American Psychological Association. (2020). Concise guide to APA Style (7th ed.). ISBN 9781433832134 

Catalano, J. (2024). Nursing now Today’s issues, tomorrow’s, trends (9th ed.). ISBN 9781719649773  

Dillon, P. (2017). Clinical simulations for nursing education: participant volume (2nd ed.) ISBN-13: 978-0-8036-6969-7 

Giddens, J. (2021). Concepts for nursing practice. (3rd ed.). Elsevier. ISBN 9780323598101 

Halter, M.J. (2022). Varcarolis’ foundations of psychiatric-mental health nursing (9th ed.). Elsevier.   ISBN 9780323697071 

HESI (2024). HESI comprehensive review for the NCLEX-RN examination (7th Ed.). Elsevier. ISBN 9780323831932 

Ignatavicius, D. (2021). Developing clinical judgment for professional nursing and the next-generation NCLEX-RN examination. Elsevier.  

Jones, S.A. (2022). Pocket Anatomy & Physiology (4th ed.). F.A. Davis ISBN 978-1719642958 

Jones, S.A. (2020). ECG Mastery Improving your ECG interpretation skills (2nd.ed.). F.A. Davis ISBN 978-0803676930 

Leek, V.I. (2023). Pharm Phlash! Pharmacology Flash Cards (4th ed.). F.A. Davis ISBN 978-1719647250  

Lewis, S., Bucher, L., Heitkemper, M., & Hardin, M. (2023). Medical‐Surgical nursing, assessment and management of clinical problems. (12th ed.). Elsevier. ISBN 9780323792332 

Lippincott NCLEX-RN PassPoint Powered by PrepU: Study software for NCLEX-RN®   

McKinney, E.S, Murray, S.S., James, S.R., Nelson, K., & Ashwill, J. (2022). Maternal-Child nursing (6th ed.). Elsevier ISBN 9780323697903 

Myers, E. (2022) RNotes Nurse’s clinical pocket guide (6th ed.). F.A. Davis. ISBN-13: 978-1-7196-4625-3  

Nugent, P., & Vitale, B. (2023). Test Success: Clinical Judgment and Test-Taking Strategies (10th ed.). F. A. Davis. ISBN 978-1-7196-4724-3  

Perry, A.G., Potter, P.A., Ostendorf, W., & Laplante, N. (2022). Clinical nursing skills & techniques (10th ed.). Mosby-Elsevier. ISBN 9780323796545 

Silvestri, L. A., & Silvestri, A.E. (2023). Saunders comprehensive review for the NCLEX-RN examination (9th ed.). Elsevier. ISBN 9780323795302 

Thompson, J. (2022). Essential health assessment (2nd ed). F.A. Davis. ISBN 978-1-7196-4232-3  

Zerwekh, J. (2023) Illustrated study guide for the NCLEX-RN (11th ed.). Elsevier. ISBN 9780323777797  

Online resources:  

HESI Case Studies: Complete RN Collection. Elsevier. 

Perfect Package: Vallerand Drug Guide 18e & Van Leeuwen Comp Man Lab & Dx Tests 10e & Taber’s Med Dict 24e (4th ed.). F.A. Davis. ISBN-13: 978-1-7196-4894-3  

Vallerand, A., & Sanoski, C. (2020). Davis's Drug Guide for Nurses (18thed). F.A. Davis Company. 

Van Leeuwen, A. & Bladh, M.L. (2021). Davis's comprehensive manual of laboratoryand diagnostic tests with nursing implications (10th ed). F.A.Davis Company 

Venes, D. (2021) Taber's Cyclopedic Medical Dictionary (24th ed). F.A.Davis. 
 

Swift River Online 

​​​In accordance with the mission of Lamar State College - Port Arthur, this course encourages the student to develop the particular skills, knowledge, and attitudes needed for success in the field of Associate Degree Nursing.

Upon successful completion of the course, the student should be able to:​​ 
 

Analyze the interrelatedness of health care concepts to make clinical judgements for optimum patient care outcomes. (PSLO 1; PSLO 2, PSLO 3) Measured by: reading-based discussions; case studies; exams; and labs.

 

​​Upon completion of the Upward Mobility Nursing Program graduates will be able to: 

​PSLO 1:  Integrates professional caring into practice decisions within the scope of practice for a registered nurse. 

​PSLO 2:  Demonstrates safe, competent, holistic care for a diverse group of individuals who have complex health care needs 

​PSLO 3:  Accept responsibility and accountability for the effectiveness of one’s own nursing practice and professional growth.  

