NRS 100: Introduction to Vocational Nursing

Citrus College Course Outline of Record

Citrus College Course Outline of Record
Heading Value
Effective Term: Fall 2023
Credits: 3
Total Contact Hours: 90
Lecture Hours : 36
Lab Hours: 54
Hours Arranged: 0
Outside of Class Hours: 72
Total Student Learning Hours: 162
Prerequisite: An active Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA) Certificate issued by the California Department of Public Health (CDPH).
Strongly Recommended: ENGL 101.
Transferable to CSU: No
Transferable to UC: No
Grading Method: Pass/No Pass

Catalog Course Description

Fundamental skills needed for health related occupations. Includes medical terminology, medical math, the application of computers to health care, techniques and learning tools to evaluate scientific readings, field study and exposure to health career opportunities. Offered for Pass/No Pass grading only. This is a prerequisite course that may qualify a person entry into the Vocational Nursing Program. If selected to enter the Vocational Nursing Program, students must be able to show: 1. U.S. High School diploma or equivalent; 2. Social Security Card or Tax ID number (TIN). 36 lecture hours, 54 lab hours.

Course Objectives

  • Demonstrate a basic knowledge and understanding of medical terminology
  • Analyze, compare and demonstrate an understanding of the relationship of one system of measurement to another by converting between systems, using the proper abbreviations and symbols used in healthcare
  • Describe the numerous uses of computers in a health care setting
  • Identify the equipment used in measuring and administering medications and differentiate its use related to patient age and route of medication administration
  • Demonstrate the proper use and application of medical terms and abbreviations
  • Demonstrate critical analysis of the processes related to transcribing doctor's orders and using a medication administration record
  • Define the essential "six rights of medication administration"
  • Correctly interpret drug labels
  • Demonstrate understanding of the ways in which drugs are classified and organized

Major Course Content

  1. Medical Terminology Component
    1. Word rules, root, prefixes, suffixes
    2. Abbreviations
    3. Common plural endings for medical terminology
    4. Medical terminology used with structures and functions of human body - 9 systems
  2. Medical Math Component
    1. Review of fractions and decimals
    2. Review of ratios, ratios and proportions, and solving for "X"
    3. Temperature conversion
    4. The metric system
    5. Conversions between metric and English units
    6. Comparison of the household and metric systems
    7. Comparison of the apothecary's system with the metric system
  3. Computer Assisted Learning
    1. Medical terminology
    2. The use of the computer in health care settings
    3. Use of the Internet in health care settings
    4. Medical math components
  4. Techniques and Learning Tools for Evaluating Scientific Readings
    1. The adult learner
    2. Time management
    3. Discovering your learning styles
    4. PQRST method of textbook study
    5. Six hints to gain value from lectures
    6. Responsibilities for learning methods

Lab Content

  1. Reviewing and practicing mathematical equations: Working with fractions and decimals, ratios, percents, ratio/proportion, math review, and simple equations (solve for X).
  2. Temperature/time and measurement equipment conversions: Converting Fahrenheit to Celsius and back. Military vs. traditional time and how to convert from one to the other. Practice using insulin, tuberculin, 1mL-3mL syringes, measuring cups, pediatric spoons, and medication droppers.
  3. Dosage calculations: Calculating proper medication dosages for oral, subcutaneous, intradermal, intramuscular, topical, optic and otic medications. Use of D/H X Q formula or ratio/proportion method to calculate dosages. The 6 rights of safe medication administration. The three checks of medication administration.
  4. Measurement systems and their equivalents: Metric, apothecary, and household measurement systems and converting between the systems using approximate equivalents.
  5. Vocabulary of medical terminology and body organization:
    1. Medical terminology word rules, prefixes, and suffixes
    2. Whole body terminology
    3. Practice using medical terminology by developing personalized systems such as flash cards for the body systems presented in the class.

Examples of Required Writing Assignments

Examples of Required Writing Assignments Completion of Medication Administration Records (MAR), min. 2 communication exercises, and short essay on topics related to the nursing field.

Examples of Outside Assignments

Memorization and understanding of medical terminology, medical legal terminology, medical abbreviations, and body positioning terminology. Working mathematical calculations related to measurement systems and pharmacological dosages.

Instruction Type(s)

Lab, Lecture, Online Education Lab, Online Education Lecture