Course details

Nursing

Tracy Buller, Associate Professor of Nursing
Liz Gunden, Adjunct Professor of Graduate Nursing
Merv Helmuth, Associate Professor of Nursing
Joyce Hoffman, Associate Professor of Nursing
Lisa Kirkton, Assistant Professor of Nursing
Vicky Kirkton, Department Chair, Associate Professor & Director of Nursing
Kristan Rheinheimer, Adjunct Professor of Graduate Nursing
Brenda Srof, Director of Graduate Program in Nursing & Professor of Nursing
Ruth Stoltzfus, Associate Professor of Nursing
Judy Weaver-Yoder, Associate Professor of Nursing
Sherry Wenger, Associate Professor of Nursing
Gail Weybright, Associate Professor of Nursing
Laura Wheeler, Associate Professor of Graduate Nursing
Chris Wood, Associate Professor of Nursing

Introduction

The nursing department offers a bachelor of science degree in nursing and also two master's degrees described in the Graduate Programs section of this catalog. The department is committed to excellence in nursing education and practice with an emphasis in liberal arts and the discipline of nursing. The nursing program provides opportunities for the student to gain knowledge and develop values for personal and professional growth and to prepare the student for entry into professional nursing practice as a generalist in settings where health care is provided. The study of the practice of nursing is based on nursing and related theories, scientific principles, intercultural perspectives and Christian ethics. The program prepares graduates with a foundation for continuous intellectual inquiry, graduate study and/or eventual specialization in nursing.

Visit the nursing department home page at www.goshen.edu/nursing.

Upon graduation, graduates in nursing will:

1. Utilize knowledge from the humanities, theology, natural and social sciences, nursing theories and intercultural experiences in providing nursing care.
2. Use the nursing process by employing strategic thinking, decision making, psychomotor and interpersonal skills.
3. Develop a sense of vocational direction by interpreting the historical role of nursing and participate in the present emerging roles of the professional nurse.
4. Collaborate and consult with clients and the interdisciplinary team in providing comprehensive health services that reflect a healthy understanding of self and others.
5. Assume leadership that empowers self and others, foster ability to resolve conflicts, function as a change agent and promote accountability.
6. Use the ability to think actively and strategically in applying selected research findings to improve nursing practice.
7. Demonstrate personal and professional growth by commitment to lifelong learning and involvement in professional and community activities.
8. Demonstrate a faith that is active and reflective; appreciate transcendent reality of aesthetic and spiritual experiences; and be sensitive and responsive to spiritual needs of self and others.
9. Demonstrate stewardship of the environment and examine ethical issues in relationship to Christian faith

Two tracks, one degree.

The nursing program has both a basic and a B.S.N. completion track. Students who have just graduated from high school or have completed some college, follow the basic track. Students who have graduated from a three-year diploma or associate degree program in nursing and are registered nurses follow the completion track. It is also possible for registered nurses to fit into the basic track, however the completion track was designed to provide an accelerated option that builds on previous education, nursing practice and life experience. The program outcomes for graduates are the same for students enrolled in either track. At graduation, the bachelor of science in nursing degree is conferred.

Basic track

Admission process

Applicants should be in the upper half of their high school graduating class. The high school program should include foreign language, algebra, chemistry and biology. Physics is also recommended. Applications to the professional nursing program are submitted during the second semester of the freshman year. Applications are due by March 1 and are processed by April 30. The first nursing course begins in the fall of the sophomore year. This course is also offered during the summer session. The applicant’s readiness for admission to the nursing major is determined by academic performance, references, health record and a security check.

Transfer students from other nursing programs

Students who wish to transfer to the nursing program at Goshen College from another pre-nursing or nursing program will be reviewed on an individual basis. Admission to the nursing progrm will be based on the academic and clinical performance of the student. The department of nursing may request a reference letter from the previous nursing programs regarding academic and clinical performance.

Academic and professional requirements

General. Admission to Goshen College as outlined in the Admission Web site.
Professional. Essential abilities necessary to learn the professional nurse role include critical thinking, conceptual and judgmental skills, neurological function so that the senses can be used to make correct clinical judgments and perform psychomotor skills safely; the ability to communicate clearly; effective emotional coping skills; accountability; and the ability to engage in activities consistent with safe nursing practice.
Academic. Grade of C or above in supporting and nursing courses and a cumulative college grade point average of 2.5 or higher.
Mathematics requirement. All first-year or transfer students who are enrolled in pre-nursing courses need to take the Math Competency exam during registration. A score of 60% or above is required on this placement test. Students who score below 60% must take Math 105, Understanding Our Quantitative World.
Other. The nursing department reserves the right to adjust the current admission criteria when outcome assessment data demonstrate the need for such changes.