​PSLO 4: Communicate effectively with clients, peers and other members of the interdisciplinary heath care team to provide evidence-based care. ​ 

Week 1 (August 28, 2024):  Ethics and Legal Precepts 2 

Week 2 (September 3, 2024): Nursing Professionalism 

Week 3 (September 10, 2024): Healthy People 2030 Research Paper and Poster Presentation Overview 

Week 4 (September 17, 2024): Professionalism (Resume Building) 

Week 5 (September 24, 2024): Ethics & Legal Precepts 1 

Week 6 (October 1, 2024): Leadership & Management  

Week 7 (October 8-9, 2024): Mid-term Exam; Teamwork & Collaboration 

Week 8 (October 15, 2024): Quality Improvement 

Week 9 (October 22, 2024): Patient Centered Care  

Week 10 (October 29, 2024): Health Policy 

Week 11 (November 5-6, 2024): Evidenced Based Practice & Professionalism 

Week 12 (November 12, 2024): Clinical Judgment  

Week 13 (November 18-20, 2024): NCLEX Review Course  

Week 14 (November 26, 2024) Thanksgiving Holiday  

Week 15 (December 2, 2024): Final Exam  

Week 15 (December 3, 2024): Poster Presentation 

MidTerm Exam – Tuesday, October 8, 2024       Time: 1200      

Final Exam – Monday, December 2, 2024           Time: 0800 

The following method will be used to determine each student’s grade in the course: 

Daily Activities                                                               15% 

Research Paper                                                             20% 

Poster Presentation                                                      10% 

Mid-term Exam                                  25% 

Final                                                                             30% 

Daily Activity Grades will include: Discussion Boards, Assignments, Case Studies, Quizzes, Specialty Exams, Research Paper Assignments, etc.  

Final exams may not be available for review by the student and Final exam grades are not posted.   

A final course grade of 75% is necessary for a student to pass this course. 

Course assignment submissions must be submitted correctly with Blackboard.  

A student will be allowed one submission per semester to be cleared by course instructor.

Any further incorrect submissions will result in a zero for the assignment submission.  

Completion of PassPoint Mastery Level assignments are some of the Mandatory Pass/Fail assignments. 

All Pass/Fail Assignments must be completed in a satisfactory manner or it will result in a course failure. 

A final course grade of 75% and successful completion of ALL Pass/Fail assignments is necessary for a student to pass this course.  

Late assignment submissions will incur a late point penalty.  In most courses the late penalty will be a deduction of ten points if turned in within the first 24 hours after the assignment due date.  If the assignment is turned in between 24 and 48 hours late a 25-point penalty will be deducted.  Any assignment submitted after 48 hours will be assigned a zero for the assignment. Previous arrangements between the student and instructor for late work may allow for a reduced late point penalty, but all late submissions will have a late penalty deducted.  

Refer to the individual course syllabus for any variations from the late penalty deductions. 

Students attending classroom, lab or clinical sessions virtually should exhibit appropriate etiquette to include at a minimum: Adhere to the same standards of behavior online that you follow in real life; Respect faculty and peers time by being on time to scheduled exams, sessions and activities; and Present yourself in a professional manner.  

 Required assignments and specific dates for work to be turned in must be met by the student. Unless turned in by the deadline there will be a drop- in grade for lateness.  Previous arrangements between the student and instructor for late work may allow for a reduced late point penalty. Grammar and sentence structure, spelling, legibility, neatness and following directions as to organization are related to acceptable quality in both written and oral assignments. Written work is expected to follow the most current American Psychological Association (APA) format. 

Only students enrolled in the course are allowed in the classroom, except by special instructor permission. 

No meals are allowed in the classroom without special permission. 

Electronic devices (including but not restricted to cell phones, MP3 players, and laptop computers) shall not be used during examinations unless specifically allowed by the instructor. 

Use of electronic devices during normal class hours distracts other students, disrupts the class, and wastes valuable time. Instructors have an obligation to reduce such disruptions. 

Students should turn their phones to vibrate before they enter the classroom. 

No cell phones should be visible during class without faculty permission. 

Use of tobacco products is prohibited on all LSC-PA properties at any time. 

Additional classroom policies include: 

Students and faculty of the Lamar State College-Port Arthur Upward Mobility Nursing Program are expected to assist in maintaining a classroom environment that is conducive to learning. To assure that faculty have the opportunity to teach and students have the opportunity to benefit from time spent in class, unless otherwise approved by the instructor, students are prohibited from engaging in distracting classroom behavior.   

