BLINN COLLEGE ASSOCIATE DEGREE NURSING PROGRAM STUDENT HANDBOOK

BLINN COLLEGE ASSOCIATE DEGREE NURSING PROGRAM STUDENT HANDBOOK 2014-2016 1

Table of Contents Table of Contents... 2 Mission Statement... 7 Vision Statement... 7 Welcome... 8 INTRODUCTION... 9 Program Accreditation... 9 Essential Qualifications/Basic Competencies... 10 Motor Skills... 10 Sensory/Observation... 11 Communication... 11 Cognitive... 11 Behavioral/Emotional... 12 Professional Conduct... 12 Implementation of the Essential Qualifications/Basic Competencies... 12 Regular and Ongoing Evaluation of the Essential Qualifications/Basic Competencies for Progression and Graduation... 13 Liability Insurance... 13 CURRICULUM... 14 Philosophy... 15 PROGRAM OBJECTIVES... 16 Conceptual Framework... 18 Roles and Functions of the Associate Degree Nurse... 19 Associate Degree Nursing Education... 19 Course Descriptions... 21 2

Degree Plans... 21 Generic Traditional Cohort... 22 LVN Transition Option Degree Plan... 24 Required Electronic References... 26 List of Required Textbooks and Other Materials... 26 Learning Management System... 26 RESOURCES... 27 Campus Resources... 28 Counseling Services... 28 Disability Services... 28 Non-Discrimination Statement... 28 Services for Students with Documented Disabilities... 28 Library... 28 Financial Aid... 29 Perkins Grant... 29 The Learning Center... 29 Security & Police Services... 29 Nursing Student Organizations... 29 Blinn College Nursing Student Association (BCNSA)... 29 Future Registered Nurses Club (FRNC)... 30 Nursing Honor Society... 30 Retention Services... 30 Life-long Learning... 31 Associate Degree to BSN Curriculum... 32 Transfer Information... 33 3

Pinning Ceremony... 34 POLICIES & PROCEDURES... 35 Student Conduct... 36 Criminal Activity while enrolled in the ADN Program... 36 RAP Back Procedure... 36 Academic Integrity... 39 Professional Conduct... 39 Social Media Guidelines... 41 Substance Abuse Policy... 42 Attendance and Absences Standards... 44 Attendance Standards... 44 Absences and Excused Absences... 45 Student Health and Immunizations... 46 Infectious Disease Guidelines... 46 Follow-up to Exposure... 47 Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR) Requirement... 48 Auditing ADN Course(s)... 48 Directions for Auditing a Nursing Course... 49 Incompletes... 49 Dismissal... 50 Withdrawal... 50 Slow-Track... 50 Readmission... 50 Behavior Expected in the Clinical Area... 52 Dress Code... 53 4

Students Witnessing Legal Documents... 55 Requirements for Medication Administration... 56 Dosage Calculation Exam Policy... 58 Dosage Calculation Rounding Rules for Each Exam... 59 Procedure for Clinical Make-up Days... 60 Blinn College Health Sciences Clinical Simulation Labs... 61 Interactive Video Conferencing... 63 Videoconferencing Etiquette... 63 Test Taking Procedures, Conduct, & Etiquette... 64 Written Reprimands/Contracts... 66 Student Rights and Responsibilities Policies... 67 Student Complaint Policy... 67 Written Assignments... 68 Inclement Weather Procedure... 69 Internal & External Disasters... 69 Internal Disasters... 69 External Disasters... 70 EVALUATION... 72 Assessment Technologies Institute... 73 Nursing Course Requirements... 74 Clinical Evaluation... 75 Differentiated Essential Competencies (DEC)... 76 I. Member of the Profession... 76 II. Provider of Patient-Centered Care... 78 III. Patient Safety Advocate... 83 5

IV. Member of the Health Care Team... 85 Criteria for Unsafe Clinical Performance... 89 LICENSURE... 91 Licensure... 92 Texas Nursing Jurisprudence Exam... 93 6

