Tuesdays and Thursday 10 am-12 pm M120
The student will study nursing care problems of clients of all ages based on normal needs of people and on deviations which affect these needs in times of illness, injury, or surgical intervention. Concurrent clinical experience provides the opportunity for the student to develop appropriate skills in assessing, planning, implementing, and evaluating care of clients in medical/surgical settings.
At the end of this course, students will be able to:
1. Practice within the definition of a professional nurse as contained in the Nurse Practice Act.
2. Demonstrate increasing ability to use effective verbal, nonverbal, and written communication with clients and health care team members.
3. Implement the nursing process throughout the health-illness continuum to ensure the health and safety of clients.
4. Integrate evidence-based research findings to nursing care with instructor direction.
5. Demonstrate caring interventions through utilization of the nursing process.
6. Identify teaching/learning needs through the nursing process when planning for client care. 7. Demonstrate an ability to cooperatively work with clients and health care team members to provide quality care.
8. Demonstrate a beginning understanding of the utilization of resources to meet client care needs.
Faculty Contact Information
We are available in our office, by email, and online (online by appointment only).
Outside of student support hours, we will respond to emails within 24 hours,
Monday through Friday. Zoom appointments can be made through email outside of
our student support hours if needed
pbukowski@kcc.edu
kedwards@kcc.edu
Course Information
At the end of this course, students will be able to:
- Practice within the definition of a professional nurse as contained in the Nurse Practice Act.
- Demonstrate increasing ability to use effective verbal, nonverbal, and written communication with clients and health care team members.
- Implement the nursing process throughout the health-illness continuum to ensure the health and safety of clients.
- Integrate evidence-based research findings to nursing care with instructor direction.
- Demonstrate caring interventions through utilization of the nursing process.
- Identify teaching/learning needs through the nursing process when planning for client care.
- Demonstrate an ability to cooperatively work with clients and health care team members to provide quality care.
- Demonstrate a beginning understanding of the utilization of resources to meet client care needs.
- Introduction to Medical-Surgical Nursing
- Nursing Care Management in the Acute Care Setting
- Nursing Care Management of Clients Receiving Peripheral Intravenous Therapy
- Perioperative Care Review
- Patient Education
- Review math calculations
- Infection
- Medical-Surgical Nursing Care Management Related Topics:
- Fluid, Electrolyte, and Acid-Base Imbalances
- Diabetes Mellitus
- Respiratory Problems
- Hematologic Problems
- HIV/Cancer
- Urologic Problems
- Gastrointestinal Problems
- Chronic Cardiac and Vascular Disorders
- Chronic Neurologic Problems
- Visual, Auditory, and Integumentary Problems
Book list for ADN:
- Clinical Key for Nursing – Elsevier eBook on VitalSource, 1st Edition
- Saunders Comprehensive Review for the NCLEX-RN® Examination – Elsevier eBook on VitalSource, 9th Edition
- HESI Comprehensive Review for the NCLEX-RN® Examination – Elsevier eBook on VitalSource, 7th Edition
- Mosby's Drug Guide
- Swearingen's All-in-One Nursing Care Planning Resource, 6th Edition (Snyder)
- Clinical Reasoning Cases in Nursing, 8th Edition
- Developing Clinical Judgment with Nursing Case Studies (Iggy), 2nd Edition
- Saunders 2026–2027 Clinical Judgment and Test-Taking Strategies
- Mosby's Diagnostic and Laboratory Test Reference, 17th Edition
- Mosby's Dictionary of Medicine, Nursing & Health Professions, 11th Edition
- Study Guide for Fundamentals of Nursing, 12th Edition
Books Available with Sherpath
- Lewis's Medical-Surgical Nursing (Sherpath), 12th edition
- Lilley Pharmacology and the Nursing Process
- Hockenberry Wong's Essentials of Pediatric Nursing, 12th edition
Ogden's Calculation of Drug Dosages
Demo Bags with IV kits
This course consists of a theory and a clinical component. Both parts must be passed to progress to the next course. The clinical component is pass/fail, and all clinical competencies must be passed.
A 89.5 - 100%
B 83.5 - 89.4%
C 80 - 83.4%
F < 80%
Grade Calculation:
Points % of Total Grade
Unit Tests: 280 points (66%) (11) tests
Quizzes /Homework Assignments, 55 points (13%)
Math Quiz 10 points 10 points (2%)
Care Plan (1) 13 points 13 points (3%)
Clinical Tool Assignments (1) 6 points 6 points (1.5%)
Teaching Learning Project 2 points 2 points (0.05%)
Comprehensive Final Exam 60 points (14%)
Total possible points for course: 426 points
Minimum points required (80%): 340.8 points
The student’s test average needs to be above 78% to pass the course. This grade will not be rounded up. The overall average must be 80% or higher after the final exam to pass the course. A grade between 79.5 and 79.9 will not be rounded up to achieve a passing grade.
