Nursing 437 syllabus, Spring, 2003

NUR 437 Professional Issues

Impact of educational, legal, ethical, political, and social issues on the profession of nursing. Meets the advanced writing requirement.

CREDIT HOURS: 3

PREREQUISITES: Senior level

FREQUENCY OF OFFERING: Spring

FACULTY: Gretchen Beebe David Curry

Office Phone: 564-4225 Office Phone: 564-4245

FAX: 564-3100 FAX: 564-3100

gretchen.beebe@plattsburgh.edu david.curry@plattsburgh.edu

Wendy Sayward

Office Phone: 564-4238

FAX: 564-3100

wendy.sayward@plattsburgh.edu

COURSE OBJECTIVES: The student will:

1. examine current trends in nursing education, organizations, and practice

2. explore ethical and legal issues relevant to the profession

3. explore the process of political action and development of power as individuals and a profession

4. examine evolving nursing roles

5. relate aspects of role adjustment to career management

6. investigate the impact of economics on health care and nursing practice

7. analyze own philosophy of nursing

8. achieve proficiency in writing

COURSE CONTENT:

I. Educational Preparation for Nursing

A. Levels of education

B. Continuing education and career mobility

C. Entry into practice and the future of education

D. Credentialing: accreditation, licensure, and certification

E. Theory development

II. Nursing Organizations

A. Local

B. State

C. National

D. International

III. Legal

A. Parameters of nurse practice acts

B. Liability issues in acceptance of orders from other practitioners

C. Charting as a legal document

IV. Ethical Issues

A. Ethical issues concerning birth

B. Ethical issues concerning death

C. Nurses' rights

D. Patients' rights

E. Organ transplants

F. Human experimentation

V. Evolving Roles and Role Adjustment

A. Extended roles

B. Career planning

C. Transition from student to professional

D. Future roles for nurses

E. Feminist perspective

VI. Politics and Power

A. Political activism

B. Empowerment of the individual nurse

C. Expansion of the profession's power base

VII. Economics

A. Influences on health care

B. Cost effectiveness and containment

C. Collective bargaining

D. Reimbursement

E. Future implications for health care and nursing

TEACHING STRATEGIES:

Seminar, discussion, audiovisuals, student presentations, guest speakers, reading assignments, position statements, letter writing and library research.

Reminder: This course meets the Advanced Writing Requirement.

ATTENDANCE POLICY:

As this is a seminar course, attendance and participation are necessary to meet a major goal of the course; therefore, attendance will be taken and included in the final grade. Each absence, other than those due to a verified illness or family death, will result in the deletion of one point from the final course grade.

EVALUATION METHODS:

Method % Weight

1. Seminar Presentation 30

2. Issues Positions Statements/or Letters 60 (20% each)

* 3. Seminar Participation 10

* 4. Seminar Critiques ____

100

* This grade will be dependent on attendance and active participation that promotes an effective learning climate and facilitates group process, and written seminar critiques.

-2-

NUMERICAL SCALE FOR ASSIGNING GRADES:

A = 93-100 C+ = 77-79.99

A- = 90-92.99 C = 73-76.99

B+ = 87-89.99 C- = 70-72.99

B = 83-86.99 D+ = 67-69.99

B- = 80-82.99 D = 63-66.99

E = 62.9 and below

SUGGESTED COURSE TEXTS AND ASSISTIVE SERVICES:

Publication manual of the American Psychological Association. 5th ed. (2001). Washington, DC:

American Psychological Association. (This is the required resource for preparation of written

assignments.)

The Writing Room in The Claude J. Clarke Learning Center

Hours: Monday-Thursday, 2:00 -4:00 p.m. and 6:00-9:00 p.m.

Sunday, 2:00-9:00 p.m.

The Writing Center has multiple writing materials available.

WEB SITES FOR PROFESSIONAL ORGANIZATIONS:

American Nurses Association: http://nursingworld.org

New York State Nurses Association: http://www.nysna.org

WRITING ASSIGNMENTS—SPRING 2002

Note: All writing assignments must be submitted to pass the course. All papers are to be typed using a

font of 12. Position Statements should be double spaced.

1. A 2-4 page paper on “Why professional nurses need to be skilled at written and oral communication” OR “Why I need this course.”

This paper will be evaluated for content and presentation. An unsatisfactory paper will be returned for rewriting.

Due Date: February 5th

2. Position Statement #1 Draft—See “Evaluative Criteria for Position Statements” in course packet. This draft will be critiqued and returned for revisions. The final paper will be graded using the criteria noted above. Both the draft and final paper are to be submitted.

Draft Due: February 19th

Revised Position Statement Due: March 12th

3. Position Statement #2

Due Date: April 9th

4. Letter to a Legislator—See “Evaluative Criteria for Letters” in course packet.

Due Date: April 30th

5. Weekly Seminar Critiques—After each seminar, complete the checklist evaluation and write a one-page evaluation on:

a) The strengths of this seminar and what new information I learned

b) The ways this seminar could have been strengthened.

Submit one copy with your name and the title of the seminar to the instructor and one copy to the presenters, signature optional.

Due Date: 48 hours after every seminar.

A cover page will accompany each paper and contain the following information:

1. The name of the assignment.

2. The audience to whom it is written.

3. The topic and purpose of the paper; if the letter, include the addressee, title, bill name and number, bill sponsors, and where this bill originated, e.g. state assembly, national congress, etc.

