Nursing Program Curriculum Ending with Graduating cohort 1226
Program Goals and Objectives
Upon completion of the Associate in Science Nursing Program, the graduate:
- Obtain licensure to practice as a Registered Nurse through successful completion of the NCLEX-RN Examination.
- Function in all roles of the Registered Nurse as a competent entry level practitioner in all patient healthcare settings.
- Utilize evidence-based practices as foundation for the safe delivery of healthcare to the patient and family.
- Contribute to improvement of healthcare systems to support high-quality, safe, patient centered nursing care.
- Incorporate lifelong professional and personal development as a part of one’s identity as a nurse.
Program Learning Outcomes
- Scientific Awareness- Demonstrate understanding of and apply evidence-based practice in rendering ethical, competent and culturally sensitive care across the lifespan to all patients.
- Communication- Communicate and collaborate with interdisciplinary healthcare partners in providing care to a diverse population of patients and families.
- Critical Thinking- Demonstrate problem solving skills while utilizing resources to apply best practices to deliver safe and effective care.
Program Semester Themes
- 1st Provision of Safe Care
- 2nd Effective Communication, Teaching, and Advocacy
- 3rd Application of Critical Thinking
- 4th Leadership
Program Mission
Offer an Associate in Science Nursing Program that fosters nursing excellence for diverse communities through our teaching and learning environment founded on evidence-based practice, and committed to developing competent, caring nurses.
Program Vision
Aspire to be the Nursing Program of choice that graduates choose. Highly skilled clinicians who will shape the future of nursing.
Program Values
1. We are committed to the learning and success of our students, because student success is a measure of our success as nurse educators.
2. We believe that caring nurses promote a healthy body, mind, and spirit in individuals, families, and communities.
3. We are committed to serving our local, state, and global communities. We promote and maintain positive relationships with our community partners and promote health by educating nurses committed to work and service in their community.
4. We are dedicated to student-centered teaching. We value evidence-based teaching strategies and active, collaborative, experiential learning. Teaching and learning are a partnership in which students are ultimately responsible for their learning and accountable for their nursing practice.
5. We encourage the pursuit of excellence through lifelong learning. We expect our graduates to utilize sound clinical judgment and evidence-based nursing action.
6. We promote professional standards of practice because we believe honor and integrity are essential to learn and practice in nursing.
7. We value collegial collaboration as well as the rights and responsibilities of academic freedom. We encourage thoughtful and civil discourse, recognizing that free exchange of informed ideas enhances individual and community decision-making.
8. We appreciate and celebrate the diversity and the interconnectedness in our faculty, students, and in the communities in which we practice.
Program Philosophy
The philosophy of the Associate in Science Nursing Program focuses on the individual needs of learners and clients (persons), within the context of families, communities, and environments who exist on a health-illness continuum. Learning occurs via a dynamic and synergistic process that prepares the learner to function effectively as an entry-level registered nurse, provider of care across the health/illness continuum, and as a member within the profession.
Program Organizing Framework
Our framework is based on the nursing process, nursing competencies, and educational outcomes that facilitate the integration of information relevant to nursing and patient care. Curriculum and course sequence progress from simple to complex knowledge and skills with emphasis on caring, problem solving, and critical thinking. We believe that there are philosophical values critical to and inherent in nursing and nursing education that should be the foundation upon which educational experiences are structured.
Person – Everyone is unique with physiological, psychological, social, cultural, developmental and spiritual needs that are in constant interaction with the environment.
Health Continuum – A dynamic state of equilibrium maintained by lines of defense on a continuum between optimal functioning, or wellness, and alterations in functioning, or illness. Health is affected by lifestyle behaviors and noxious stressors.
Environment – The environment interacts dynamically with the person, nursing, and health, and consists of internal and external factors that impact the individual.
Nursing – Nursing is the protection, promotion, and optimization of health and abilities, prevention of illness and injury, facilitation of healing, alleviation of suffering through the diagnosis and treatment of human response, and advocacy in the care of individuals, families, groups, communities, and populations (American Nurses Association). It is an applied science based upon principles from the biological, physical, and behavioral sciences, as they relate to the diagnosis and treatment of human responses to actual and potential health problems. Nurses collaborate with health team members and respond to the care of clients across the life cycle based upon an individual’s physiological, psychological, social, cultural and spiritual needs.
Nursing Process – The nursing process serves as the mechanism by which knowledge related to health, human needs, and nursing skills can be applied. It provides the framework for teaching the application of theoretical knowledge to the individual client. The use of the nursing process is carried out in roles of provider of care, communicator, manager of care, teacher or advocate, and practicing member of the profession. While the entire curriculum is based upon being a provider of care, specific learning is needed to become competent as a beginning practitioner in the other nursing roles. Each course in the program specifically addresses the subject matter related to the nursing roles.