Evaluation Methods · Unit tests, quizzes, homework assignments, and comprehensive final exam · Medication calculation competency ·Care plan assignments with related research article summary · Clinical off-site summaries · Clinical portfolio assignments · Skills validations· Clinical performance evaluation tool
Medication Calculation Competency:
A math competency quiz is required. The first quiz will be given October 8,2026. The student must pass the quiz with 100% in order to achieve the maximum points (10 points). If the student is unsuccessful in the first attempt, he/she will be required to remediate by completing a math packet provided by the instructors. The student must make an appointment to remediate with Mrs. Edwards or Mrs. Bukowski. The student will then be allowed to retake the 2nd math calc quiz on November 3,2026. after class time. If 100% is achieved on the second attempt, 5 points will be awarded. If the student does not achieve 100%, he or she will be given 0 points. A student who misses the administration of a math calculation quiz without notifying the instructor prior to the scheduled quiz date and time, will lose one of the 2 attempts offered for the quiz. It is the student’s responsibility to use the required math calculations book to practice and review. Many sample questions are available in this book and can be used for self-testing and study review. If a student is having difficulty understanding a concept, it is his/her responsibility to contact their instructor for assistance. The student will be required to use a calculator provided by the KCC nursing department during the quiz. All calculations must be shown in
order to have an answer accepted as correct. Failure to show your work will result in failing the quiz. The work must follow KCC’s math rules taught during the first semester of the nursing program.
Nursing Lab Skills Validations
A variety of demonstrations will be required for the semester. YOU MUST PRACTICE! When you demonstrate the procedure, you will be
required to show competency.
All IV skills laboratory demonstrations are to be completed by Sept 25, 2026 and all other skills laboratory demonstrations by November 20, 2026. Failure to complete the demonstrations will result in a failing grade for the semester.
Required repeat demonstrations include:
Ø Handwashing
Ø IM injection from a vial
Required new demonstrations include:
Ø Nasogastric (NG) tube insertion, irrigation, and removal
Ø Male catheterization and irrigation
Ø Suture and staple removal
Ø Mix and administer insulin
Ø Care for and monitor a peripheral IV site
Ø IV equipment set-up
Ø Discontinue an IV
Ø Administer IV push meds (existing line and saline lock)
Ø Administer intermittent IV meds using a secondary set (IVPB)
Manual blood pressure readings
Students must sign up for demo time in “Google Sheets” (see instruction sheet for details). Students may only reserve 3 time slots in 1 day and may not remove another student’s name. This sign up process will be monitored, and violations may result in disciplinary action. Remember that completing demos is your responsibility. Failure to complete the assigned demos by the due date can result in failure of
the course. If you need to remove your name on the day of your demo, please email that instructor with greater than 2 hours' notice. Any cancellation within the 2-hour time frame will be considered a late cancellation.
Demo time is valuable time. All instructor demo time will be available in the Google Sheets. There will be no additional demo time added.
Should a student fail to complete demos by the due date, they may not contact an instructor for additional time. If a student does not show up to their scheduled demo time or does not cancel the scheduled time at least 2 hours ahead of time, it will be considered a no-call, no-show, which will result in a verbal warning at the first occurrence. The second occurrence will result in a write-up on professionalism,
which will be placed in the student's file. At the third occurrence, the student will receive an "incomplete" for the final course grade until all demos are completed. You will instead have to wait outside the demo lab to see if there are demo spots that open up each day.
RN Fundamentals Quizzes and Exams
Completion of assigned RN fundamentals quizzes and exams is a requirement for RNUR 1128.
The following quizzes/exams passed at an 80% are required:
· Fundamentals Assignment Quiz (~ 25 questions due by December 1, 2026-. ·
Fundamentals Assignment Exam (~ 75uestions due by December 3, 2026-).
The quizzes and exams can be taken on any computer with internet access, either on campus or at home. All quiz and exam results are due by 12:00 PM on the assigned due date and will be tracked by your instructors. Late submissions will NOT be accepted.
It is strongly suggested that you complete the quizzes and exams in advance of the deadline date so that you will have adequate time to deal with possible computer problems, personal issues, bad weather, etc. We are unable to extend the testing deadline.
