LICENSED VOCATIONAL NURSING PROGRAM

CURRICULUM PLAN and CONCEPTUAL FRAMEWORK

The Vocational Nursing Program at College of the Redwoods utilizes the plan that nursing courses progress along the continuum of simple to complex, normal to abnormal.  The organizing principle is homeostasis as it relates to the study of representative client problems by addressing the various anatomical systems and specialty areas in nursing.  The prerequisite  nurse assistant or basic patient care course addresses core concepts related to the fundamentals of nursing, communication, asepsis, ethics, legalities,  basic physical assessment and nursing and rehabilitation care of geriatric or long-term care residents.

During the first semester of the vocational nursing program students incorporate concepts and skills learned in the basic course into the vocational nursing program.  Anatomical systems are introduced with simple anatomy, physiology, microbiology and related medical terminology.  Nutrition and pharmacology are incorporated into the program and there is an expansion of physical and psychosocial assessment concepts and skills.  Simple abnormalities and related nursing activities are incorporated. 

During the second and third semester of the program students incorporate all previously learned concepts and skills and utilize new concepts of complex pathophysiology to the care of clients with acute illnesses and long-term illnesses. Core concepts of the nursing process, the teaching process and preventive nursing care measures are emphasized.  Leadership and supervision concepts are addressed and practiced in either the long-term care facility or the acute care facility.

Various nursing and psychosocial theories are utilized in the development of knowledge and skills in the vocational nursing program. Paramount framework concepts include Maslow’s Hierarchy of Human Needs, Erickson’s Psychosocial Theory of Personality Development, Kubler-Ross’ Stages of Grief, Orem’s Behavioral Nursing Theory, and Roger’s Systems-Oriented Nursing Theory.  These theories are utilized through out the program.

rev. 6/6/02