Rotation Image
Program Overview

Upon completion of the nursing program, the associate degree graduate will be educationally prepared to provide client-centered care to individuals across the lifespan who are experiencing disruptions in their functional health patterns. Utilizing the nursing process, principles of management, and knowledge of professional behaviors, the graduate will demonstrate competency in the roles of provider of care, manager of care, and member within the discipline of nursing.

Program Mission
The mission of JCC’s nursing program is to educate individuals from the service region to become associate degree nurses for career and/or transfer to baccalaureate programs. Graduates will provide holistic care to clients across the health/illness continuum, with emphasis on care of the adult/geriatric client.
 
The program prepares students for lifelong learning and intellectual inquiry in order to provide nursing care in an ever changing health care delivery system. The faculty is committed to employ a variety of teaching/learning modalities to assist students in their learning.
 
Recognizing that in health, man strives to function independently, nursing is directed at promoting acceptable functional health patterns for the individual. Disruptions in any of the functional health patterns might require intervention by the nurse.
 
In addition to the major themes of the curriculum, the following threads are incorporated into NUR 1510, 1520, 2510, and 2520: accountability, caring, communication, critical thinking, and leadership/management.
 
Organizing Structure
An organizing structure provides the framework for the delivery of information, and it reflects the philosophy of the individual or organization. The organizing structure of the nursing program is composed of two major themes upon which the curriculum is based.
 
The first theme, nursing process, is the foundation of nursing practice and the vehicle by which individualized client care is provided. Nursing process is viewed as a five-step process: assessment, diagnosis, planning, implementation, and evaluation. Utilizing all of the steps of the nursing process, care is provided to clients with disruptions in human functioning with commonly occurring health problems.
 
The second theme, functional health patterns, identifies the following eight functional health patterns: activity/exercise; elimination; nutrition/metabolic; protective; psycho/ social/cultural; sensory/perceptual/cognitive; sexuality/reproductive; and sleep/rest.
 
Program Outcomes
Upon completion of the nursing program, the associate degree graduate will be educationally prepared to provide client-centered care to individuals across the lifespan who are experiencing disruptions in their functional health patterns. Utilizing the nursing process, principles of management, and knowledge of professional behaviors, the graduate will demonstrate competency in the roles of provider of care, manager of care, and member within the discipline of nursing.
 
The intended program outcomes will be measured by the following criteria:
  1. Eighty-five percent of the graduates of the nursing program will pass the NCLEX (national licensure examination) the first time it is taken following graduation.
  2. Employers of the nursing program graduates will be highly satisfied with their performance as graduate nurses (as measured by the employer survey);
  3. Eighty percent of the nursing program graduates will be successfully employed in the field (as measured by the graduate survey);
  4. Graduates will be highly satisfied with their ability to function at an entry level in the nursing roles of provider of care, manager of care, and member within the profession of nursing (as measured by the graduate survey); and
  5. Forty percent of the nursing program graduates will evidence a beginning commitment to lifelong learning (as measured on the graduate survey).
Student Outcomes: Nursing
As provider of care, the student will be able to:
  • Identify selected nursing diagnoses based on disruptions in functional health patterns.
  • Utilize facilitative communication skills in all assessments and nursing care.
  • Demonstrate critical thinking skills by utilizing the nursing process as a guide in providing nursing care to clients with acute and chronic health deviations.
  • Demonstrate safe client care based on current standards of practice.
  • Apply pharmacological principles when administering and evaluating effects of medication.
  • Develop and implement individualized teaching plans which integrate knowledge of the client’s learning deficits and strengths.
  • Demonstrate caring behaviors when providing care for clients and interacting with families and members of the health care team.
As manager of care, the student will be able to utilize critical thinking skills to:
  • Establish priorities and coordinate nursing care for a group of clients in a timely and cost effective manner.
  • Promote effective team relationships and begin to appropriately delegate aspects of nursing care to other health care providers.
  • Accept the leadership role in the delivery of care to clients and families.
  •  Function as an advocate for clients and families.
As a member of the profession, the student will be able to:
  • Use knowledge of health promotion, health restoration, and health maintenance when caring for culturally diverse clients across the life span.
  • Positively express his/her value of nursing as a career.
  • Serve as a role model to members of the nursing team.
  • Accept constructive criticism and utilize suggestions for improving nursing practices.
  • Recognize the value of self-directed continuing education.
  • Function according to legal, ethical aspects in nursing practice as they relate to the rights/protection of clients and their families.
  • Demonstrate accountability to the patient, family, healthcare agency, and profession of nursing.