Practical Nursing - Allentown
LPN130D - Diploma Program
CIP Code: 51.3901
SOC Code: 29-2061
Day Program
Program Objective
The Practical Nursing Program was designed for the adult learner who wishes to enter the Nursing field and become involved in the hands-on part of nursing care. Practical Nursing meets the student’s need for vocational training and the needs of the community for qualified LPN’s in the workforce. Nursing is a helping profession that assists individuals, families, groups and communities in the promotion of optimal health. The aim of nursing is to promote wellness and assist in preventing illness, restoring health and facilitating coping. Nursing is a dynamic interpersonal profession in which goals are best accomplished through use of the nursing process. Nursing care is provided to patients whose self-care deficits require assistance from the nurse in meeting health care needs. Licensed Practical Nurses (LPN’s) function as a contributing member of the health care team by providing nursing care under the supervision or direction of a registered nurse or licensed physician. The LPN’s scope of practice includes contributing to data collection, nursing diagnosis, planning, implementation and evaluation of the plan of care. Duties may include assignment of specific tasks and teaching basic nursing skills and principles. Practical nurses provide safe and effective care for individuals or groups in various settings. The expected outcome of this program is to provide the graduate with the ability to obtain an entry-level position within a physician’s office, clinic, nursing home, rehabilitation center or hospital after successful completion of the Licensure Examination.
Course
Course Description
This course is designed to provide information necessary to gain a basic knowledge of the anatomical structure and the normal function of the human body. Lectures, laboratory activities are used to present course content. The primary goal of this course is to provide a foundation upon which students may build further knowledge and skills in order to render quality patient care.Course Description
The Nursing Fundamentals I course provides instruction on the basic nursing skills. It includes infection control techniques, and lab and work place safety. The nursing process, patient assessment, documentation, and vital signs, wound care and mobility concepts are taught. Nursing skills are mastered in the nursing arts laboratory and applied clinical settings during Clinical I.Course Description
In Professional Awareness I, the student looks at the history of nursing including the contributions to the profession by practical nursing, Students explore the role of the practical nurse, the clinical decision-making process; the health care team concept; problem-solving/critical thinking; skill/study strategies; ethical/legal/moral; and teaching/learning processes. Students also discuss surviving and thriving in nursing school.Course Description
Nursing Clinical I is the first of four clinical courses. In this course students apply basic and beginning knowledge obtained from nursing theory and interactive laboratory experiences to provide basic care to clients and families. Students apply knowledge acquired from nursing and theory courses to provide basic care that is safe, follows the principles of practical nursing, views the client needs holistically, while addressing the client needs utilizing the nursing process. Client needs are stressed and integrated processes of clinical problem solving, caring, communication, documentation and teaching/learning are introduced.Course Description
The Nursing Fundamentals II course provides instruction on the basic nursing skills. It provides instruction on concepts related to a patient’s basic needs such as oxygenation, elimination, sleep/rest/pain and basic nutrition/diet therapy. Nursing skills are mastered in the nursing arts laboratory and applied clinical settings during Clinical II.Course Description
The Pharmacology course has been developed to provide instruction on the fundamentals of medication therapy. The course begins with calculation of medication dosages, medication administration, and classification. Detailed instruction on pharmacology and its effects on various body systems are an integral component of the course. Laboratory instruction is provided for mastery of related skills.Course Description
Life Span presents concepts of wellness, health promotion and disease prevention and normal growth and development to meet the health care needs if infants, toddlers, children, adolescents, adults and older adults.Course Description
Medical-Surgical Nursing I introduces principles of care for medical, surgical, oncology and gerontology. Nursing responsibilities for care of patients with physiologic responses to illness including infection, inflammation, fluid and electrolyte imbalance. Acute care principles for surgical patients and patients receiving IV therapy are also addressed. Laboratory instruction is provide for mastery of related skills. This plan of care included identifying risk factors, nutritional assess, and patient teaching.Course Description
