ObjectivesThe Practical Nursing Program is designed to prepare graduates who are able to provide client care that is based on the knowledge acquired from the biological, behavioural, social and nursing sciences, and, in doing so, care for clients across the life cycle. Graduates will be prepared to implement health promotion, health maintenance, health restoration and illness prevention activities, in partnership and collaboration with the client and other members of the health care team. The Practical Nursing Program will prepare its graduates to perform psychomotor and behavioural competencies, within the approved Scope of Practice for Licensed Practical Nurses for the beginning practitioner. Graduates will have been given opportunities to practice competencies in acute care, continuing care and community care settings, with a teaching-learning approach that favors self-direction and life-long learning. The graduate of the Practical Nursing Program will possess the attributes of professional caring and competence as he /she will have been prepared to assume any of the following roles: direct caregiver; teacher/mentor; facilitator/counselor; client advocate; coordinator; participant in policy and community development.
Academic titlePractical Nursing Diploma
Course descriptionSemester I
Introduction to Nursing Concepts
This course enables the learner to develop an understanding of the nature of human needs across the developmental continuum. It introduces the learner to the role of the practical nurse in promoting, protecting, restoring, maintaining and supporting the health status of individuals across the health and developmental continuum. This course contains a lab component.
Introduction To Nursing Concepts/Skills Labs
To provide learners with opportunities to practice selected basic nursing skills in a simulated clincal setting.
Nursing Practice For Introduction To Nursing Concepts
This practice course provides the learner with the opportunity to integrate the knowledge and apply the competencies acquired from all learning experiences during semester one. Selected experiences in clinical settings provide the learner with opportunities to develop and enhance psychomotor and communication competencies.
Medical Terminology Seminar
This 6-hour seminar enables the learner to develop an understanding and the use of medical terminology.
Anatomy and Physiology I
This course is designed to provide information about the basic concepts of the structure and function of the human body. The integumentary, musculoskeletal, nervous and endocrine systems are covered in this course. Emphasis is given to the relationship between structure and function and homeostasis.
Caring Relationships
This course introduces the learner to the principles of therapeutic communication. It is designed to enable the learner to establish and maintain therapeutic relationships with individuals and groups.
Caring Relationships Labs
Caring Relationships Labs are designed to enable learners to develop, enhance, and critique their therapeutic communication abilities. Active participation is central to these labs.
Medical-Surgical Nursing Concepts I
This course introduces the learner to nursing concepts unique to the needs of clients requiring medical-surgical nursing interventions. This course contains a lab component.
Medical- Surgical Nursing Concepts 1/Skills Labs
Medical-Surgical Nursing Concepts 1/Skills Labs provide opportunities for learners to practice skills related to wound care, infusion therapy; intake and output, and glucose monitoring.
Medication Administration
This course will provide the learner with knowledge and skills to prepare and administer medications to stable clients under the supervision of a clinical instructor. Opportunities to practice supervised administration of medications will begin in semester two.
Medication Administration Labs
To provide learners with the opportunities to practice medication administration in a simulated nursing practice setting.
Semester II
Mental Health Nursing Concepts
This course introduces the learner to nursing concepts unique to clients requiring mental health nursing interventions.
Nursing Practice For Mental Health Nursing Concepts
This practice course focuses on providing the learner with opportunities to develop competencies necessary to contribute to the care of patients with mental health needs. Selected experiences provide the learner with opportunities to develop and enhance therapeutic nurse-client relationships.
Long Term Care Nursing Concepts
This course introduces the learner to nursing concepts unique to clients with long term care and rehabilitative needs.
Nursing Practice For Long Term Care Nursing Concepts
This practice course provides the learner with opportunities to develop competencies necessary to care for clients in long term care settings. Selected experiences provide the learner with opportunities to develop and enhance medication administration and health assessment.
Anatomy and Physiology II
Anatomy and Physiology II is an introductory level course designed to provide information about the basic concepts of the structure and function of the human body. The circulatory, respiratory, digestive, urinary and reproductive systems are covered. Emphasis is given to the relationship between structure, function, and homeostasis.
Health Assessment
This course will provide the learner with the knowledge and skills required to perform health assessment for stable clients. Course content focuses on history taking, physical examination, and mental status assessment. The emphasis is on the normal; enabling the learner to distinguish normal from abnormal findings. This course contains a lab component.
Health Assessment Labs
Health Assessment labs provide opportunities for learners to develop and practice the skills of health assessment for stable clients. Each learner will complete a health history, as well as gather (and document) subjective/objective data utilizing a body systems approach. The emphasis is on normal findings.
Medical-Surgical Nursing Concepts II
This course introduces the learner to nursing concepts unique to clients requiring medical-surgical nursing interventions. This course contains a lab component.
Medical- Surgical Nursing Concepts II Skills Labs
To provide learners with opportunities to practice psychomotor nursing skills in a simulated nursing practice setting.
Nursing Practice for Medical-Surgical Nursing Concepts II
This practice course provides the learner with opportunities to develop competencies necessary to care for clients in adult medical-surgical settings. Selected experiences provide the learner with opportunities to develop and enhance medication administration and health assessment.
Medication Administration Labs
Medication administration labs provide opportunities for the learners to practice the skills related to the preparation and administration of medications to adults. The labs cover the following routes of medication administration: subcutaneous and intramuscular.
Semester III
Maternal-Child Health Nursing Concepts
This course introduces the learner to nursing concepts unique to the needs of clients requiring maternal-child nursing interventions. This course contains a lab component.
Maternal-Child Health Nursing Concepts Lab
To provide learners with opportunities to practice selected skills in a simulated lab setting.
Nursing Practice For Maternal Health Nursing Concepts
This practice course provides the learner with opportunities to develop competencies necessary to care for the mother and newborn primarily in obstetrical settings.
Nursing Practice For Child Health Nursing Concepts
This practice course provides the learner with opportunities to develop competencies necessary to care for children in pediatric as well as daycare settings.
Community Health Nursing Concepts
This course introduces the learner to nursing concepts unique to clients with community health and home care needs. It introduces learners to the role of the practical nurse in promoting, restoring, protecting and supporting the health status of individuals and families at home and in the community.
Nursing Practice For Community Health Nursing Concepts
This practice course provides the learner with opportunities to develop competencies necessary to care for clients with community health and home care needs.
Professional Issues
This course introduces the learner to the legal, ethical and regulatory dimensions of practical nurse practice. It identifies principles and processes of change and empowerment. Learners develop an understanding of the factors that influence management and leadership in nursing practice.
Semester IV
Consolidated Nursing Practice
The chief focus of this practice course is to provide learners with the opportunities to become proficient in medication administration. Additional opportunities will be provided to further develop previously learned competencies.
Preceptorship
This practice course provides learners with opportunities to apply all theoretical, lab and nursing practice competencies acquired in semesters I, II, and III, in selected clinical settings with direct supervision by an approved Preceptor Licensed Practical Nurse.