Nursing Department Philosophy
The faculty holds certain beliefs and concepts essential for the education of the practical and the associate degree nurse. These beliefs and concepts are the foundation of the curriculum and organize its design, implementation and evaluation and are in accord with the mission and goals of the College.
The faculty view people as unique individuals who are members of a diverse community. Each person possesses unique physical, emotional, intellectual, spiritual and social dimensions. These dimensions affect behavior and change across the life span. People are deserving of respect and dignity and are entitled to achieve their maximal level of health and wellness.
People exist as part of a society and a community-at-large with common interests and goals. Biological, social, psychological, political and cultural forces influence their interaction with the social environment. The health care system is an integral part of society.
Health is dynamic, interactive state of optimal holistic well-being, which is affected by multiple dimensions and the individual's perception of his basic needs (for a safe environment, physical integrity, psychosocial integrity, and health promotion). A state of illness exists when an individual is unable to obtain optimal wellness. Individuals strive to attain wellness across the lifespan.
Nursing is an art and science, which uses caring as the foundation for practice to assist individuals to meet their basic human needs and achieve optimal wellness. Nursing uses the nursing process, communication and critical thinking as a framework for decision-making and delivery of outcome based nursing care. Nursing is an integral part of the collaborative health care system that provides assistance to empower individuals, families and diverse communities.
The faculty believes that learning is a dynamic, student-centered, interactive process in which knowledge is acquired in the cognitive, psychomotor, and affective domains resulting in behavioral changes. Learning is maximized when knowledge can be acquired progressively with increasing levels of complexity. In nursing education, behavioral changes are observable through the demonstration of clinical skills and application of classroom theory and acquisition of values relevant to nursing.
Teaching is a process of providing director for learning. The faculty, through the use of a variety of teaching modalities, provides opportunities for knowledge to be shared between teacher and learner directed toward attaining established competencies and course and program outcomes. Teaching occurs in a variety of settings and entails facilitation and evaluation of learning and the provision of feedback.
The faculty believes that nursing education should take place in a institution of higher learning and in a variety of settings. Nursing education is a systematic, participatory, process in which the student combines a broad base of general education courses, theoretical and clinical nursing knowledge to develop competencies essential to safe, effective nursing practice. Learners are served best through a mutual caring commitment between teacher and learner, and education that is accessible, flexible, and designed to meet the educational goals of students with a diversity of backgrounds, abilities and needs. The nursing curriculum correlates theory and clinical application to prepare students to practice competently within the parameters of the Nurse Practice Act in Pennsylvania.
The faculty recognizes the NLN Educational Outcomes of the Associate Degree Nurse on Entry into Practice and the roles of provider of care, manager of care, and member within the discipline of nursing as the definition for associate degree nursing.
Associate degree nursing prepares the graduate nurse to provide safe, competent, holistic care to individuals with common well-defined health problems in a variety of settings across the life span. The practice of the graduate is characterized by critical thinking, accountability, and a commitment to the value of caring. The associate degree graduate uses the nursing process, a code of ethics, and legal framework as a basis for decision making in practice. The: graduate is prepared to participate as a member of the interdisciplinary team committed to a collaborative approach to patient-centered care. As a manager of care, the graduate provides and coordinates care for patients who have health care needs. The graduate of the associate degree nursing program is committed to professional growth, life-long learning and self-development.
The graduate of the practical nursing program practices under the guidance of a registered nurse or licensed physician/dentist. The primary role of the practical nurse is to provide nursing care for patients in structured health care settings who are experiencing common, well-defined problems. The graduate practical nurse uses the nursing process when providing patient centered care to individuals, family, and significant others from diverse communities across the life span. The practical nurse graduate is accountable and committed to the value of caring.
The graduate of the practical nursing program utilizes educational opportunities for continued personal and professional growth, and functions as an advocate for the health care consumer. The graduate practices within the ethical and legal framework of practical nursing and is responsible for ensuring high standards of nursing practice.
Original Approval: May 20, 1976
New Approval: May 1986
Revised: May 1988, June I992, May 1993, 1998. 2000, 2002
Reviewed:May 1987, 1989, 1990, 1991, 1997, 1998, 2000, 2001, 2006
