ASU Department of Nursing and Rehabilitation Sciences
Undergraduate Nursing Student Handbook
Academic Degree Programs
The Department of Nursing and Rehabilitation Sciences offers multiple entry and exit nursing programs which lead to three degree options. The undergraduate degree programs include the Associate of Applied Science in Nursing (AASN) and the Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN). The graduate program leads to a Master of Science in Nursing (MSN).
Each student's individualized education plan will be developed to meet that person's unique circumstances and career goals. Academic advisors will assist the entry and ongoing student on a regular (each semester) basis. See the current University Catalog for program specific requirements and admission criteria.
1. Supplementing students' general education and, as a result, insuring that graduates have the skills, knowledge and attitudes that will enable them to enter the nursing profession as competent, safe, beginning practitioners at a basic level;
2. Providing students with a basis for making sound decisions and making judgments as basic practitioners which depend upon an understanding of the social, scientific, literary, artistic, political and philosophic traditions of many cultures;
3. Assisting students to reach maximum capability with respect to communications, critical thinking, analytical reasoning and effective problem solving, leading to optimal personal development and useful, responsible citizenship;
4. Providing an effective, cost efficient means of articulation for Licensed Vocational (practical) Nurses seeking an associate degree; 5. Preparing graduates with the knowledge base to successfully write the National Council Licensing Examination for Registered Nurses (NCLEX-RN);
6. Providing a foundation for baccalaureate study in nursing.
Revised: 5/99, 9/04, 5/06
Provider of Care Role
1. Utilize the nursing process to provide safe, competent nursing care to culturally diverse clients across the lifespan in structured settings.
a. Assessing the biophysical, psychological and sociocultural needs of the client through purposeful communication, observational skills and documentation to formulate nursing diagnoses.
b. Formulating goals and planning nursing interventions that will assist the client to promote, maintain, restore health or achieve a peaceful death.
c. Implementing a plan of care based on priority of needs in collaboration with the client, family and members of the health care team.
d. Evaluating client outcomes and modifying the plan of care accordingly.
2. Apply knowledge and skills derived from nursing, humanities and behavioral and physical sciences as a basis for critical thinking and nursing judgments.
3. Provide health information in a participatory environment to clients and their families specific to the client's level of knowledge and development to meet their health care needs.
4. Directly through assignment and/or delegation, provide nursing care for multiple clients and their families in structured settings.
Coordinator of Care
5. Manage human and material resources appropriate for the care of clients and their families in a variety of structured health care settings.
6. Collaborate with clients, their families and other health care providers to facilitate optimal client outcomes.
7. Function within the organizational framework of a variety of structured health care settings in planning and providing care for clients within the context of family.
8. Make appropriate client referrals to meet health needs.
9. Utilize effective communication skills in nursing practice.
Member of a Profession
10. As a member of the health care team, assume responsibility and accountability for own nursing practice grounded in professional standards and legal-ethical parameters.
11. Demonstrate responsibility for self-direction in the process of lifelong learning by participating in activities that contribute to personal and professional growth.
12. Act as an advocate on behalf of the client to ensure quality of care for a diverse patient population.
Revised: 5/99, 7/00, 4/03, 5/06
1. Providing opportunity for licensed registered nurses to continue educational preparation in a professional nursing program which uses a liberal arts, biophysical and behavioral science base to enhance the continued development of knowledge, skills and attitudes in nursing;
2. Preparing a generalist in nursing who is capable of functioning in a variety of settings and roles in order to meet the health needs of a diverse and multicultural society;
3. Providing a foundation for specialized nursing practice and advanced educational preparation;
4. Preparing a graduate who exercises critical thinking skills, applies problem-solving techniques, utilizes information and communication technologies, and incorporates professionalism into practice, laying a foundation for life-long learning.
Provider of Care Role
1. Integrate theoretical and empirical knowledge and skills derived from nursing, the humanities, the biophysical and behavioral sciences as a basis for making discriminating ethical nursing judgments and practice decisions.
2. Utilize the nursing process for promoting, maintaining and restoring adaptive behaviors of clients (individuals, families and/or communities) along the health continuum in a variety of settings.
3. Utilize systematic techniques in accumulating, analyzing and applying data and research knowledge as the basis for evidence-based nursing practice.
4. Adapt professional nursing knowledge and competencies (behaviors) to the changing health needs of the global and diverse society and the health systems environments in which nursing and health care are provided.
Coordinator of Care Role
5. Collaborate with interdisciplinary health team members and consumers to improve the delivery of health care to individuals, families, groups and/or community within a variety of settings.
6. Function as a change agent, advocate, manager, leader, teacher and coordinator in the delivery of quality, comprehensive nursing care within a diverse and multicultural society.
Member of a Profession
7. Accept responsibility and accountability for nursing decisions, legal and ethical nursing actions, continued professional and personal growth and lifelong learning.
8. Utilize communication and information technologies to advance quality comprehensive patient care and personal professional knowledge base.
