BSN Program Course descriptions for the catalog
BSN: 101 Professional Nursing Practice (3 credits)
Catalog Course Description
In this course students will explore recent issues affecting the nursing profession in terms of role
expansion of the nurse. Three main areas will be covered including concepts such as
compassionate care, professional practice, evidence-based practice, ethical practice, effective
communication, person and family centeredness, health promotion and disease prevention,
quality and safety in healthcare delivery, and interprofessional practice. The second area includes
nursing roles such as the role of the nurse as care provider, educator, researcher, manager,
advocate, leader, monitor and auditor of quality and safe care, and policy maker. The third area
focuses on the nursing process as an organizing framework for nursing practice.
BSN 200: Pathophysiology (3 credits)
Catalog Course Description
This course enhances student understanding of basic pathophysiology concepts through the lens
of alterations in body functions, using a conceptual approach. It provides basic knowledge of
pathophysiologic processes, disease risk factors, and physical manifestations in related body
systems—integrating genetic, developmental, cultural, and environmental influences. The course
emphasizes active student learning and application to real-life clinical scenarios, allowing
students to gain valuable insight into disease processes.
BSN 201: Health Assessment Across Age groups (3 credits)
Catalog Course Description
This course integrates a holistic person-centered approach to health assessment of various age
groups. The role of the nurse as diagnostician, communicator, teacher, and collaborator is
emphasized throughout the health assessment process. It focuses on the development of effective
communication skills in history taking, physical assessment, and documentation. Emphasis is
placed on the assessment of the physical, psychosocial, and cultural dimensions of the client.
Assessment of children and older adults are discussed.
BSN 202: Evidence-Based Maternal and Child Health Nursing (3 credits)
Catalog Course Description
This course focuses on improving patient outcomes through an evidence-based nursing practice
approach to meet the needs of the childbearing family and the ill child. The role of the nurse as a
care provider, advocate, health educator, and nurturer in the hospital, outpatient, and community
settings is stressed. It is tailored to the needs of the learners, building on their clinical experience.
The course uses the nursing process as a framework of practice. Maternal health covers holistic
assessment, evidence-based intervention, and evaluation of reproductive health issues of the
childbearing family from conception to the neonatal period. Pre-requisite: BSN 101, BSN 201.
BSN 203: Health and Nursing Informatics (3 credits)
Catalog Course Description
This course explores the dynamics of combining information technology with nursing practice
mainly the use of information systems to improve the quality and safety of patient care. The
course content is divided into three modules: module 1 introduces participants to the role of
electronic health records, mobile health, and telehealth in supporting and improving the quality
of patient care; module 2 describes the use of electronic Decision Support system to enhance
patient safety and evidence-based practice; and module 3 focuses on the optimal use of data,
information, and knowledge to advance individual and public health.
BSN 204: Evidence-Based Adult Gerontology Health Nursing (3 credits)
Catalog Course Description
This course focuses on the holistic nursing care of adult and older adult clients experiencing
medical and surgical problems. Knowledge and skills from previous and current nursing courses
and concepts from basic sciences and humanities establish the foundation for this course.
The nursing process will provide the framework for planning and implementing client-centered
care in this course. Emphasis is on application of evidence-based practice as professional nurses
in caring for adult and older adult clients and their families in various health care settings. Pre-
requisite: BSN 101, BSN 201.
BSN 205: Research in Nursing (3 credits)
Catalog Course Description
The Nursing Research course is an introduction to the research process. The course covers both
quantitative and qualitative research methods, various research designs, sampling methods, data
collection methods, analysis and interpretation of results. There will be emphasis on the critical
evaluation of research articles, and the utilization of research findings to promote evidence-based
Nursing practice. Research proposal development/scientific writing will be covered in the
course. Pre-requisite: Senior standing*
BSN 210: Community Health Nursing, Public & Population Health (3 credits)
Catalog Course Description
Community Health Nursing (CHN) course builds upon the community and public health nursing
science, humanities and social sciences to empower nursing students comprehend the role of the
community health nurse working directly with individuals, families and groups in the delivery of
evidence-based care in community health services. CHN responsibilities include working
directly with individuals, families and small groups to promote, preserve and maintain health
anywhere on the health illness continuum at all stages of the life cycle. Pre-requisite: BSN 202,
BSN 204.
BSN 211: Mental Health Nursing (3 credits)
Catalog Course Description
This course is designed to advance learners’ understanding regarding concepts on common
mental health disorders. Psychosocial concepts, cultural, ethical and legal influences will be
discussed in depth. The biopsychosocial assessment skills of the individual client will be
explored as well. The role of the nurse during the client’s recovery and the skills necessary to
conduct a comprehensive mental health assessment are of particular emphasis in this course. The
case study approach will be used to facilitate linkage of theoretical concepts to practice. Pre-
requisite: BSN 202, BSN 204.
BSN 212: Care of Patients and Families with Complex Health Problems (3 credits)
Catalog Course Description
This course introduces concepts and issues related to the diagnosis and management of patients
with critical illness. The course content is organized around the nursing process framework and
the bio-psychosocial dimensions of human beings. Areas of emphasis include ethical and
psychosocial issues related to critical illness; advanced assessment in critical illness;
management of critically ill adults with cardiovascular, respiratory, neurologic, metabolic, and
renal problems, as well as emergency nursing care. The course has two components: theory and
clinical. Pre-requisite: BSN 202, BSN 204.
