Nursing – R.N. to B.S.N.
Faculty
Nancie Bruce, Nursing Program Director
Danielle Artis, Assistant Professor
Karen Bartice, Assistant Professor
Jennifer Dahlman, Assistant Professor
Stephanie Denison, Clinical Coordinator
Janet Flynn, Assistant Professor
LaVerne Green, Assistant Professor
Denise Jarboe, Assistant Professor
Kathryn Mancusi, Assistant Professor
Denise McKain, Assistant Professor
Daphne Waite, Assistant Professor
Description
The Trinity Nursing Program offers advanced placement for Registered Nurses holding an associate’s degree or diploma in nursing. This program is designed for the adult learner. RNs admitted into the program may receive credit for general education and nursing courses. In order to receive a degree from Trinity, the transcript must reflect 128 credits, with 32 of those taken in residence at the University. Students may transfer up to 32 credits in nursing. Upon admission, students may complete the program on a full-time or part-time basis.
Major Requirements
To fulfill the requirements of the B.S. in Nursing, students must successfully complete required coursework in the following areas:
Nursing Requirements (32 credits):
- NURS 310 Advanced Health AssessmentIn this theory course students acquire knowledge of advanced physical assessment in order to provide safe, competent, and humanistic nursing care to clients across the lifespan. Students will identify common pathological health deviations, at-risk behaviors, and altered physical findings. Instruction in health history taking, physical examination skills, health promotion techniques, and clinical assessment tools are included in course content. Students will use information technology systems to research evidence-based practice. They will use case studies to apply critical thinking, as they examine socio-cultural diversity and caring practices in health assessment. Formerly NURS 310 Comprehensive Health Assessment.
2 credits
Prerequisites: For RN-BSN Students Only
Co-requisite: NURS 310L
- NURS 310L Advanced Health Assessment LabThis laboratory course is designed to assist students to further refine their advanced health assessment skills of clients across the lifespan. Students will practice he alth history taking methods, physical examination skills, health teaching, and methods of recording history and physical assessment findings. This course will focus on health assessment as it relates to socio-cultural diversity among clients and the delivery of caring, humanistic nursing care. Formerly NURS 310L Comprehensive Health Assessment Lab
1 credit
Prerequisites: For RN-BSN Students Only
Co-requisites: NURS 310
- NURS 320 Policy and Politics in NursingPolicy and Politics in Nursing and Health Care engages the student in understanding how health care policy shapes health care systems and helps to determine accessibility, accountability, and affordability. Students will evaluate how health care delivery systems are organized and financed and the effect this has on patient care; based on the student's findings, they will identify political factors that they may influence in a proactive response to quality patient outcomes.
3 credits
General Education Requirements: Applications
- NURS 325 Contemporary Issues In Nursing and Health CareThis course will examine the role of the nurse in collaboration with other health professionals and the public in the promotion of community, national, and international efforts to meet society's health needs and shape social policy. The focus will be on issues such as palliative and end-of-life care, long-term care, genetics, forensics and corrections nursing, violence in the workplace, nursing informatics, aging and vulnerable populations, workforce issues, legal aspects of nursing, patient safety, cultural diversity, professional development, and the future of the profession. Formerly NURS 300 - RN Tran - ACT (Achieving Career Trans).
3 credits
Prerequisites: None
- NURS 330 Nursing Research and Evidence-Based PracticeResearch and Evidence-Based Practice focuses on relevant scientific and phenomenological information to assist the student to understanding the role of theory and research in nursing practice and health care. The course will provide an overview and analysis of theoretical approaches and research methodologies. Students will learn how to critically review and utilize research supporting common aspects of nursing practice. Formerly NURS 330 - Nursing Theory & Research
3 credits
Prerequisites: MATH 110
Note: Students in the RN to BSN program must also have completed NURS 300 and MATH 110
- NURS 415 Pharmacology and Complementary/Alternative TherapiesThis course presents an update of pharmacologic therapies with a focus on drug therapies used in the community and home health setting. Learners are also introduced to various modalities of alternative, complementary, and integrative medicine for application in their practices and personal lives. Healing and health practices of persons from diverse ethnic and socio-cultural groups will be examined. Students will have the opportunity to participate in experiential exercises and techniques related to healing touch, caring, herbal therapies, guided imagery, biofeedback, hypnosis, group therapy, music and pet therapy, acupressure, reflexology, and aromatherapy. Formerly NURS 400 Experiential Learning Portfolio.
