student representative

44 Pages·2015·0.75 MB·English

3231 North Decatur, Suite 201
Las Vegas, Nevada 89130

Practical Nursing (PN) Program
Student Handbook

Effective June 23, 2015
TABLE OF CONTENTS

Welcome Page 3

Terminology Page 4-5

Program Overview and Curriculum Concepts Page 6
Course Descriptions Page 7
NCLEX-PN® Application Page 7
Program Mission Page 8
Program Philosophy Page 8
Program Student Learning Outcomes Page 8
Student Responsibilities Page 9
Faculty Responsibilities Page 9
Student Representatives Page 9

Library Resources Page 10
NCI Gmail Email Address Page 10
How To Create a G-Mail Account Pages 10-12
Access to Program Materials: MOODLE Page 12

Grading Page 13
Group Project and Presentation Grading Page 13
Skills Laboratory (Lab) Grading Page 14
Clinical Grading Page 14
Student Success Contract Page 14
Tutoring Page 15
Student Advising Page 15
Retention / Progression Policy Page 15
Grievance Procedure Page 15
Program Re-Entry Page 16
Campus Code of Conduct Page 16
Grounds for Disciplinary Action Page 17
Continued on next page

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TABLE OF CONTENTS Continued

Plagiarism Page 17
Test Taking (Assessments) Page 17
Drug Free Learning and Practice Environment Page 18
Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) Page 18
Social Media Policy Page 18
Dress Code Page 19
Attendance Page 20
Medical Release Criteria Page 20

Pregnancy Page 21
Immunocompromised Students Page 21
Accidents/ Incidents Page 21
Blood or Body Fluid Exposure Page 22
Clinical Practice Requirements Page 23
APPENDIX
Academic Advisor Page 25
Blood-Borne Pathogens Exposure Report Page 26
Essential Functions of Nursing Students Pages 27-28
Medical Release Form Page 29
Pregnancy Release and Documentation of Pregnancy Form Page 30
Skills Laboratory Pages 31-33
Student Representative Page 34
Student Success Contract Page 35
Tardiness, Attendance and Conduct: Classroom Pages 36-37
Tardiness, Attendance and Conduct: Lab & Clinical & Simulation
Pages 38-40
Settings
Test Taking (Assessments) Page 41

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Dear Nursing Student,

Welcome to the Nevada Career Institute (NCI) Practical Nursing Program!

Nursing is a dynamic and challenging profession where you will be able to make a difference in people’s
lives and they in turn will make a difference in yours. You will be with people when they are at their
worst and at their best, and be inspired. You are on a journey that will open many doors for you
personally and professionally.

This Nursing Student Handbook contains valuable information about policies and procedures of the NCI
Practical Nurse (PN) program and is an important resource for your academic success. Refer to this
handbook often since you will be held accountable to meet the expectations provided in this handbook.
Any changes to this handbook will be provided to you by your instructor or me, the Director of Nursing
(DON).

In addition to the Nursing Student Handbook, you also have ready access to the online NCI Course
Catalog that contains the campus policies and procedures. This catalog is posted on the public website for
NCI. Nursing students are responsible to know and comply with the general policies and procedures of
the campus. This PN Student Handbook serves as a supplement to the Course Catalog.

The PN program staff and faculty join me in wishing you every success in the program. Please let us
know if there is anything we can do to help you along the way.

Sincerely,

Katherine Cylke DNP, RN
Director of Nursing (DON)
Nevada Career Institute

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TERMINOLOGY

ACCOUNTABILITY: To be answerable to one’s self and others for one’s own actions. Nurses are
accountable for judgments made and actions taken in the course of nursing practice (ANA, 2001).

ASSOCIATE DEGREE OF SCIENCE IN NURSING (ADN) (also known as ASN): Registered nurse
level education

AMERICAN NURSES ASSOCIATION (ANA): (www.nursingworld.org) Professional organization
for nurses

BACHELOR OF SCIENCE IN NURSING (BSN):

 Generic BSN programs prepare non-nurses with an RN level education and the
coursework required for a baccalaureate degree.
 Completion BSN programs prepare RNs that are already licensed with the coursework
required for a baccalaureate degree.

CLINICAL: Component of the educational program offered in a health care setting in which training
and education is provided. The school must have an affiliation agreement with a health care setting in
order for students and faculty to use the setting for clinical activities.

CLINICAL FACULTY: Instructors who teach the clinical portion of courses.

CLINICAL JUDGMENT: An application of clinical reasoning, using in-depth analysis and evaluation
of knowledge and skills, whereby the nurse knows why an intervention is needed, how to perform the
intervention competently, and can justify clinical decision-making; allowing the clinician to fit his or her
knowledge and experience to an individual patient (IOM, 2009).

CLINICAL REASONING: An in-depth mental process of analysis and evaluation of knowledge and
skills; the process of arriving at problem identification (IOM, 2009).

