NSC 201: Foundations of Professional Nursing Practice I
Credit Units: 2 (C: LH 15; PH 45)
This course introduces students to the philosophical, historical, and scientific foundations of professional nursing practice. It explores the evolution of nursing as a profession, highlighting its ethical values, roles, and contributions within healthcare systems. Students will examine concepts of health and illness, levels of healthcare delivery, and the socio-cultural context influencing patient care. Emphasis is placed on professional nursing organizations, nursing theories and models, and the nursing process, including the use of standardized nursing diagnoses (NANDA), interventions (NIC), and outcomes (NOC).
In the practical component, students develop competence in basic nursing skills essential for safe and effective patient care. These include procedures that ensure patient comfort, safety, and hygiene, such as bed-making, baths, food service, and vital signs measurement. Laboratory demonstrations precede clinical exposure, ensuring that students acquire foundational psychomotor and critical thinking skills required for professional nursing practice.
By the end of the course, students are expected to understand the nature of nursing, appreciate its ethical and scientific underpinnings, and demonstrate basic clinical skills that form the basis for subsequent professional practice.