GEORGIA COLLEGE & STATE UNIVERSITY

College OF HEALTH SCIENCES

School of Nursing
Undergraduate Courses
Spring 2015

Course Prefix and NRSG 3140

Number

Prerequisites Admission into the

BSN program

Course Title Health Assessment

Lecture Hours 2 Lab Hours: 2 Contact Hours: 4 Credit Hours: 3

Online % 0 Face-to Face % 100

Faculty Course Coordinator & Lab Faculty Lab Faculty

Lab Faculty
Debby MacMillan, PhD,
Leslie Moore, PhD, RN, Jennifer Goldsberry,
RN, CNM
CNE, MBA FNP
Associate Professor
Associate Professor School of Nursing
School of Nursing
School of Nursing 230 Parks Memorial
Macon Campus
209 Parks Memorial Email: D2L or
(O) 478-752-1074
(O) 478 445-3910 Jennifer.Goldsberry@
Email: D2L or
Email: D2L or gcsu.edu
Deborah.MacMillan@gc
Leslie.Moore@gcsu.edu
su.edu

Faculty Office Hours Times posted outside my office door or by appointment

Required Text(s) Required text # 1

ISBN#: 978-0-7817-8160
Author(s) or Editor(s): Janet Weber & Jane Kelley
Title: Health Assessment in Nursing, 4th edition
Publisher: Lippincott, Williams and Wilkins

Required text #2
ISBN#: 978-0-7817-8161-9
Author(s) or Editor(s): Janet Weber, Jane Kelley, & Ann Sprengel
Title: Lab Manual to Accompany Health Assessment in Nursing, 4 th edition
Publisher: Lippincott, Williams and Wilkins

Required electronic resource

ISBN#: 9780323077989
Mosby's Nursing Video Skills: Physical Examination & Health Assessment
Publisher: Mosby/Elsevier

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 NOTE: This is not a textbook, it is a CD-Rom

Required Materials Personal stethoscope, dual head (diaphragm and bell)

Penlight
Other required tools and materials will be provided.

A sphygmomanometer (blood pressure cuff) is highly recommended, but not

required.

Catalog Description: This course provides the student with a systematic method to assessment
of health status and promotes critical thinking skills through comparative
analysis of findings across race, gender, and ethnicity.

Program Outcomes:
1 Use effective situational communication.
2 Incorporate best current evidence with clinical expertise and client
preferences and values.
3 Apply principles of leadership, quality improvement, and client
safety to monitor and improve outcomes of nursing care.
4 Demonstrate professional nursing values of altruism, autonomy,
human dignity, integrity and social justice.
5 Provide culturally and spiritually sensitive care.
6 Apply principles of health promotion, disease and injury prevention
to maximize health outcomes.
7 Recognize the need of advocacy in regulatory, legislative, and public
policy that influences the health care system.
8 Collaborate with the client and health care team in providing
compassionate and coordinated care.
9 Demonstrate competent use of informatics to support clinical
decision making, mitigate errors, and improve outcomes.
10 Synthesize concepts from liberal arts and sciences, clinical
reasoning, and nursing to form the basis for professional practice.

Course Outcomes Upon completion of this course, the student will:

Program Course Outcomes
Outcomes
1 1. Use effective situational communication for the purpose of
conducting a holistic health assessment.
4 2. Demonstrate professional nursing values of altruism,
autonomy, human dignity, and integrity when conducting a
health assessment.
5 3. Employ a systematic process to conduct a health
assessment that is culturally and spiritually sensitive.
6 4. Analyze assessment data to form appropriate nursing
diagnoses for individual clients.
10 5. Apply concepts from liberal arts, social, and natural
sciences, clinical reasoning, and nursing science t
differentiate normal from abnormal physical examination
findings.
10 6. Use critical thinking to relate subjective data from health
history to objective findings in physical assessment.

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Topic Outline Unit 1. Interviewing and the Health History
Unit 2. Physical Assessment Techniques and Nutrition
Unit 3. Examination of the Integument
Unit 4. Examination of the Head and Neck
Unit 5. Examination of the Thorax and Lungs
Unit 6. Examination of the Heart and Peripheral Vasculature
Unit 7. Examination of Abdomen
Unit 8. Examination of Musculoskeletal System
Unit 9. Examination of Neurological System
Unit 10. Examination of the Breast and Lymph Nodes
Unit 11. Examination of Genitalia and Rectum
Unit 12. The Complete Health History and Physical Examination

Teaching/Learning This is a web-enhanced course. Students will be expected to interact with

Methods each other and the instructor through the course web site and in person in
addition to class time. Other learning activities include assigned readings,
lecture, discussion, audiovisual materials, demonstration and guided practice,
objective examinations, laboratory simulation, case studies, written
assignments, group assignments, and self-evaluation.