COMPETENCY: “An expected and measurable level of nursing performance that integrates
knowledge, skills, and abilities and judgment based on established scientific knowledge and expectations
for nursing practice” (ANA, 2010a, p. 64).

CRITICAL THINKING: The deliberate nonlinear process of collecting, interpreting, analyzing,
drawing conclusions about, presenting, and evaluating information that is both factually and belief based
(NLNAC, 2002).

DIDACTIC FACULTY: Instructors who teach the didactic/lecture portion of courses.

EVIDENCE-BASED PRACTICE (EBP): A scholarly and systematic problem-solving paradigm that
results in the delivery of high-quality healthcare (ANA, 2010a)

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INTERPROFESSIONAL: Working across healthcare professions to cooperate, collaborate,
communicate, and integrate care in teams to ensure that care is continuous and reliable. The team consists
of the client, the nurse, and other healthcare providers as appropriate.

LAB: Component of the education program offered in the skills laboratory on campus.

NCLEX-PN®: National Council Licensure Examination is a national examination required in order to
pursue licensure as a practical/vocational nurse (PN or VN).

NCLEX-RN®: National Council Licensure Examination is a national examination required in order to
pursue licensure as a professional registered nurse (RN).

NATIONAL COUNCIL OF STATE BOARDS OF NURSING (NCSBN): (www.ncsbn.org):
Organization for the state boards of nursing. Provides valuable information for students regarding the
NCLEX-PN ® and NCLEX-RN ®.

NATIONAL STUDENT NURSES ASSOCIATION (NSNA): (www.nsna.org).

NEVADA STATE BOARD OF NURSING (NSBN): State organization that protects the public's
health, safety, and welfare through effective nursing regulation such as granting nursing licenses.

NURSING PROCESS: A critical thinking model that encompasses all significant actions taken by
registered nurses and forms the foundation of the nurses’ decision-making. It includes the components of
assessment, diagnosis, outcomes, identification, planning, implementation, and evaluation (ANA, 2010a).

PRACTICAL NURSE (PN): One must pass the NCLEX-PN® exam to become eligible to obtain a
license as a practical nurse (LPN.) The term “LPN” applies to all states except California and Texas
where the title Vocational Nurse (VN) or Licensed Vocational Nurse (LVN) is used.

PROFESSIONALISM: Professionalism involves the consistent demonstration of core values evidenced
by nurses working with other professionals to achieve optimal health and wellness outcomes in patients,
families, and communities by wisely applying principles of altruism, excellence, caring, ethics, respect,
communication, and accountability (AACN, 2008).

REGISTERED NURSE (RN): To be an RN, one must successfully graduate from an approved program
and pass the NLCEX-RN® exam and obtain a license from a state board of nursing. Only fully licensed
registered nurses may practice nursing and identify themselves as registered nurses.

SAFETY: Safety minimizes risk of harm to patients through both system effectiveness and individual
performance (QSEN, 2007).

STANDARDS OF PRACTICE: Authoritative statements that describe a level of care or performance
common to the profession of nursing by which the quality of nursing practice can be judged (ANA,
2010a)

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PN Program Overview - Cohort 10

Additional
Total Semester
Lecture Lab Clinical Outside
Course Course Title Clock Credit
Hours Hours Hours Clock
Hours Hours
Hours
SOS Seminar for Success 80 0 0 117.5 5.0 37.5
Concepts of Nursing
NURS
Across the Lifespan; 90 120 135 442.5 13.0 97.5
110
Health/Health Promotion
Concepts of Nursing
NURS
Across the Lifespan; 90 120 180 495.0 14.0 105.0
130
Acute Illness
Concepts of Nursing
NURS Across the Lifespan;
105 30 225 457.5 13.0 97.5
150 Chronic Illness/End of
Life Care
TOTAL 365 270 540 1175 45.0 337.5

Curriculum Concepts – Cohort 10

NURS 110 NURS 130 NURS 150

1. Professional Behaviors 1. Acid-Base / Fluids & Electrolytes 1. Leadership
2. Self 2. Homeostasis 2. Role Transition
3. Clinical Decision Making 3. Thermoregulation 3. Psychosocial Integrity
4. Communication 4. Sensory perception 4. Sexuality
5. Caring Interventions 5. Inflammation 5. Violence
6. Data Collection 6. Infection 6. Spirituality
7. Health/Illness/Wellness 7. Metabolism & Immunity 7. Grief & Loss/End of Life
8. Mobility 8. Cellular Regulation & Tissue Integrity 8. Cognition
9. Comfort 9. Oxygenation 9. Health Promotion
10. Stress & Coping 10. Perfusion 10. Community
11. Thermoregulation 11. Intracranial Regulation 11. Informatics
12. Culture & Diversity 12. Elimination 12. EBP / QI
13. Reproduction 13. Human Development/Pediatrics 13. Healthcare Systems
14. Stress & Coping 14. Legal/Ethical/Advocacy