3 Credits
- NURS 410 Leadership and Management of Health CareThis course is designed to assist the student to synthesize the intersection of nursing care with leading people and managing organizations and systems. The course incorporates the application of management principles and leadership, change, and administration theories in nursing practice and health care delivery. Content discussions include delegation, working with large groups, communication and collaboration, cultural diversity, legal and ethical dilemmas, budget management, staff development, resource management, quality improvement and risk management, evidence based practice, and the healthcare consumer.
3 credits
Prerequisite(s): All 300-level NURS courses
Corequisite(s): N/A
General Education Requirements: Applications (Leadership)
- NURS 420 Community and Public Health NursingThis theory course is designed to prepare students for community/public health practice in a changing health care system. Concepts of primary health ca re to the assessment, planning, and delivery of care to diverse families will be emphasized. Factors influencing the primary health care of communities and the impact of globalization, politics, socioeconomics, and environmental factors on the health vulnerability and resiliency of communities are examined.
3 credits
Pre-requisites: NURS 350; NURS 350C
- NURS 420C Community and Public Health ClinicalThis clinical course provides opportunities for students to apply theoretical knowledge, concepts and care to diverse clients and families in a variety of community s ettings. An emphasis will be placed on the health promotion and restoration of clients while considering ethical issues and spiritual needs. Formerly NURS 420L - Community and Public Health Clinical.
2 credits
Pre-requisites: NURS 350; NURS 350C
- NURS 430 Emergency Nursing and Illness PreventionThis course will examine the nurse's role in prevention and intervention in community emergency nursing situationsand environmental disasters. The learner will apply knowledge of health promotion, risk reduction, illness and injury prevention, and disease management throughout the lifespan from the individual through the population levels. The focus of this course will be on preparing the learner to function in an independent nursing role and respond to emergency situations that may occur in the community setting. The delivery of safe, competent, humanistic care that respects a client's socio-cultural, spiritual, gender, and thnic diversity will be discussed. Formerly NURS 430 - Emergency Preparation and Disaster Management.
3 credits
Pre-requisites: RNs Only
- NURS 450 RN Clinical PracticumThis clinical course provides opportunities for students to apply theoretical knowledge, concepts and care to diverse clients and families in a variety of community settings . An emphasis will be placed on the health promotion and restoration of clients while consideri ng ethical issues and spiritual needs. Formerly NURS 401 - Clinical Preceptorship.
3 credits
Pre-requisites: NURS 310; NURS 420; NURS 420C
- NURS 490 RN CapstoneCulminating learning experience demonstrating the curriculum model within the professional practice of nursing. Assists students to critique and utilize research and analyze a clinical nursing problem that illus trates a sophisticated level of knowledge of best practices and of gathering and applying evidenc e. Each student will make a major presentation that is open to the educational and professional company. Formerly NURS 490 Capstone: Synthesis (KSVME) of Professional and Health Care Issues.
3 credits
Pre-requisites: RNs Only
Nursing Transfer Credits (32 credits) from an approved, appropriately accredited school of nursing
Associated Major Requirements (34 credits): (May meet the General Education requirements)
- Anatomy & Physiology (lab) (8 credits): BIOL 121 Human Anatomy and Physiology IA systematic approach to the study of the human body. The first part of this year-long course emphasizes the tissues, the integumentary system, the bones and skeletal tissue, muscles and muscle tissue, and the nervous system. Students have the opportunity to apply concepts discussed during the lecture portion of the class to clinical questions presented throughout the semester. Three hours of laboratory per week. Does not fulfill Biology major requirement. There is an additional laboratory fee.
