Course descriptions for all courses required for the BSN program accelerated track of the Lester L. Cox College of Nursing and Health Sciences follow:
Biology
BIOL 205
Human Anatomy
3 Credit Hrs
An introduction to the gross and microscopic anatomy of the human body. Mammalian examples of major systems are studied in the laboratory. Lecture and laboratory.
BIOL 206
Human Physiology
3 Credit Hrs
Through lecture, discussion, and complementary laboratory experiences, this course examines the organization and function of the human body as a whole and the interrelations of its various systems, organs, tissues, and cells. Lecture and laboratory.
BIOL 208
Microbiology
3 Credit Hrs
The practical relations of microorganisms to human welfare. An introduction to standard laboratory methods of the study of bacteria and bacteriological examinations of materials; effects of environment upon bacteria. Lecture and laboratory.
BIOL 302
Principles of Human Nutrition
3 Credit Hrs
Prerequisite or Corequisite: CHEM 103. A study of food as it functions to meet body needs with emphasis on utilization, food sources, selection of adequate diets, individual, community, and world health problems, and diet therapy.
Prerequisites: BIOL 205, 206. Physiological responses to disease, stress, and the environment are studied. Pathophysiological processes are analyzed in view of current research.
Chemistry
CHEM 103
Fundamentals of Chemistry
3 Credit Hrs
A terminal course dealing with the fundamentals and basic concepts of chemistry, designed primarily for general college students as well as those in specialized programs such as nursing.
Mathematics
MATH 227
Introduction to Statistics
3 Credit Hrs
Prerequisite: MATH 100 or equivalent. A course to acquaint the student with the basic ideas and language of statistics including such topics as descriptive measures, elementary probability, distributions, estimations, hypothesis testing, regression, and correlation.
Nursing
NRSI 202
Foundations of Professional Nursing
7 Credit Hrs
Prerequisites or Corequisites: NRSI 204, NRSI 206, NRSI 300, and NRSI 400. This course provides the student with an introduction and exploration of the basic nursing skills that impact the practice of professional nursing in today’s healthcare setting. The focus of this course is to facilitate the student’s understanding of the professional nurses’ role in promoting health and providing client care. Communication and cultural competence are presented as components of the profession nursing role.
Prerequisites or Corequisites: NRSI 202, NRSI 300, and NRSI 400. This course is designed to provide students with the basic knowledge to safely administer drugs to clients of all ages. Content includes medication action, use, adverse effects, nursing implications, and client education for drugs affecting the body systems and defense processes.
NRSI 206
Health Assessment
3 Credit Hrs
Prerequisites or Corequisites: NRSI 202, NRSI 204, NRSI 300 and NRSI 400.This course provides theory and practice in performing health assessments of individual clients. The focus is on the adult client with adaptations across the life span introduced.
NRSI 210
Childbearing and Childrearing Families
8 Credit Hrs
Prerequisites or Corequisites: NRSI 202, NRSI 204, NRSI 206, NRSI 212, NRSI 300, NRSI 306 and NRSI 400. This course addresses the family as client. Assessment and interventions for the individual maternal and pediatric client within a family unit are addressed. Normal Functioning and patterns of alteration for the childbearing family and children are covered.
NRSI 212
Mental Health/Illness Nursing Concepts
4 Credit Hrs
Prerequisites: NRSI 202, NRSI 206, NRSI 204, NRSI 300, and NRSI 400. Prerequisite or Corequisite: NRSI 210 and NRSI 306. This course focuses on holistic nursing concepts considering individuals, families, and community groups at any position on the health continuum. The nursing process will be utilized in applying mental health concepts in a variety of settings. Emphasis is placed on use of therapeutic communication and the social, political, and economic contest of practice is considered. Intervention modes are observed or practiced in one-to-one, small group, family, and environmental settings
Prerequisites: NRSI 202, NRSI 204, NRSI 206, NRSI 300, and NRSI 400. This course is designed to give the student insight and experience in the application of information science to nursing practice. The electronic environment is explored as a resource for the enhancement of communication, clinical decision making, professional role development, and knowledge discovery. Students are required to demonstrate the use of software applications including e-mail, Internet browser applications, literature databases, and electronic documentation systems.