You are expected to take each quiz and exam by yourself as this is not a group assignment. Remember, you are preparing to pass NCLEX so it’s important to do your own work.
Clinical Requirements
- Attend all scheduled clinical days. Any absence must be made up and is the student's responsibility to schedule with the instructor.
(Please refer to clinical guidelines for further clinical expectations).
If your clinical instructor must call off for clinical, you will be required to complete an alternate assignment. The alternate assignment may be completed from home in an online format. More details will be provided during your clinical orientation.
-Meet all essential clinical functions according to the clinical evaluation rubric for RNUR 1128 students. Details regarding the evaluation criteria and process will be shared during your clinical orientation. Students are expected to meet an overall evaluation score of at least 80% each clinical day. If the evaluation score is < 80%, the clinical instructor will work with the student regarding a remediation plan.
Following two less than 80% days, improvement must be shown on the third and following days or it will result in failure for the course. If a student is sent home from clinical for any unmet essential clinical function, it will be considered a failed clinical day and the student will need to arrange for a makeup clinical day with the instructor. At the discretion of the clinical instructor, the student may be removed from an off-site rotation if they are not meeting current or previous essential clinical functions. An off-site experience may or may not be rescheduled.
-Demonstrate skills validation in the acute care (medical/surgical) setting for oral medications, end of shift report, and IV lock flush.
- Complete nursing care plan assignments with related nursing research article summary, clinical off-site summaries, and clinical portfolio activities per your specific clinical schedule and submit as directed by your clinical instructor. All work must be submitted and approved by your clinical instructor, in order to receive a passing grade for the semester.
Clinical Written Work Requirements:
Written work must be typewritten/computer generated. Rules of grammar and spelling are to be followed. Papers such as databases and nursing care plans may be handwritten if neat and legible.
Care Plan Assignments with Related Nursing Research Article Summary
Care plan assignments with a related nursing research article summary are due on the dates assigned by the clinical instructor and will be graded according to the Care Plan Grading Rubric. Points will be assigned based on the initial submission of the data base/care plan/article summary. Care plan assignments submitted late will receive an automatic deduction of 1 point for each day it is late. Refer to your
assignment guidelines for the written requirements and grading criteria.
At the instructor’s discretion, the student may be required to revise their care plan assignment or do an additional data base/care plan/ article summary to ensure an understanding of the nursing process and application of evidence-based research findings, which are required course outcomes for RNUR 1128.
Clinical Off-Site Summaries
Clinical off-site summaries are due on the dates assigned by the clinical instructor and will be graded according to the grading rubric for off-site clinical experiences. Students must achieve a satisfactory rating in all areas addressed on the grading rubric. Refer to your assignment guidelines for the written requirements and grading criteria.
Clinical Portfolio Assignments
The clinical portfolio booklet contains various activities for you to complete during your clinical days on the nursing unit. These activities are designed to be completed during clinical time with faculty providing feedback and evaluation by the end of the clinical day. These activities are designed to enhance your learning experience while you are immersed within the context of the clinical setting. Clinical
Portfolio’s will be collected by the instructor prior to midterm and final evaluation time to help evaluate student progress. You will receive further details regarding these activities during your clinical orientation.
Clinical Weekly Journals
Online weekly clinical journals are required to be completed and submitted to your clinical instructor by midnight on your assigned clinical day. Failure to submit by midnight will result in a zero grade in communication and professionalism which will significantly reduce your weekly clinical grade and could result in a clinical failure for that day.
Complete successfully IV skills laboratory demonstrations by Sept 25, 2026. Complete all laboratory demonstrations by Nov 20, 2026. Failure to complete the laboratory demonstrations will result in a failing grade for the semester.
Regarding clinical days:
1. All missed clinical days must be made up. Clinical makeups will only be allowed where openings are available. There is no guarantee that openings will be available. Failure to make up a clinical day may result in a failure for the course.
2. Any make-up clinical day must be scheduled within ONE week of the absence. It is the student’s responsibility to contact the instructor to schedule the makeup clinical day within ONE week of the absence. Failure to do so may result in the inability to schedule the makeup and/or a lesser score in professionalism on the weekly evaluation.
3. Simulation is considered a clinical day. Call-offs should be made to the clinical instructor.
4. If the student will be absent from the clinical site, the student must appropriately call off to the clinical facility. Failure to do so will result in a “No Call/No Show”. If the student is scheduled for an off-site rotation, the student must call off to the off-site facility and the clinical instructor. Failure to do so will result in a “No Call/No Show”.