Blinn College Associate Degree Nursing Program Mission Statement Blinn College Blinn College is a comprehensive community college committed to educational excellence and to individual and community enhancement. ADN Program The mission of the Blinn College Associate Degree Nursing Program is to provide quality, innovative, evidence-based Nursing Education preparing Graduates for entry into the Nursing Profession. Blinn College Blinn College will be the leading educational, cultural and economic resource for our stakeholders. Vision Statement ADN Program Graduate future nurse leaders with a spirit of inquiry who will seek higher education in nursing and lifelong learning opportunities. 7

Dear Students: Welcome to the Associate Degree Nursing (ADN) Program at Blinn College! August, 2014 The Associate Degree Nursing Program Student Handbook is for students who have been admitted to the Program, and is a supplement to the Blinn College Catalog. It contains important information about program policies, licensure requirements, and student services. The ADN Program has highly qualified faculty experienced in a variety of healthcare areas who work closely with students in the simulated practice laboratory and in actual clinical settings. It is through a spirit of cooperation and communication that students and faculty members share a common goal of learning and developing skills for clinical nursing practice. In nursing, clinical competence and clinical reasoning are developed through practice, determination, and application of theoretical content learned in the classroom related to actual clinical situations while in school and later in practice throughout your future career. While you are in the ADN Program you will learn how to think critically and solve clinical problems as you prepare to take the licensing board examination (NCLEX-RN) to become a Registered Nurse (RN). We are committed to helping you graduate and become a future nurse leader with a spirit of inquiry and someone who will seek higher education and look for lifelong learning opportunities. We value your experiences here and welcome your suggestions and encourage your active participation on specific committees and in our student organizations. We look forward to working with you in the coming semesters. Sincerely, Blinn Associate Degree Nursing Faculty 8

INTRODUCTION Program Accreditation The Blinn College ADN Program is fully approved/accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC), Texas Board of Nursing (BON) (333 Guadalupe #3-460, Austin, TX 78701; phone 512-305-7400; fax 512-305-7401; www.bon.state.tx.us), and Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing (ACEN) (3343 Peachtree Road NE, Suite 850, Atlanta, GA 30326; Phone 404-975-5000; fax 404-975- 5020); www.acenursing.org ). 9

Essential Qualifications/Basic Competencies for Progression and Graduation (Including Physical and Emotional Standards) Successfully completing Blinn College s ADN Program means the graduate has been educated to competently practice nursing in all healthcare settings and to apply for RN licensure. The education of a future nurse requires assimilation of knowledge, acquisition of skills, and development of judgment through patient care experiences in preparation for independent, semi-autonomous practice where making appropriate decisions is required. The curriculum requires students to engage in diverse, complex, and specific experiences essential to the acquisition and practice of essential nursing skills and functions. Unique combinations of cognitive, affective, psychomotor, physical, and social abilities are required to satisfactorily perform these functions. In addition to being essential to the successful completion of this program, these functions are necessary to ensure the health and safety of patients, fellow students, faculty and other healthcare workers. Physical and emotional health are also critical to the successful progression and completion of this Program. Physical health is defined as the ability to perform both fine and gross motor skills, being able to perform normal weight-bearing activities, and be free of communicable diseases. Emotional health is defined as reacting appropriately to stressful situations, understanding one s own ability to cope with stressful situations, and behaving appropriately within the current environment. The essential abilities necessary to acquire or demonstrate competence in a discipline as complex as nursing and needed for successful progression by nursing, (in addition to the standards of behavior and conduct set forth by Blinn College), include but are not limited to the following: Motor Skills Students should have sufficient motor function so they are able to execute movements required to provide safe effective general care and treatment to patients in all health care settings. [For example: For the safety and protection of the patients, the student must be able to perform basic life support, including CPR, and function in an emergency situation. The student must have the ability, within reasonable limits, to safely assist a patient in moving, for example, from a chair to a bed, or from a wheelchair to a commode.] - Mobility possess physical abilities sufficient to move from room to room, maneuver in small spaces and stand and walk for extensive periods of time. - Weight-Bearing possess ability to lift and manipulate and move 45-50 pounds (22 Kg) sometimes daily. 10

