Committees >

At the February faculty meeting CEPC will move the approval of revisions to the requirements for the nursing major, together with certain new courses entailed by those revisions.

I. Proposed Revisions To Nursing Major Requirements (catalog descriptions):

REQUIREMENTS OF THE MAJOR

COURSES
Nursing courses that count toward the major are upper division (junior and senior years). Courses progress from non-acute to acute nursing, from simple to complex situations and include the individual, the family and the community as clients. Each nursing course that counts toward the major provides the student with 45 class periods, or the equivalent, of instruction. One class period equals 55 minutes at St. Olaf. Two hours classroom laboratory or three hours clinical laboratory is the equivalent of one class period. Clinical experiences are provided in each semester of the nursing major in a variety of rural and metropolitan settings. Nursing faculty design and evaluate all classroom and laboratory experiences; in some courses registered nurses working as adjunct instructors assist faculty to guide student learning in the classroom or clinical laboratories. A fee is assessed each semester for off-campus program expenses.

Requirements for Graduation

Students must meet all college requirements for graduation, as well as complete eight prerequisite courses, one supporting course and 11 upper division nursing courses. The required courses are 302, 304, 306, 308, 336, 338, 386, 388, 392, and 396.

Prerequisite Courses

Eight courses to be completed before beginning upper division nursing courses are: Biology 125, 231, 243; one of Chemistry 111, 121, or 125; Nursing 110; Psychology 125 and 241; one of Sociology 121, 128, 244, or 260. A course in Ethics must be completed before graduation. Students should consult with their adviser to determine what courses meet this requirement for nursing from GE: EIN courses.

[The following courses are proposed to be offered by nursing faculty. Nursing 110, 294, 298, 371, 394, 398 remain unchanged. Nursing 110, 120, and 302 are open to non-nursing majors. The remaining courses, required for nursing majors, are new or revised.]

110 NUTRITION AND WELLNESS. No changes proposed.

120 IMAGES OF WELLNESS
This course examines how contemporary culture influences present day wellness perspectives. Values, lifestyle, daily stresses, and corresponding coping mechanisms affecting one’s well-being are explored. Students study health behaviors as a function of social influences and, conversely, the impact of unhealthy coping behaviors on the social enterprise. Also includes an exploration of wellness from the perspective of non-western cultures.

294 INTERNSHIP

298 INDEPENDENT STUDY

302 HEALTHCARE ISSUES
This course focuses on critical issues in contemporary health care. Topics include principles of wellness, health promotion, interpersonal communication, cultural competency, and ethical, legal, political and economic aspects of the health care system in the United States. Students have the opportunity to explore health care issues, such as interpersonal violence, genomics, bio-terrorism, and global health problems.
Prerequisites: Non-nursing majors: FYS; Nursing majors: all nursing prerequisites.

304 NURSING CONCEPTS
This course explores the foundational and philosophical concepts of the discipline of nursing. Topics include the history and image of nursing, scope of practice and professional roles, research and lifelong learning. Students will develop the ability to assess an individual’s state of health from a holistic perspective, using Neuman’s Systems Model as a theoretical framework. Emphasis is on the use of critical thinking and evidence based practice. Taken concurrently with 302, 306, 308

306 HEALTH ASSESSMENT
Classroom and laboratory experiences in nursing and health assessment skills develop the student’s ability to provide nursing care. Opportunities to apply knowledge from the liberal arts and nursing theory to simulated patient care situations are provided. Individual practice sessions in the nursing laboratory are expected. Performance testing determines readiness for the role of caregiver in a variety of clinical settings. Taken concurrently with 302, 304, 308

308 ADULT HEALTH I
This course focuses on principles of pharmacology and care of the hospitalized adult. Topics include pain management, sleep and rest, and sensory perceptual alterations. Students will apply the nursing process to the care of adults, with emphasis on the elderly. Using a holistic perspective, students will collect and analyze information related to an individual’s health status. Students will begin to develop the professional role of caregiver and patient advocate. Taken concurrently with 302, 304, 306

336 ADULT HEALTH II (2.0)
This course explores health problems in adults requiring medical or surgical care. Students will utilize the roles of caregiver, patient advocate, educator, and collaborator in the care of individuals. Classes integrate pathophysiology, pharmacology and knowledge of acute and chronic health problems in the adult population. Experiences will be provided in a variety of settings serving adult and elderly populations. Prerequisite: 302, 304, 306, 308

338 CHILD HEALTH
This course explores health problems of children requiring medical or surgical care. Students integrate knowledge of developmental, transcultural and communication theories in the care of children from infancy through adolescence. Trends and issues related to family centered health care will be explored. Students further develop the roles of educator, collaborator, advocate, and caregiver. A variety of pediatric clinical settings will be utilized. Prerequisite: 336 or concurrent registration

350 FAMILY HEALTH (2.0)
This course emphasizes the health of families and communities. The student acquires skills in family assessment, explores the childbearing process and considers the impact of issues such as family violence. Health of communities is studied through topics of epidemiology, communicable disease, impact on the environment and the influence of culture on health practices. Students work in groups to assess a community and develop a plan to meet an identified health need. Clinical experiences are provided in maternity care, home care and public health nursing agencies. The educator role of the professional nurse is emphasized.Prerequisite: 330. This course will be offered for the last time fall 2005.

360 ALTERATIONS IN MENTAL HEALTH
Students have the opportunity in this course to explore issues related to the care of individuals suffering from chronic and acute psychiatric disorders. Topics include a wide range of mental health problems such as major mental illness, substance abuse, depression and anxiety disorders. Students develop the roles of counselor and collaborator by working with an interdisciplinary team in providing care to patients in psychiatric settings. Clinical experiences emphasize the use of therapeutic communication, psychiatric assessment, and interpersonal relationship skills. Prerequisite: 350 Taken concurrently with 384. This course will be offered for the last time spring 2006.