5. The second “No Call/No Show” will result in failure of the course.
6. Absences greater than or equal to 20% of your semester clinical time will result in failure for the course. See individual clinical guidelines for specific number of days equaling 20%.
7. Extenuating circumstances will be considered with submission of proper documentation and will be reviewed by the faculty member and the Director of Nursing.
Withdrawal Date:
When it is necessary to withdraw from a course or from the college, a student may do so on or before the withdrawal date without receiving a punitive final grade. Students should use Change of Schedule forms which are available in Student Services. Students may submit Change of Schedule forms to Student Services or through the mail, but they must be postmarked no later than the withdrawal date.
No withdrawals are allowed by phone. To determine the last date to withdraw with a grade of “W” in this course, log into KCC Connect and click on “my registration statement” under Academic Profile.
Health Careers
Dean, Brad Wood; 815-802-8815; M107; bwood@kcc.edu; Division Office – W102; 815-802-8800
Professional Conduct
You will be expected to consistently demonstrate the values of honesty and integrity as a KCC Nursing student. Failure to do so will be considered a violation of professional behavior and may result in dismissal from the nursing program as well as any health career programs at KCC. Please note the “Policy for Health Career Programs Student Dismissal” in your handbook. Violations include, but are not limited to:
Cheating
Plagiarism
Fabrication
Intellectual Property Dishonesty
Facilitation of Academic Dishonesty
Providing false information
Inappropriate conduct/Disruption
Most course assignments (tickets to class, homework, care plans, etc.), tests, and/or quizzes are to be an individual’s own work. This includes online activities. These assignments are not to be done in groups unless specified by the faculty.
Students must also understand that plagiarism will not be tolerated at any time.
Test Policy and Environment
All tests and quizzes will be taken on the scheduled day and time. An exception may be made if students require testing accommodations. Tests may not be taken early. If a student is going to miss a test, they must notify the instructor prior to the start of the test. They will have one week to make it up in the Testing Center. It must be completed before the start of class the following week. The student must notify the faculty member when they will be taking the test in the testing center. If this process is not followed, the student may receive a zero for that exam. If a student is tardy to class on a test day, they may be allowed to start the test, but they will not be given extra time to complete it. If the student is more than 10 minutes late, the student will need to make arrangements to take the test in the testing center. Students need to be aware that all tests may be an alternate test if they are not taken on the scheduled day and time.
No more than two tests can be made up in the testing center in the course within a semester. For the health and safety of students and faculty, if a student is not well enough to take the test at the scheduled time, they also should not attend class. A student must communicate a valid reason for missing a test and receive prior approval from the instructor before the test begins in order to be allowed to take an alternate test in the testing center. The time allowed for taking a test is determined by the faculty member who developed the test. As a goal for NCLEX readiness, the student should strive for approximately 1.5 minutes or less per question.
Quizzes may be unannounced. You cannot make up quizzes missed during class or online unless there are the following extenuating circumstances (jury duty, death in family, military duty, personal hospitalization). Documentation of these situations must be provided and approved by faculty.
All nursing knowledge is cumulative, and content may be re-tested at any time throughout the program in any nursing course.
The testing environment is created to ensure fairness to all students. Students will be provided with a scratch paper to use during the test. This paper will be collected and shredded by the faculty. Faculty will randomly assign seats during a test and will try to put one seat in between each student. All desks/tables must be cleared prior to starting the test. All backpacks, purses, phones, computers, drink bottles, hats, watches and hoodies must be placed in the front or back of the classroom. Sweatshirt hoods may not be worn on the head. Phones should be turned off to minimize distraction. Pencils and erasers can be left on the desk to use for the test/quiz. If the student chooses to use ear plugs, they must use the ear plugs provided by the faculty. No Meta glasses or smart devices are allowed.
If a test requires a calculator, one will be provided by the faculty or the student will be guided to use the calculator built into the Canvas exam. If the exam is a HESI exam, the calculator will be built into the exam for the student to use on the computer.
Proctors will not answer questions about the content of questions, but may ask students to read the question again, look for keywords, think critically, etc. During any proctored exam, faculty reserve the right to disrupt the exam for security purposes. Students may be asked to step away from their computers while faculty inspect computer screens. If any evidence of academic dishonesty (e.g. collusion, impersonation, and/or proxy testing) is discovered, the student’s exam will be stopped immediately.
Students should not leave the room once the exam has begun. After completing the exam, students will leave the classroom and not return until instructed by the faculty.