Continuation criteria

A grade of C or above in all supporting and nursing courses and a college grade point average of 2.5 or higher is required for continuation in the nursing major. A grade of C- or below in a supporting or nursing course interrupts the student’s plan of study. The course must be repeated with a grade of C or higher prior to advancement to the next level. Nursing and supporting courses may be repeated only once. The number of repeated courses is limited to two supporting courses and one nursing course. The nursing department reserves the right to place a student on probation or require a student to withdraw from the nursing major when that student displays behaviors deemed inappropriate to the practice of professional nursing.

Graduation requirements

Completion of 120 credit hours accepted by Goshen College, successful completion of all nursing courses, cumulative grade point average of 2.5 or higher in college course work.

Licensure exam

Upon completion of the degree, the student is eligible to take the National Council Licensure Examination - RN (NCLEX-RN) for licensure as a registered professional nurse. The program is accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education and is approved by the Indiana State Board of Nursing.

Major in nursing (basic track)

87 credit hours

Modified general education program for nursing students

The same general education requirements apply as for students in other majors, with two exceptions:

1. Nurs 309, Health Care Ethics meets the PJCS/Philosophy requirement.
2. Nursing majors who elect alternate international education do not need to meet the language pre-requisite. Instead, one of the courses within the 12 credit hours taken must be in foreign language.

Supporting courses (41 credit hours)

Complete prior to enrolling in nursing courses:

• Chem 101-102, The Chemistry and Physics of Life 7
• Biol 203-204, Human Anatomy and Physiology 7

Complete prior to or concurrent with 200-level nursing courses:

• Biol 206, Microbiology 3
• Chem 220, Human Nutrition 3
• Psyc 100, General Psychology 3
• Psyc 210, Developmental Psychology 3
• Soc 200, Principles of Sociology 3
• Soc 210, Sociology of the Family 3

Complete prior to or concurrent with 300-level nursing courses:

• Biol 320-321, Human Pathophysiology I & II 6
• Psyc 306, Abnormal Psychology 3

Nursing courses (46 credit hours)

• Nurs 210, Introduction to Professional Nursing 3
• Nurs 211, Concepts and Strategies in Nursing 3
• Nurs 212, Holistic Client Assessment* 3
• Nurs 305, Pharmacology and Drug Administration* 3
• Nurs 306, Nursing Care of the Adult I* 3
• Nurs 307, Nursing Care of the Adult II* 3
• Nurs 309, Health Care Ethics 2
• Nurs 311, Nursing Care of the Expanding Family* 3
• Nurs 312, Nursing Care of the Child* 3
• Nurs 403, Nursing Research 2
• Nurs 404, Care of the Older Adult* 3
• Nurs 405, Psychiatic/Mental Health Nursing* 3
• Nurs 406, Acute Care Nursing* 3
• Nurs 408, Community-Health Nursing* 3
• Nurs 409, Leadership in Nursing* 3
• Nurs 410, Senior Seminar in Nursing 3

*Denotes courses with a clinical component or practice-based project.

Planning and advising notes

Students who had two semesters of high school chemistry with a grade of B- or higher are exempt from Chem 101 but are required to take Chem 102. SoWk 221 Human Behavior may be substituted for Psyc 210 with approval of the director.

Nursing courses

NURS 210 Intro to Professional Nursing 3
Selected nursing theories, nursing process and research will be studied as foundations for nursing practice. Emphasis will be on the nurse as a person and the importance of self-understanding, accountability, communication and helping relationships. The role of the professional nurse is studied in terms of an ever-changing health care delivery system and emerging nursing practice settings. Introduction to client as individual, family and community.

NURS 211 Concepts & Strategies in Nursing 3
Selected concepts and strategies inherent in basic nursing practice are studied. These are organized according to classification systems of nursing diagnoses, interventions and outcomes. Related nursing skills are incorporated. Prerequisite: Nurs 210.

NURS 212 Holistic Client Assessment 3
Holistic client assessment focuses on collection of a database within the context of the nursing process. Components of the data include the health history and assessment of functional health patterns, body systems, growth and development, and cultural and spiritual dimensions. Assessment is linked with current health screening recommendations and a health promotion framework. Clinical and laboratory experiences are included. Prerequisite: Nurs 210, prerequisite or corequisite: Nurs 211.

NURS 305 Pharmacology & Drug Administration 3
An introduction to drug therapy focusing on drug classifications with an emphasis on: 1) principles of drug therapy and the actions of a classification, 2) drug administration in a clinical setting, 3) problem solving with clinical situations, and 4) nursing interventions with rationale. Nonnursing majors may take the course for one or two hours. Prerequisites: Nurs 211 and Nurs 212 for nursing majors and by consent of instructor for nonnursing majors.

