Course

Nursing Art and Science: Acuity & Complexity

Faculty
Health Sciences
Department
Nursing
Course code
NURS 4511
Credits
3.00
Semester length
15
Max class size
36
Method(s) of instruction
Lecture
Course designation
None
Industry designation
None
Typically offered
To be determined

Overview

Course description
In this course, students continue to build and refine the core competencies required to care for a diverse population of clients with a range of complex health challenges in various contexts. Clients may experience co-morbidities and acute, chronic, deteriorating, and unpredictable health conditions. Students integrate and apply relevant theories and concepts, including the core curriculum concepts and themes. Students will examine regional, national, and global trends and issues, using an epidemiological lens. Students develop advanced level theory in preparation for the BCCNM entry-level competencies and their final preceptorship.
Course content

Health trends/issues/challenges:

  • Electrolyte abnormalities

  • Arterial blood gasses
  • Acid-base imbalances
  • Fluid resuscitation
  • Infections and wound care
  • Peripheral vascular disease
  • Cancer
  • Stroke
  • Renal failure
  • Head injury / traumatic brain injury
  • Dementia as a co-morbidity and differentiated from other disorders
  • Multi-organ dysfunction and organ failure
  • Transplant and organ donation
  • Sepsis
  • Shock (various types)
  • Tuberculosis (TB)
  • Diabetes
    • Diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA)
    • Metabolic syndrome
    • Hyperosmolar hyperglycemic (non-ketotic) state 
  • Cardiac variations and failure
    • Acute MI
    • Acute coronary syndrome
    • Electrocardiogram (ECG) arrythmias (introduction)
    • Cardiomyopathy
    • Heart failure
  • Respiratory variations and failure
    • Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)
    • Intubation
    • Tracheostomy
  • Hepatic variations and failure
    • Cirrohsis
    • Pancreatitis
    • Hepatitis

The concepts relative to health challenges to be explored include:

  • Management of deteriorating health status and codes
  • Transmission, prevention and infection control
  • Select pharmacological studies
  • Cultural competence
  • Cultural safety
  • Cultural humility
  • Transition
  • Loss
  • Death and dyiing
  • Stress and anxiety
  • Hardiness and resilience
  • Coping
Learning activities
Faculty will facilitate the student's integration of nursing theory and promote the development of critical inquiry, clinical reasoning and judgment through learning activities such as lectures, group discussions, client-based scenarios, and using electronic resources.
 
Means of assessment

This is a graded course, and the means of assessment are consistent with the Douglas College Evaluation Policy. The instructor's course outline will be available to students by the first class and list the evaluative components of the course.

Learning outcomes

Upon successful completion of this course, students will be able to:

  1. Integrate the knowledge, attitudes, skills, and abilities required to provide safe, ethical, competent, compassionate, and evidence-informed nursing care to clients with complex health challenges;
  2. Synthesize multiple forms of knowledge in planning care for clients; 
  3. Demonstrate advancing clinical decision-making, clinical reasoning, and judgment; 
  4. Apply leadership skills to contribute to the transformation of nursing practice.
Textbook materials

The instructor's course outline will be available to students by the first class and list the required textbooks and materials that students must purchase.

Requisites

Course Guidelines

Course Guidelines for previous years are viewable by selecting the version desired. If you took this course and do not see a listing for the starting semester / year of the course, consider the previous version as the applicable version.

(Current)

Course Transfers

These are for current course guidelines only. For a full list of archived courses please see https://www.bctransferguide.ca

Institution Transfer details for NURS 4511
There are no applicable transfer credits for this course.

Course Offerings

Winter 2025

CRN Days Instructor Status
Maximum seats
32
Currently enrolled
28
Remaining seats:
4
On waitlist
0
Building
Coquitlam - Bldg. D
Room
D1023
Times:
Start Time
8:30
-
End Time
12:20
CRN Days Instructor Status
Maximum seats
32
Currently enrolled
29
Remaining seats:
3
On waitlist
0
Building
Coquitlam - Bldg. C
Room
C1003
Times:
Start Time
8:30
-
End Time
12:20