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COURSE DESCRIPTIONS

Semester 1
NUR 110 – Concepts of Nursing Across the Lifespan: Health/ Health Promotion
Credit Hours: 13
Course Description:
This course focuses on acquisition of basic nursing knowledge and skills. Focus is on providing care to
healthy individuals across the lifespan. The course also explores historical issues impacting nursing.
Emphasis is placed on providing safe, competent, effective health care based on individual needs for
health promotion. Clinical emphasis may include senior centers, day care centers, schools, health
promotion classes and clinics. Safety, patient-centered care, pharmacology, adult nursing, gerontology,
pediatrics, maternal-child, and mental health concepts are integrated throughout this course.
Semester 2
NURS 130 – Concepts of Nursing Across the Lifespan: Acute Illness
Credit Hours: 14
Course Description: This course continues to develop students’ knowledge of pathophysiology over the
lifespan of individuals and families. Emphasis is placed on responsibility and accountability for nursing
care. Concepts of the nursing process related to pathophysiology, caring, diversity, ethics, integrity,
safety, patient-centered care and evidence-based practice are discussed. Clinical emphasis may include
support groups, long term care, rehabilitation centers, hospitals, and home health care. Safety, patient-
centered care, pharmacology, adult nursing, gerontology, pediatrics, maternal-child, and mental health
concepts are integrated throughout this course.
Semester 3
NURS 150 – Concepts of Nursing Across the Lifespan: Chronic Illness/End of Life Care
Credit Hours: 13
Course Description: Class is designed to focus on multidisciplinary complex care of diverse individuals,
families and groups throughout the lifespan. Students will utilize the nursing process in the care and
management of patients with complex health care needs and disorders. Initial exposure in nursing
management and delegation techniques for the new LPN is provided. The clinical experience continues
the development of nursing knowledge and skills in the care of individuals, families, and groups
culminating in a team leading experience. Clinical emphasis may include hospice, home health care,
long term care, hospitals, and rehabilitation centers. Safety, patient-centered care, pharmacology, adult
nursing, gerontology, pediatrics, maternal-child, and mental health concepts are integrated throughout
this course

NCLEX APPLICATION

NCLEX applications are sent to the Nevada State Board of Nursing (NSBN) by the Director of Nursing
(DON) after the student has successfully completed the nursing program. The sooner graduates take the
NCLEX exam, the higher the chance of passing. NCI makes this possible by paying your $90 NSBN
application fee and your $200 NCLEX test-taking fee for graduates who test within 6 weeks of
graduation. Your post-graduation plan MUST be to keep studying, reviewing, and practicing NCLEX-
based questions until the date of your exam!

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PN PROGRAM MISSION

The mission of the NCI PN nursing program is twofold. A primary objective is to effectively educate
students in order for them to provide safe, compassionate, and competent care at the entry to practice
level for diverse patients/clients across the lifespan in a variety of healthcare settings. The other primary
objective is to effectively educate students in order for them to pass the NCLEX – PN licensing test on
the first attempt.

PN PROGRAM PHILOSOPHY

The Practical Nurse is an integral member of the multidisciplinary health care team. The Practical Nurse
provides care in uncomplicated and relatively stable situations with a minimum of supervision and
direction from the RN and/or a person licensed in this state to prescribe medications and treatments.

The goal of the Practical Nursing program is to provide students with the opportunity to develop
cognitive, affective and psychomotor skills sufficient to provide optimum client care across the illness-
wellness continuum, across the lifespan, and across cultures. Health is on a continuum with high level
wellness and death as the extremes. The position on the illness-wellness continuum depends upon the
individual's ability to adapt to a changing environment and the availability of supportive assistance.
Culture impacts the way individuals think about health and illness and influences health related
behaviors. The individual's optimal level of health will vary throughout life.

The Practical Nursing program prepares students to use the nursing process to collect client data, identify
client problems, implement appropriate interventions that are individualized to each client’s unique
circumstances, and evaluate the effectiveness of care provided. The Practical Nursing program prepares
students to assist clients in meeting their physical and psychosocial needs, thereby helping them to
maintain and/or restore an optimal level of health or support in death.

The Practical Nursing program encourages lifelong learning in order for graduates to meet the new
demands of nursing in the rapidly changing world of health care. The PN program promotes nursing’s
leadership role in creating healthy communities by promoting health and healing, preventing disease, and
influencing healthcare policy by utilizing evidence-based knowledge and science.

The Practical Nursing program’s faculty view teaching and learning an interactive process between
teacher and learner. The responsibility of the faculty is to facilitate the student’s understanding and ability
to meet the competencies for nursing practice through the design and evaluation of learning experiences.
The nursing student is responsible for actively participating in learning experiences and developing the
knowledge, skills, and attitudes necessary to provide quality client centered nursing care.

(Revised July 2015)

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