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Course Descriptions of Required Courses

Admission to Pre-Nursing and MU does not guarantee admission into the Professional Nursing Studies program. All courses with the prefix NUR require admission to the Professional Nursing Studies Program. Seating is limited.

The nursing department does not currently accept transfer credit for pre-nursing or nursing courses. No accelerated tracking of courses is available. Courses are not currently eligible for RN-BSN completion.

 

 

Required Course Descriptions for the B.S.N.

*The following course is currently offered for general enrollment and as a required pre-requisite for NUR Majors:

PNU 101: PRE-NURSING: NOTES ON NURSING (1 s.h.)
This 1 credit course introduces students to the beginning principles of the profession of nursing through a common reading of the hallmark nursing publication by Florence Nightingale, Notes on Nursing. Discussions help to address myths about nursing and to clarify the service and professional role of a nurse. A one hour required early evening tour of a local hospital or health care facility is included as an observation of nurses at work. Offered Fall and Spring.

*The following courses will be offered to NUR Majors only:

PNU 201: CARING, HEALING, AND COMPASSION (WITH OBSERVATION) (1 s.h.)
This 1 credit course introduces the art and science of nursing. Included are discussions about models and methods for caring, healing and compassion in health care. The nursing process, medical model, and concepts of surgical, medical, interventional and integrative medical care are also discussed. Students are exposed to an understanding and clinical experience for such alternative therapies as reiki, massage, acupuncture, acupressure, phytopharmacology (herbs), music therapy, pet therapy, healing and therapeutic touch, meditation, relaxation, journaling, visual imagery, and stress management. The final exam is a creative art project. Prerequisite: PNU 101. Offered Fall and Spring.

PNU 202: CRITICAL THINKING AND COMMUNICATION IN NURSING (1 s.h.)
Nursing students must be able to identify significant cause and effect relationships, develop care plans, calculate medication dosages, problem solve, discriminate emotions and communicate non-verbally, verbally, and in writing using therapeutic techniques to give and receive information, allay fear and anxiety, and to record key events. This 1 credit course introduces students to case studies using critical thinking judgments, nursing informatics, and examples of effective nurse-patient communication. Generational differences in communication and critical thinking processes (deductive, intuitive) are emphasized. Prerequisite: PNU 101. Offered Spring semester only.

NUR 300 INTRODUCTION TO NURSING (3 s.h.)
Classroom and small group activities provide an introduction to evidence-based care, nursing history, nursing education, nursing theory, health care environment, and ethics, legal, political, and safety issues. A health care resource library introduction, baseline critical thinking and caring surveys, and a medical terminology module are included. Topics such as health care delivery, quality, safety, care management, health promotion and maintenance, nursing degrees and community responsibility are included. Lecture. Not currently offered.

NUR 301 HEALTH ASSESSMENT OF THE ADULT (WITH LAB) (3 s.h.)
This course provides a holistic approach to the communication, interview, and physical assessment processes for gathering history and physical assessment data. Lecture and Lab. Not currently offered.

NUR 304 FUNDAMENTAL NURSING CARE (WITH LAB AND CLINICAL) (5 s.h.)
This course is designed to introduce and assess psychomotor and cognitive understanding of the basic clinical skills for nursing while using the 5 Steps of the Nursing Process (Assess, Diagnose, Plan, Intervene, and Evaluate). Students learn to assist or deliver activities of daily living for people who have altered independence or may be receiving hospice care. Lecture, Lab and Clinical Components. Not currently offered.

NUR 306 ADULT NURSING I (WITH LAB AND CLINICAL) (7 s.h.)
Nursing process, theory and skills related to the care of adults, especially elder adults, with commonly occurring acute or chronic health deviations are learned and applied within hospital or nursing home settings. Lecture, Lab and Clinical Component. Not currently offered.

NUR 308 PSYCHIATRIC MENTAL HEALTH NURSING (WITH CLINICAL) (5 s.h.)
Focus is on psychobiological and behavioral mental health deviations. Topics covered include psychiatric mental health clinical settings, psychosocial interventions in general and for select populations, psychotropic medications, and crisis intervention. Psychobiological disorders include anxiety, depression, bipolar, schizophrenia, eating, addictive, personality, and sleep disorders. Anger management and domestic violence provide content for introducing group process, family interventions, and integrative care. DSM classifications are reviewed. Lecture and Clinical Component. Not currently offered.

