SYLLABUS

MEDICAL/SURGICAL NURSING I (THEORY)

ADNR-1140

2008

WESTERN NEBRASKA COMMUNITY COLLEGE

DIVISION OF HEALTH OCCUPATIONS
I. CATALOG DESCRIPTION:

ADNR-1140
Medical Surgical Nursing I (Theory)
Prerequisite: Successful completion of the first semester of the AD-N program;
concurrent with ADNR-1145 or permission of the instructor.

MS I Theory explores health promotion and biopsychosocial concepts in the

management of the adult. Systems include: integumentary, immune,
hematological, endocrine and respiratory. Fluid and electrolytes, acid-base
balance and the perioperative client will also be discussed.

(3.5/52.5/0/0/0/7)

II. GENERAL OBJECTIVES:

A. Apply the role of the medical/surgical nurse in relation to health promotion
and illness to adults with alterations in acid-base, dermatology, immunology,
hematology, endocrine, respiratory and the perioperative systems.

B. Examine the importance of biopsychosocial, pathophysiological and

pharmacological concepts in health care acknowledging the adaptive,
preventative, restorative and health education measures to maintain optimal
functioning for clients with the above system alterations.

C. Utilizing evidence-based practice, develop and implement appropriate plans

of care and client/family teaching plans for clients with disease conditions of
systems found in course objective number one (1).

D. Apply knowledge and recognize specific nursing assessment skills related to

the role of fluid and electrolytes and acid base balances.

E. Relate the importance of evaluation and the role it plays in the improvement
of quality client care.

F. Identify nursing diagnoses, goals, nursing interventions based on evidence

based practice, nursing outcomes and evaluation criteria appropriate for
clients with system (found in course objective number one {1}) problems.

G. Discuss etiologies, risks, signs and symptoms, treatment modalities and

diagnostics in relation to the system (see course objective number one {1})
alterations found in medical/surgical clients.
 MEDICAL/SURGICAL NURSING I (THEORY)
ADNR-1140

III. INSTRUCTIONAL MATERIALS:

A. Required Text:

1. Donna Ignatavicius and Linda M. Workman. Medical-Surgical Nursing,

Critical Thinking for Collaborative Care Volume 1 and 2.
Elsevier/Saunders. Latest Edition.

2. Donna Ignatavicius and Linda M. Workman. Critical Thinking Study

Guide to Accompany Medical-Surgical Nursing, Critical Thinking for
Collaborative Care. Elsevier/Saunders. Latest Edition.

3. Kathy A. Hausman. Clinical Companion for Ignatavicius and Workman

Medical-Surgical Nursing, Critical Thinking for Collaborative Care.
Elsevier/Saunders. Latest Edition.

4. Donna Ignatavicius and Linda M. Workman. Virtual Clinical

Excursions. Elsevier/Saunders. Latest Edition.

IV. COURSE OUTLINE:

A. Unit I: Health Promotion and Illness

1. Critical Thinking in the Role of the Medical-Surgical Nurse

2. Community Based Care

3. Introduction to Managed Care and Case Management

4. Introduction to Complementary and Alternative Therapies

5. Health Care of Older Adults

B. Unit 2: Biopsychosocial Concepts Related to Health Care

1. Cultural Aspects of Health Care

2. Pain: The Fifth Vital Sign

3. Substance Abuse

4. End-of-life Care

5. Rehabilitation Concepts for Acute and Chronic Problems

6. Genetic Concepts for Medical-Surgical Nursing

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 MEDICAL/SURGICAL NURSING I (THEORY)
ADNR-1140
C. Unit 3: Management of Clients with Fluid, Electrolyte, and Acid-Base
Imbalances

1. Fluid and Electrolyte Balance

2. Interventions for Clients with Fluid Imbalances

3. Interventions for Clients with Electrolyte Imbalances

4. Infusion Therapy

5. Acid-Base Balance

6. Interventions for Clients with Acid-Base Imbalances

D. Unit 4: Management of Perioperative Clients

1. Interventions for Preoperative Clients

2. Interventions for Intraoperative Clients

3. Interventions for Postoperative Clients

E. Unit 5: Management of Clients with Problems of the Skin, Hair, and Nails

1. Assessment of the Skin, Hair, and Nails

2. Interventions for Clients with Skin Problems

3. Interventions for Clients with Burns

F. Unit 6: Problems of Protection – The Immune and Hematological Systems

1. Concepts of Inflammation and the Immune Response

2. Interventions for Clients with Connective Tissue Disease and Arthritis

3. Interventions for Clients with HIV/AIDS and Other Immunodeficiency’s

4. Interventions for Clients with Immune Function Excess:

Hypersensitivity and Autoimmunity

5. Altered Cell Growth and Cancer Development

6. General Interventions for Clients with Cancer

7. Interventions for Clients with Infection

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ADNR-1140
G. Unit 7: Management of Clients with Problems of the Endocrine System

1. Assessment of the Endocrine System

2. Interventions for Clients with Pituitary and Adrenal Gland Problems

3. Interventions for Clients with Problems of the Thyroid and Parathyroid

Glands

4. Interventions for Clients with Diabetes Mellitus

H. Unit 8: Problems with Oxygenation

1. Assessment of the Respiratory System

2. Interventions for Clients Requiring Oxygen Therapy or Tracheostomy

3. Interventions for Clients with Noninfectious and Infectious Problems of

the Upper Respiratory Tract

4. Interventions for Clients with Noninfectious and Infectious Problems of

the Lower Respiratory Tract

V. METHOD OF PRESENTATION:
1. Lecture

2. Multimedia

3. Demonstration

4. Role Playing

5. Guest Lecturers

6. Laboratory and Clinical Practice

VI. METHOD OF EVALUATION:

1. Exams, Written Assignments, Quizzes

2. Refer to instructor’s class expectations and policies for specific grading

policies.

