This course provides the foundation for understanding the educational responsibilities of choosing a career in the healthcare field. Students will identify the scope of education and practice of various members of the healthcare profession in order to develop an educational and career plan. Additional key topics include test-taking preparation, critical thinking, leadership skills, communication styles, ethical decision making, note-taking and study tactics, and accessing reference sources.
Course Outcomes
Upon successful completion of the course, students should be able to demonstrate the following knowledge or skills:
- Apply critical thinking skills in decision making and problem solving.
- Describe several personal characteristics that contribute to maintaining good mental and emotional health.
- Implement test taking strategies for standardized, proctored, and healthcare-related exams
- Describe educational preparation requirements for professions in the healthcare field.
- Explain the association among responsibility, accountability, and legal liability.
- Incorporate academic, financial, and mental health resources into an educational plan.
- Use knowledge of workplace competencies and foundational skills in planning a healthcare related career.
- List techniques used to adapt to future changes in the workplace.
- Assess leadership and teamwork skills.
- Identify principles for ethical decision making.
- Discuss the importance of varied communication styles in the healthcare field.
- Exhibit a wide-range of note-taking and study tactics.
- Demonstrate proficiency in accessing reference sources to locate needed information.
Institutional Outcomes
IO1 Communication: Students will be able to communicate clearly and effectively.
Course Content Outline
- Adjusting to Student Life
- The Student Nurse as a Person
- Communication Skills
- Education for Nursing
- Proctored Testing
- Nursing From Past to Present
- The Health Care System
- The Health Care Team
- The Scope of Patient Care
- Ethical Issues in Health Care
- Legally Responsible Nursing Practice
- Leadership and Teamwork Skills
- Management Skills
- Beginning a Nursing Career
- Challenges in the Workplace
- Current Issues and Future Concerns
Department Guidelines
PO4 should be assessed: Students will be able to recognize or articulate personal/interpersonal aspects of, or connections between, diverse cultural, social, or political contexts.
PO5 should be assessed: Students will be able to solve problems by gathering, interpreting, combining and/or applying information from multiple sources.