NUR 311 PHARMACOTHERAPEUTICS FOR NURSES (4 s.h.)
This is a pharmacy course that emphasizes how to prepare and provide safe drug administration and pharmacological nursing care to patients in various settings and stages of health across the lifespan. Lecture. Not currently offered.

NUR 315 NUTRITION FOR HEALTH AND HEALING (2 s. h.)
The relationship for nutrition, health and healing is emphasized in understanding the human body, food processing, the elements of carbohydrates, lipids, proteins, vitamins, minerals and water, and how diet contributes to the well-being of people who are ill. Food allergies and illness, and diets for select health deviations are covered. Lecture. Not currently offered.

NUR 316 CULTURAL AND SPIRITUAL ISSUES IN HEALTH CARE (2 s. h.)
Cultural and spiritual sensitivity in delivering nursing care is essential to health promotion and wellness. This course introduces the role of nurses as culturally and spiritually sensitive caregivers. The presence of Shamans, Curanderas, Root Doctors, and Granny Ladies relevant to health care in North Carolina is included. Lecture. Not currently offered.

NUR 401 RESEARCH FOR PROFESSIONAL NURSING PRACTICE (3 s.h.)
This course provides novice knowledge and skills necessary to critically read, interpret, and evaluate research as the scientific basis for nursing practice. Students are guided in doing and submitting a research critique of a professional journal article. Evaluation and synthesis of information from scientific data provides an evidence base for practice. Lecture. Not currently offered.

NUR 403 TRENDS AND ISSUES IN HEALTH CARE (2 s.h.)
This course explores the practice environment of nurses using a health policy approach and conceptual discussions targeted for future RNs in their first professional role. Contributions from expert clinicians, administrators, educators and researchers in the field of nursing are highlighted in preparation for the nursing student to transition into the role of an RN in practice. Topics include health policy, health care insurance, healthy work environments, health finance, accreditation for universities and for health systems, nursing shortages, mentoring and precepting, work-life balance, and health care ethics. Lecture. Not currently offered.

NUR 404: MATERNAL CHILD NURSING (WITH LAB AND CLINICAL) (7 s.h.)
Nursing care of women, newborns, infants, children, and families during childbearing and childrearing stages are presented. Topics include normal pregnancy, labor and delivery, common complications of these processes, as well as post partum care, newborn & child assessment, human growth & development, play therapy, pediatric nutritional therapy, and selected health problems of children. Care and complications for neonates, high risk pregnancy, and congenital or genetic defects are introduced. Lecture, Lab and Clinical Components. Not currently offered.

NUR 406 ADULT NURSING II (WITH LAB AND CLINICAL) (7 s h.)
In this continuation of NUR 306 students learn theory and apply nursing interventions for complex acute health deviations in patients with emergent or life-threatening illness likely leading to rehabilitation. Lecture, Lab and Clinical Components. Not currently offered.

NUR 408 COMMUNITY HEALTH NURSING (WITH CLINICAL) (5 s.h.)
This is an overview of community and public health topics. Emphasis is placed on the service roles of public health nurses and community responsibilities for poverty, health promotion and prevention of disease, public health care delivery systems, epidemiologic applications, community assessment and evaluation, disaster management, surveillance and outbreak investigation, vulnerable populations, and family planning. Lecture and Clinical Component. Not currently offered.

NUR 450 NURSING CAPSTONE SEMINAR (1 s.h.)
This nursing capstone seminar provides transition discussions and tools for nursing student success in the RN role. Modules include an NCLEX review with preparation for the NCLEX-RN application, critical thinking and caring evaluations, nursing program evaluation, and professional issues. Lecture. Not currently offered.

The following courses will be offered to NUR Majors as required courses for the Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) degree.  (Please note: ENM 201 and LSS 300 taken prior to admission to the NUR major may not be substituted for ENM 202 or LSS 305 ):

ENM 202 INDUSTRIAL HYGIENE (3 s.h.)
This course covers the fundamentals of Industrial Hygiene including an emphasis on critical incident management and disaster preparedness for nurses. This course is offered in conjunction with NUR 408. Lecture. Not currently offered.