Sensory/Observation Students must be able to acquire the information presented through demonstrations and experiences in the basic and nursing sciences. He or she must be able to observe a patient accurately, at a distance and close at hand, and observe and appreciate non-verbal communications when performing nursing assessments and interventions or administering medications. The student must be capable of perceiving the signs of disease and infection as manifested through physical examination. - Hearing possess auditory ability sufficient for observation and assessment. For example, hear monitor alarms, emergency signals, auscultatory sounds and cries for help. - Visual possess visual ability sufficient for observation an assessment. For example, observe patient responses to interventions. - Tactile possess tactile ability sufficient for physical assessment. For example, perform palpation, functions or physical examination and/or related therapeutic intervention, and insertions of various catheters. Communication Students must communicate effectively and sensitively with other students, faculty, staff, patients, family, and other professionals. He or she must express his or her ideas and feelings clearly and demonstrate a willingness and ability to give and receive feedback. A student must be able to: convey or exchange information at a level allowing development of a health history; identify problems presented; explain alternative solutions; and give directions during treatment and post-treatment. The student must be able to communicate effectively in oral and written forms. The student must be able to process and communicate information on the patient's status with accuracy in a timely manner to members of the health care team. The appropriate communication may also rely on the student's ability to make a correct judgment in seeking supervision and consultation in a timely manner. Cognitive Students must be able to measure, calculate, reason, analyze, integrate and synthesize in the context of the nursing curriculum. The student must be able to quickly read and comprehend extensive written material. He or she must also be able to evaluate and apply information and engage in critical thinking in the classroom and clinical setting. Students must organize responsibilities and make appropriate decisions. - Critical Thinking/Clinical Reasoning process critical thinking and clinical reasoning ability sufficient for clinical judgment. For example, must be able to identify cause-effect relationships in clinical situations. 11

Behavioral/Emotional Students must possess the emotional health required for the full utilization of his or her intellectual abilities, the exercise of good judgment, the prompt completion of all responsibilities attendant to the diagnosis and care of patients and families. In addition, he or she must be able to maintain mature, sensitive, and effective relationships with patients, students, faculty, staff and other professionals under all circumstances (with different social, intellectual, and cultural backgrounds) including highly stressful situations. The student must have the emotional stability to function effectively under stress and to adapt to an environment that may change rapidly without warning and/or in unpredictable ways. The student must be able to experience empathy for the situations and circumstances of others and effectively communicate that empathy. The student must know that his or her values, attitudes, beliefs, emotions, and experiences affect his or her perceptions and relationships with others. The student must be able and willing to examine and change his or her behavior when it interferes with productive individual or team relationships. The student must possess skills and experience necessary for effective and harmonious relationships in diverse academic and working environments. Professional Conduct Students must possess the ability to reason morally and practice nursing in an ethical manner. Students must be willing to learn and abide by professional standards of practice. Students must not engage in unprofessional conduct, and must possess attributes that include compassion, empathy, altruism, integrity, honesty, responsibility and tolerance. Students must be able to engage in patient care delivery in all settings and be able to deliver care to all patient populations including but not limited to children, adolescents, adults, developmentally disabled persons, medically compromised patients, and vulnerable adults. Content Credit: University of Washington School of Nursing, Rowan Cabarrus Community College, and Blinn s Radiologic Technology Program Implementation of the Essential Qualifications/Basic Competencies for Progression and Graduation The Essential Qualifications/Basic Competencies for Progression and Graduation are reviewed and explained in detail during New Student Orientation. Students will have an opportunity to ask questions and seek clarification followed by acknowledgement of receipt and their understanding. 12

Regular and Ongoing Evaluation of the Essential Qualifications/Basic Competencies for Progression and Graduation The student will review the Essential Qualifications/Basic Competencies at the beginning of the academic school year and each semester and self-evaluate at the end of each semester. Because of the close working relationship with the students, the Clinical Instructor, Course Coordinator, and Director of the Program will collectively be responsible for monitoring and documenting whether a student is meeting the Essential Qualifications/Basic Competencies. Formal documentation is necessary for any concerns relating to behavior in the classroom and/or clinical setting. - Problematic behavior will be documented by faculty in the student's academic file and may result in a written contract. - If there is a pattern of problematic behavior or a single, very serious lapse in the essential qualifications/basic competencies becomes evident, the following process will be followed: Warn student verbally and/or in writing their continuation in the program is in jeopardy. Warning documented by faculty and placed in student s academic file. Composing a contract: The student's instructor in consultation with the Course Coordinator (and Program Director if appropriate), will prepare an individual student contract specifically identifying what needs to be demonstrated in order to meet the essential qualifications/basic competencies and thus remain in the program. Contract is approved by the Director of the Program (and Dean of Health Sciences if appropriate): Student reads and signs the contract (signature indicates the student has read it), a copy of the contract is placed in the student's academic file until completion of the program. Contract monitored at least each semester (or more frequently if needed) by Program Director. If the contract is not upheld by the student, the student will be dismissed from the program. Liability Insurance As a component of professional responsibility and accountability, students of the Blinn ADN Program are required to have liability insurance. A portion of student fees is allocated to cover the cost of the premiums. 13