Evaluation Methods Relationship to Course Learning

Evaluation Method %
Outcomes
Unit Exams (4) 50% Course Outcomes 1-6
HESI Exam 20% Course Outcomes 1-6
Physical Exam check-off 10% Course Outcomes 3-6
Evolve Case Studies 10% Course Outcomes 1-6
Classroom Activities 10% Course Outcomes 1-6
Lab Participation S/U Course Outcomes 1-6
Weekly Physical Exam
S/U Course Outcomes 3-6
write-ups
Health History & Physical
S/U Course Outcomes 1-6
Exam write up

Grading Scale A = 91-100

B = 83-90
C = 75-82
D = 66-74
F = < 65

Prior to mid-semester, you will receive feedback on your academic

performance in this course

Clinical Evaluation Students are expected to demonstrate clinical

competency related to course objectives by the end of the course. Clinical
performance is graded on a Satisfactory/Unsatisfactory basis. Students must
achieve a Satisfactory completion of laboratory assignments to progress in
the nursing program. Students are expected to come prepared to assessment
laboratory. The rubric for satisfactory clinical performance is available on the
course web site. Clinical evaluation includes timely submission of written
assignments pertinent to the weekly laboratory assignment and regular,
punctual attendance at lab. Each clinical unsatisfactory will result in a one

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 point deduction from the final course grade average.

Course Policies All policies in the current Georgia College & State University Undergraduate
Catalog and the Undergraduate Nursing Student Handbook are applicable.
Please consult web site for handbook at the following sites:
http://www.gcsu.edu/registrar/catalog.htm and
http://www.gcsu.edu/nursing/bs/admission.htm. In addition to these University
and School policies, students are expected to comply with the following
course policies:
All students must regularly check bobcats email and D2L to receive
official communication from university faculty and staff.
All students must have an activated Bobcat identification card. The Bobcat
card is required to use all library services, including the computer lab for
testing.
Rounding Policy: Rounding for this course will occur only with the final
average grade for the course. There will be no rounding of exam grades or
other written assignments during the semester. If the final course average
to the nearest tenth is .5 or more, the final course grade will be rounded up
to the next whole number (i.e. 88.5 would be rounded to 89) (i.e. 88. 45
would not be rounded).
Students must maintain current required clinical documents on file in
the School of Nursing. Students with missing or lapsed documents will
not be eligible to participate in clinical learning sessions. Missed absences
for this reason will be considered unexcused and will result in a clinical
unsatisfactory grade for each missed session.
Students must have a 75% average on all test requirements before
points for other assignments are added to their grades. Students not
achieving a 75% test average will earn the letter grade equivalent to the
test average for the course grade, and will be required to repeat the course
before continuing in the nursing program.

EXAMS:

Exams for this course will be administered electronically in a computer

laboratory setting to simulate the NCLEX environment.
For unit exams, students will be given 60 minutes to complete 50 multiple
choice items.
Following completion of each examination, faculty will conduct an item
analysis, and changes may be made to adjust examination scores based on
the test analysis results.
No personal belongings, books, or notes can be taken into the computer
lab. All hats will be removed for the testing period.
There will be no scheduled make-up exam dates for this course. Students
who experience an emergency that prevents taking a scheduled exam must
notify Dr. Moore prior to the exam. Students who do not contact Dr.
Moore prior to the exam will be given a 0 for the exam. If the absence is
excused, the percentage of the missed exam will be added to the Hesi final
exam.
Students with low exam scores are encouraged to seek help EARLY in the
course and as often as needed to be successful. Students are also
encouraged to set aside time to review missed exam items with the
instructor within the first week after an exam.
Students who have an exam average less than 80% at mid-term will be

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 required to meet with a faculty member to determine an individual plan for
course success.
All students must have an activated Bobcat identification card. The Bobcat
card is required to use all library services, including the computer lab for
testing.

ATTENDANCE & PUNCTUALITY:

Instructors will verify attendance at the first class for the Registrars
purposes. Students should refer to the attendance policy in the GCSU
Nursing Program undergraduate handbook.
To comply with regulations of the Georgia Board of Nursing, all students
must complete the designated number of laboratory hours. Attendance is
mandatory for the laboratory portion of the course.
There are no scheduled make-up days for clinical hours. Students must
meet with the clinical lab instructor to arrange for alternative clinical
assignments. Students unable to attend a lab session due to illness or
similar emergency are expected to notify the lab instructor at least one
hour in advance of the scheduled time for lab. Clinical faculty will
provide students with phone contact information. In the event that a
student does not receive an answer on the phone, a voice mail message
may be left on the office phone with a follow-up call within 8 hours of the
scheduled lab start time.