LSS 305 PRINCIPLES OF LEADERSHIP FOR NURSES (3 s.h.)
This course allows students to develop their leadership potential by mastering the skills of both personal and interpersonal effectiveness with an emphasis on nursing leadership. This course is offered in conjunction with NUR 403. Lecture. This course is available only for students majoring in the Professional Nursing Program.

 

 

General Studies required for graduation at MU plus the following:

BIO 153 FUNDAMENTALS OF BIOLOGY (4 s.h.)
For students planning further study in biology or a related field: includes cell structure and function, mitosis and meiosis, principles of genetics, and classification of living organisms. Three hours of lecture and three hours of laboratory each week. Prerequisites: high school biology and chemistry or SCI 142 and 143. Students must pass with a C or higher grade (not to include C-), this course is a prerequisite to all further Biology courses. This course is offered every fall and spring semester.

BIO 306 HUMAN ANATOMY AND PHYSIOLOGY I (4 s.h.)
Part one of a two-course sequence. Topics covered include an introduction to histology, the skin and its derivatives, the skeleton, muscles, and the nervous, sensory and endocrine systems. Although this course is taught with an organ system emphasis, mechanisms on the cellular and molecular level are also covered. Prerequisite: BIO 153 with a grade of C or higher. This course is offered every fall semester. This course is also offered in the summer semester contingent upon availability of faculty.

BIO 307 GENERAL MICROBIOLOGY (4 s.h.)
Immunology, virology, morphology and physiology of bacteria, etiology, and applied microbiology. Three hours of lecture and three hours of laboratory each week. Prerequisite: BIO 153 with a grade of C or higher and CHE 151 or permission of the instructor. This course is offered every fall and spring semester. Designated writing enrichment course.

BIO 308 HUMAN ANATOMY AND PHYSIOLOGY II (4 s.h.)
A continuation of the study of human structure and function. Topics include circulation, digestion, nutrition, respiration, excretion, immune response, reproduction and development. Prerequisite: BIO 153 with a grade of C or higher and BIO 306. This course is offered every spring semester.

CHE 151 GENERAL CHEMISTRY I (4 s.h.)
The elements, their compounds, and their reactions and the theories involved in foundation of modern chemistry. Three hours of lecture and three hours of laboratory each week. Pre/corequisite: completion of MAT 105 or higher, or concurrent enrollment in MAT 113 or 231. This course is offered every fall semester.

MAT 105 COLLEGE ALGEBRA (3 s.h.) or higher
Real numbers, exponents, radicals, factoring, rational expressions, linear and quadratic equations/inequalities, equations with radicals, equations/inequalities with absolute values, applications, functions, graphing, exponential and logarithmic functions, and systems of equations. Prerequisite: MAT 103 or an appropriate Math SAT/ACT score or passing a placement test. This course is offered every fall, spring, and summer semester. For course descriptions of higher mathematics courses, visit the Department of Mathematics.

MAT 220 APPLIED STATISTICS (3 s.h.)
An introductory course in Statistics with emphasis in Statistical inference to include elementary probability theory, elementary set theory, summation notation and continuing to "decision theory" through topics of sampling distributions, point estimation, confidence intervals for mean; variance; difference of population means, correlation, linear regression, tests of independence, homogeneity, goodness of fit and analysis of variance. Prerequisite: MAT 105 or permission of the instructor. This course is offered during the fall and spring semesters.

PSY 101 GENERAL PSYCHOLOGY (3 s. h.)
Introduction to the science of psychology. Substantive topics include the history of psychology, the biology of psychological processes, psychological development, perception, learning, memory, personality, and social psychology. This course is offered every semester.

WEL 218 CONCEPTS OF FITNESS AND NUTRITION (3 s. h.)
Introduction to basic health and fitness concepts and related topics. Attention will be given to the development of individual fitness programs emphasizing such topics as aerobic and anaerobic exercises, nutrition, diet, stress management, and assessment methods and procedures. The course is a combination of lecture and laboratory activity. Prerequisite: None. This course is offered both spring and fall semesters.