Professor: Department
Semester: Fall, Spring
Credits: 3
Prerequisites: Previous or concurrent enrollment in NUR 233.

Catalog Description: Practicum emphasizing foundational concepts of basic nursing and levels of prevention focusing on the older adult client in wellness and illness.

This course is designed to teach students foundational concepts and skills of basic nursing and levels of prevention focusing on the older adult client in wellness and illness. Emphasis is placed on learning and using the nursing process.

This is the nursing student's first clinical course. This course provides students with the opportunity to apply theoretical concepts and physical assessment skills introduced in Nursing 103 and 203. Practicum experiences are in a variety of settings, promoting application of principles with older adults. Students will practice communication, teaching, assessments and nursing process through a variety of teaching/learning strategies in various settings. This will allow for the development of your interpersonal and psychomotor skills and help you apply theoretical knowledge to real health care situations. Practicum settings include senior centers, adult day care centers, assisted living facilities, and in-patient/rehabilitation settings.

By the end of this course you will be able to:

1. Demonstrate competency in fundamental nursing skills.
2. Utilize fundamental nursing skills in the clinical setting.
3. Apply knowledge of the older adult to the clinical setting.
4. Develop a nursing care plan.
5. Perform a head-to-toe assessment of an older adult.
6. Begin to develop professional relationships with the healthcare team.

You will complete a teaching project in an older adult setting focusing on prevention and wellness, scholarly paper on a clinical nursing issue, and assessments performed on an older adult.

This course is taught by multiple instructors, please refer to the URI Course Schedule.

This fundamental, gerontology-focused course is a required clinical course which will allow you to gain an appreciation for the nursing care needs of the older adult. The knowledge and skills you will develop in this course will lay the foundation for exemplary nursing practice.

• Hartford Institute for Geriatric Nursing
• Consult RN