Safety – Nursing professional and legal obligation is to do no harm. Inherent in providing an individual with quality nursing care is the concept of safe practice as a Nurse. All nursing curriculum, vision, mission, philosophy and instruction use patient safety as a guiding paradigm.
Education – Education is a dynamic and synergistic process of sharing information between individuals which results in a modification of behavior. Education respects the student as an individual and recognizes that each student has different educational, experiential, cultural, spiritual, economic, and social backgrounds with a unique support system. The aim of education is to develop critical thinking and problem-solving skills in a positive, innovative environment which moves from beginning (simple) to advanced (complex) competencies.
Teaching/Learning – It is the responsibility of nurse educators to utilize sound educational practices and theoretical concepts to present relevant knowledge and skills which reflect current healthcare practices and to facilitate student achievement at the highest level. Recognition of differences in individual needs, learning styles, ethnicity, and cultural backgrounds are essential components to effective teacher-learner interactions.
Program Domains of Instruction
Patient-Centered Care: Includes holistic nursing and collaborative care for patients (e.g. individuals, families, and communities) with the patient being the center of nursing care.
- Desired outcomes: provide competent patient-centered nursing care.
Inquiry and Reasoning: Includes sound clinical judgment and critical reflection; the ability to access, use, and/or generate information to apply evidence in practice.
- Desired outcomes: demonstrate sound clinical judgment in providing evidence-based care.
Roles and Collaboration: Includes personal commitment to the values and roles of the profession of nursing and the ability to work collaboratively within the healthcare team and systems.
- Desired outcomes: collaborate within the healthcare team through a variety of nursing roles.
Quality and Safety: Includes using evidence-based nursing interventions and other actions at current practice standards and at all levels of healthcare processes that prevent or minimize problems or complications yielding improved outcomes.
- Desired outcome: apply principles of quality and safety in clinical practice.
NURS 1 – Fundamentals of Medical Surgical
Student Learning Outcomes
Upon successful completion, The student will demonstrate, at a first semester level, the ability to clinically reason variables and assessments for oral medication administration.
Critical Thinking Students will analyze data/information in addressing and evaluating problems and issues in making decisions.
Scientific Awareness Students will understand the purpose of scientific inquiry and the implications and applications of basic scientific principles.
Upon successful completion, the student will demonstrate at a first semester level the ability to evaluate, and problem solve patient care situations with emphasis on patient’s basic needs and care planning needs
Critical Thinking Students will analyze data/information in addressing and evaluating problems and issues in making decisions.
Upon successful completion, the student will provide a shift report to their clinical instructor each clinical day
Communication Students will effectively use language and non-verbal communication consistent with and appropriate for the audience and purpose.
Upon successful completion, students will demonstrate evidence-based practice techniques to safely give IM and SQ injections during injection testing in the laboratory
Scientific Awareness Students will understand the purpose of scientific inquiry and the implications and applications of basic scientific principles.
NURS 2 – Introduction Medical Surgical Nursing
Student Learning Outcomes
Upon completion of this course, students will engage in meaningful discussions and reports with patients and interdisciplinary team members to promote safe, quality, patient-centered care.
Communication Students will effectively use language and non-verbal communication consistent with and appropriate for the audience and purpose.
Upon completion of this course, students will render high-quality, safe, patient-centered care using the nursing process to respond to changing patient status by formulating care plans that prioritize interventions and applies evidence-based practice to all patient situations.
Critical Thinking Students will analyze data/information in addressing and evaluating problems and issues in making decisions.
Upon completion of this course, students will provide high-quality, patient-centered care to all patients.
Scientific Awareness Students will understand the purpose of scientific inquiry and the implications and applications of basic scientific principles.
Upon completion of this course, students will demonstrate proficiency in calculating medication doses.
Computation Students will use appropriate mathematical concepts and methods to understand, analyze, and communicate issues in quantitative terms.
NURS 22 – Obstetrical Nursing
Student Learning Outcomes
Student will perform a newborn physical examination with satisfactory competency.
Student will assess the postpartum patient appropriately.
Student will write and implement care plans specific to meet the needs of the postpartum patient, newborn and/or family.
NURS 3 – Intermediate Medical Surgical Nursing
Student Learning Outcomes
Upon completion of this course, students will demonstrate problem solving and clinical reasoning related to patient care of the adult medical surgical population, with a focus on IV medications.
Critical Thinking Students will analyze data/information in addressing and evaluating problems and issues in making decisions.
Upon completion of this course, students will demonstrate and practice critical thinking skills in relation to safe and comprehensive patient care.
