Donnelly-Moreno, L. A. (2025). Timby’s Fundamental Nursing Skills and Concepts (13th ed.). Wolters Kluwer Health. 

ISBN # 978-1-9752-2077-8 

Kincheloe, C. A. (2024). Introductory Mental Health Nursing (5th ed.). Wolters Kluwer Health. 

ISBN # 978-1-9752-1124-0 

Gylys, Wedding (2023). Medical Terminology Systems-A Body System Approach (Updated 8th ed.). Philadelphia: F.A. Davis. 

 ISBN #978-1719648899 

Medical Language Lab-Class Name-VNSG 1204 Fall 2025  Class ID: 505C8F7C05   

Additional Materials/Resources  

In accordance with the mission of LSC-PA, VNSG 1204 Foundations of Nursing assists the student to develop the particular skills, knowledge, and attitudes necessary for success as a vocational nurse. Upon successful completion of the course, the student should be able to: 

2.    Identify characteristics of a therapeutic nurse/client relationship. (PSLO 1; PSLO 3) Measured by: exams; case scenarios on professional boundaries 

3.         Examine positive mental health practices emphasizing cultural and spiritual diversity. (PSLO 3) Measured by: cultural day activity; discussion relate the history of nursing to the present day. (PSLO 1)     

            readings; care plan activities; discussion of nursing process with each topic 

     Explain Medical Terms related to the Healthcare System. (PSLO  
     1) Measured by: exams based on med term online module assignments;  
     application of terminology into nursing documentation and patient  
     interactions  

Upon completion of the Vocational Nursing Program graduates will, under the supervision of a professional licensed nurse and/or licensed physician, function in non-complex settings and should be able to: 

PSLO 1. Functions within the Scope of Practice for a Vocational Nurse. 

PSLO 2. Demonstrates safe, direct patient care with individuals who have predictable health care needs. 

PSLO 3. Exhibits professional nursing behaviors. 

PSLO 4. Cooperates with members of the interdisciplinary health care team to provide evidence-based care. 

Week 1: Syllabus/ Orientation: Review syllabus and expectations. Become familiar and know expectations for self-directed Medical Terminology program, including Medical Language Lab.  Review techniques to manage stress and coping, manage health and wellness and development of professional integrity 

Week 2: Critical Thinking & Testing Skills: Review importance of and methods for nursing critical thinking and test taking skills 

Week 3: Time Management & Leadership Skills: Review your time management skills and how to improve them, and importance of leadership skills. 

Week 4: 1204 Exam I; Medical Terminology Exam 1  

* Medical Terminology Assignment 1 Due* 
 
Week 5: Therapeutic communication. Review and be familiar with different types of therapeutic communication in nursing 
 
Week 6: Medical Terminology Exam 2  

* Medical Terminology Assignment 2 Due* 

Week 7: Critical Reasoning & Nursing Process: Review critical reasoning and nursing process. 

Week 8: Cultural Diversity: Review and be familiar with differences in cultural diversity in nursing 

Week 9: 1204 Exam 2; Medical Terminology Exam 3 

 * Medical Terminology Assignment 3 Due* 

Week 10: Legal & Ethical Issues: Review various legal and ethical issues in nursing 

Week 11: Foundations of Psych: Review and become familiar with various mental health issues 
 
Week 12: 1204 Exam 3; Medical Terminology Exam 4 

* Medical Terminology Assignment 4 Due* 

Week 13: Legal & Ethical Issues: Review various legal and ethical issues in nursing 

Exam 3 & Medical Terminology Exam 5 

* Medical Terminology Assignment 5 Due* 

 
Week 14: Thanksgiving Holiday! 