NRSI 302
Adult Medical Surgical Nursing I
8 Credit Hrs
Prerequisites: NRSI 202, NRSI 206, NRSI 204, NRSI 210, NRSI 212, NRSI 300, NRSI 306, and NRSI 400. Corequisites: NRSI 402, NRSI 404. The course focus is on the holistic nursing care of adults from multicultural backgrounds along the wellness-illness continuum, with an emphasis on integration of pathophysiology and psychosocial dynamics with complex illnesses and human response patterns in the acute care setting. Use of critical thinking, decision making and research will be incorporated into teaching, caring, and collaborative role of the nurse.
NRSI 306
Aging and the Older Adult
2 Credit Hrs
Prerequisites: NRSI 202, NRSI 206, NRSI 204, NRSI 300, and NRSI 400. Corequisites: NRSI 210, NRSI 212. This course examines the physical, psychological, sociocultural, and spiritual aspects of aging. The health of older adults is studied with the emphasis on health promotion, illness prevention, and healing and wholeness of individuals. End-of-life issues and care of dying individuals are discussed. In light of the vulnerability of the older adult and dying individual, uniqueness in care delivery is addressed.
Prerequisites: NRSI 202, NRSI 204, NRSI 206, NRSI 210, NRSI 212, NRSI 300, NRSI 302, NRSI 306, NRSI 400, NRSI 402, NRSI 404. Corequisites: NRSI 406 and NRSI 410. A continuation of Adult Medical Surgical Nursing I, this course will expand the development of the role of the professional nurse as a heath teacher and advocate along with expanding critical thinking and decision making skills.
NRSI 400
Theories and Research in Nursing
3 Credit Hrs
Corequisites: NRSI 202, NRSI 204, NRSI 206, NRSI 300. This course is an introduction to the importance of scientific inquiry and its relationship to theory development. Content includes a review of the research process, selected theories and conceptual models. Selected nursing literature is utilized for practice in critiquing research and ethical issues surrounding use of intellectual property are discussed.
NRSI 402
Management and Leadership in Nursing
4 Credit Hrs
Prerequisites: NRSI 202, NRSI 204, NRSI 206, NRSI 210, NRSI 212, NRSI 300, NRSI 306, NRSI 400. Corequisite: NRSI 302 and NRSI 404. This course provides a comprehensive introduction to nursing leadership and management. Principles and theories of leadership and management are integrated and related to the role of the professional nurse in delivery of client care.
NRSI 404
Community and Public Health Nursing
5-6
Credit Hrs
Prerequisites: NRSI 202, NRSI 204, NRSI 206, NRSI 210, NRSI 212, NRSI 300, NRSI 306, NRSI 400. Corequisite: NRSI 302 and NRSI 402. This course focuses on providing population-focused nursing care. Concepts of community health nursing practice are applied in a variety of structured and unstructured settings. Health promotion and disease prevention concepts are integrated into community-oriented practice using the community-as-partner model.
Prerequisites: NRSI 202, NRSI 204, NRSI 206, NRSI 210, NRSI 212, NRSI 300, NRSI 302, NRSI 306, NRSI 400, NRSI 402, NRSI 404. Corequisites: NRSI 310 and NRSI 410. This course provides an overview of relevant issues in professional nursing. Historical, legal, ethical, economic, political, and social trends and issues are discussed and related to the role of the nurse.
NRSI 410
Nursing Capstone Course
4-7
Credit Hrs
Must be taken during the FINAL semester. Prerequisites: NRSI 202, NRSI 204, NRSI 206, BIOL 382, NRSI 210, NRSI 212, NRSI 302, NRSI 306, NRSI 402, NRSI 404. Prerequisite or Corequisite: NRSI 310 and NRSI 406. This course provides students the opportunity to demonstrate competencies consistent with program outcomes. Students collaborate with faculty and a preceptor in choosing a care setting, planning and organizing a learning experience, and practicing professional nursing in a safe and effective manner.
Psychology
PSYC 101
Introduction to Psychology
3 Credit Hrs
This is a survey course providing a study of the behavior of living organisms, particularly human behavior. Typical problems are methods and measuremenst in psychology, theoretical systems, learning, motivation, perception, personality and psychopathology.
Introduction to the theory, constitutional basis, functions, and government structures of the U.S. political system. Emphasis is on the national level of politics and linkages with state and local governments, with particular emphasis on Missouri. Current issues in domestic and foreign policies.
Sociology
SOCI 101
Introduction to Sociology
3 Credit Hrs
An analysis of factors that are significant in the development of people as social beings. Consideration is given to the social group and culture as factors in this process.
