Nursing (ADN)/Nursing Transition (LVN to ADN)

Mission, Philosophy, Conceptual Framework, and Learning Outcomes

ACC ADN Mission  

The Alvin Community College Associate Degree Nursing Program serves its students and community by providing innovative and inclusive nursing education and by preparing quality registered nurse candidates that demonstrate clinical reasoning, ethical discernment, and professional accountability to diverse populations.

Philosophy

Our philosophy and mission link to our parent institution.  We provide quality education and a vital resource to our growing community.  Nursing graduates will function within the roles of: member of the profession; provider of patient-centered care; patient safety advocate; and, member of the healthcare team compliant with the essential competencies.

We believe that nursing promotes wellness, facilitates restoration of health, and assists the individual or family in coping with disability or death.  We believe that patients and their families are those seeking healthcare services or health information throughout the lifespan. 

We believe nursing utilizes the applied science and principles of the humanities, biological, and social sciences to provide caring relationships to patients.  Nurses work autonomously as well as collaboratively.  Nurses focus on patient safety and the quality of care provided. 

We believe that teaching is a system of directed and deliberate activities intended to induce learning.  We believe in providing quality facilities conducive to the learning process.  The role of the teacher is to facilitate the learning process in partnership with the student.  Nurse educators are committed to guiding students and participating closely with students as mentors and role models.  Learning occurs when a person’s behavior or knowledge changes.  Competent faculty are integral to accomplish the mission and philosophy.  Faculty are expected to remain current with emerging trends in healthcare and professional standards.

Organizing Framework

The foundation for nursing knowledge originates from content based on the four concepts of society, patient/family, health and nursing roles.  These concepts provide the foundation for the selection and sequence of courses and learning experiences as well as an understanding of the organization of the program.  Content in the nursing courses integrates current knowledge of health concepts and commonly occurring acute and chronic health problems.

General education courses provide a foundation for nursing content in the ADN program and enable graduates to apply theoretical content and evidence-based findings in the provision of nursing care.  The nursing courses follow a logical progression to encourage assimilation of knowledge and provide a progressive program of learning.  Evaluation of the program is ongoing to ensure that the curriculum is consistent with current nursing practice and knowledge.

Learning is an individualized, active, and lifelong process.  Faculty serve as facilitators providing opportunities for students to acquire the knowledge, clinical judgments and behaviors necessary for nursing practice.  Directed by the end-of-program student learning outcomes faculty plans, implements, and evaluates the student’s learning experiences.

The nursing curriculum provides opportunities to demonstrate competence in the application of nursing knowledge, clinical judgments, and behaviors in healthcare settings.  With an integrated nursing curriculum, classroom, laboratory, and clinical content are organized around a series of concepts that progress from simple to complex.  The curriculum provides the framework for establishing partnerships with patients and their families for the promotion, prevention, rehabilitation, maintenance, and restoration of health of individuals across the lifespan. 

The curriculum emphasizes nursing care within the following roles:  member of the profession; provider of patient-centered care; patient safety advocate; and member of the healthcare team.  Within these roles, the nurse integrates knowledge from general education and sciences for the delivery of safe, compassionate care for patients and their families.  Nursing care, nursing management, safety, quality, diversity, and legal/ethical content are evident throughout the curriculum.

Graduates are expected to practice within the limits of their nursing knowledge, scope of practice and individual experience.  They serve as positive role models for other members of the healthcare team.  It is their responsibility to participate in educational and professional endeavors to continually advance knowledge and skills and promote the development of nursing and nursing practice.

Student Learning Outcomes

Students will:

1. Utilize clinical reasoning skills in the application of the nursing process when providing and managing safe, quality care.
2. Adhere to the standards of practice to maximize the self-care potential of culturally and socially diverse patients and families.
3. Collaborate with members of the interdisciplinary healthcare team to promote and maintain optimal health status of patients and their families.
4. Demonstrate skill in using patient care technologies and information systems that support safe nursing practice.
5. Apply knowledge of delegation, management and leadership skills.