NURS 306 Nursing Care of the Adult I 3
The nursing process is used with adults and families experiencing illness. Content areas in this course include nursing care of adults with fluid and electrolyte and acid/base imbalance, gastrointestinal disorder, musculoskeletal problems, chronic neurological problems, urinary/genital conditions, and autoimmune disorders. Clinical experiences consist of providing holistic nursing care to adults in medical/surgical clinical areas, with emphasis on perioperative nursing. Prerequisite: Nurs 212. Co-requisites: Nurs 305, Biol 320

NURS 307 Nursing Care of the Adult II 3
The nursing process is used with adults and families experiencing illness. Content areas in this course include nursing care of adults with fluid and electrolyte and acid/base imbalance, cancer, lower respiratory problems, diabetes, and cardiovascular problems. Clinical experiences consist of providing holistic nursing care to adults in medical/surgical clinical areas. Prerequisite: Nurs 212. Co-requisites: Nurs 305, Biol 320.

NURS 309 Health Care Ethics 2
In this course, students will actively reflect on ethical issues which are present in health care for practitioners and consumers. The focus will be on the process of ethical inquiry rather than decision outcomes. In the process of analyzing bioethical issues, student will be introduced to ethical theory and modes of ethical analysis informed by the Christian faith. Prerequisites: Open to third- and fourth-year students from all departments.

NURS 311 Nursing Care of Expanding Family 3
The nursing process and knowledge of normal and selected abnormal conditions experienced during the childbearing cycle are addressed. Clinical experiences occur with the family in the community and hospital. Prerequisite: All 200-level nursing courses. Co-requisites: Nurs 305, Biol 320.

NURS 312 Nursing Care of the Child 3
The focus of this course is on common conditions and illnesses of children. The clinical focuses of the nursing care of the ill child. Developmental concepts, health promotion and prevention are emphasized in clinical and theory. Prerequisite: All 200-level nursing courses. Co-requisites: Nurs 305, Biol 320.

NURS 403 Nursing Research 2
Basic concepts of nursing research are examined. Focuses on critical analysis of published nursing research as a basis for using research in clinical practice. Prerequisites: nine credit hours of 300-level clinical nursing courses.

NURS 404 Care of the Older Adult 3
The course examines health issues encountered during the final four decades of the life span, from active older adult through the end of life. Professional nursing roles incorporate a focus on how care fits within the concept of family for each client. Clinical experiences take place in the homes, long term care facilities, and community settings where older adults reside. Prerequisites: All 300-level clinical nursing courses.

NURS 405 Psychiatric/Mental-Health Nursing 3
A study of psychiatric/mental-health nursing practice. The clinical component provides opportunities in a psychiatric hospital and community mental-health settings. The role of the nurse as a member of the mental-health team is emphasized. Prerequisites: All 300-level clinical nursing courses, Psyc 306.

NURS 406 Acute-Care Nursing 3
Nursing concepts and theories are applied to the care of acutely ill adults and their families. Selected content areas in this course include cardiovascular, respiratory, neurological, renal and burns. Clinical experiences occur in an acute care facility and involve caring for acutely ill adults with complex nursing needs. Prerequisites: All 300-level clinical nursing courses.

NURS 408 Community-Health Nursing 3
Applies a synthesis of nursing and public health theories to the assessment and care of aggregates in the community. Community health planning for aggregates is done using various community agencies and resources. The public health delivery system is differentiated from the private health care delivery system in its emphasis on social justice. Prerequisites: All 300-level clinical nursing courses.

NURS 409 Leadership in Nursing 3
This course continues to focus on the use of the nursing process with clients. Content includes management and leadership theories. The clinical experience includes management of care for multiple clients. Prerequisites: All supporting courses and clinical nursing courses.

NURS 410 Nursing Senior Seminar 3
A focus on integration of current professional practice issues. Students articulate their own philosophy of health care and nursing including their faith beliefs, rights of clients and responsibility to deliver quality nursing care. Prerequisites: All clinical nursing courses.

B.S.N. completion track

Introduction

Registered nurses may choose to take the either the basic track or participate in the B.S.N. completion track described below, designed for the working registered nurse. The B.S.N. completion program is offered in collaboration between the Goshen College nursing department and Division of Adult and External Studies (DAES). Transcripts from previous nursing education programs are evaluated individually and credits are transferred accordingly. Credit by examination is also an option for general education and supporting courses.