4 credits
General Education: Knowledge and Inquiry Area, BIOL 122 Human Anatomy and Physiology IIA systematic aproach to the study of the human body. The second part of this year-long course emphasizes the endocrine, lymphatic, cardiovascular, respiratory, digestive, urinary and reproductive systems. Students have the opportunity to apply concepts discussed during the lecture portion of the class to clinical questions presented throughout the semester. Three hours of lecture and three hours of laboratory per week. Does not fulfill Biology major requirement. Prerequisite BIOL 121. There is an additional laboratory fee.
4 credits
- Microbiology (lab) (4 credits): BIOL 130 Microbiology for the Health ProfessionsAn introduction to the study of microorganisms with emphasis on disease-causing bacteria. Topics include the nature of microorganisms, their relationships with humans, infectious diseases, and immunity. Three hours of lecture and three hours of lab per week. Does not fulfill microbiology requirement for Biology major. There is an additional laboratory fee.
4 credits
- Chemistry (lab) (4 credits): CHEM 113 Chemistry for the Health SciencesIntroduces students to basic concepts in chemistry, including the nature of matter, chemical reactions, stoichiometry, solutions, principles of organic chemistry, and the chemistry of the most important biomolecules. The course also introduces students to the proper use of basic laboratory equipment as well as basic laboratory techniques. Lab experiments are designed to provide the student with the tools to understand connections between theory and results found in the lab.
4 credits
General Education Requirements: Knowledge and Inquiry (Science and Mathematics)
- Math (3 credits): MATH 108 Finite MathematicsThis course is intended to provide a broad-based general overview of college mathematics, especially for those majoring in the social sciences, business, nursing, and allied health fields. Topics include a continuation of the algebra topics of Math 101S, such as critical thinking skills, sets, logic and the real number system. Also covered are graphs, functions, modeling and data analysis, use of matrices to solve systems of equations, systems of linear inequalities and understanding of dimensional analysis, and conversions to and from the metric system. Formerly MATH 108 and MAT 108 Elementary Mathematical Modeling.
3 credits
Prerequisites: MATH 101S or placement test proficiency
General Education: Foundation Skills Area
FLC Area IV Quantitative Analysis Cluster
- Psychology (3 credits): PSYC 101 Introductory PsychologyIntroduces the student to the scientific study of the mind and behavior. All major sub-areas of psychology (social, developmental, clinical, physiological, motivation and emotion, sensation and perception) are explored, as well as the major theoretical perspectives (behavioral, cognitive, psychoanalytic, and humanistic). Formerly PSY 121 Introductory Psychology.
3 credits
General Education Curriculum: Knowledge and Inquiry Area
FLC Area V
Core: Area II
- Statistics (3 credits): MATH 110 Introduction to StatisticsPresents the basic principles of statistics with applications to the social sciences. Topics include descriptive statistics, probability theory, normal and binomial distributions, and central limit theorem, with an introduction to the use of statistical software. Formerly MAT 110 Introduction to Statistics.
3 credits
General Education: Knowledge and Inquiry Area
Prerequisites: MATH 108, MATH 109 or higher level mathematics course
- Ethics (3 credits): PHIL 251 BioethicsExamines the legal and moral issues in areas dealing with the biology of human health and development, for example, experimentation on human subjects, organ transplants, euthanasia, abortion, fetal tissue use, contraception, and other aspects of human reproduction, as well as questions regarding rights to health care. Formerly PHI 211 Applied Ethics: Bioethics.
3 credits
General Education Curriculum: Values and Beliefs
- Nutrition (3 credits): HPNU 200 Nutrition, Diet Therapy, and Health PromotionThis course provides the foundation for an understanding of the relationships of nutrition and diet therapy to optimum health. It includes physiological, psychosocial and cultural influences on nutritional status. Students will explore their own nutritional status and values as they relate to health and wellness.
3 credits
- Sociology (3 credits): SOCY 100 Introduction to SociologyIntroduces students to the science of sociology and prepares students for upper-level social science course work. Formerly SOC 100 Introduction to Sociology.
