Mission
Bay Area College of Nursing, Inc. (B.A.C.N., Inc.) will offer a Vocational Nursing Program to provide a learning environment which promotes the development of the individual’s intellect, nursing skills, and social values. By application of this process the student is prepared to pass the National Council Licensing Examination (NCLEX). The program is also designed to support the community health care structure and to stimulate continual growth of each student.
Philosophy
The Bay Area College of Nursing Vocational Nursing Program’s philosophy is congruent and consistent with its mission to provide educational excellence for healthcare professionals. To this end, it is the goal of the VN program to educate or develop quality vocational nurses who possess the knowledge and the skills required forsafe and effective client practice. The faculty set forth the following beliefs:
Man
The faculty believes that man is unique and is a part of a family, a culture, and a community. Maslow states that human existence is based on needs that arise in hierarchical order: The first and foundation level is the basic physiological needs; the second is safety and security; the third is love and belonging; the fourth level is self-esteem; the fifth level is self-actualization. Based upon Maslow’s Hierarchy of Human needs, this humanistic theory focuses upon the whole person including the qualities that make people distinctive and how these qualities develop. This hierarchy of human needs allows the nurse to explore the client on the health-illness continuum beginning with basic concepts and building upon these to explore various normal and abnormal human conditions and related nursing care. The way or method such needs are met is unique to the individual.
Health and Illness
Health and iIlness are parts of a dynamic continuum that result from either the balance or the imbalance of man’s physiological, psychological, social, and spiritual components.
Society
Man is a community of diverse cultures. While all cultures share common needs, the way in those needs are met are unique to the individual culture.
Education
Education is the responsibility shared by the faculty and student to reach the desired goal. Education is not fully realized without an interaction between faculty and the student. With that interaction, it is the responsibility of the faculty to provide accurate nursing knowledge according to the current professional practice. On the other hand, it is the role of the student to receive that information, absorb the knowledge, and internalize the practice so the information becomes a part of them. Nursing is an art and a science requiring scientific principles, technical skills, and empathetic care. This education should incorporate moral, ethical, and legal principles to prepare the student to assume personal accountability for his/her professional behavior.
Nursing
The Vocational Nursing program will provide activities by which changes in knowledge, attitude, and skills occur resulting in measurable behavior. The internal environment and the external environment are intended to stimulate intellectual curiosity, self-discipline, and self-direction. Since each client is a unique part of a family, culture, and community, it is essential that the nurse adapt care to meet these varied needs which include physical, emotional, social, economic, spiritual, and intellectual components. The rights and dignity of each client are respected.
The vocational nurse is an important member of the health care team who, under the direct supervision of a physician or registered nurse, provides patient-centered nursing care. This Vocational Nursing Program is committed to the educational standards of excellence that will ensure marketable skills for the graduate and will permit advancement in the nursing profession.
OBJECTIVES:
By the end of Term I: Foundations of Nursing and Basic Medical Surgical Nursing, students will:
- Demonstrate knowledge of the origins of nursing and role of the LVN.
- Demonstrate basic understanding and proficiency in the performance of basic nursing skills.
- Demonstrate basic understanding of the nursing process and its relationship to effective client - centered care.
- Recognize and demonstrate basic understanding of different cultures and their implications for client care.
- Demonstrate basic knowledge of disease prevention and the implications for nursing care.
- Identify the 6 rights of medication administration and explain the actions, possible side effects, adverse reactions, and nursing interventions for each major drug classifications.
- Effectively and accurately administer topical and oral medications for assigned clients in accordance with physician orders.
By the end of Term II: Intermediate Medical Surgical Nursing, students will:
- Identify the role of the vocational nurse related to the legal/ethical rights of patients.
- Demonstrate increased knowledge and proficiency in the application of intermediate level medical surgical nursing procedures.
- Apply the nursing process and create comprehensive teaching plans while caring for assigned patients.
- Demonstrate understanding of individual client needs including socioeconomic, spiritual, emotional, and cultural diversity.
