Welcome!
Section outline
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Welcome to Introduction to Practical Nursing [SUBJ ####]!
Course Introduction
Introduction to Practical Nursing offers an introduction to the structure and function of the healthcare system, with a focus on the nursing profession. Course content includes an introduction to vocation of practical nursing and occupational requirements. Students will explore the historical evolution of nursing, professional roles and responsibilities, foundational nursing theories, and the legal and ethical principles that guide practice. Additional topics include effective communication, patient safety, basic medication dosage calculations, interdisciplinary collaboration, and the importance of cultural awareness in providing patient-centered care.Course Learning Objectives:
Upon successful completion of this course, the student will be able to:
- Apply principles of safe, cost-effective, and evidence-based nursing care while upholding professional and ethical standards (Course Outcome #1).
Demonstrate adherence to universal precautions and infection control practices when performing basic nursing skills (Course Outcome #2).
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Explain the role, responsibilities, and scope of practice of the Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN) within various healthcare settings (Course Outcome #10).
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Integrate ethical and legal frameworks that ensure patient dignity, privacy, and rights, respecting autonomy and cultural diversity (Course Outcome # 7).
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Establish and maintain therapeutic and interpersonal relationships that promote patient advocacy, continuity, and quality of care (Course Outcomes # 3, 5).
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Utilize the nursing process to provide holistic care that meets the physical, psychosocial, and spiritual needs of patients across the lifespan (Course Outcome # 4).
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Demonstrate effective communication using verbal, nonverbal, written, and technological methods to collaborate with patients, families, and healthcare teams (Course Outcomes # 3, 5).
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Promote health and wellness by applying teaching, learning, and leadership principles in partnership with clients and interdisciplinary team members (Course Outcome # 6).
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Incorporate cultural competence by recognizing and respecting the influence of cultural, religious, and spiritual factors on patient care (Course Outcome # 7).
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Perform activities of daily living (ADLs) to meet the comprehensive needs of assigned residents and patients (Course Outcome # 2).
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Engage in self-evaluation and reflective practice to promote lifelong learning, personal growth, and professional competence (Course Outcome # 8).
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Comply with the Residents’ Bill of Rights, OBRA, HIPAA, and Louisiana Department of Health and Hospitals (DHH) regulations in all clinical settings (Course Outcome # 9).
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Differentiate the scope and limitations of practical nursing to deliver safe, effective, and legally sound patient care while maintaining licensure eligibility (Course Outcome # 10).
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Employ foundational digital and informatics skills to document accurately, retrieve clinical information, and utilize healthcare technologies responsibly (Course Outcome # 5).
Digital Skill Objective: Demonstrate using social media professionally by understanding workplace etiquette on LinkedIn, Facebook, X (formerly Twitter), TikTok, or other social media platform (Course Outcome # 5).
Adopting instructors can embed a welcome video or add additional text here. Variations of the title of this course include: Nurse Fundamentals and Nursing Perspectives
Adopting institution should provide learners information on how to navigate the course. Consider adding an introductory navigation video. Text description could include, for example:Structure of the Course
This course is organized into a series of 20 focused modules that build essential knowledge and skills for practical nursing. It begins with an introduction to the nursing process and the principles of ethics and professionalism. Students then develop core competencies in basic nursing skills, safety practices—including infection control and first aid—and patient care techniques. The course emphasizes accurate measurement and interpretation of vital signs and pain, along with physical assessment methods. Instruction continues with patient education strategies and cultural competency, followed by effective communication and delegation of tasks within the healthcare team. Specialized modules address the care of elderly patients, safe medication administration, and promoting patient comfort. Additional topics include nutrition and diet, mobility support, wound care, and providing compassionate care through loss, grief, and dying. The course concludes with an exploration of mental health care and the importance of sleep and rest in patient recovery.
Navigating the Course
This course is set up in Modules covering various topics which may be accessed from the course navigation menu on the left or by scrolling below. Modules may be collapsed in the menu and it the body of the course to minimize scrolling. Each module includes the relevant chapters followed by various activities, which may include discussion forums, listening activities and quizzes, practice quizzes, module tests, and other relevant activities as appropriate for each module. Many items are required and may be marked as completed automatically when the activity has been submitted (the broken check box), but others will marked as done by the student (the solid check box).Please move through the items below and continue through the Learner Support and Getting Started modules before moving on to Module 1. Be sure to check for announcements and due dates to stay on track.Grading Policy
Grading Scale
90 - 100 = A
80 - 89 = B
70 - 79 = C
60 - 69 = D
0 - 59 = FExams = 60 % of grade
Class Activities assignments (Course Point Pre-Lecture Quiz, Class activity, Interactive Case Studies, Quizzes) = 20% of grade
Final (Comprehensive) = 20%Student final course grade must = 80% or above
This course and its contents are developed by the authors: and licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License by LOUIS: The Louisiana Library Network, except where otherwise noted. Adopting instructors should edit the About Your Instructor and Office Hours Information pages in this Module.
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