3 credits
General Education Curriculum: Knowledge and Inquiry Area
FLC Area V
Core Area II: Understanding the Self and Society
General Education Requirements:
Area I: Skills for Life and Work
- Writing (3 credits)
- ENGL 107 College CompositionDevelops skills necessary for effective writing of thesis-centered essays at the college level, including analytical, critical, and argumentative essays. Research and documentation techniques included. Students in the School of Professional Studies may not take this course pass/fail. Formerly ENG 107 College Composition.
3 credits
Prerequisites for College of Arts and Sciences: ENGL 105 with grade of ""C"" or better or placement test proficiency
Prerequisites for School of Professional Studies: ENGL 105 with a grade of C or better OR score of 9 or higher on Writing portion of Accuplacer test.
General Education: Foundational Skills Area
FLC Area I Core Area I: Skills for Work and Life
- Communication (6 credits)
- COM 290 Public Speaking
- COM 225 Intercultural CommunicationApplies basic principles of intercultural communication to the analysis of specific situations involving cultural differences. Emphasis is on the influence of culture on the communication process, including differences in values, assumptions, and communication. Models of intercultural communication analysis are developed and applied to issues dealing with relations between a dominant society and subcultures, social change, and international relations.
3 credits
Core Area I: Skills for Work and Life OR SPAN 103 Spanish for the WorkplaceOffers applied Spanish for the workplace. Its goal is to facilitate basic communication in workplace settings with speakers of Spanish. Emphasis is placed on oral communication and career-specific vocabulary and grammar that targets health, business and/or public service professions. Upon completion, students should be able to communicate at a functional level with Spanish speakers and demonstrate cultural sensitivity.
- Numeracy (3 credits): MATH 108 Finite MathematicsThis course is intended to provide a broad-based general overview of college mathematics, especially for those majoring in the social sciences, business, nursing, and allied health fields. Topics include a continuation of the algebra topics of Math 101S, such as critical thinking skills, sets, logic and the real number system. Also covered are graphs, functions, modeling and data analysis, use of matrices to solve systems of equations, systems of linear inequalities and understanding of dimensional analysis, and conversions to and from the metric system. Formerly MATH 108 and MAT 108 Elementary Mathematical Modeling.
3 credits
Prerequisites: MATH 101S or placement test proficiency
General Education: Foundation Skills Area
FLC Area IV Quantitative Analysis Cluster
- Information Literacy (3 credits): INT 109 Information LiteracyTechnology has brought a vast new world of information resources into the classroom and the University. We are accessing, analyzing and communicating information faster than every before. A measure of success today is how well one can discover, retrieve, evaluate, manage and communicate all forms of data, information and knowledge within a technological environment both ethically and legally. This course introduces Trinity students to the information and technology tools that support the information discovery, analysis and integration that are part of critical thinking and communicating. This includes having a fundamental understanding of the ethical and legal issues.
3 credits
Core Area I: Skills for Work and Life
Area II: Understanding the Self and Society
- Arts and Humanities (6 credits) – choose from existing list
- Social Sciences (6 credits)
- PSYC 101 Introductory PsychologyIntroduces the student to the scientific study of the mind and behavior. All major sub-areas of psychology (social, developmental, clinical, physiological, motivation and emotion, sensation and perception) are explored, as well as the major theoretical perspectives (behavioral, cognitive, psychoanalytic, and humanistic). Formerly PSY 121 Introductory Psychology.
3 credits
General Education Curriculum: Knowledge and Inquiry Area
FLC Area V
Core: Area II
- SOCY 100 Introduction to SociologyIntroduces students to the science of sociology and prepares students for upper-level social science course work. Formerly SOC 100 Introduction to Sociology.
3 credits
General Education Curriculum: Knowledge and Inquiry Area
FLC Area V
Core Area II: Understanding the Self and Society
- Scientific Understanding (8 credits)
- BIOL 101 Introduction to BiologyExplores various aspects of biology from cell structure to metabolism, diversity and ecology. The course consists of two hours of lecture and three hours of laboratory per week. Recommended for non-science majors. There is an additional laboratory fee for this course. Formerly BIO 101 Introduction to Biology.