Structure of the program

This track allows registered nurses to complete a B.S.N. in about 19 months. The track is designed to affirm personal and professional strengths. Students are actively involved in identifying their strengths and their learning needs. Study guides are provided to maximize off-campus study and in-class activity time. The collaborative education process makes student experiences and insights a vital part of classroom activities. Each group of R.N.s progresses through the courses as a cohort group. Classes meet one night a week for four hours and vary in length from two to 10 weeks. The same night of the week is used for a group throughout the program. Clinical experiences for specified courses will be arranged at other times during the week. Thirteen courses provide 40 credit hours, of which 28 are upper-level nursing credits and 12 are general education credits.

Admission requirements

• An associate degree or diploma in nursing from an accredited program.
• A cumulative grade point average of 2.5 or higher in prior academic work.
• Completion of all prerequisite supporting courses (listed below).
• Transfer of a minimum of 60 credit hours from an accredited college.
• Current licensure as an R.N. in Indiana or a neighboring state where the clinical component can be completed.
• Equivalence of one year of full-time employment as a registered nurse in a health-care delivery setting. Currency and relevance of work experience will be evaluated individually.

Prerequisites

Prior to assignment to a group and beginning progression through the track, the following courses (or their achievement test equivalent) must be completed.

General education: English composition course (3 credit hours)

Supporting courses: Anatomy and physiology course (4 credit hours) and Sociology or psychology course (3 credit hours)

Graduation requirements

1. Completion of 120 credit hours accepted by Goshen College.
2. Completion of the B.S.N. completion track.
3. Cumulative GPA of 2.5 or above in this program.
4. Completion of general education and supporting-course requirements outlined above.

Courses for the B.S.N. completion program

Nurs 331 Philosophy and Theories of Nursing 3
Bridge course that prepares adult learners for upper-level college study. The metaparadigm of nursing is utilized as the organizing framework for exploration of self and nursing. The evolution of nursing science, theory, research, and practice are studied.

Nurs 332 Holistic Client Assessment* 3
Builds on prior learning, expanding history taking and physical assessment skills across the life span. Includes spiritual, cultural and family assessment.

Nurs 333 Nursing Research 4
Basic concepts of nursing research are examined. Students will focus on applying these concepts by locating, reading and utilizing published nursing research reports to make recommendations for evidence based nursing practice. Nursing research is differentiated from research in other fields.

Nurs 334 Communication Skills for Professional Nurses 3
This course responds to the challenges of professional communication and the expectations for registered nurses who are baccalaureate students. The focus is on critique and the development of individual written and oral communication for content, style and effectiveness. Access and management of information will be discussed.

Reln 305 Enduring Issues in Christian Prospectives 3
Examines the biblical heritage and major doctrines of Christian faith. Explores basic issues such as individualism and community, personal decision-making, social justice, and relating to other religious traditions. Class members will be challenged to think through their own responses to these issues.

Socn 305 Social Systems 3
Family and organizational systems within their cultural and societal context are examined from a social-theory perspective. Functional/dysfunctional systems and change theory are studied.

Hist 202 American History II (1877 to present) 3
or Hist 203 World History II (1500 to present) 3
See history section of the catalog for course descriptions.

Nurs 437 Cross-Cultural Aspects of Health and Illness 4
Health, illness and various health-care systems are explored. Theory relative to culture and specific aggregates will be studied.

Hum 223 Humanities: Music and Art 3
or Hum 224 Humanities: Music and Theater 3
or Hum 225 Humanities: Art and Theater 3
See humanities section of the catalog for course descriptions.

Nurs 438 Community Health Nursing* 4
Applies a synthesis of nursing, public health and community health theories to the assessment and care of "aggregate as client" in a community setting. Emphasis will be on aggregates or populations rather than individuals and families. Builds on prior courses that focus on assessment, social systems, culture, research, communications, and client education.

Nurs 439 Health-Care Ethics 2
In this course, students will actively reflect on ethical issues which are present in health care for practitioners and consumers. The focus will be on the process of ethical inquiry rather than decision outcomes. In the process of analyzing bio-ethical issues, student will be introduced to ethical theory and modes of ethical analysis informed by the Christian faith.

Nurs 447 Issues Seminar 1
The focus of this course is on integration of current issues in the practice of professional nursing. Students articulate their own philosophy of health care and nursing including their faith beliefs, rights of clients and responsibility to deliver quality nursing care.

Nurs 449 Leadership in Nursing* 4
Leadership and management principles are applied to clinical practice. Clinical practice component of course will be arranged with each student.

* Denotes courses with clinical component or practice-based project

Master of Science in Nursing

See the Graduate Programs section of this catalog.