Portland Community College | Portland, Oregon

Upon completion of the course students should be able to:

1.  Conduct a health assessment that is patient-centered and both developmentally and culturally sensitive appropriate, interpret, and use the resulting health data, focusing on:

• mental and functional status, ADLs and IADLs,
• coping/adaptive strategies used by patient/family,
• lived experience of chronic illness, including recognition of stigma and its impact on vulnerability and maintaining health,
• impact of the condition on family functioning, and
• specific lab value interpretation and medication concerns such as polypharmacy.

2.  Identify and use safe, effective, developmental, and patient care preference interventions for patients with chronic illness, including:

• safely and effectively assisting patients with ADLs & IADLs,
• identifying and providing for comfort needs (physical and emotional),
• teaching patients/families about interventions for managing symptoms, and
• teaching patients about self-assessment and self-management in highly prevalent chronic conditions. 

3.  Develop, implement and evaluate a patient-centered plan of care for a patient with a chronic illness that incorporates assessment data, patient care preference, evidence-based intervention strategies, patient developmental/cognitive considerations, and demonstrates a deep understanding of the patient’s perspective and illness experience within the framework of exacerbation, trajectory, and plateau.

4.  Identify the ANA Code of Ethics and nursing values in the care of persons with a chronic illness.

5.  Identify roles and functions of members of the health care team in order to provide care for the chronically ill.

6.  Identify and utilize therapeutic communication skills in the development of therapeutic relationships with patients and their support system.

7.  Recognize potential legal and ethical issues related to patient care across the lifespan. 

Discussion groups

Required Readings

Clinical evaluation

Project/Papers

Multiple choice exams

Lab performance evaluation

Clinical performance evaluation

Papers/Project Rubrics

Multiple choice exams

Lab performance evaluation

Themes, Concepts & Issues:

Quality of life

Ethical/legal considerations

Family structure and functions

Care and planning

Case management

Symptom management

Care coordination

Documentation

Evidence-based best practices, e.g., core measures and National Patient Safety Goals (NPSG)

Skills: This is not an exhaustive list but is a minimum skill set to be completed anytime throughout  NRS 110, NRS 111 or NRS 112

Principles of Infection control & PPE

Handwashing

Isolation technique

 Body mechanics

 Client/environment safety, bed making Vital signs & SpO2 (pulse oximetry)

Height & Weight Basic ‘head to toe’ physical assessment

Health History interviewing (across the lifespan)

Client hygiene

Client Skin Care & Pressure Ulcer Prevention

Safe patient handling: positioning, transfers & mobilizing

Client range of motion

Client’s ADLs, mobility, fall risk

Nutrition and elimination procedures, I&O

Pain Assessment & Management: Acute & Chronic

Nursing Documentation

Capillary Blood Glucose Measurement

Diabetic Care (skin, foot, oral, illness, eyes)

 Intramuscular Injection sites

Subcutaneous and Intradermal Injections sites

Insulin preparation/injection

Medication calculation

Medication administration: Topical (skin, ear, eye, rectal), Oral, Inhaled

Intravenous Therapy and Regulation – Peripheral

Peripheral Intermittent IV Therapy via Secondary Infusion (piggyback)

Peripheral saline lock flush

NGT insertion and maintenance

Postpartum/newborn assessment

Sterile Technique

Perioperative Care – Pre/Post Suture, Staple, & Clip removal

Wound Care Drains: JP, Hemovac, Penrose,T-tube

Urinary Catheter insertion, maintenance and removal

Bladder Scan