Portland Community College | Portland, Oregon

This course introduces pathophysiological processes that contribute to many different disease states across the lifespan and human responses to those processes. It includes the foundational concepts of cellular adaptation, injury, and death; inflammation and tissue healing; fluid and electrolyte imbalances; and physiologic response to stressors and pain, as well as additional pathophysiological processes. Students will learn to make selective clinical decisions in the context of nursing regarding using current, reliable sources of pathophysiology information, selecting and interpreting focused nursing assessments based on knowledge of pathophysiological processes, teaching persons from diverse populations regarding pathophysiological processes, and communicating with other health professionals regarding pathophysiological processes.

Prerequisites: Anatomy and Physiology sequence

Prerequisite or Co-requisite: Microbiology

By the end of the course, the student will be able to:
1. Access current, reliable information about selected pathophysiological processes, including cellular adaptation, injury, and death; inflammation and tissue healing; fluid and electrolyte imbalances; and physiologic response to stressors.
2. Select and interpret basic focused nursing assessments based on knowledge of clinical manifestations of and developmental considerations in selected pathophysiological processes in patients across the life span.
3. Teach persons from diverse populations regarding selected pathophysiological processes, focusing on:

•  explaining how the risk factors relate to specific pathophysiological processes,
•  describing selected pathophysiological processes in appropriate terms,
• explaining how the signs and symptoms relate to specific pathophysiological processes,
•  explaining which signs and symptoms to report to a health professional,
•  explaining how developmental factors relate to pathophysiology.

4. Communicate effectively with other health professionals regarding selected pathophysiological processes, focusing on:

• using appropriate technical language,
• clarifying technical details of pathophysiological processes,
•  reporting pertinent information about a client's status.

1.  Access current, reliable information about selected pathophysiological processes, including cellular adaptation, injury, and death; inflammation and tissue healing; fluid and electrolyte imbalances; and physiologic response to stressors.

2.  Select and interpret basic focused nursing assessments based on knowledge of clinical manifestations of and developmental considerations in selected pathophysiological processes in patients across the life span.

3.  Teach persons from diverse populations across the lifespan regarding selected pathophysiological processes, focusing on

• explaining how the risk factors relate to specific pathophysiological processes,
• describing selected pathophysiological processes in appropriate terms,
• explaining how the signs and symptoms relate to specific pathophysiological processes,
• explaining which signs and symptoms to report to a health professional,
• explaining how developmental factors relate to pathophysiology.

4.  Communicate effectively with other health professionals regarding selected pathophysiological processes, focusing on

• using appropriate technical language,
• clarifying technical details of pathophysiological processes,
• reporting pertinent information about a patient’s status.

Required Readings

Lecture

Project/Papers

Discussion groups

Case studies

Clinical Stories, case review

Group activities & presentations

Summary of literature search in professional database
Written assignments

Presentation/projects rubric

Multiple choice exams

Themes, Concepts & Issues:

Cellular Adaptation, Injury, and Death

Inflammation and Tissue Healing

Fluid and Electrolyte Imbalances

Physiologic Response to Stressors

Blood Vessel and Blood Pressure Pathophysiology

Cardiac Pathophysiology

Oxygen Transport Pathophysiology

Respiratory Pathophysiology