BSN 221: Leading and Managing Nursing and Healthcare Services (4 credits)
Catalog Course Description
This course introduces the students to the managerial functions and the leadership skills needed
to provide high quality nursing care in various healthcare settings. It includes a theory
component which comprises four modules: module 1 presents the historical evolution of
management and leadership theories and how did we arrive at what we understand about
leadership and management today; module 2 introduces the scientific approaches to planning,
organizing, implementing, and controlling client care; module 3 describes the behavioral
approaches to effective communication, problem solving, change management, staff motivation,
and creating a safe work environment; and module 4 focuses on the use of international patient
safety goals to enhance patient safety in hospitals and community centers. Pre-requisite: Senior
standing*.
BSN 222: BSN Practicum (2 credits)
Catalog Course Description
This course focuses on clinical assignments that prepare the students to transition to professional
nursing practice and leading high quality patient care in various healthcare settings. The course
provides opportunities for students to synthesize the knowledge acquired in the planning,
provision, and evaluation of nursing care with a focus on the use of scientific evidence, effective
communication, problem-solving, patient safety, and interprofessional practice. Pre-requisite:
Senior standing*.
BSN 270-279 course series on Special Studies in Nursing Enhancement – several 3-credit
courses
The nursing enhancement courses are designed to practice nursing skills and apply the nursing
process with special population such as older adults and patients with special needs. During this
course, students will build on their work experience and on the information gained in first and
second semesters of the nursing program.
BSN 270: Special Studies in Nursing Enhancement: Quality and Patient Safety (3 credits)
Catalog Course Description
This course introduces the fundamentals of quality nursing care and patient safety. Students will
learn evidence-based processes and strategies consistent with a culture of patient safety and
improvement of nursing care quality. The course emphasizes the role of the BSN nurse in the
quality improvement process, basic knowledge of nursing quality indicators, and patient safety
principles that improve patient outcomes based on current evidence.
BSN 272: Special Studies in Nursing Enhancement: Nursing Ethics (3 credits)
Catalog Course Description
This course aims to develop nurse confidence in ethical decision-making. Students are
introduced to basic concepts of nursing ethics, bioethics and healthcare ethics as applied in
nursing practice locally and internationally. An overview of important theoretical ideas,
principles, and frameworks is provided along with critique of their scope and limits in facilitating
good nursing and healthcare practice. Students are prepared to identify, analyze and address
emerging and actual ethical issues as they arise in various healthcare settings from birth to end-
of-life. The roles of communication, collaboration, and resources such as ethics literature, ethics
experts and ethics committees are explored and emphasized in relation to resolving obstacles to
good practice. Current literature on ethical issues in healthcare settings will be examined with a
focus on health disparities, social injustices, and the importance of understanding context.
Opportunities to practice ethical analysis and problem solving will be provided throughout the
course through case presentations, discussions and reflection assignments.
BSN 280: Interprofessional Education and Practice (1 credit)
Catalog Course Description
This course is intended for nursing students and students from other health disciplines. Students
will be introduced to the philosophy of and learn necessary skills for interprofessional practice.
The course is taught through short seminars and case-studies on health topics where
interprofessional collaboration is critical. The aim of this course is to prepare future healthcare
professionals to provide team-based health promotion and care with the common goal of
building a safer and better patient-centered and community/population-oriented health system.
Pre-requisite: Senior standing*.
BSN 290: Evidence-Based Nursing Practice / Capstone Project (5 credits)
Catalog Course Description
This experiential course focuses on preparing students towards their transition to professional
nursing practice. The course uses capstone project as a means to help BSN students to transition
to full professional roles as compared to their semi-professional functions. The capstone project
requires students to synthesize knowledge and utilize evidence to solve clinical problems such as
patient and family centered care, team work and collaboration, evidence-based practice and
evidence-based management, quality and performance improvement, patient safety, work
environment, ethical responsibilities and related issues, and revising and creating practice
policies. Students will organize into groups, develop a capstone project, and a formal presentation to share with students, faculty, and invited guests. Pre-requisite: Senior
standing*.
BSN 010: Bridge Course I – Nursing Skills I (0 credits)
This course is designed to enhance basic nursing skills. It will serve as an introductory course to
describe and review latest evidence in practice of basic nursing skills. During this course,
students will build on their work experience. It is a course which will upgrade current nursing
practices to the latest evidence based approaches in patient care. The core concepts of the course
include basic patient care safety and standards of care principles. It will include review of basic
nursing skills in taking vital signs, implementing infection control measures, initiating IV
therapy, and safe administration of medications in its various routes. The course will include a
hands on practice component.
BSN 020: Bridge Course II – Nursing Skills II (0 credits)
This course builds on the Bridge I course to further enhance clinical nursing skills. Students will
learn evidence-based approaches and clinical care guidelines in assessment, nursing diagnosis,
outcome identification, planning, implementing, and evaluating patient care processes. The
course emphasizes the role of the BSN nurse in providing safe and competent nursing care to
patients using clinical judgment. Examples of core nursing skills covered will include expanding
on abnormal health assessment findings as per systems, safe medication administration and
dosage calculation, and essential nursing care treatments. The course will include a hands on
practice component.
Note
The BSN curriculum is periodically evaluated by its faculty members and students. Minor changes may be made based on country-specific gaps and needs.