3. Grading determination is subject to change at the discretion of the

instructor.

4. Successful completion of ADRN-1140 Medical-Surgical Nursing 1

requires a C (75%) theory grade average and a Pass on each of the

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 MEDICAL/SURGICAL NURSING I (THEORY)
ADNR-1140
critical competencies for safe clinical practice in ADRN-1145 Medical-
Surgical Nursing I Lab/Clinical. Failure of either course will cause the
student to repeat both courses.

VII. UNIT OBJECTIVES:

A. Upon completion of this course, the student will be able to:

1. Unit I: Health Promotion and Illness

a) Describe critical thinking in the role of the medical-surgical

nurse.

b) Summarize community based care.

c) Compare managed care to case management.

d) Define complementary and alternative therapies.

e) Equate health care of older adults with adults.

2. Unit 2: Biopsychosocial Concepts Related to Health Care

a) Examine cultural aspects of health care.

b) Evaluate pain: the fifth vital sign.

c) Review substance abuse.

d) Discuss end-of-life care.

e) Contrast rehabilitation concepts for acute with chronic problems.

f) Describe genetic concepts for medical-surgical nursing.

3. Unit 3: Management of Clients with Fluid, Electrolyte, and Acid-Base

Imbalances

a) Review fluid and electrolyte balance.

b) Explain interventions for clients with fluid, acid-base and

electrolyte imbalances.

c) Interpret interventions for clients with electrolyte imbalances.

d) Summarize infusion therapy.

e) Outline acid-base balance.

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 MEDICAL/SURGICAL NURSING I (THEORY)
ADNR-1140
4. Unit 4: Management of Perioperative Clients

a) Describe interventions for preoperative clients.

b) Describe interventions intraoperative clients.

c) Describe interventions for postoperative clients.

5. Unit 5: Management of Clients with Problems of the Skin, Hair, and

Nails

a) Identify assessments and interventions of clients with skin, hair

and nail problems.

b) Explain burn interventions.

6. Unit 6: Problems of Protection – The Immune and Hematological

Systems

a) Restate concepts of inflammation and the immune response.

b) Discuss interventions for clients with connective tissue disease

and arthritis.

c) Examine interventions for clients with HIV/AIDS and other

immunodeficiency’s.

d) Evaluate interventions for clients with immune function excess:

hypersensitivity and autoimmunity.

e) Compare and contrast altered cell growth and cancer

development.

f) Enumerate general interventions for clients with cancer.

g) Debate interventions for clients with infections.

7. Unit 7: Management of Clients with Problems of the Endocrine System

a) Describe the assessment of the endocrine system.

b) Contrast interventions for clients with pituitary and adrenal gland

problems.

c) Identify interventions for clients with problems of the thyroid and

parathyroid glands.

d) Explain interventions for clients with diabetes mellitus.

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 MEDICAL/SURGICAL NURSING I (THEORY)
ADNR-1140
8. Unit 8: Problems with Oxygenation

a) Analyze an assessment of the respiratory system.

b) Organize interventions for clients requiring oxygen therapy or

tracheostomy.

c) Categorize interventions for clients with noninfectious and

infectious problems of the upper respiratory tract.

d) Examine interventions for clients with noninfectious and

infectious problems of the lower respiratory tract.

VIII. SPECIFIC COURSE REQUIREMENTS

1. Refer to the instructor’s class policies and expectations sheet.

**NOTE: THIS SYLLABUS IS NOT A CONTRACT BETWEEN THE

INSTRUCTOR AND STUDENT ENROLLED. CONTENT IS SUBJECT TO
CHANGE. STUDENTS WILL BE GIVEN A WRITTEN COPY OF ANY
CHANGES MADE IN THE CONTENT, COURSE POLICIES, OR GRADING AS
THEY MAY OCCUR.

IX. ACADEMIC INTEGRITY:

Academic integrity forms a fundamental bond of trust between colleagues, peers,
teachers, and students, and it underlies all genuine learning. At WNCC, there is
no tolerance for plagiarism or academic dishonesty in any form, including
unacknowledged “borrowing” of proprietary material, copying answers or papers,
using crib sheets, unauthorized help during exams, or passing off someone
else’s work as one’s own.
A breach of ethics or act of dishonesty can result in:
• failure of a paper or an exam within a course
• failure of an entire course (blatant plagiarism or cheating on a test or quiz)
• academic suspension or expulsion from the college

X. EQUAL ACCESS STATEMENT:

Western Nebraska Community College is committed to providing reasonable

accommodation to persons with disabilities. If you qualify under the Americans
with Disabilities Act (ADA), please notify the Director of Counseling, 308-635-
6090, as soon as possible to begin the process of documentation review and
determination of appropriate accommodation or adaptive strategies.

6-9-08