B.S., Nursing for RNs

Director's Message

The overwhelming advantage of this program is that it is based on the principles of adult education. Your classmates will be very much like yourself in age and life experiences, which makes class discussions, projects and presentations invaluable learning situations.  The cohorts are small--12 to 20 students in a class--which results in a relaxed and informal learning atmosphere.  Your instructors are carefully selected, experienced experts in their field who are adept at teaching adult students. Student evaluations of each course are required to help maintain program excellence.

In April 2008 the nursing program at Keuka College became a new chapter (Upsilon Upsilon) of the nursing honor society, Sigma Theta Tau (By Laws).  Membership is by invitation to baccalaureate nursing students who demonstrate excellence in scholarship, and to nurse leaders exhibiting exceptional achievements in nursing.  If you have questions about membership please contact us, upsilon@mail.keuka.edu.

With regards,
Sparki Mangels, Ed D, RN, CNA, BC
Chair of the Division of Nursing

Skills & Job Information

This program prepares you for further academic choices and job advancement. You will add to, and sharpen, your physical assessment skills; learn to interpret and utilize nursing research; delve into the new knowledge of genetics and health; study epidemiology and the complexity of community health issues; analyze the importance of history in the development of the profession; begin a study of the business of health care; and investigate the licensing laws for nursing and other health professions and describe collaborative practice with these health professionals. Throughout the program, you will be asked to experience a new nursing area of your own choosing for the course titled Field Period.  You will look at your practice in new ways and with new skills. 

AfterCollege Job Resource Center

Visit the AfterCollege Job Resource Center to quickly search for employment opportunities in nursing, network with professionals in the field, and find scholarship information. 

Program Curriculum

The B.S. in Nursing for RNs curriculum consists of 13 courses and 34 credit hours. Classes meet one night each week for 4 hours. In addition to classroom hours, students are expected to invest approximately 1-2 hours outside of class for each classroom hour. For planning purposes, students will spend 4 hours each week in class, plus an additional 4-8 hours outside of class, completing readings, assignments, case studies and group work.

INS 301 Integrative Studies II: Adult Learning Theory and Practice (3 credits)

The differences between the principles of pedagogy and andragogy are analyzed. This course focuses on providing the capstone for the core through a process of portfolio development. The adult learner selects prior learning experiences and applies the Kolb Model to these experiences. The template for the Life-Learning Experience paper is created in this course. Credit will be assigned for prior learning over the course of the degree completion program based on the demonstration of substantial interdisciplinary experiences and appropriate theoretical application.

NUR 309 Family Health Nursing (3 credits)

The focus of this course is the family as client. The framework for investigation combines family systems theory with a developmental life-cycle approach, tracing the growth of many types of family systems as they evolve over time. Through a systematic approach to family assessment, students analyze the cultural, ethnic, racial, religious, and socio-economic variables that strongly influence family life in this rural community. Consideration is also given to the appropriateness and utilization of community resources that can enhance family functioning.

NUR 300 Health Assessment (3 credits)

This course provides theory and laboratory practice of basic health assessment skills for individuals across the lifespan. The student uses the nursing process as a framework to develop interviewing, health history assessment, and documentation skills to conduct a systematic, comprehensive health assessment.

NUR 400 Business Planning for Health Care (3 credits)

This course provides students in the health care professions with basic business and entrepreneurial skills. Topics covered include: costing, budgeting, and marketing. Students cover basic business theory, making case study applications. Emphasis is placed on quantitative and qualitative decision-making. The course also examines current business trends within the health care industry including deregulation, reimbursement systems, fee-for-service providers, and entrepreneurial opportunities.

NUR 316 Nursing History (1 credit)

This course introduces the rich history of nursing, beginning with early civilizations. Knowledge of nursing’s history, within the context of each period, provides insight into the relationships between nursing and society. The impact on modern nursing of historical figures such as Florence Nightingale, Lavinia Dock and Lillian Wald is investigated, as are the changing roles of nurses over time.

NUR 317 Professional Development (1 credit)

This course encourages the student to explore the ethical and legal requirements for safe, effective, compassionate professional nursing practice. Characteristics of a profession are considered and applied to nursing. Philosophical and legal definitions of nursing are examined related to the work of prominent nursing theorists. Students study the American Nurses Association Code for Nurses, the ethical basis of nursing practice. Students also study New York state licensing law, which provides the foundation for the legal parameters of nursing practice

NUR 311 Genetics in Nursing (3 credits, online)

This course provides the nurse of the future with a basic understanding of the principles of human genetics. Major content areas include the human genome project, cross-cultural issues in human genetics, and genetic conditions across the lifespan. Students begin to evaluate the inherent ethical dilemmas that this expanding knowledge will pose for modern health care providers.

NUR 315 Nursing Research (3 credits)

This course is an introduction to the principles of scientific inquiry in nursing. Students are guided in the development of critical appraisal skills in the evaluation of both quantitative and qualitative research methodologies and in the application of research findings to nursing practice. Resources, including nursing informatics, appropriate for nurse researchers, are explored with the opportunity to define a research problem and to initiate a literature search.

NUR 303 Epidemiology (2 credits)

This course presents basic epidemiological concepts and methods with emphasis on the health status and health needs of a population, on the levels of prevention, and on the promotion of health strategies. General methods introduced include epidemiological measures, measures of effect, sources of data, descriptive components, study designs and strategies for screening, and surveillance in the community. Practical applications for health care providers are emphasized.

NUR 415 Community Health Nursing (4 credits)

This course focuses on the theory and practice of community health nursing. Community health nursing is a blend of two components: public health science, with its roots in epidemiology, and the art and science of nursing. While students work with individuals and families, emphasis is placed on “community-as-client” to critically examine a population-focused practice of nursing in a rural community. In partnership with the community, students analyze current assessment data to develop a proposal to meet an identified community need. Clinical learning experiences occur in a variety of community-based settings.

NUR 425 Nursing Leadership (3 credits)

This course focuses on the nurse’s leadership roles in the rapidly- changing global health care environment. Course content includes group theory and development, models of leadership, organizational theory and development, change theory, and conflict management. Managed care concepts, quality improvement, and the evaluation of patient care outcomes are also highlighted. Seminar discussions enhance understanding of business processes and of the political, legal, and ethical ramifications of core topics.

NUR 430 Professional Practice Issues (2 credits)

In this capstone senior seminar, students are encouraged to critically analyze societal trends and health issues that influence professional nursing practice. Students provide leadership for selecting, planning, implementing, and evaluating seminars. Knowledge and skills from other nursing courses are integrated as the student is challenged to explore current employment opportunities and to make projections for the changing roles of the nurse into the next millennium. Individual student portfolios are completed during this course.

NUR 491 Senior Field Period (3 credits)

Nursing-focused experiential education for the individual student or student group. This experience builds upon previous experience, demonstrating growth and an enhanced ability to think critically. Off-campus experiences highlight personal and professional development and can also involve the areas of service-learning, working with diverse populations, and working with other disciplines. Includes a minimum of 140 clock hours.

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