- Demonstrate prevention and control of diseases by applying safe, aseptic techniques while caring for the assigned client.
- Demonstrate knowledge, skill, and accuracy in administering routine medications.
By the end of Term III: Advanced Medical Surgical Nursing/OB and Peds, students will:
- Demonstrate understanding of professional boundaries that must be maintained during the provision of care for assigned clients.
- Demonstrate advanced level of knowledge and proficiency in the application of advanced level medical surgical nursing procedures.
- Demonstrate ability to expound and carry out nursing care plans by coordinating with the healthcare team.
- Analyze the impact of increased understanding of cultural sensitivity as it relates to healthcare.
- Demonstrate understanding and control of high-risk infectious diseases while caring for the assigned client.
- Demonstrate critical thinking in the administration of prn medications and withholding of routine medications.
DESCRIPTION OF THE COURSE
Course Title: VOCATIONAL NURSING PROGRAM
Course Description: A 1644-hour comprehensive theory and clinical training program requiring three (3) terms of academic work and clinical experience which meets the Basic Curriculum guidelines set forth in Section 2533, Rules and Regulations of the Board of Vocational Nurse and Psychiatric Technician.
The Vocational Nursing Program shall include, but is not limited to, theory and correlated clinical experience which develops the knowledge, skills and abilities necessary to care for clients of all ages in current health care settings. The curriculum content is taught in a sequence that results in the student’s progressive mastery of knowledge, skills, and abilities. Instruction is in English Language only. The total hours for the program are as follows: theory portion=674 hours; laboratory time=100 hours; clinical portion=870 hours; prerequisite: Introduction to Anatomy and Physiology=54 hours.
Admission Requirements:
- Complete the B.A.C.N. application form
- High school transcript of records sealed and sent by the school or G.E.D. certificate
- All foreign transcripts must be evaluated by a member of the National Association of Educational Credential Service for 12th grade equivalency
- Complete Anatomy and Physiology course of at least 3 semester units with a grade of C or better. This course may be taken at a community college or at B.A.C.N.
- Complete the Entrance Assessment Test with a score of 200 or higher in English and a score of 210 or higher in mathematics. Test scores must be within two years prior to date of admission
- Current and valid C.P.R. certificate
- Physical examination by a medical doctor or nurse practitioner
- TB clearance; hepatitis B vaccination or at least first injection of the series of 3; MMR or titer verifying immunity to rubella and rubeola; varicella immunization or immunity verification by titer
- Tetanus within past 5 years
- Personal malpractice insurance
- Must be at least 17 years of age by the time the course begins
- Have no convictions in any court of law of a crime other than minor traffic violations.
- Letters of Recommendation (2)
- Laptop
II. Selection Procedure
- The application for B.A.C.N. should be filled out when all admission requirements have been met.
- Applicant’s name will be placed on the eligibility list in the order of date and time received. The application fee is due at this time.
- Applicants shall be competitively screened for the open slots based on qualifications, quota and requirements for admission. The final phase of the selection process will be an interview with the prospective student.
- Enrolment must be completed within ten (10) days from acceptance in the program. Failure to do so will disqualify the applicant from admission.
- When class size has been filled, the next three (3) applicants will be identified as “alternates”. Alternates will attend classes through the Fundamentals period (first 3 weeks of program).
- The alternate at the top of the list at time of an opening will be allowed to replace any student who leaves the program during this time. If an alternate does not replace a student, he/she will be guaranteed admission to the next class. The alternate who becomes a student in the next class is not required to attend class days already completed; however, attendance is encouraged to refresh skills.
Time and Location:
Theory classes will be held in the classroom and clinical hours am or pm shift will be at the contracted training facilities or skills laboratory. B.A.C.N. has the right to change class and clinical locations, times and days, if deemed appropriate, with sufficient notice. Being a student in VN program requires full time focus and concentration. Personal and employment reasons will not be accommodated by B.A.C.N. as a result of the change.
