Revised 8/2020

NSG 270 - Nursing Capstone (4 CR.)

Course Description

Provides students with the opportunity to comprehensively apply and integrate learned concepts from previous nursing courses into a capstone experience. Emphasizes the mastery of patient-centered care, safety, nursing judgment, professional behaviors, informatics, quality improvement, and collaboration in the achievement of optimal outcomes of care. Provides supervised learning experiences in faculty and/or preceptor-guided college nursing laboratories, clinical/community settings, and/or simulated environments. Laboratory 12 hours. Total 12 hours per week.

General Course Purpose

The purpose of this course is to expand on the role of the professional nurse in the healthcare environment in preparation for practice as a registered nurse.

Course Prerequisites/Corequisites

Prerequisites: BIO 141 and BIO 142 or BIO 231 and 232. ENG 111, PSY 230, SDV 101 or 100, BIO 150 or BIO205, CST 110 or 115 or 126 or 229, required Elective ENG 112 or HIS 101 or MTH 154 or MTH 245, NSG 100, NSG 106, NSG 130, NSG 152, NSG 170 and NSG 200, NSG 210, NSG 211

Corequisites: HUM Elective (see college catalog), NSG 230, NSG 252

Course Objectives

Upon completing the course, the student will be able to:

  • Provide patient-centered care promoting therapeutic relationships, caring behaviors, and self-determination across the lifespan for diverse populations.
  • Practice safe nursing care that minimizes risk of harm across systems and client populations.
  • Integrate clinical judgment when collaborating with the healthcare team in the management of care for complex clients.
  • Practice professional behaviors that encompass the legal/ethical framework while incorporating self-reflection, leadership and a commitment to recognize the value of life-long learning.
  • Manage client care through quality improvement processes, information technology, and fiscal responsibility to meet client needs and support organizational outcomes.
  • Demonstrate principles of collaborative practice within the nursing and interdisciplinary teams fostering mutual respect and shared decision-making to achieve optimal outcomes of care.
  • Manage the principles of pharmacology to the identified concepts for clients with complex conditions across the lifespan.
  • Manage the appropriateness, accuracy, and client response to pharmacology principles for clients with complex conditions.

Major Topics to Be Included

  • Management of Patient-Centered Care Concepts
    • Patient advocacy, respect and caring
    • Development of a patient centered plan of care
    • Time management and workload organization
    • Incorporation of evidence-based practices and technology in patient care
    • Use of therapeutic communication skills
  • Safety Concepts
    • Safety and Infection Control implementation in patient care
    • Incorporation of safety principles
    • Use of safety enhancing technologies
    • Incorporation of National Patient Safety Goals
  • Clinical Judgment Concepts
    • Develop an individualized plan of care based on patient values, clinical expertise and reliable evidence
    • Recognize changes in patient status and intervene appropriately
    • Apply clinical judgment to guide care
    • Prioritize patient care accurately using relevant data and best evidence.
    • Incorporate and value evidence-based practice, evaluate existing practices and seek creative approaches to problem solving
  • Professionalism Concepts
    • Ethical and Legal Issues in patient care
    • Responsibility and accountability for delivering safe patient care
    • Professional demeanor in interactions with patients, families and healthcare providers.
    • Reflective thinking for the purpose of improving nursing practice.
    • Initiating a plan for ongoing professional development
  • Quality Concepts
    • Common quality measures encountered in clinical practice
    • Technology and information management tools to support safe, patient care.
    • Fiscal responsibility in the delivery of patient care
  • Teamwork and Collaboration Concepts
    • The effect nursing and other interdisciplinary team members have upon care processes and outcomes for patients and families within any healthcare setting
    • Collaboration with members of the healthcare team
    • Appreciation of different communication styles and cultural differences in team members.
    • Management skills and principles of delegation
    • Identification of own strengths and weaknesses to improve individual as well as team performance