9. Utilize political and organizational processes to advance professional nursing standards.
Each student's individualized education plan will be developed to meet that person's unique circumstances and career goals. Academic advisors will assist the entry and ongoing student on a regular (each semester) basis. See the current University Catalog for program specific requirements and admission criteria.
Undergraduate Program Goals: Associate Degree
The primary purpose of the associate degree program is to prepare graduates for living and working in a competitive global society and specifically to assume responsible roles as members of a health care team. This is accomplished by:1. Supplementing students' general education and, as a result, insuring that graduates have the skills, knowledge and attitudes that will enable them to enter the nursing profession as competent, safe, beginning practitioners at a basic level;
2. Providing students with a basis for making sound decisions and making judgments as basic practitioners which depend upon an understanding of the social, scientific, literary, artistic, political and philosophic traditions of many cultures;
3. Assisting students to reach maximum capability with respect to communications, critical thinking, analytical reasoning and effective problem solving, leading to optimal personal development and useful, responsible citizenship;
4. Providing an effective, cost efficient means of articulation for Licensed Vocational (practical) Nurses seeking an associate degree; 5. Preparing graduates with the knowledge base to successfully write the National Council Licensing Examination for Registered Nurses (NCLEX-RN);
6. Providing a foundation for baccalaureate study in nursing.
Revised: 5/99, 9/04, 5/06
AASN Program Objectives
Upon completion of the program of study, the graduate will be able to:Provider of Care Role
1. Utilize the nursing process to provide safe, competent nursing care to culturally diverse clients across the lifespan in structured settings.
a. Assessing the biophysical, psychological and sociocultural needs of the client through purposeful communication, observational skills and documentation to formulate nursing diagnoses.
b. Formulating goals and planning nursing interventions that will assist the client to promote, maintain, restore health or achieve a peaceful death.
c. Implementing a plan of care based on priority of needs in collaboration with the client, family and members of the health care team.
d. Evaluating client outcomes and modifying the plan of care accordingly.
2. Apply knowledge and skills derived from nursing, humanities and behavioral and physical sciences as a basis for critical thinking and nursing judgments.
3. Provide health information in a participatory environment to clients and their families specific to the client's level of knowledge and development to meet their health care needs.
4. Directly through assignment and/or delegation, provide nursing care for multiple clients and their families in structured settings.
Coordinator of Care
5. Manage human and material resources appropriate for the care of clients and their families in a variety of structured health care settings.
6. Collaborate with clients, their families and other health care providers to facilitate optimal client outcomes.
7. Function within the organizational framework of a variety of structured health care settings in planning and providing care for clients within the context of family.
8. Make appropriate client referrals to meet health needs.
9. Utilize effective communication skills in nursing practice.
Member of a Profession
10. As a member of the health care team, assume responsibility and accountability for own nursing practice grounded in professional standards and legal-ethical parameters.
11. Demonstrate responsibility for self-direction in the process of lifelong learning by participating in activities that contribute to personal and professional growth.
12. Act as an advocate on behalf of the client to ensure quality of care for a diverse patient population.
Revised: 5/99, 7/00, 4/03, 5/06
Undergraduate Program Goals: Baccalaureate Degree
The primary purpose of the BSN program is to prepare graduates to assume responsible roles as members of the interdisciplinary health care delivery team by:1. Providing opportunity for licensed registered nurses to continue educational preparation in a professional nursing program which uses a liberal arts, biophysical and behavioral science base to enhance the continued development of knowledge, skills and attitudes in nursing;
2. Preparing a generalist in nursing who is capable of functioning in a variety of settings and roles in order to meet the health needs of a diverse and multicultural society;
3. Providing a foundation for specialized nursing practice and advanced educational preparation;
4. Preparing a graduate who exercises critical thinking skills, applies problem-solving techniques, utilizes information and communication technologies, and incorporates professionalism into practice, laying a foundation for life-long learning.
BSN Program Objectives
Upon completion of the program of study, the graduate will be able to:Provider of Care Role
1. Integrate theoretical and empirical knowledge and skills derived from nursing, the humanities, the biophysical and behavioral sciences as a basis for making discriminating ethical nursing judgments and practice decisions.
2. Utilize the nursing process for promoting, maintaining and restoring adaptive behaviors of clients (individuals, families and/or communities) along the health continuum in a variety of settings.
3. Utilize systematic techniques in accumulating, analyzing and applying data and research knowledge as the basis for evidence-based nursing practice.
4. Adapt professional nursing knowledge and competencies (behaviors) to the changing health needs of the global and diverse society and the health systems environments in which nursing and health care are provided.
Coordinator of Care Role
5. Collaborate with interdisciplinary health team members and consumers to improve the delivery of health care to individuals, families, groups and/or community within a variety of settings.
6. Function as a change agent, advocate, manager, leader, teacher and coordinator in the delivery of quality, comprehensive nursing care within a diverse and multicultural society.
Member of a Profession
7. Accept responsibility and accountability for nursing decisions, legal and ethical nursing actions, continued professional and personal growth and lifelong learning.
8. Utilize communication and information technologies to advance quality comprehensive patient care and personal professional knowledge base.
9. Utilize political and organizational processes to advance professional nursing standards.