The following behaviors may result in the student being asked to cease the action, lose five (5) points on the next exam, and/or leave the classroom or labs:  

Inappropriate and/or disruptive use of cell phones or other electronics 

 
Talking or sleeping while the instructor is giving instructions or during class discussions/presentations;  

Displaying a rude or negative attitude/behavior to the instructor or other students; disruptive behaviors in the classroom, skills/simulation lab,  

computer lab, testing environment, or clinical setting; 

Counseling for repetitive tardiness (tardiness is defined as arriving greater than 10 minutes to class). 

The following expectations apply to all courses: 

Promptness is expected. Students should be on time for all classes and return from breaks promptly. 

Students are expected to come to didactic, lab, and clinical experiences prepared and present as sincere, adult learners.  

Phone calls and/or text messages will be returned only during scheduled breaks. 

Cell phones must be on vibrate in the classroom and off and out of reach during testing and test reviews.  In the event of an emergency, family can contact students through the AH Secretary, Upward Mobility Program Coordinator, or Department Chair. 

If students must leave the classroom during content presentations they must wait until the break to return to the classroom. 

On-campus computers will only be used for classroom work. 

All information shared by other students and instructors will remain confidential and should not be shared with others outside of the classroom or lab environment. 

Students should not engage in ‘side-bar’ discussions during classroom, clinical, and lab. 

Comments should be directed to the faculty in charge of the classroom, clinical, or lab time.  

All students are expected to actively participate in all discussions, activities, and exercises.  

Students are expected to be open to new ideas and experiences and to step outside of their comfort zone.  

A positive attitude is expected and comments should give supportive feedback. 

The classroom, clinical, and lab environment is a judgment-free zone. 

Students are responsible for their actions and are responsible for learning as much as possible from the experiences provided. 

Students are encouraged to seek assistance from peers and faculty when needed to be successful.  

Student support of each other in the learning environment is encouraged and expected.  Supportive relationships with each other will allow a more positive learning environment to enable all to work together as a team and develop professionally.  

Homework assignments completed during classroom sessions will result in a grade of zero 

Students are also expected to follow the guidelines and policies in the LSC-PA Upward Mobility Nursing Student Handbook.  

If a student is unable to maintain these expectations or stated program requirements, dismissal from the program may occur. 

Attendance at all scheduled classes and clinical experiences is expected.  

Research has shown that consistent class and clinical attendance contributes to successful completion of not only the Upward Mobility Nursing Program, but also passing the NCLEX-RN.

Regular attendance is an essential function of any job in nursing. Students who regularly miss class or clinical clearly demonstrate their refusal to be accountable to report to work regularly. 

It is the student’s responsibility to notify the instructor prior to any absence. If the student is missing a clinical, classroom or lab day, s/he must notify the faculty.  

Students are expected to attend any scheduled online course sessions that occur during scheduled course times. These sessions will be scheduled in advance and may have activities during the live session that result in a grade. 

Students who do not attend are counted as absent and will not have the opportunity to make up any missed assignment during the live class session. 

Late arrival to class is disruptive.  

Students who consistently arrive after the scheduled starting time of class (2 or more times) will be counseled and a plan of action determined.

Class will begin promptly at the scheduled time. Students who arrive ten (10) minutes after the beginning of class should not enter the classroom and should wait until break to enter. Repetitive tardiness will result in a 5 point deduction on next exam grade. 

A student who is absent from course activities for three (3) days or more, without notification to faculty, may be withdrawn from the program by the program director. 

Students on campus but not in class are considered absent. 

It is the student’s responsibility to submit a completed ‘student excuse form’ upon return to class following an absence, tardy, or leaving class early. Failure to do so will result in a declaration of ‘no call, no show’ and may result in the student being dismissed from the program. 

It is the student’s responsibility to notify the instructor of any absence. If the student is unable to contact the instructor(s), the student should call 409-984-6356 or 1-800-477-5872 ext. 6356. The student should also email the faculty or call the faculty office and leave a voicemail. 

Clinical uniforms are to be worn at all times while in the simulation/skills lab. 

The Program Coordinator or Department Chair has the right to initiate the administrative withdrawal of any student whose attendance, conduct, scholastic abilities, attitude or lack of aptitude for registered nursing makes it inadvisable for that student to continue in the program.