussing root-cause analysis of sentinel
events.

Updated Spring 2021