CURRICULUM 14

Philosophy The nursing faculty accepts the mission statement of Blinn College. We believe community college provides an optimal setting for Associate Degree Nursing education. Blinn College provides an atmosphere where nursing education is complemented through the study of other disciplines. The college setting allows opportunities for the student to develop in the intellectual, spiritual, psychological, social, physical, and vocational areas through diversified activities. The client is a dynamic complex person with biological, psychological, sociocultural, spiritual, and developmental needs across the lifespan. The client has inherent dignity and worth and is capable of reaching the highest potential of functioning. We emphasize respect for the client within cultural and family systems, with the right to make choices. A client may be a participant in and recipient of care. The client may be an individual or family, and may also be referred to as consumer, patient, and/or resident. Health is a state of biological, psychological, sociological, cultural and spiritual well-being and not merely the absence of disease or injury. Health, as a level of wellness, varies over time and is influenced by the environment, including internal and external variables. There is constant dynamic interaction and adaptation between these variables. Alterations in health and the environment may affect the individual s ability to meet basic and developmental needs. Nursing, as an art and science, builds its unique body of knowledge upon the sciences and humanities. Nursing comprises a complex set of psychomotor, affective, and cognitive behaviors. Nursing actions may involve health promotion and maintenance, prevention of illness or injury, restoration, rehabilitation, and supportive care. Caring is an essential intentional element of nursing. A value essential to nursing includes the moral commitment toward preserving human dignity. Through therapeutic communication and the nursing process, safe, effective, individualized care is assessed, planned, implemented or delegated in a variety of structured settings within a community. This process involves the use of clinical reasoning as a basis for decision-making and problem-solving and teaching-learning. Nurses collaborate with clients and other health care professionals to assist clients with health care needs. Nurses are accountable and responsible for client safety and advocacy, as well as the quality of nursing care they provide. Graduates are prepared as novice practitioners to provide and coordinate care for clients in diverse structured settings. The associate degree nurse is capable of functioning with four interrelated roles, including member of the profession, provider of patient-centered care, patient safety advocate, and member of the health care team. Associate degree nursing education is a dynamic process based on sciences, humanities, and nursing theory and practice. This process is designed to change cognitive, psychomotor, and affective behaviors through a progressive curriculum. Nursing education promotes development of competencies and values enabling students to become productive members of the nursing profession and society. 15

Instruction and evaluation are provided individually and in groups. The learning environment consists of classroom, skills laboratory, distance learning, clinical simulation, and a variety of clinical settings. The role of the faculty is to facilitate learning by providing an environment conducive to individual growth. Faculty members serve as role models of professional practice. The individual learner is responsible and accountable for achieving identified behavioral objectives. PROGRAM OBJECTIVES Upon graduation, the associate degree nurse is capable of functioning within four interrelated roles. These roles include: member of the profession, provider of patient-centered care, patient safety advocate, and member of the health care team. Upon completion of the Associate Degree Nursing Program, the graduate should be able to: I. Member of the Profession: A. Function within the nurse s legal scope of practice and in accordance with the policies and procedures of the employing health care institution or practice setting. B. Assume responsibility and accountability for the quality of nursing care provided to patients and their families. C. Participate in activities that promote the development and practice of professional nursing. D. Demonstrate responsibility for continued competence in nursing practice, and develop insight through reflection, self-analysis, self-care, and lifelong learning. II. Provider of Patient-Centered Care: A. Use clinical reasoning and knowledge based on the associate degree nursing program of study and evidence-based practice outcomes as a basis for decision making in nursing practice. B. Determine the physical and mental health status, needs, and preferences of culturally, ethnically, and socially diverse patients and their families based upon interpretation of comprehensive health assessment findings compared with evidence-based health data derived from the associate degree nursing program of study. C. Analyze assessment data to identify problems, formulate goals/outcomes, and develop plans of care for patients and their families using information from evidence-based practice in collaboration with patients, their families, and the interdisciplinary health care team. D. Provide safe, compassionate, comprehensive nursing care to patients and their families through a broad array of health care services. E. Implement the plan of care for patients and their families within legal, ethical, and regulatory parameters and in consideration of disease prevention, wellness, and promotion of healthy lifestyles. F. Evaluate and report patient outcomes and responses to therapeutic interventions in comparison to benchmarks from evidence-based practice, and plan follow-up nursing care. 16

