RNRS 200: Role Transitions: LVN to RN

Citrus College Course Outline of Record

Citrus College Course Outline of Record
Heading Value
Effective Term: Fall 2021
Credits: 3
Total Contact Hours: 90
Lecture Hours : 36
Lab Hours: 54
Hours Arranged: 0
Outside of Class Hours: 72
Prerequisite: Current licensure in California as a Licensed Vocational Nurse; BIOL 200, BIOL 201 and BIOL 220.
Transferable to CSU: No
Transferable to UC: No
Grading Method: Standard Letter

Catalog Course Description

This course is designed to assist the LVN in transitioning from the LVN role to the expected role of the ADN student. Course content includes nursing process, critical thinking, therapeutic communication, delegation skills, physical assessment and legal/ethical concerns. The on-campus lab provides opportunity for students to validate nursing skill and practice new skills like physical assessment. 36 lecture hours, 54 lab hours.

Course Objectives

  • Examine and distinguish between the various educational routes and duties of the nursing assistant, the LVN and the registered nurse through classroom discussion, written essays and exams in order to have an understanding of the responsibilities and competencies of each nursing level. compare and contrast the competencies expected by the state’s legal standards, as reflected in car plans, class discussions and exams so that the student is able to delineate the unique responsibilities of the RN professional role. during clinical practicums on fellow students and/or the simulation manikin, perform basic physical assessment skills at a level commiserate with the BRN standards in order to prove proficiency for advancement to community clinical sites.
  • Demonstrate through written assignments, computer simulation of clinical events, client teaching plans and exams, the processes employed in critical thinking to improve critical thinking and analytical thinking while using the nursing process to care for clients.
  • Describe major communication techniques which both facilitate and block communication, including cultural factors through role play, exams, teaching plans and nursing care plans, so that the student can effectively revise care plans to be individualized according to clients’ needs. describe factors that affect one’s ability to study and retain knowledge through nursing care plans, essays and exams using college level vocabulary and grammar in order to apply the knowledge to self and clients’ learning self care.

Major Course Content

  1. Transitioning to the Registered Nurse Role 
    1. Elements of Transition
    2. Role transition- role socailization and role elements
    3. Difference between LVN/RN roles
    4. Professional socialization
    5. Educational Pathways and expanded roles of an RN
  2. Competencies and roles of Registered Nurse
    1. Competencies of a Registered Nurse
    2. Role elements of a Registered Nurse
  3. Therapeutic Communication 
    1. Elements of communication
    2. Types of communication 
    3. Therapeutic communication facilitator and barriers
    4. Therapeutic communication techniques
    5. Nursing process and therapeutic communication
  4.  The Nursing Process
    1. Assessment
    2. Nursing Diagnosis
    3. Outcomes and planning
    4. Implementation
    5. Evaluation
  5. Nursing Theories and Models
    1. Nursing theories
    2. Nursing model
    3. Conceptual framework
    4. Citrus College ADN philosophy and conceptual framework
  6. Critical Thinking and Clinical Judgement
    1. Critical thinking and reasoning
    2. Elements of reasoning
    3. Attributes of the critical thinker
    4. Critical thinking and evidenced based practice
  7. Health History and Physical Assessment
    1. Interview and health history
      1. Components of health history
      2. Techniques of collecting health history
    2. Physical Assessment
      1. Components of physical assessment
      2. Principles of physical assessment
      3. Techniques of performing physical assessment
      4. Physical assessment sequence- head to toe/ system bases
  8. Pharmacology review and drug dosage calculation
    1. Systems of measurement
    2. Dosage calculation
    3. Pharmacokietics and pharmacodynamics of drugs
    4. Nursing interventions related to different drug classification
    5. Nursing process and drug administration
    6. Patient teaching and drug administration
  9. Legal/Ethical Concerns
    1. Ethics
    2. Universal principles of ethics
    3. Ethical dilemma
    4. Legal issues: assault, battery, malpractice, negligence
    5. Mandatory reporting

Lab Content

Under the supervision of the clinical instructor, the student will demonstrate the following skills safely and competently :

  1. Perform a complete head to toe physical assessment
  2. Collect complete health history utilizing the principles of therapeutic communication
  3. Demonstrate basic nursing skills
  4. Perform the following skills
    1. Insertion and D/C of nasogastric tube
    2. Insertion and D/C of Foley Catheter
    3. Tracheostomy care
    4. Suctioning techniques for nasal, oral and trach. routes)
  5. Demonstrate preparation, administration and documentation of medications for all routes.

Suggested Reading Other Than Required Textbook

1. Vallerand, A.H., Sanoski, C.A., Deglin, J.H. (2016). Davis's drug guide for nurses. (15th ed.). Philadelphia, PA.: F.A. Davis
2. Taber, C.W. (2009). Taber's cyclopedic medical dictionary, (22nd ed). Philadelphia, PA.: F.A. Davis.
3. Van Leeuwen, A.M., Bladh, M.L. (2017). Davis's comprehensive handbook of laboratory and diagnostic tests with nursing implications. (7th ed.). Philadelphia, PA.: F.A. Davis

Examples of Required Writing Assignments

1. Graded care plans 2. Concept maps 3. Patient assessment form 4. Clinical documents/forms

Examples of Outside Assignments

Complete study guide and review questions after each unit. Proctored and practice tests. Care plans, concept maps, teaching plans, patient assessment/documentation forms.

Instruction Type(s)

Lecture, Lab, Online Education Lecture, Online Education Lab