 
Week 15: Student success day/HESI Prep 
 
Week 16: Final 1204 Exam and Final Medical Terminology Exam 

09/18/25 Medical Terminology Exam 1 

09/18/25 1204 Exam I 

10/02/25 Medical Terminology Exam 2 

10/23/25 Medical Terminology Exam 3 

10/23/25 1204 Exam II 

11/13/25 Medical Terminology Exam 4 

11/13/25 1204 Exam III 

11/20/25 Medical Terminology Exam 5 

12/09/25 Medical Terminology Final 

12/09/25 1204 Final Exam

1. Examinations are based on course objectives. 
2.  Course content from pre-requisite courses will be included in exams, as   
        appropriate. 
3.     ALL unit exams MUST be taken.  Make-up exams will NOT be administered under any circumstances other than a college sponsored event.  
4.   Students scheduled to miss an exam due to participation in a College sponsored 
       event shall provide appropriate documentation to faculty in advance of the exam 
       and are eligible to complete the missed exam.   
5.   If a student must miss an exam, they must contact the instructor prior to the 
        exam or within twenty-four (24) hours of the exam. A “no-call/no-show” for an 
        exam will result in a grade of “0”. 
6.    Students who miss an exam for any unvalidated reason shall receive a zero on the exam. Students may submit an appeal to this policy by presenting rationale to the Director or Coordinator of appropriate nursing program no later than two (2) business days following the exam. The student is responsible for seeking the exception from the Director or Coordinator of an appropriate nursing program.  
7.      Students who miss an exam due to an excused reason will be provided an exception to the policy and the student will be assigned the grade made on the final exam as the grade for the missed exam.  
8.    If two exams are missed, the student will be given a zero for the second (2nd) missed exam. An alternative plan may be proposed at the discretion of the Director or Coordinator of appropriate nursing program and/or Chair of the Allied Health Department. The Director or Coordinator of the appropriate nursing program will document all exceptions in the student’s file and notify the course leader if an exception is granted.    
9.     No exams will be given in advance of the scheduled date and time without approval of the Nursing Program Coordinator or Director. 
10.    Tests will be administered electronically. Students will be provided with- 
               a. Exam Access Code sheet that also serves as a scratch sheet 
               b. Exceptions for electronic testing include paper dosage tests. 
11.  Exams will be timed based on question format and course policy. The exam time frame will be provided on the Exam Access Code sheet. 
12.     Students will only receive credit for answers provided during the allotted time. Once the exam period ends from the scheduled start time, the student’s time will end and questions unanswered will be counted wrong.  
13.   Computer Lab: 
a.     Students will arrive 10 minutes prior at designated location to sign-in for the exam 
b.     Students arriving 15 minutes late or more will be sent to student success center without additional time for proctored exam 
c.     Allied Health staff member will call student success center to inform them of the student arrival for proctored exam. 
d.     All students must wear student ID to access the testing computer lab 
e.     Students will not test without Valid LSCPA Id. 
f.     All belongings (e. g., backpacks, cell phones, electronic devices) will remain in an area outside of the computer lab for the duration of the exam. 
g.    Students are encouraged to lock valuables in their vehicles during examinations. 
h.    The Lamar State College Port Arthur Allied Health Department is not responsible for lost or stolen items left in classrooms or hallways.  
i.     Students are strongly encouraged to take exams as scheduled. No questions may be asked during the exam. 
j.     Students who arrive late for an exam will not be given additional testing time. 
k.     Students are prohibited from writing any notes on their scratch sheet of paper until the exam begins. 
 
14.   Exam Dress Code: 
a.     Students will be subject to visual inspection by the exam proctor upon arrival to the registration and/or exam room. This includes but is not limited to inspection of the ears, hands/arms, clothing, pockets, etc. 
b.     No head coverings of any kind are allowed, including hats, caps, beanies, or hoods. Exceptions are made for religious / cultural purposes. 
c.      No cardigans, coats, jackets, or any other articles of clothing that may open are allowed in the exam room. Pullovers without pockets are acceptable. 
d.      Scarves and gloves are not allowed in the exam room. 
15.   During the exam: 
a.     Drinking and eating are not permitted. Hard candies such as peppermints or cough drops are allowed but must be unwrapped prior to the start of the exam. 
b.     Electronic devices (including but not limited to phones, smartwatches, and earbuds) are prohibited during examinations. With the exception of approved earbuds for standardized testing. 
c.     If the exam is interrupted due to technical difficulties additional time will be allotted to the exam 
 