Critical Thinking Students will analyze data/information in addressing and evaluating problems and issues in making decisions.
Upon completion of this course, students will demonstrate professional communication and collaboration with interdisciplinary health care partners in providing care to a diverse population of patients and families.
Communication Students will effectively use language and non-verbal communication consistent with and appropriate for the audience and purpose.
NURS 21 – Pediatric Nursing
Student Learning Outcomes
Upon completion of course the student will demonstrate problem solving skills while utilizing resources to apply best practices to deliver safe and effective care in pediatrics.
Upon completion of the course the student will demonstrate understanding of and applies evidence based practice in rendering ethical, competent and culturally sensitive care to children and their families
Upon completion of the course the student will communicate and collaborate with interdisciplinary health care partners in providing care to a diverse population of pediatric patients and families
Nursing 4 – Advanced Medical Surgical Nursing
Student Learning Outcomes
Students will be able to communicate to the multidisciplinary team using SBAR format to improve the quality and safety in caring for patients. Students will effectively use language and non-verbal communication consistent with and appropriate for the audience and purpose.
Students will demonstrate their critical thinking in hematology, oncology, burns and immunology. Students will analyze data/information in addressing and evaluating problems and issues in making decisions.
Students will understand the purpose of scientific inquiry and the implications and applications of basic scientific principles. Students will be able to identify the major evidence based practice concepts in the nursing process with patients with immune, hematological, burn and cancer diagnoses.
Scientific Awareness: Students will successfully pass with a minimum of a cumulative 75% score on academic exams given in lecture on selected topics of study.
NURS 33 – Psychiatric/Mental Health Nursing
Student Learning Outcomes
Upon completion of this course, students will demonstrate therapeutic communication skills and engage in 1:1 conversations with patient suffering from mental illness.
Upon completion of this course, students will identify factors that promote culturally congruent care between nurse and patient/family.
Upon completion of this course, students will become proficient in utilizing EMR, gathering patient care data to be utilized in care planning and resource retrieval , as well as utilizing Canvas and other computerized systems (internet/intranet) to enhance learning about caring for the mentally ill.
Upon completion of this course, students will identify components of professional, legal, and ethical responsibilities related to being a registered nurse and working with the mentally ill.
Upon completion of this course, students will apply the nursing process, concepts and skills of mental health nursing to clients experiencing stress and other mental health issues.
N55 Nursing skills lab
Student Learning Outcomes
Remediate and develop proficiency in selected nursing concepts and skills at the fundamental beginning or intermediate medical surgical level of student nursing practice.
N56 Advanced Nursing skills lab
Student Learning Outcomes
After lab attendance, practice and remediation, demonstrate competency at the third semester level in critical thinking related to course specific skills and instructor identified areas of need.
Communication Students will effectively use language and non-verbal communication consistent with and appropriate for the audience and purpose.
Critical Thinking Students will analyze data/information in addressing and evaluating problems and issues in making decisions.
N57 Second Year Advanced nursing skills lab
Student Learning Outcomes
Students will be able to demonstrate the cognitive and psychomotor abilities necessary to integrate the nursing concepts learned in a two year Associate in Science Nursing Program, including clinical evidence-based concepts inherent in entry level registered nursing practice.
Critical Thinking Students will analyze data/information in addressing and evaluating problems and issues in making decisions.
Students will be able to appraise own professional performance accurately, evaluate professional learning needs, and take steps to meet them.
Critical Thinking Students will analyze data/information in addressing and evaluating problems and issues in making decisions.
Personal and Social Responsibility Students will interact with others by demonstrating respect for opinions, feelings, and values.
Students will be able to apply safe nursing practice when performing skills in the lab settings.
Critical Thinking Students will analyze data/information in addressing and evaluating problems and issues in making decisions.
N18 NCLEX review course
Student Learning Outcomes
SLO: Students will implement learned test taking strategies to achieve optimal scores on NCLEX. Assessment: Students will complete at least 6 of the 10 Final Assessments with an 80% or better.
Nursing 37 LVN to RN Bridge Course
Student Learning Outcomes
Upon completion of this course, the student will be able to formulate a Nursing or Collaborative Diagnosis and plan of care that responds to changing patient status and incorporates prioritized interventions reflective of evidence-based practice to assure safe and therapeutic care.
Critical Thinking Students will analyze data/information in addressing and evaluating problems and issues in making decisions.
Upon completion of this course, students will demonstrate proficiency in calculating medication doses.