PHYSICAL ASSESSMENT CHECK-OFF:

Students will perform a head-to-toe physical assessment on their lab partners

at the end of the course (see calendar for dates). Students must score an 85 or
better to pass the check off. Students will be allowed one time to repeat their
physical assessment check off. The recorded grade will be the average of the
two check-offs (if a second check off is required).

Unacceptable clinical Breaching confidentiality, privacy and/or security.

behaviors Abandoning or knowingly neglecting patients/clients requiring nursing
care.
Failing to report to appropriate person when leaving the clinical area.
Failing to report critical information to the appropriate person.
Failing to report own errors.
Fabricating information.
Failing to notify appropriate person or agency in advance, if unable to
attend clinical lab activity.
Performing procedures without appropriate preparation, supervision,
or authorization.
Failing to comply with the Policy on Substance Abuse as described in
the Undergraduate Student Handbook (Georgia College & State
University, 2005).
Failing to treat clients, families, staff, faculty, and other students with
respect and dignity
Failing to provide nursing care because of diagnosis, age, gender,
ethnicity, creed, or sexual orientation.
Using inappropriate or unsafe judgment, technical skill or
interpersonal behaviors in providing nursing care.

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 Failing to notify the appropriate party of any unprofessional conduct
with may jeopardize patient/client safety.
Failing to practice nursing in accordance with prevailing nursing
standards due to physical or psychological impairment.
Diverting prescription drugs for own or anothers use.
Misappropriating money or property (stealing) from a patient/client,
other person or facility/agency.

Technology The minimum technology requirements:

Requirements http://www.gcsu.edu/technology/campustech/recommendations.htm Microsoft
on-line training resource: http://office.microsoft.com/en-us/support/training-
FX101782702.aspx?redir=0

Academic Honesty The integrity of students and their written and oral work is a critical
component of the academic process. The submission of anothers work as
ones own is plagiarism and will be dealt with using the procedures outlined in
the GC Catalog. Remember that allowing another student to copy ones own
work violates standards of academic integrity.

See the student Honor Code at the website below:

http://www.gcsu.edu/studentlife/handbook/code.htm

Religious Observance Students are permitted to miss class in observance of religious holidays and
other activities observed by a religious group of which the student is a member
without academic penalty. Exercising of ones rights under this policy is
subject to the GC Honor Code. Students who miss class in observance of a
religious holiday or event are required to make up the coursework missed as a
result from the absence. The nature of the make-up assignments and the
deadline for completion of such assignments are at the sole discretion of the
instructor. Failure to follow the prescribed procedures voids all student rights
under this policy.

The full policy and prescribed procedures are found at:

http://gcsu.smartcatalogiq.com/en/Policy-Manual/Policy-Manual/Academic-
Affairs/Academic-Policies-Procedures-and-Resources/Academic-Policies-
Miscellaneous/Student-Absence-Policy

Fire Drill Procedure Fire drills will be conducted annually. In the event of a fire alarm, students will
exit the building in a quick and orderly manner through the nearest hallway
exit. Learn the floor plan and exits of the building. Do not use elevators. If you
encounter heavy smoke, crawl on the floor so as to gain fresh air. Assist
disabled persons and others if possible without endangering your own life.
Assemble for a head count on the front lawn of main campus or other
designated assembly area.

For more information on other emergencies, please visit

http://www.gcsu.edu/publicsafety/emergency_management.htm

Request for Disability If you have a disability as described by the Americans with Disabilities Act
Modifications:

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 (ADA) and the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, Section 504, you may be eligible to
receive accommodations to assist in programmatic and physical accessibility.
Disability Services, a unit of the GCSU Office of Institutional Equity and
Diversity, can assist you in formulating a reasonable accommodation plan and
in providing support in developing appropriate accommodations to ensure
equal access to all GCSU programs and facilities. Course requirements will
not be waived, but accommodations may assist you in meeting the
requirements. For documentation requirements and for additional information,
we recommend that you contact Disability Services located in Maxwell
Student Union at 478-445-5931 or 478-445-4233. Any student requiring
instructional modifications due to a documented disability should make an
appointment to meet with the course coordinator within in the first week of
classes. An official letter from GCSU documenting the disability is expected in
order to receive accommodations.

Near the end of the semester, you will be asked to complete an online survey.
Student Opinion
Your responses are valued because they give important feedback to instructors
Survey Statement
to help improve student learning. All responses are completely confidential
and your name is not stored with your responses in any way.

Interlibrary Loan Students are encouraged to use the GCSU Library and the interlibrary loan
services (http://www2.gcsu.edu/library/ill/) to obtain journal articles relevant
to this course.

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