Course Descriptions
FIRST-YEAR NURSING: FALL SEMESTER
Nursing 101 Foundations of Nursing
Foundations of Nursing introduces students to the essential principles, skills, and knowledge required to deliver safe, patient-centered care in medical-surgical settings. Emphasizing the nursing process, critical thinking, and evidence-based practice, the course prepares students to care for diverse individuals and families across the healthcare continuum. Topics include therapeutic communication, basic physical and diagnostic assessments, pharmacological principles, infection prevention, perioperative care, and the management of common health disturbances, including those affecting the immunological, respiratory, and musculoskeletal systems. Students will explore ethical and legal aspects of care, the role of the healthcare team, and the integration of technology in clinical decision-making. Learning is reinforced through simulation and clinical experiences, promoting professionalism, accountability, and effective health teaching across cultural contexts.
FIRST-YEAR NURSING: SPRING SEMESTER
Nursing 102 Nursing Care of Adults
Nursing Care of Adults prepares students to deliver safe, evidence-based, and compassionate care to adults experiencing medical-surgical health conditions affecting systems such as cardiovascular, endocrine, urinary, reproductive, gastrointestinal, neurosensory, and integumentary. Emphasizing the nursing process, critical thinking, and cultural competence, the course integrates physical assessment, pharmacology, psychosocial factors, and patient education to support holistic care. Students apply clinical skills in both simulated and real-world settings, progressing from laboratory experiences to acute care and community-based environments. Students take part in a community-based education program where they interact with local community members to promote wellness and prevent disease processes while assessing community health needs and access to care. Collaborative practice, interprofessional communication, and the use of healthcare technologies are reinforced, alongside principles of nursing research and professional, ethical behavior. The course fosters accountability and prepares students to promote, maintain, and restore health across diverse populations.
SENIOR YEAR NURSING: FALL SEMESTER
Nursing 201 Nursing Care of Special Populations
Nursing Care of Special Populations provides a holistic, evidence-based approach to caring for individuals, families, and communities across the lifespan, with a focus on maternal-child health, mental health, and the aging population. Emphasizing the nursing process, critical thinking, and cultural competence, students learn to deliver safe, patient-centered care that addresses physical, psychological, social, spiritual, and developmental needs. The course integrates principles of pharmacology, nutrition, therapeutic communication, group dynamics, and rehabilitation, while fostering collaboration with interdisciplinary teams. Clinical experiences in acute and community settings support the application of nursing theory, therapeutic interventions, and information technology in real-world care. Professionalism, ethical practice, and nursing research are reinforced to prepare students for accountable, compassionate practice with special populations.
SENIOR YEAR NURSING: SPRING SEMESTER
Nursing 202 Advanced Concepts of Nursing
Advanced Concepts of Nursing prepares students to deliver safe, evidence-based care to diverse populations in acute, critical care, community, and emergency settings. Building on foundational nursing knowledge, the course emphasizes clinical judgment, rapid assessment, prioritization, delegation, and safe medication administration. Students apply the nursing process and collaborate with interdisciplinary teams to develop and implement effective care plans. Leadership, management principles, and current healthcare trends, including ethics, regulations, and career development, are explored to support the transition from student to professional nurse. Social determinants of health and gaps in healthcare delivery are identified. Group work is utilized to find and share solutions to improve healthcare for at risk populations. A preceptorship experience fosters real-world readiness, while continued focus on teaching, communication, information technology, and nursing research promotes professional growth, accountability, and lifelong learning.
SIMULATION
The Margaret H. Rollins School of Nursing at Beebe Healthcare provides state-of-the-art classroom and laboratory facilities for all levels of academic study. A variety of audiovisual and supplemental teaching aids are available to enhance student learning. Innovative program designs are evident in all courses at the Margaret H. Rollins School of Nursing, but one of the most prominent experiences which creates innovation and fosters inter-professional collaboration is in our high-fidelity simulation labs. High-fidelity simulation labs, as well as multi-bed skills labs, are incorporated throughout the 2-year curriculum for simulated clinical/patient care experiences and to enhance judgment. Innovative simulation integration and the inclusion of multidisciplinary collaborative care help orient students to specialty areas in a safe environment prior to patient care at the bedside, while equipping them with knowledge and skills that will enhance their ability to engage in high-quality, evidence-based practice as a graduate nurse.