University of Scranton

Department of Nursing

Nursing 482 Synthesis of Nursing Concepts

Course Description: Focus on the professional nurse’s role as leader/manager in promoting, restoring, and maintaining adaptive responses in individuals experiencing complex alterations in health patterns. Continued use of the nursing process to implement and to evaluate nursing care of the individual, family, community, and groups in collaboration with the nursing and interdisciplinary health teams.
Placement: Spring semester of senior year
Prerequisites: Nursing 480, Nursing 493
Credits: Nine credits, Three hours lecture and eighteen hours laboratory
Faculty: Dr. Linda Desmond, RN, CCRN and Dr. Margarete Lieb Zalon, RN, CS
 E-mail Dr. Zalon

Required Texts:

American Psychological Association. (1994). Publication manual of the American Psychological Association, (4th Ed.). Washington, DC: Author.

Ehrat, K. (1997). The art of EKG interpretation. (4th Ed.) Dubuque, IA: Kendall-Hunt.

Yoder-Wise, P. S. (1999). Leading managing in nursing, (2nd Ed.). St. Louis: Mosby.

Optional Text:

Cohen, E. L. & Cesta, T. G. (1997). Nursing case management: From concept to evaluation. St. Louis: Mosby.
 
 
 

Course Requirements
1. Attendance of all classes and clinical laboratories
2. Completion of required and supplemental readings and audiovisuals
3. Participation in class discussion
4. Completion of all theoretical and clinical assignments
5. Completion of California Critical Thinking Dispositions Inventory
6. Completion of Mosby Assess Test
7. Completion of Skills Performance Test
8. Grading Criteria
Quizzes 5 at 4% each
20
Midterm 3/26/2001
15
Cumulative Final Examination TBA Finals Week
25
Synthesis Writing Project Topic & Bibliography 2/19/2001
Paper 3/09/2001
10
Health Fair 3/30/2001
  5
CaseManagement Annotated Bibliography 4/2/2001
  5
Case Management/Critical Pathway Assignment  5/4/2001
10
Professional Organization Reaction Paper 4/13/2001
  5
Medication Calculation Quiz Before Medication Administration
  5
Extra credit: 5 points will be added to the mid-term grade for the completion of 14 NCLEX review videotapes over the course of the semester. Tapes must be checked out from the laboratory instructor.
 
9.  Completion of Clinical Objectives: The clinical laboratory component of Nursing 482 will be graded on the basis of S, Satisfactory   (Pass) or U, Unsatisfactory (Fail). If the student obtains an S in the clinical component, the final grade for the course entered on the permanent transcript will be the grade achieved for the theoretical component of the course. If the student does not obtain an S in the clinical component, the final grade for the course on he permanent transcript will be an F regardless of what grade was assigned for the lecture component of the course. The faculty member who is responsible for supervising the student in the clinical laboratory gives the clinical grade. A satisfactory clinical grade must be achieved in both the advanced medical-surgical component and the case management component focused in a specialty area.
Grading Scale
Letter Grade
Quality Points
Numerical Grade
              A
4.00
  96-100
A-
3.67
92-95
B+
3.33
89-91
              B
3.00
86-88
              B-
2.67
83-85
              C+
2.33
80-82
              C
2.00
77-79
              C-
1.67
74-76
              D+
1.33
72-73
              D
1.00
70-71
              F
0.00
Below 70
Course Overview: This course is designed to synthesize the professional nursing roles of caregiver, advocate, teacher and leader/manager by expanding the knowledge, competencies, and initiative essential for leadership effectiveness in professional practice. The emphasis is on the application of the principles and concepts of leadership and management in planning and providing health care to clients, families and groups with complex health problems. Organizational structure and its influence on efficient organizational functioning are examined as the student begins to understand management theory and its operation. The concepts of authority and delegation are discussed. Communication problems within the health care agency/facility and their consequences are considered with regard to the leadership role of the professional nurse. Management problems. Political, ethical and legal factors are studied in terms of the practice of professional nursing . The student initiates collaboration with the nursing and interdisciplinary health team to assist clients, families and groups promote, restore, and maintain health. In addition, the student plans and conducts health teaching during clinical practice. Nursing research findings are incorporated into the practice of nursing. In order to enhance the student’s transition from the student role to the professional role, the clinical laboratory hours will increase to approximately eighteen hours per week. Faculty will be present and function primarily in an advisory role.
Clinical Laboratory: Clinical laboratory time is scheduled in two parts: an eight-week advanced medical –surgical component and a five-week case management component focused in a specialty area.
Course Objectives:

Upon completion of the course, the student will:

    1. Utilize critical thinking to synthesize theoretical concepts from nursing practice, education and research in the developing of leadership behaviors.
    2. Utilize the nursing process in the management of evaluating holistic comprehensive nursing interventions to maintain optimal health in individuals, families and groups.
    3. Provide continuity of care for individuals and families by establishing and maintaining communication with health and service agencies in he community.
    4. Engage in health teaching on selected health issues.
    5. Evaluate collaboration with individuals, families and members of the interdisciplinary team.
    6. Demonstrate leadership responsibility, and accountability in managing and evaluating nursing care designed to facilitate optimal health.
    7. Determine the need for involvement in legal and legislative issues, which have an impact on health care and the practice of professional nursing.
    8. Utilize clinical nursing research findings in managing and evaluating nursing care of client, families and groups with complex alterations in the health patterns.
    9. Demonstrate nursing actions consistent with a philosophy of nursing which is responsive to current and changing trends, cultural diversity and ethical practice.
    10. Evaluate one’s own practice in relation to accepted standards of nursing practice.
Clinical Practice Objectives:

Upon completion of the clinical practicum, the student will:

    1. Utilize the nursing process in implementing and evaluating nursing care directly given to multiple clients within various clinical settings.
    2. Safely administer diverse types of medications to multiple clients within the acute care setting.
    3. Plan the delivery of health care to clients, families and groups.
    4. Evaluate the method of client assignments to nursing staff within various clinical settings.
    5. Evaluate various leadership styles as demonstrated by designated nursing managers within various clinical settings.
    6. Describe the role of the professional nurse in collaborating within various clinical settings.
    7. Conduct a report of the health status of clients to nursing staff within various clinical facilities.
    8. Present research findings to faculty and peers.
    9. Prepare and present a health fair to the University community.
    10. Develop a case management plan and a critical pathway for a selected client population.
 Schedule for Leadership Lectures
 
Assignments
Synthesis Writing Project
Reaction Paper
Health Fair
Annotated Biliography for Case Management
Case Management/Critical Pathway Assignment
Skills Performance Examination
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E-mail Dr. Zalon

Prepare for the NCLEX!  Study Guides and Practice Quizzes for Nursing 380 Content

Practice Quizzes for Nursing 482
Quiz 1
Quiz 2
Delegation Simulation Case Studies
Test Breakdown for Midterm on March 26, 2001
Course Information, Check Grades and Create a Home Page