COURSE DESCRIPTIONS
Nursing
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Chair: Rebekah Fleeger, Ph .D. FACULTY Associate Professors: Caltabiano, Fleeger, Gewe, Westcott (Associate Chair) Assistant Professors: Cozad, Johnson, Miersma, Murphy OVERVIEW Biola Un iversity offers a Bachelor of Science degree in Nw,ing which is accred ited by the California Board of Regis tered Nursing and th e National League for Nursing. The program is designed to prepare graduates for a career in pro fessional nursing. The gene1ic student may select a four or five year option. The Nursing Department should be consul ted for these options. Graduates of li censed vocational, diploma and associate degree nursing programs may be admiued as transfer students and evaluated indi\1dually. Policies are avai l able from the Nursing Department. Clini cal nursing experi ences are provided 111tl1 tl1e cooperation of hospi tals and agencies throughout both Los Angeles and Orange Counties. In com pliance with State Board regulation s, the candidate will be eligi ble to take the examination required by the Board of Registered Nursing for licensure as a registered nurse. Upon graduati on, application can be made for certifica tion as a publi c health nurse. Both acceptance LO and continuation in the nursing major will be detern1ined by tl1e student's preparation, perfo1mance and personal qualities, as assessed bythe fac ultyof tl1e Department of Nursing. PHILOSOPHY The philosophyof the Department of Nursing is in agreement 1vitl1 that of the University. As such, we believe nurs ing is concerned 1vith tl1e wellbeing of tl1e total person. Each individual is an integrated, unique person, created in God's image, and endowed byGod with dignityand wortl1. The entry of sin into the world has placed a consu-aint on tl1e individual's total wellbeing which can onlybe remedied by the power and love of God through faith in Jesus Christ. God has created all persons with the potential for dynamic growth and devel opment throughout their lives, and with the right LO make decisions which influ ence their wellbeing. All persons require social interaction LO achieve and maintain wellbeing. The family within the context of its cultural environment
is tl1 e fundamental unit through which the socialization process is advanced. We believe that caring, as exempli fi ed in the life of Jesus Christ, is the essence of nursing. The focus of nurs ing activity is the three client systems and tl1e dynamic interaction between them 1vitl1in the context of tl1eir environment. These three systems (personal, interper sonal and community) also are interact ing constantlywi tl1 internal and external stressors which may affect the integrity of the systems. It is our view that the pur pose of nursing is 10 support and pro mote the processes that facilitate the sys tems' abilities LO achieve and maintain adap tive equilibrium. This is accom pli shed through use of th e nursi ng process which is ongoing and involves assessing, diagnosing, planning, imple menting, and el'aluati ng. Effective use of this process enables the nurse to work with client sys tems at varying locations on tl1e health-illness continuum. Nursi ng is a dynamic profess ion based on a growing body of scientific knowledge. It is our belief that Biblical studi es, together with the behavioral , biological and physical sciences are fun damental to the development of nurs ing's own unique body of knowledge. Nursing is both art and science; its uniqueness does not reside in any spe cific component of theory or act ion, but can be found only in the whole. As one of the major health care professions , we believe nursin g is accoun table to God and to society for provision of quality health care services in a broad va1i ety of se ttings. Baccalau reate nurses endeavo r to meet this responsibility through involvement in leadership , collaboration, education , and research utili za ti on ac ti viti es LO improve clinical practice, influence health care policies, and further the development of nursing science. In a rapidly changing world, ade quate and equitable delivery of health care is a critical problem. We believe that equal access to health care services is the ,ight of eve,y individual in society. Through its unique contribution, nun; ing can and must be an effective social fo rce in promoting the quality and ava il abili ty of health care services for all per sons. To effect positive changes nurses must participate in all aspects of the health care delivery system including: (I) evaluating the adequacy of health care services for the community; (2) projecting needs for additional or new services; and (3) taking appropriate
action to insure adequacy of servi ces. This requires nursing involvement with community action groups and 1vith local and national legislative processes. We beli eve initial preparation of professional nurses to meet the health care needs of society is best accom plished through the learning acqui red in baccalaureate education. As nurse educa tors it is our responsibility 10 provide an em1ronment wh ich facili tates the learn ing necessary LO prepare graduates for profess ional practice and advanced professional education. Consistent 1vith our belief about the nature of persons, we beli eve studen ts and faculty members are uniquely cre ated byGod and endowed by God witl1 dignity and worth. As Christian educa tors we value the distinctive cultural , ethnic, and social backgrounds of each person and recognize that tl1is dive rsity emiches our learning em1ronment. It is the role of the educator LO provide a learning climate of Christian caring which: (I) enhances students' abilities to use tl1eir own unique learning styles effec tively; (2) promotes students' accomplishment of personal goals; and (3) facilitates students ' utilization of resources and personal support ;ystems LO enhance their ability LO meet tJ1eir individual learning needs. It is our belief that the goa l of learning is behavioral change in the cogni tive, affective, and psychomotor domains. Learn ing is a purposeful , dynamic process and involves changes in knowledge, skill s, attitudes, va lues and/ or beli efs. Learning occurs more efficientl y, is more pervasive and more enduring when the learner act ively participates in all phases of the learn ing process. Previous experience pro- 1 des the fou ndation for current learn ing. Learning is faci litated when expe riences move from the fami liar LO the unfamiliar and from simple to com plex. Learning which emphasizes dis covery of organizing principles rather than spec ifi c content facilitates the transfer of learning LO novel situations. We believe criti cal and creative thinking are essential for the profes sional nurse. Deve lopment of these skills is fostered in a supporti ve learn ing environmen t which ( I) provides opportuni ty for involvement in critical thinking and problem solving through out the learning process; (2) stimulates the processes of inqui ry and di scovery; (3) provides exposure to a variety of problems in a variety of setti ngs; (4)
encourages maturation of tJ1e ability LO utili ze internal and external evaluative feedback; and (5) promotes increasing self-direction and independence. The educator as a ro le model enhan ces the learning process by demonstrating Chri stian caring and the ski lls of inquiry and discovery. Acting as an expert learn er, facilitator , and resource person, the educator guides the student learner through the educational experience. We believe that education is a life long process which facilitates the ongoing development of tJ1e learner's potentialities for continued growtJ1 as a person, citizen, and professional nurse. STATEMENT OF PURPOSE I. To provide a bibli cally-cen tered liberal and professional educa tion as a fo undation fo r professional practice, advanced ed ucati on , and productive living. 2. To deve lop graduates who value individual diversity, who respect each person as uniquely created in God 's image, and who endeavor to ass ist cli ents to meet their needs. 3. To provide a broad th eo ry base as a foundat ion for the dynamic nursing practice which is required to meet current and future health care needs of society. 4. To foster the spiritual com mitment, moral discernment, intell ec tual inqui ry and competence in criti cal and creative tJ1inking essenti al fo r continued growth as persons, citizens, and professionals. 5. To prepare graduates who are safe, competent practitioners and who are equipped for involvement in lead ership, collaboration , education , and research milization activities required to fulfill the responsibiliti es of bac ca laurea te professional nurses in a broad va ri ety of seuings. Program Objectives To demonstraie the caring which is essential to the practice of professional nursing the graduate is expected to: I. Base nursing pract ice on a philosophical foundation consistent with Biola Un iversity and the Depart ment of Baccalaureate Nursing beli efs about the nature of persons and the nature of nursing. 2. Int eg rat e knowledge from Bibli cal studies , and the behavioral, bi ologica l, and ph ys ica l sc iences together with knowledge from nurs ing science and utilize this knowledge as a basis for nursing practice.
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