Northern Arizona University

College of Health and Human Services

School of Nursing
NUR 307
Health Assessment
Credits:
Semester:
Instructor:

1 credit/15 clock hours (asynchronous online)

Summer, 2016
Margie Neish MSNed, RNC-OB
Office Hours: By Appointment
Margaret.neish@nau.edu
Cell (for emergencies only): 208-569-0060

Course Prerequisites:

Admission to Nursing Program

Co-requisite: NUR 307L

Catalogue Description:
Course emphasizes health history and expanded physical assessment skills essential
for holistic nursing assessment.
Course Description:
This course presents a review of body systems, expanded focus on physical,
psychosocial, cultural/spiritual assessment, health history and health promotion across
the lifespan. Integrating a more thorough assessment builds a foundation for holistic
care planning and implementation by the professional nurse.
Student Learning Outcomes:
The successful student:
Clinical Practice and Prevention
1. Examines the relationship of health assessment to health promotion while
identifying strategies to promote wellness.
2. Examines the bio-psycho-social, developmental, cultural and spiritual dimensions
of the individual when assessing and planning care.
Communication
3. Applies professional communication in learning situations.

Critical reasoning
4. Integrates multiple ways of knowing and the ability to use critical thinking to
relate health assessment and physical examination findings to the health status
of individuals across the life span.
Leadership
5. Examines the importance of environmental factors and constraints in the
assessment of health.
Professionalism and professional Values
6. Examines the role of the professional nurse in performing health assessments.
7. Demonstrates professional behavior in performing health assessments.
Global health
8. Examines ones own personal values, beliefs, and practices as compared to
diverse populations in a global society.
Course Structure and Approach:
Theory course provides a foundation for practice and application in the concurrent lab
section, NUR 307L. As an online course, various teaching/learning approaches are
employed, including text reading assignments, online resources to review anatomy and
physiology, skill demonstration, discussions, peer mentoring, and written assignments.
Required textbook:
DAmico, D. & Barbarito, C. (2016). Health and physical assessment in nursing (3 rd Ed.).
Upper Saddle River: Pearson.
Optional materials/references:
Any anatomy and physiology textbook.
Any nursing diagnosis textbook.

NUR 307 (Lecture) Course Outline

Summer 2016
All due dates are on Sunday by 11:59 pm.
Late assignments are not accepted in this course.
Week

Module

DAmico text:

Vital Signs
General Survey
Psychosocial Assessment
Genograms
Pain Assessment
Nutritional Assessment

DAmico text:

Vital Signs
Skin, Hair & Nails Techniques
HEENT & Cranial Nerves Techniques

DAmico text:
Chapters 13, 15,
16 & 26 (Cranial
Nerves)

Vital Signs (VS)

Head, Neck & Related Lymphatics

DAmico text:
Chapters 14

June
13

3
June
20
4

Required Reading
& Review

Orientation
Introduction to Health Assessment
Wellness & Health Promotion
Health Assessment Across the
Lifespan
Cultural Considerations
General Survey
Tools & Techniques (Vital Signs)
History Taking
Documentation

June 6

Laboratory Topic

Chapters 1,2,3,4

Chapters ,5, 8, 9 &

10, 11, 12

June
27

Assignments
Documentation
Quiz
Due June 12

Quiz #1
(Chapters 1-12)
Due June 19

Vocabulary
Quiz
Due June 26

Case Study #1
(Chapters 1-16)
Due July 3
Quiz #2
(Chapters 1316) Due July 3

5
July 4

3
(VS) The Cardiovascular &
Peripheral Vascular Techniques

DAmico text:
Chapters 19 & 20

Quiz #3
(Chapters 1720) Due July 10

(VS) Respiratory System Techniques

Breasts and Axillae (demonstration)

DAmico text:
Chapters 17 & 18

(VS) GI, GU, & Abdominal Assessment

Techniques

DAmico text:
Chapters 21, 22,
23, 24, & 27

Quiz #4
(Chapters12,
18, 21-24)
Due July 24

(VS) Musculoskeletal & Neurological

System Techniques

DAmico text:
Chapters 25 & 26

Quiz #5
(Chapters 25 &
26)
Due July 31

(VS) The Hospitalized Client; Pediatric

Assessment

DAmico text:
Chapters 6, 7, 28

Quiz #6 (all
chapters)
Due Aug 7

July 11

7
July 18

8
July 25

9
Aug 1
10

Case Study #2
(all chapters
covered to this
point)
Due July 17

Aug 8

Assessment of Student Learning:

Methods of Assessment:
Assessment of learning and demonstration of content mastery take place in the form of
written assignments, quizzes, and case studies. These assessments provide feedback
to students as well as measure basic learning. See course outline for scheduling of
assessments.
Assessments:
On-line Quizzes:
6 Quizzes @ 10 points each
On-line Case Studies:
2 Case Studies @ 10 points each

60 points

Documentation Quiz

10 points

20 points

Vocabulary Quiz

10 points

Total Points =

100 points

Grading system:
Calculation of the course grade will be as follows:
Course grades will be awarded following the standard School of Nursing grading scale
(no rounding):
93-100%
A
84-92%
B
78%-83%
C
Less than 78%
F
Course policies:
Retests/makeup tests: Online quizzes are offered only during scheduled weeks, but
are open for the week. Alternate scheduling of a quiz will be provided only in
extraordinary circumstances and will require arrangements with faculty in advance of
quiz scheduled due date.
Attendance: Your participation is expected in this online course. You are responsible for
checking the Blackboard site regularly to stay up to date on announcements,
summaries, and learning materials. It is recommended that you access this course
several times each week.
Statement on Plagiarism, cheating, academic dishonesty:
Please refer to Appendix G of the NAU Student Handbook
http://nau.edu/uploadedFiles/Academic/CHHS/Nursing/BSN_Handbook.pdf

(http://home.nau.edu/images/userimages/awf/9476/ACADEMIC%20DISHONESTY.pdf)
for definitions, policies, penalties, and procedures related to various forms of academic
dishonesty.
University policies: Please review the following policies available on the Northern
Arizona University Policy Statement website
http://www4.nau.edu/avpaa/UCCPolicy/plcystmt.html
1. Safe Environment Policy
2. Students with Disabilities Policy
3. Institutional Review Board Policy
4. Academic Contact Hour Policy
5. Sensitive Course Materials Policy
5