Computation Students will use appropriate mathematical concepts and methods to understand, analyze, and communicate issues in quantitative terms.
| 1st Semester
9 Units |
2nd Semester
10.5 Units |
3rd Semester
8.5 Units |
4thSemester
10.5 units |
| NURS 1 – Fundamentals of Medical Surgical (9 units) | NURS 2 – Introduction Medical Surgical Nursing (7 units)
NURS 22 – Obstetrical Nursing (3.5 units) |
NURS 3 – Intermediate Medical Surgical Nursing (5 units)
NURS 21 – Pediatric Nursing (3.5 units) |
NURS 4 – Advanced Medical Surgical Nursing (6.5 units)
NURS 33 – Psychiatric/Mental Health Nursing(4 Units) |
Nursing Core Courses: All courses are a full semester in length unless otherwise noted.
First semester in program:
N55 Nursing skills lab (recommended) 1 unit
NURS 1 – Fundamentals of Medical Surgical (9 units) – Includes 4 units of theory (classroom instruction) and 5 units of lab (nursing lab practice). Prerequisite: Admission to the program.
Second semester in program:
N56 Advanced Nursing skills lab (recommended) 1 unit
NURS 2 – Introduction Medical Surgical Nursing (7 units) – Includes 3 units of theory and 4 units of clinical. Prerequisites: NURS 1.
NURS 22 – Obstetrical Nursing (3.5 units) – Includes 1.5 units of theory and 2 units of clinical. Prerequisites: NURS 1.
Third semester in program:
N57 Second Year Advanced nursing skills lab (recommended) 1 unit
NURS 3 – Intermediate Medical Surgical Nursing (5 units) – Includes 2 units of theory and 3 units of clinical. Prerequisites: NURS 2.
NURS 21 – Pediatric Nursing (3.5 units) – Includes 1.5 units of theory and 2 units of clinical. Prerequisites: NURS 2.
Fourth semester in program:
N18 NCLEX review course (recommended) 1 unit
Nursing 4 – Advanced Medical Surgical Nursing (6.5 units) – Includes 3 units of theory and 3.5 units of clinical. Prerequisites: NURS 3.
NURS 33 – Psychiatric/Mental Health Nursing (4 units) – Includes 2 units of theory and 2 units of clinical. Prerequisites: NURS 1.
Yuba College also offers an LVN to RN Career Mobility program. Admission of LVN’s is into the second year (third semester) of the four-semester program. Admission to the second year (third semester) of the Associate in Science Nursing Program is not guaranteed and is dependent upon space availability. The application can be found under Apply.
LVN-RN Bridge Course (Units: 2units)- upon completion student earns credit for N11A Fundamentals of Nursing Concepts, N11B Fundamentals of Pharmacology, N12A Adult Health I, N12B Nursing Care of Childbearing Families. This is designed to prepare the student to enter the 3rd semester of the Associate in Science Nursing Program and to facilitate transition from the LVN to RN role. The Yuba College Nursing Program does not take a bridge course from another school the course must be completed at Yuba College.
NURS 37 must be completed and on the student’s transcript to apply to the LVN to RN Career Mobility program
An LVN to is offered conditional enrollment will provide their syllabi of each of their previously completed LVN courses. The syllabi will be reviewed for course content, hours of clinical (direct patient care), the depth/breath of the course. These LVN’s previously completed LVN nursing courses will be reviewed for potential placement in our program.
NURS 37 was replaced by NURS 12C, and only NURS 12C will be accepted to apply to the new curriculum starting Fall 2025.
Sequence of courses for LVN to RN Career Mobility Program (units for theory/clinical)
| 1st Semester
8.5 Units |
2nd Semester
10.5 units |
||
| NURS 3 – Intermediate Medical Surgical Nursing (5 units)
NURS 21 – Pediatric Nursing (3.5 units) |
NURS 4 – Advanced Medical Surgical Nursing (6.5 units)
NURS 33 – Psychiatric/Mental Health Nursing (4 Units) |
Nursing Core Courses: All courses are a full semester in length unless otherwise noted.
First semester in program:
N57 Second Year Advanced nursing skills lab (recommended) 1 unit
NURS 3 – Intermediate Medical Surgical Nursing (5 units) – Includes 2 units of theory and 3 units of clinical. Prerequisites: NURS 2.
NURS 21 – Pediatric Nursing (3.5 units) – Includes 1.5 units of theory and 2 units of clinical. Prerequisites: NURS 2.
Second semester in program:
N18 NCLEX review course (recommended) 1 unit
Nursing 4 – Advanced Medical Surgical Nursing (6.5 units) – Includes 3 units of theory and 3.5 units of clinical. Prerequisites: NURS 3.
NURS 33 – Psychiatric/Mental Health Nursing (4 units) – Includes 2 units of theory and 2 units of clinical.