4. Student’s name

Please staple multiple pages, and it is recommended that you keep a copy of the paper in your possession.

Writing Assistance

There will be tutors available at the Writing Center in the Learning Center to assist on-campus students with writing.

Distance Learning students can receive writing assistance through the Online Writing Lab at the Learning Center.

GUIDELINES FOR SEMINAR PREPARATION & PRESENTATION

1. Each student/group/site will be responsible for one seminar presentation.

2. The selection of seminar topics and the dates of presentations will be determined by the second week.

PRESENTERS' PREPARATION RESPONSIBILITIES:

1. The presenter(s) will develop a seminar plan to be discussed with the faculty at least THREE WEEKS prior to the scheduled date of presentation. It is the responsibility of the presenter(s) to make an appointment to meet with faculty to review the components of the seminar plan. The typed plan is to be submitted to the faculty member at the beginning of the class session on the day of the presentation (two weeks prior to the presentation for distance learning students).

2. The seminar plan is to include:

a) a clearly delineated topic

b) objectives written in accurate learner-centered objective format (see behavior verbs,

pages 12-14)

c) the content to be covered in the seminar in outline form

d) the methods to be used for the seminar

e) a minimum of five (5) discussion questions which will serve as the basis, but not totality, of the discussion in the seminar

f) a current bibliography with a minimum of seven (7) references including periodicals and web

sites in APA format (2001)

g) current professional reading on the seminar topic to be read by classmates in preparation for the seminar is to be given to all members of the class and faculty at least two (2)

week prior to the seminar. Students in Section A are to post a copy of the reading for

classmates to read on the bulletin board in Hawkins 221 or give each student a copy. The

reading should include the presenter(s) name(s), seminar topic, and date of the seminar.

Distance Learning students should plan to get this reading on Electronic Reserve by sending it

to Carol LaPorte at Feinberg Library two (2) weeks prior to the seminar date.

PRESENTATION RESPONSIBILITIES:

1. The presenter has the responsibility to:

a) introduce the topic

b) deliver the content

c) lead a discussion

d) formulate conclusions

e) summarize the presentation and discussion

f) establish and maintain a supportive group environment

g) stimulate group interaction

h) raise questions where appropriate

I) assist others to express ideas

2. Suggested strategies for delivery of presentations include: classroom debate, guest speaker(s)

for a selected portion of the seminar (the student is required to manage the majority of the

seminar), use of relevant media followed by reaction/debate, and reports of interviews

conducted by the student.

SELF-EVALUATION

Two days after the seminar, the presenter will submit a self-evaluation written in narrative format using the Criteria for Evaluation for direction. No grade will be given until the self-evaluation is completed and turned in to the instructor. RN Option students should e-mail this.

Address the following points:

1. Effectiveness of meeting the planned outcomes

2. Quality of preparation skills

3. Quality of content delivered

4. Ability to initiate and maintain class participation

5. Effectiveness of personal communication

6. Ways to strengthen communication and presentation skills

7. Ways to enhance the seminar

SEMINAR EVALUATION:

1. Following the seminar, collect the Peer Feedback forms, read them and submit to the faculty member with your self-evaluation. These forms will be returned to the presenter. At distance sites, technical assistants will collect forms and send to Plattsburgh.

2. Faculty will use the form, Criteria for Evaluation of Seminar Presentation, to determine the grade on the seminar. Each student will receive their seminar grade the week following their presentation. All presenters of a seminar topic will receive the same grade.

CLASS MEMBER RESPONSIBILITIES FOR WEEKLY SEMINARS

Each class member will:

1. read the assigned article/chapter

2. attend class

3. participate actively in the seminar

4. complete Peer Feedback form (submit to the seminar presenter/leader)

5. Complete Seminar Critique and submit to faculty and presenters 48 hours after the seminar.

The Seminar Critique should provide a substantive critique of the seminar content and its presentation with suggestions for how the leader could strengthen his/her presentation. The Peer Feedback forms are to be given to the presenter who, after reading them, will submit them to faculty.

CRITERIA FOR EVALUATION OF SEMINAR PRESENTATION

Student: _________________________ Topic: __________________________

Criteria Weight

1. Preparation

(Submit materials at time of presentation)

A. Objectives 10

1. Relevant to topic/issue

2. Written in accurate format

3. Comprehensive

4. Communicated to audience

B. Discussion questions (minimum of 5) 8

1. Stated with clarity

2. Relevant and significant

3. Open ended and stimulating vs. closed and factually oriented

C. Bibliography (minimum of 5) 7

1. Presented in APA format

2. Relevant, timely, and comprehensive

3. Assigned article for class members is appropriate and pertinent

II. Seminar Presentation

A. Content 25

1. Topic clearly delineated at the beginning of the presentation

2. Policy or legal issues are clearly related to the topic

a) Bills before the state or federal legislatures

b) Needed legislation or political action

3. Relevance to profession is shown

4. The profession’s position on the issue is delineated (e.g., statements

from ANA, NYSNA, District 8, other specialty nursing organizations

5. Communicates knowledgeably about topic

6. Planned objectives are met 7. Content is comprehensive, yet realistic for the time

8. Directions are given to peers for appropriate actions they can take in regard to

the issue(s) including names and addresses of appropriate persons to contact

9. Conclusions are drawn and seminar is summarized

B. Delivery

1. Organization 15

a) Creative use of resources and method of presentation

b) Method is appropriate for topic/issue

c) Time is effectively managed