Nursing Clinical II is the second of four clinical courses. In this course students apply knowledge gained from nursing theory and from interactive laboratory experiences to provide basic and intermediate care to clients and families. Students apply knowledge gained from nursing and theory courses to provide basic care that is safe, follows the principles of practical nursing, views the client needs holistically, while addressing the client needs utilizing the nursing process. Client needs are stressed and integrated processes of clinical problem solving, caring, communication, documentation and teaching/learning are introduced. During Clinical II, students care for clients in multiple settings including long term care and acute care facilities.Course Description
The course presents concepts in mental health and psychiatric nursing, abuse and neglect, stress management, crisis intervention and mental disorders are studied along with current treatments and trends in psychiatric nursing. Therapeutic milieu and effective communication are discussed.Course Description
Maternal Pediatric Nursing is designed to give students an understanding of basic physiological process and nursing care involved in pregnancy, labor and delivery and the post-partum period. Included is care of the neonate, post-obstetrical family, neonatal complications and care of the pediatric patients. Pediatric diseases and disorders and health adaptation are incorporated. Students are provided opportunities to practice skills in the nursing skills laboratory.Course Description
Medical-Surgical Nursing II applies principles of care for medical, surgical and gerontological patients. Nursing responsibilities for care of patients with disorders of sensory organs, integumentary system, musculoskeletal system, gastrointestinal system, renal system and cardiovascular/circulatory system are explored. Laboratory instruction is provided for mastery of related skills. This plan of care included identifying risk factors, nutritional assess, and patient teaching.Course Description
Nursing Clinical III is the third of four clinical courses. In this course students apply knowledge gained from nursing theory and from interactive laboratory experiences to provide basic and intermediate care to clients and families. Students apply knowledge gained from nursing and theory courses to provide basic and intermediate level care that is safe, follows the principles of practical nursing, views the client needs holistically, while addressing the client needs utilizing the nursing process. Client needs are stressed and integrated processes of clinical problem solving, caring, communication, documentation and teaching/learning are introduced. During Clinical III, students focus care for clients in multiple settings including elderly clients, clients with mental health issues and pediatric patients.Course Description
Medical-Surgical Nursing III is the final in a series of three medical-surgical courses. Medical-Surgical Nursing provides instruction in the complex principles of care in the areas of medical, surgical, oncology and gerontology. Nursing responsibilities include care of patients with dual diagnosis, or complex care needs such as cardiovascular, hematological, immunologic, cancer, endocrine, neurological involvement. Complex medical-surgical complications such as emergency care, shock and disaster nursing are explored. Students are expected to plan client care including: identifying of risk factors, nutritional assessment, and patient teaching.Course Description
Professional Awareness II explores multiple topics including learning as a life-long process. Nursing informatics, trends and concepts in nursing and health care and legal/ethical dilemmas are discussed. Role transition, leadership and management in practical nursing among other current topics are important aspects of nursing the student explores. Skill emphasis includes organization, management and exercising authority. The course focus moves from practical nursing student, to role transition, licensing and the responsibilities of the graduate practical nurse. A session on Disaster Nursing and the Licensed Practical Nurse’s role along with Bioterrorism issues will be included.Course Description
Nursing Clinical IV is the last in a series of four clinical courses. In this capstone course, students apply knowledge gained from nursing theory and from interactive laboratory experiences to provide basic, intermediate and advanced practical nursing care to clients, families, and groups. Students are expected to synthesize information learned from previous experiences along with the new learning gained to care for larger numbers of clients and for those clients with more complex needs. Client needs are stressed and the integrated processes of clinical problem solving, caring, communication, documentation and teaching/learning is incorporated into the care giving demonstrated by the student. This course will also introduce the student to the role and the responsibilities of the practical nurse related to monitoring and maintaining intravenous therapy, including peripheral and central line therapy. Upon completion students will receive a certificate of completion for IV Therapy. A Professional Awareness leadership experience is incorporated into this clinical course experience as well.