Test Review
Test review will only occur after all students have taken the test. All students are required to be present for the test review. The review will occur in a proctored environment. During test review, the desktop will be cleared. Pens, pencils and phones will not be allowed. Students are not allowed to take notes during the test review. In addition, students are reminded that they are not to discuss tests and quizzes outside of the classroom.
Faculty are available during their student support hours to meet with students individually to discuss test taking strategies. Faculty can also discuss patterns that may be evident on tests that can help a student in future tests. If a student feels that a question was graded incorrectly, the student must notify the instructor who gave the test within 3 weeks from the day the test was given. After that time, the grade will be final.
There will be no review of the course final exam.
HESI Testing and Remediation Policy
Purpose
The purpose of this policy is to provide guidelines for standardized testing and remediation processes using the HESI examinations. HESI exams are one method to assist in students’ success and are known to be highly predictive of success in passing the NCLEX (Shah et al., 2022). The main purpose of incorporating HESI exams throughout the nursing curriculum is to:
• Allow students to identify their current knowledge on specific content areas and client needs categories
• Provide information for students to engage in that is self-directed and promotes life-long learning
• Identify gaps in knowledge and facilitate a remediation plan to improve deficient areas
• Provide a benchmark and a standardized method for calculating course points
• Identify at-risk students early in the program to offer additional activities that support their success in the program and with passing the NCLEX
• Assist in demonstrating a minimum knowledge level for key nursing competencies involving patient safety (e.g., medication calculations) for clinical rotations and clinical practice
• Provide an opportunity for students to gain experience taking NCLEX-style standardized tests
• Offer insights to faculty about gaps in the curriculum and opportunities to improve teaching practices and integration of content across the curriculum
HESI Testing and Benchmarking
The HESI exam is a proctored computerized nursing test given in-person. Research demonstrates that scores of 850 and higher on the HESI exit exams are highly predictive of passing the NCLEX exam (Shah et al., 2022), making the program’s established benchmark score of 850 for all HESI specialty and exit exams. The program is permitted to change this benchmark score as needed per necessary policy change.
HESI Exam Placement and Timing
HESI benchmark exams are administered as a final exam in all courses except Seminar classes (RNUR 1461 RNUR 2461, PNUR 1491) and Intro to Pharm (RNUR 1152). Remediation materials are not available until all exams are completed.
Faculty-Made Exam Data Review
After each faculty-made exam, the faculty will review each test item’s data and statistics. The faculty reserves the right to eliminate or change item scoring based on the data and statistics, which may result in an exam score change.
Exam Security and Academic Honesty
HESI test items are secure items and must not be copied or pictures taken of exam items, and exam items must otherwise not be shared. Any notes taken during the exam must be turned in to the proctor at the completion of the exam. Any distribution of exam items or rationales or any academic dishonesty on the HESI exam will be managed in accordance with the college’s code of conduct policies and the health careers and nursing student handbook.
Remediation for all HESI Exams
All students are required to remediate the recommended materials following each HESI exam. The remediation/personalized learning plan (PLP) requirements are dependent on each individual student’s HESI score associated with each exam. The required levels for remediation and the process for demonstrating completion of remediation will be outlined in the syllabus for each course. Research indicates that proper remediation improves students' critical thinking, reasoning, and test-taking skills. Remediation is due by the first day of class the following semester. The student will not be able to take the first exam of the semester until the previous semester’s PLP is complete.
Students are expected to attend all scheduled class and clinical times, submit written assignments on due dates, and take tests at the scheduled times. It is the student’s responsibility to notify their instructor if and why he/she is unable to attend any class session. Should a student be absent from class, it is his/her responsibility to notify the instructor prior to the scheduled class time and obtain class announcements, notes, and handouts from another student in the class. (See the Attendance section of the Nursing Student Handbook).
Paper copy given first day of class and posted in Canvas 1128 course module.
College Policies, Resources and Supports
For information related to the Student Code of Conduct Policy, Withdrawal Policy, Email Policy, and Non- Attendance/Non-Participation Policy, please review the college’s Code of Campus Affairs and Regulations webpage, which can be found at catalog.kcc.edu under the Academic Regulations & Conduct Guide.
KCC offers various academic and personal resources for all students. Many services are offered virtually, as well as in person. Please visit Student Resources - Kankakee Community College to access student resources services such as:
- Clubs and organizations
- Counseling and referral services
- Office of disability services
- Student complaint policy
- Transfer services
- Tutoring services, etc.
The materials on this course are only for the use of students enrolled in this course for purposes associated with this course. Further information regarding KCC's copyright policy is available at https://kcc.libguides.com/copyright.
|Course syllabus/calendar is subject to change.