NURS 3611 Fall 2017

The University of Texas at Tyler

College of Nursing
Medical-Surgical Nursing I
NURS 3611
Fall 2017
Monday 09:00-12:15
NURS 3611 Fall 2017

Caitlin Tucker, BSN, RN

Office number: (940)-368-3607
E-mail: cmcwhorter@patriots.uttyler.edu (preferred)
Office: BRB 2122
Hours: Tuesday/Thursday 14:00-16:30 or by appointment

Callie McWhorter, BSN, RN

Office number: (940)-368-2773
E-mail: cmcwhorter2@patriots.uttyler.edu (preferred)
Office: BRB 2155
Hours: Monday/Wednesday 14:00-16:30 or by appointment
NURS 3611 Fall 2017

Course Calendar
WEEK DATE TOPIC READINGS DUE
1 8/28/17 Introduction Chapters: 1, 2, 3, 10, 18, 29, 20. Quiz 1
Perioperative
Pain
9/4/17 LABOR DAY HOLIDAY NO CLASS
2 9/11/17 Hematology Chapters: 15, 16, 30, 31. Quiz 2
Oncology EBP Article: Oncology Nursing
Certification doi: 10.1188/16.onf.67-
76
9/11/17 CENSUS DATE
3 9/18/17 Hypertension Chapters: 32, 33, 34. EXAM 1 9:00 am -
Cardiovascular 12:15 pm.
Quiz 3
4 9/25/17 Heart Failure Chapters: 35, 36, 37,38. Quiz 4
PVD Finalize group
members for Group
Learning Project.
5 10/2/17 Renal Chapters: 46, 47. Quiz 5
6 10/9/17 Upper Chapters: 27. EXAM 2 9:00 am -
Respiratory 12:15 pm.
Quiz 6
7 10/16/17 Lower Chapters: 28. Quiz 7
Respiratory Faculty approval of
PICOT question.
8 10/23/17 Other Disorders Chapters: 29. Quiz 8
of
Respiratory
9 10/30/17 Upper GI Chapters: 40, 41, 42. EXAM 3 9:00 am -
Nutrition 12:15 pm.
Quiz 9
10/30/17 LAST DAY TO WITHDRAW
10 11/6/17 Lower GI Chapters: 43, 44. Quiz 10
11 11/13/17 Reproductive Chapters: 45, 51. Quiz 11
Urinary
12 11/20/17 Integumentary Chapters: 23, 24. EXAM 4 9:00 am -
12:15 pm.
Quiz 12
11/23/17 THANKSGIVING
13 11/27/17 Group Group Learning
Presentations Project Presentations
Quiz 13
14 12/4/17 Musculoskeletal Chapters: 62, 64, 65. Quiz 14
Group evaluations
15 12/11/17 FINAL EXAM 8:00 am
1:00 pm
NURS 3611 Fall 2017

Course Description
NURS3611
6 credit hours (3 lecture/3 clinical)
Prerequisites include acceptance to UTTCON and all level one courses at UTTCON
Class size 50 students maximum
This medical-surgical course introduces a holistic approach to nursing care of the adult
facing complex health problems and involves critical thinking skills, evidence-based
practice and clinical-decision making.
Course Learning Objectives
Upon successful completion of this course, the undergraduate nursing student will:
1. Define pertinent medical diagnoses and common treatment regimens as they
relate to caring for the medical-surgical patient.
2. Formulate and implement nursing diagnoses as they relate to patients medical
diagnosis.
3. Differentiate between similar nursing diagnoses to determine the most
appropriate for each patient.
4. Understand and integrate evidenced based practice principles into all aspects of
care including patient education.
5. Recognize and voice safety concerns within an interdisciplinary team.
6. Provide effective education on basic health promotion principles in the care of the
adult patient population.
7. Possess a beginner level understanding of current healthcare policy and how it
relates to the care of the adult population.
8. Demonstrate important healthcare provider behaviors such as professionalism,
appropriate communication, confidentiality, and empathy for patients and their
families.
9. Advocate for patient rights and empower patients and families to play an active
roll in the course of their treatment.
10. Evaluate the appropriateness of a current nursing care including the continuing
need for nursing interventions and update providers appropriately.
11. Effectively communicate changes in patient condition to appropriate
interdisciplinary team members.
NURS 3611 Fall 2017

Required Course Materials

Lecture:
Required Textbook:
Lewis, S. L., Dirksen, S. R., Heitkemper, M. M., Bucher, L. & Camera, I. M. (2011).

Medical-surgical nursing: Assessment and management of clinical problems (8th

edition). St. Louis, MO: Elsevier Mosby. IBSN: 978-0-323-06580-1

Clinical:
UT Tyler CON issued retractable name badge with adjustable clip.
UT Tyler CON approved royal blue scrubs with UT Tyler patch positioned in the
top left chest area.
White scrub jacket with UT Tyler patch positioned in the top left chest area.
White leather tennis shoes or white leather hard soled clinical shoes (I.e. Dansko
brand shoes).
Stethoscope equipped with bell and diaphragm
Clinical accessories including: pen light, scissors, hemostats, clip board with
paper for clinical note taking.
Clinical Component
This course requires students to successfully complete a separate clinical component
that consists of time spent in the UT Tyler College of Nursing skills lab, and clinical
hours with a designated preceptor at an off-campus site hospital. The clinical
component of this course will be graded as PASS/FAIL. If a student is unsuccessful in
the clinical portion of this course, the failure will result in repeating both the lecture and
clinical component with successful completion before the student may advance to other
courses in the degree plan. Please review UT Tyler College of Nursing program failure
policies for maximum failures resulting in dismissal from the program.
NURS 3611 Fall 2017

Grading Policy
In accordance with the UT Tyler College of Nursing grading policy this course will
consist of the following graded exams* and assignments.