G. Develop, implement, and evaluate teaching plans for patients and their families to address health promotion, maintenance, and restoration. H. Coordinate human, information, and materiel resources in providing care for patients and their families. III. Patient Safety Advocate: A. Demonstrate knowledge of the Texas Nursing Practice Act and the Texas Board of Nursing Rules that emphasize safety, as well as all federal, state, and local government and accreditation organization safety requirements and standards. B. Implement measures to promote quality and a safe environment for patients, self, and others. C. Formulate goals and outcomes using evidence-based data to reduce patient risks. D. Obtain instruction, supervision, or training as needed when implementing nursing procedures or practices. E. Comply with mandatory reporting requirements of the Texas Nursing Practice Act. F. Accept and make assignments and delegate tasks that take into consideration patient safety and organizational policy. IV. Member of the Health Care Team: A. Coordinate, collaborate, and communicate with patients, their families, and the interdisciplinary health care team to plan, deliver, and evaluate patient-centered care. B. Serve as a health care advocate in monitoring and promoting quality and access to health care for patients and their families. C. Refer patients and their families to resources that facilitate continuity of care; health promotion, maintenance, and restoration; and ensure confidentiality. D. Communicate and collaborate in a timely manner with members of the interdisciplinary health care team to promote and maintain optimal health status of patients and their families. E. Communicate and manage information using technology to support decision making to improve patient care. F. Assign and/or delegate nursing care to other members of the health care team based upon an analysis of patient or unit need. G. Supervise nursing care provided by others for whom the nurse is responsible by using evidence based nursing practice. (Differentiated Essential Competencies of Graduates of Texas Nursing Programs Evidenced by Knowledge, Clinical Judgments, and Behaviors (DECs), Texas Board of Nursing, October 2010) 17

Conceptual Framework The conceptual framework of the Associate Degree Nursing (ADN) Program curriculum at Blinn College reflects the vision, mission, and philosophy statements of the College and the Program. The conceptual framework as a rationale for the curriculum is based upon the beliefs of the nursing faculty about the following major concepts: nursing, client, health, environment, roles and functions of the associate degree nurse, and associate degree nursing education. Nursing The ADN faculty shares eclectic views of nursing theory with an emphasis on caring as a key construct (Billings & Halstead, 2005). Nursing involves values and commitment, resulting in protection, enhancement, and preservation of human dignity. Nursing is caring for clients in an effort to meet obvious or anticipated needs (Watson, 1988). Nursing as a social service, must be attuned to the problems, issues, trends, and needs of a culturally diverse society (Leininger, 1991). Gordon s Functional Health Patterns (Gordon, 1987) provide a way to organize assessment data to form nursing diagnoses for planning and implementing nursing care. Client The client has needs which motivate behavior. The theories of Maslow and Erikson are incorporated in the teaching of basic needs and developmental tasks. Maslow prioritizes human needs, while Erikson explains human development across the lifespan. Maslow identified human needs in ascending order: physiologic, safety and security, love and belonging, self-esteem, and self-actualization. A client may have unmet needs which, according to Maslow, must be met to achieve a state of health or well-being (Maslow, 1968). Erikson s theory of psychosocial development is used as a basis for understanding clients at various stages. The theory is positively oriented and concerned with the development of a healthy ego. Erikson emphasizes that individuals must change and adapt their behavior to maintain control over their lives (Smelser & Erikson, 1980). Health Health varies over time and is more than the absence of disease or injury. Both internal and external variables influence health as a wellness state. Throughout the lifespan, a client s level of wellness varies. As health fluctuates, the client may experience challenges in meeting basic and developmental needs. Environment The environment in which a client interacts consists of surrounding conditions and influences. This environment influences a client s health, through the continuous dynamic interaction, integration, and adaptation between internal and external variables. Nurses are challenged to provide care in the client s environment. 18

