Health Assessment: Adults and Older Adults

Curriculum Guideline

Effective Date:
Course
Discontinued
No
Course Code
NURS 2112
Descriptive
Health Assessment: Adults and Older Adults
Department
Nursing
Faculty
Health Sciences
Credits
2.50
Start Date
End Term
Not Specified
PLAR
No
Semester Length
15
Max Class Size
24
Contact Hours
3.0 hours/week
Method(s) Of Instruction
Lab
Learning Activities

It is the intent of faculty to facilitate student learning, and promote critical inquiry, reflection and analytical reasoning through the use of active experiential learning strategies including simulation, online learning activities, and laboratory practice. 

Course Description
In this course, students learn the basic holistic assessment of adults and older adults with a focus on physical assessment. The distinction between comprehensive and focused assessment is addressed. In addition, students learn a variety of basic psychomotor skills commonly used in nursing practice with adults and older adults. Knowledge development occurs through participation in a variety of experiential learning activities.
Course Content

In this course, the holistic health assessment of adults and older adults and a variety of basic psychomotor skills used in nursing practice with adults and older adults are the foci for discussion.  The concepts and essential content that will be addressed relative to these topics are listed below.  In addition, the core curriculum concepts are integrated in this course.   

Holistic health assessment of adults and older adults with a focus on physical assessment

  • Comprehensive assessment
  • Focused systems assessment
  • Ongoing, continuous, and episodic assessment (introduction)
  • Vital sign measurement
  • Integumentary assessment
  • Rest and sleep
  • Nursing health history
  • Reporting and documenting assessments and nursing care

Psychomotor skills commonly used in nursing practice with adult and older adult clients

  • Hygiene
  • Toileting
  • Occupied bed making
  • Range of motion
  • Medication administration
  • Specimen collection
  • Prevention of complications

Safety

  • Safe work practices
    • Falls risk assessment
    • Transfers
    • Positioning
    • Body mechanics
    • Mechanical assists
    • Mobility aids
  • Infection transmission precautions
  • Handling biohazardous materials
  • Cultural safety

Nurse's role

  • Consolidation, integration, and application of course and other nursing knowledge in simulated nursing practice experiences.

Concepts relative to health assessment to be explored include:

  • Purpose
  • Principles
  • Engaging with clients
  • Planning
  • Rationale
  • Implementation
  • Evaluation
  • Preventing complications
Learning Outcomes

At the end of this course, the successful student will be able to:

  • Demonstrate the knowledge, attitudes and skills necessary for basic comprehensive and focused physical assessment of adults and older adults.
  • Demonstrate the knowledge, attitudes and skills necessary for the safe implementation of a variety of basic psychomotor skills commonly used in nursing practice with adults and older adults.
  • Demonstrate the integration and application of course and other nursing knowledge in simulated nursing practice experiences.
Means of Assessment

The course evaluation is consistent with Douglas College Evaluation Policy.  A course evaluation schedule and other course evaluation information are provided on the instructor’s course outline which is available to students at the beginning of each semester.  This is a graded course. 

Textbook Materials

Textbooks and Materials to be Purchased by Students:

A list of recommended textbooks and materials is provided on the instructor’s course outline which is available to students at the beginning of each semester. 

Prerequisites

Students in the BSN program are required to maintain a passing grade of 65% (C+) in all courses in order to progress in the program.

Corequisites
Which Prerequisite