Assistant Professor Pamela Brown, MSN Program Coordinator
Assistant Professor Barbara Chumley
Assistant Professor Angela Pierson
Assistant Professor Sheila Rhodes
Assistant Professor Sonia Williamson
Assistant Professor Christine Staake
Part-time Assistant Professor Marie Lindsey
Part-time Instructor Jeri Conboy
Part-time Instructor Ann O’Sullivan
The Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) at Illinois College has two tracks: 1) the traditional prelicensure track and 2) the online RN to BSN track.
The nursing program has a Holistic Nursing Framework with five central themes essential for preparing nurses for professional practice in the 21st Century:
- Professionalism and “Inter-professionalism”: Success in the interconnected health care environments in which nurse leaders work in the 21st Century requires the ability to collaborate effectively across health care disciplines and professions.
- Leadership: The professional nurse must effectively lead and manage diverse teams and have the confidence and knowledge to advocate for the wellbeing of individuals and communities.
- Communication: Nurse leaders must communicate effectively with other health care professionals, as well as a wide range of constituencies within the communities they serve.
- Respect and Care for Diverse Populations: The effective nurse leader must have the intercultural competence to interact respectfully with individuals from diverse backgrounds and experiences.
- Ethics: At all times, the nurse leader must make decisions and address problems based on integrity and respect for human dignity. Leaders must role model ethical comportment.
The prelicensure or traditional track prepares you to be “ready” to take the National Council Licensing Examination (NCLEX) which allows you to become licensed as a Registered Professional Nurse (RN). Our traditional track requires a total of 128 credits and combines classroom instruction, and hands on practice in our nursing laboratory and various clinical sites. Students begin hands on clinical in the second semester of the sophomore year.
A sample traditional track degree plan is available. Please consult with your advisor about your individual plan for course registration and completion of program/graduation requirements.
This course introduces the student to holistic head-to-toe assessment of the individual patient. In this course, students learn normal assessment findings expected for individuals across the lifespan. This provides a basis for recognizing findings that require additional assessment and monitoring. Students are introduced to physical and psychosocial assessment skills as well as the major influences of development, environment, culture, religion, socioeconomic status, and family. Emphasis is placed on the importance of assessment as the first step of the nursing process. A comprehensive approach to eliciting health histories and conducting assessments that recognize cultural and individual differences allows students to serve diverse populations and meet societal needs.
This course addresses the skills, attributes, and role development of the successful professional nurse. Case studies examine the nurse's role in essential political, economic, and social forces affecting health care. Concepts of multidimensional care, plus skills of inquiry and analysis that inform clinical reasoning, professional judgment, and lifelong learning are integrated into personal practice. [Essentials I, V, VIII, IX]
This course focuses on holistic nursing care related to childbearing women, neonates, infants, children and adolescents in acute, and community settings. Common acute and chronic health conditions are addressed. Contemporary issues in women's, families', infants, children's, and adolescent's health are emphasized. Emerging and evolving models of families are discussed. Students integrate concepts from genetics, growth and development, and health promotion/ disease prevention into care. Students write a scholarly paper documenting a holistic family assessment with a family centered disease prevention/health promotion plan.
This course focuses on holistic nursing theory and concepts related to managing care for young, middle, and older adults with acute and chronic health conditions. Gender aspects of biological, epidemiological, psychological, and sociological health are considered. Growth and development and health promotion/disease prevention are emphasized. Attitudes about the aged, historical perspectives, transcultural concepts, growing old, and end-of-life issues are addressed.
This course focuses on theories and concepts related to managing care for vulnerable and other populations in community settings. Central themes include promoting and protecting the health of the public using health promotion, risk reduction and disease management, and strategies related to vulnerable populations. Evidence-based practice is guided by community assessments, epidemiologic data, environmental data, change, political action, and case management frameworks. Concepts of social justice, disparities in health and health care, and vulnerable and culturally diverse populations are addressed within a global context.
This course emphasizes theories and concepts related to leadership, management and the nurse's role in the political process and health policy. Students focus on concepts of leadership, management, power politics, delegation, budgeting, and conflict management. Students are expected to apply concepts of professional practice models, professionalism, and interpersonal communication skills to foster positive work environments. Students engage with interdisciplinary teams to effect change that improves patient-centered care. The role of the nurse in the political process and health policy is examined, and students interact with legislators to inform and influence change in health care and the nursing profession.