Roles and Functions of the Associate Degree Nurse Four interrelated roles of practice have been identified for the graduate of the Associate Degree Nursing Program: member of the profession, provider of patient-centered care, patient safety advocate, and member of the health care team. These four nursing roles define the scope, limitations, and direction of the associate degree nurse in the delivery of nursing care. Nursing care may include health promotion, prevention of illness or injury, habilitative, restorative, rehabilitative, and supportive care. Specific competencies for each of these roles have been defined previously by the Differentiated Essential Competencies (DECs) (Texas Board of Nursing, 2010). Students are taught and evaluated based on these roles of the associate degree nurse. Member of the Profession As a member of the profession of nursing, the associate degree nurse exhibits behaviors that reflect commitment to the growth and development of the role and function of nursing consistent with state and national regulations and with ethical and professional standards; aspires to improve the discipline of nursing and its contribution to society; and values self-assessment and the need for lifelong learning. Provider of Patient-Centered Care The associate degree nurse accepts responsibility for the quality of nursing care and provides safe, compassionate nursing care using a systematic process of assessment, analysis, planning, intervention, and evaluation that focuses on the needs and preferences of patients and their families. The nurse incorporates professional values and ethical principles into nursing practice. The patients for ADN educated RNs include individual patients and their families. Patient Safety Advocate The associate degree nurse promotes safety in the patient and family environment by: following scope and standards of nursing practice; practicing within the parameters of individual knowledge, skills, and abilities; identifying and reporting actual and potential unsafe practices; and implementing measures to prevent harm. Member of the Health Care Team The associate degree nurse provides patient-centered care by collaborating, coordinating, and/or facilitating comprehensive care with an interdisciplinary/multidisciplinary health care team to determine and implement best practices for the patients and their families. Associate Degree Nursing Education Associate degree nursing education is a dynamic process based upon principles derived from the sciences, humanities, and evidence-based nursing practice. The process of nursing education is designed to stimulate students to seek knowledge and to develop cognitive, psychomotor, and affective behaviors as they progress from students to novice practitioners. Associate degree nursing education promotes development of competencies and attitudes that assist students to become productive members of the 19

healthcare delivery system. We believe associate degree nursing education must provide opportunities and experiences for individuals to develop the necessary knowledge and competencies as associate degree nursing graduates. Associate degree nursing education prepares the graduate to function as a novice practitioner, both independently and collaboratively within structured healthcare settings. Learning is a lifelong process progressing from simple to complex. The teaching-learning process is enhanced through a curriculum based on simple to complex application of fundamental concepts. The learner is responsible for achieving identified behavioral objectives. The faculty is responsible for recognizing the individual learner s diverse needs and abilities. Instruction, counseling, guidance, evaluation, and testing are provided individually or in groups and in varied formats to address the diversity of the student population. The role of the faculty member is to facilitate learning by providing a caring environment conducive to individual and professional growth. The faculty develops goal-directed learning experiences to promote clinical reasoning, effective communication skills, inquiry, accountability, self-direction, and caring. Faculty serve as role models of professional practice and ethics, define content, set limits, and establish options for learning activities. The curriculum reflects changing trends and innovations in evidence-based nursing practice within the healthcare industry. References Billings, D. & Halstead, J. (2005) Teaching in nursing: A guide for faculty (2 nd ed.). St. Louis, MO: Elsevier. Leininger, M. M. (1991). The theory of culture care diversity and universality. New York: National League for Nursing. Gordon, M. (1987) Nursing diagnosis: Process and application. New York: McGraw-Hill. Maslow, A. H. (1962). Toward a psychology of being. Princeton, NJ: D. Van Nostrand. Smelser, N. J. & Erikson, E. H. (Eds.) (1980). Themes of work and love in adulthood. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press. Watson, J. (1988). Human caring as moral context for nursing for nursing education. Nursing & Health Care 9(8), 423-425. 20