371 HEALTH CARE IN NORWAY (ABROAD) No changes proposed.

384 NURSING IN COMPLEX SYSTEMS (2.0)
This writing intensive course explores the profession of nursing in relation to the health care system and legal, political, and economic forces in society. Professional issues such as scope of practice, credentialing, nursing organizations, the image of nursing, research-based practice, educational preparation and lifelong learning are examined. Discussions, case studies and oral presentations assist the student to develop ethical decision-making and critical thinking skills. Emphasis is placed on the role of the nurse as leader-manager. Clinical experiences focus on providing nursing care to groups of adults with complex health problems in metropolitan health facilities. Prerequisite: 350. Taken concurrently with 360. This course will be offered for the last time spring 2006.

386 PERINATAL HEALTH
This course explores the childbearing process in healthy and high-risk families. Clinical experiences are provided with families during pregnancy, labor and delivery, and following birth. Clinical settings include hospital birth centers, clinics and home care agencies. Students develop the role of educator by working with parents to integrate and care for a new member of the family system. Prerequisite: 336

388 COMMUNITY HEALTH
This course emphasizes the health of communities and populations. Topics include population-based health issues such as environmental health, epidemiology and communicable disease. Students will assess and screen individuals and families within communities, address identified needs and educate populations across the lifespan, collaborate with other health care professionals, make referrals and participate in health promotion clinics. Clinical experiences occur in rural public health agencies and community-based programs. Prerequisite: 336

392 MENTAL HEALTH
Students will explore issues related to the care of individuals suffering from acute and chronic psychiatric disorders. The course will include topics such as major mental illnesses, substance abuse, depression and anxiety disorders. Students develop the roles of counselor and collaborator by working with an interdisciplinary team in providing care to patients in psychiatric settings. Clinical experiences emphasize the use of therapeutic communication, psychiatric assessment, and interpersonal relationship skills. Prerequisite: 388

394 INTERNSHIP

396 NURSING LEADERSHIP
This course explores the theories of leadership, management and organizations and the process of managing personnel and work. Concepts of change, conflict negotiation and preparation for professional practice are examined. Professional communication is emphasized through writing and conducting a teaching conference for personnel. The roles of leader, manager and coordinator are emphasized. Clinical experiences focus on providing nursing care to groups of adults with complex health problems. Prerequisite: 336

398 INDEPENDENT RESEARCH

II. Rationale for Revisions to Nursing Major Requirements:

Background:
The nursing program at St. Olaf College began in 1952. In 1986, with the aim of offering a richer and more cost-effective program, our program joined with Gustavus Adolphus College to create the Minnesota Intercollegiate Nursing Consortium (MINC). In fall 2003, President Thomforde appointed a task force to study the nursing program from the standpoint of costs, gains, and importance to the college's future. The task force submitted a report of findings and recommendations in November, 2003. Subsequently, a second task force was appointed, and submitted a report in the fall of 2004. Upon receiving the reports of the two task forces, President Thomforde referred them for comment to Dean’s Council and to CEPC. During the entire period of review, faculty in the nursing program undertook creative initiatives to reshape the program in the interests of cost reduction, expansion, and greater integration with the rest of the curriculum. Upon receiving the reports of the two task forces, and comments from Dean’s Council and CEPC, President Thomforde resolved to continue the nursing program. The faculty of the program then presented to CEPC proposed revisions to the major requirements.

Principal Innovations:

The proposed new major requirements change the sequence of subjects offered in required courses to create a better fit between the knowledge and skills of students at a particular time in the program and the complexity and acuity of patients they are learning about.
The proposed new requirements reduce the number of double-credit courses in order to clarify student expectations and evaluation.
The proposed new requirements make possible an increase in opportunities for students outside the major to take nursing courses.
The proposed new requirements achieve a more fully developed integration of classroom learning and clinical experience through stronger partnerships with healthcare institutions, and more intentional reliance on clinical adjunct instructors (professionals in clinical settings offering instruction under the supervision of St. Olaf nursing faculty).

Principal CEPC Considerations:
In considering the recommendations of the two task forces, and then in considering the proposed revisions to the nursing major, CEPC focused attention on two questions:

First, is it in the interests of the college to offer this pre-professional major? CEPC is convinced that in general, pre-professional majors are not consistent with the character of a liberal arts college, but that in deference to the history and principles evident in the guiding documents of the college, certain pre-professional majors are consistent with the liberal arts as pursued at St. Olaf College. Nursing, as presented in the report of the task force, is a major admirably suited to a college whose vision of the liberal arts includes a claim to prepare students for “lives of unselfish service to others.” Further, the character of training for the profession laid out in the report embodies key elements in liberal education, such as critical thinking, analytical problem solving, sense of history, moral sensitivity, awareness of global contexts, etc.

Second, does the structure of the major allow the faculty of the nursing program to make appropriate contributions to the curriculum of the college as a whole? CEPC has identified principles for appraising the contributions of departments and programs to the curriculum as a whole. In the past, the nursing program contributed less than it might have to the curriculum as a whole, because its FTE has been consumed offering very specific courses required for the major. If the nursing program were revised according to the current motion, it will be of significantly greater value to the curriculum as a whole. The redeployment of nursing FTE made possible by appropriate use of clinical adjunct instructors will enable the program to serve greater numbers of non-nursing students, and make a greater contribution to GE and to other majors.