4 credits
FLC Area I
Core Area II
- CHEM 113 Chemistry for the Health SciencesIntroduces students to basic concepts in chemistry, including the nature of matter, chemical reactions, stoichiometry, solutions, principles of organic chemistry, and the chemistry of the most important biomolecules. The course also introduces students to the proper use of basic laboratory equipment as well as basic laboratory techniques. Lab experiments are designed to provide the student with the tools to understand connections between theory and results found in the lab.
4 credits
General Education Requirements: Knowledge and Inquiry (Science and Mathematics)
Area III: Ethics and Moral Reasoning (3 credits)
- PHIL 251 BioethicsExamines the legal and moral issues in areas dealing with the biology of human health and development, for example, experimentation on human subjects, organ transplants, euthanasia, abortion, fetal tissue use, contraception, and other aspects of human reproduction, as well as questions regarding rights to health care. Formerly PHI 211 Applied Ethics: Bioethics.
3 credits
General Education Curriculum: Values and Beliefs
DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA BOARD OF NURSING REQUIRED UPPER-LEVEL GENERAL EDUCATION ELECTIVES (6 credits)
Program Policies
Required Documentation: Prior to enrolling in any course, students are required to present documentation of the following:
- Current Registered Nurse Licensure for the District of Columbia
- Professional Liability Insurance in the amount of $1 million/$ 3 million
- BLS/CPR Certification
Required Documentation: Prior to enrolling in any clinical course, students are required to present documentation of the following:
- Current immunization or titers for: DPT; MMR; Hepatitis B (3 doses); Tetanus; Influenza (annual); TB (annual).
- National criminal background check
- Including all alias and nationwide sexual offenders index with a set of fingerprints
- Current major medical health insurance
RN Achievement Tests: Students who have worked at least one year as a clinical nurse may be eligible to test out of NURS 310 Advanced Health AssessmentIn this theory course students acquire knowledge of advanced physical assessment in order to provide safe, competent, and humanistic nursing care to clients across the lifespan. Students will identify common pathological health deviations, at-risk behaviors, and altered physical findings. Instruction in health history taking, physical examination skills, health promotion techniques, and clinical assessment tools are included in course content. Students will use information technology systems to research evidence-based practice. They will use case studies to apply critical thinking, as they examine socio-cultural diversity and caring practices in health assessment. Formerly NURS 310 Comprehensive Health Assessment.
2 credits
Prerequisites: For RN-BSN Students Only
Co-requisite: NURS 310L and NURS 310L Advanced Health Assessment LabThis laboratory course is designed to assist students to further refine their advanced health assessment skills of clients across the lifespan. Students will practice he alth history taking methods, physical examination skills, health teaching, and methods of recording history and physical assessment findings. This course will focus on health assessment as it relates to socio-cultural diversity among clients and the delivery of caring, humanistic nursing care. Formerly NURS 310L Comprehensive Health Assessment Lab
1 credit
Prerequisites: For RN-BSN Students Only
Co-requisites: NURS 310 through the successful completion of the NLN RN Achievement Test in Physical Assessment and the demonstration of an adult physical examination, evaluated by faculty. Students must meet the scheduled dates and times and pay the required fee prior to the beginning of the semester. Additionally, RN to BSN students who have not taken collegiate level Anatomy and Physiology may challenge eight credits through the successful completion of the NLN RN Achievement Test in Anatomy and Physiology. There is a fee, payable to Trinity Washington University, associated with taking the NLN RN Achievement Test. This fee must be paid to the Business Office prior to scheduling the test. The fee can be paid via check, cash, Mastercard, Visa, or Discover. This fee is non-refundable. Students should obtain receipts from the Business Office, which will serve proof of payment and as authorization to order and schedule the assessment test.
Grades in Major Courses: Students are required to earn a grade of “C” (2.0) or better in all courses counted to fulfill requirements for the major.
Pass/No Pass: The pass/no pass grading option is not accepted in courses to be applied for the major.
Transfer Policy: Students may transfer up to 96 credits to fulfill the degree requirement of 128 credits.