NOTE: DO NOT wait outside of the exam room if any testing is occurring in the computer labs 
Violation of the testing policy will result in disciplinary action up to and including possible dismissal from the nursing program. 
Appropriate adjustments are made for students who meet the criteria of the Americans with Disabilities Act. 
16.     Test grades will not be available for a minimum of 24 hours posttest. 
17.    Evaluation of Examinations: After each exam, the faculty uses psychometric principles to evaluate the examination. Items missed by 50% or more of the class are reviewed. If an item is found to be flawed, the faculty may give credit for more than one answer or nullify the item.  When an item is nullified, the key is changed so that all answers are credited as correct. That is, if a student answered the item as originally keyed, the student would retain the credit for the item. If a student’s answer differs from the one originally keyed, the student is credited for the nullified item. In other words, everyone gets credit for the item, and no one loses credit. 
18.   If a student scores less than a “75” on a unit examination, the student is required to make an appointment with an instructor prior to the next examination. At that time, the student and instructor will review the examination and, with the assistance of the instructor, identify strategies to improve performance on subsequent examinations.  If a student who scores less than “75” on a unit examination, fails to review with an instructor, 5 points may be deducted from the next unit examination. Students are required to make an appointment prior to the day before the exam. 
19.    A Comprehensive Final Exam must be taken and is weighted equivalent to 36% of class average.  Final exams may not be available for review by the student and final exam grades are not posted. 
20.    Any assignment or exam submitted without a student’s name will not receive credit. 
21.     Late assignment submissions will incur a late point penalty. In most courses the late penalty will be a deduction of 5 points if turned in 1 day after the assignment due date.  Another 5 points will be deducted if the assignment is turned in 2 days after the assignment due date.  If the assignment is turned in 3 days late a 10-point penalty will be deducted. Any assignment submitted after 3 days will be assigned a “0” 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. 

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

Exam I                                                                                                        Grade 18%  

Exam II                                                                                                       Grade 18% 

Exam III                                                                                                      Grade 18% 

Medical Terminology Averages-Exam and assignments                   Grade 10%  

FINAL                                                                                                          Grade 36%       

Foundations of Nursing VNSG 1204 and the clinical component of this course may consist of online & in class lectures, labs, and assignments.  Schedules may be changed at the discretion of the faculty and vocational nursing coordinator. All attendance policies are in effect whether conducted online or in the classroom setting.  Infractions may result in losing professionalism points. Research has shown a cause-and-effect relationship between attendance and college success.  Policies for this course are described below:  

 Because poor attendance is a leading reason for termination from a job in all areas of employment, attendance at all scheduled classes is expected. 

1.     A student who is absent from course activities for more than three (3) days 

        without notification to the faculty may be dropped from the program by the       

        Program Director. Students on campus but not in class are considered absent. 

        Students who do not attend scheduled live virtual activities will be counted  

        absent. 

2.     Late arrival to class is disruptive. Students who consistently arrive after the 

        beginning of the class (3 or more times) will be counseled and a plan of  

        corrective action determined. Class will begin promptly at the scheduled time. 

        Students who arrive fifteen (15) minutes after the beginning of class should  

        not enter the classroom and should wait until break to enter. A student who is 

        tardy two (2) times in one class will result in a 5-point deduction from the next 

        exam grade.  

3.    It is the student’s responsibility to notify all Level 1 instructors 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. 

4.     In addition to notifying instructors, students must submit a Student Excuse   

        Form, upon the first day of return, each time the student is absent, delayed 

        from attending or must depart early from class, clinical or lab. Failure to 

        complete the Student Excuse Form will result in a declaration of a ‘No Call, No 

        Show' for the number of days absent and may result in the student being 

        dismissed from the program. 

              The Program Director 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 Vocational Nursing making it inadvisable for that student to continue in the program.