Exam 1 15%
Exam 2 15%
Exam 3 15%
Exam 4 15%
Comprehensive Final Exam 15%
Group Learning Project 15%
Cumulative Quiz Grade 10%

All five scheduled exams will be given in the UT Tyler CON computer lab, BRB 1045,
the electronic exams will be accessed via blackboard and contain 50 questions of
various formatting including multiple choice, fill-in the blank, matching, and select all that
apply. In alignment with NCLEX style testing, the questions will progress forward one at
a time with no opportunity to reopen questions or go back once an answer has been
saved and the tester has moved on to the next question.
A comprehensive final exam will be December 11, 2017. This exam will consist of
60% comprehensive material and 40% newly covered content. The exam will contain
100 questions of various formatting including multiple choice, fill-in the blank, matching,
and select all that apply.

College of Nursing Letter Grade Policy

89.5%-100% A
79.5%-89.4% B
74.5%-79.4% C
0.0%-74.4% F

*Please note that in compliance with UT Tyler College of Nursing policy, the average
exam grade must be equal to or greater than a 75 for other coursework to be
considered and a final grade to be calculated. A final exam average of less than 75 will
result in a course failure; the course plus any clinical component must be repeated.
NURS 3611 Fall 2017

Assignments/Quizzes
Group Learning Project: Students will form groups of no more than 5 members in order
to work together in completing an evidenced-based practice project. Students may
select groups, or faculty can assist in group formulation for those who have not selected
a group by the fourth week of class September 25, 2017. The project topic will be
selected by each group, pending approval by section instructors, and a poster board
presentation will be given during class time according to the course calendar. Please
see group-learning project grading rubric for full assignment details and grading criteria.
The following poster components will be required for successful completion of the
group-learning project:
1. PICOT question formulation with faculty approval by October 16, 2017
2. Poster outline completed and submitted by November 13, 2017
3. Final poster presentations given on November 27, 2017 (during class time*)
4. Group evaluations submitted via blackboard by December 4, 2017
*Students will submit poster projects to class peers as well as UT Tyler faculty on
November 27, 2017. This is a professional presentation therefore students are
expected to arrive in business casual attire, and be fully informed on all aspects of
their project. Students should be able to speak on all components of their
presentation should students/instructors have questions. Course faculty will grade
students on their ability to present, as well as the projects overall quality.
Weekly Quizzes: A total of 14 weekly quizzes will be taken via blackboard. A quiz
consisting of 10 questions each will be due on Sunday night by 23:59 per the course
calendar. The ten (10) best quiz grades will be used in calculation of the final quiz grade
worth 10% of the course grade. Therefore four (4) quiz grades may be "dropped" prior
to final quiz average calculation. The weekly quizzes will be single-attempt with a 30-
minute time limit and will be open-book and open-note. Students are expected to take
the quizzes independently. Please notify your section instructor in the event of a
technical problem so that your exam may be reset. Keep in mind that instructor
response times may vary, especially during weekends and holidays, and instructors
may not always be able to reset quizzes before the due time with short notice issues.
Assignment Make-Up/Late Work Policy
Students are expected to submit assigned course on-time, late work will not be
accepted except in the event of emergency circumstances and are subject to instructor
discretion.
Exams are to be taken during the assigned allotted timeframe according to the course
calendar. Exam make-ups will only be offered at instructor discretion for sudden
unforeseen or emergency circumstances. Exams will NOT be rescheduled due to work
or child-care conflictions, please make proper arrangements for these conflictions.
Census/Course Withdraw Date
NURS 3611 Fall 2017

The census date for the course is September 11, 2017.

The last date to withdraw from the course with a grade of "W" is October 30, 2017.
UT Tyler Honor Code Every member of the UT Tyler community joins together to
embrace: Honor and integrity that will not allow me to lie, cheat, or steal, nor to accept
the actions of those who do.
Students Rights and Responsibilities: To know and understand the policies that
affect your rights and responsibilities as a student at UT Tyler, please follow this link:
http://www.uttyler.edu/wellness/rightsresponsibilities.php
Campus Carry We respect the right and privacy of students 21 and over who are duly
licensed to carry concealed weapons in this class. License holders are expected to
behave responsibly and keep a handgun secure and concealed. More information is
available at http://www.uttyler.edu/about/campus-carry/index.php
UT Tyler a Tobacco-Free University All forms of tobacco will not be permitted on the
UT Tyler main campus, branch campuses, and any property owned by UT Tyler. This
applies to all members of the University community, including students, faculty, staff,
University affiliates, contractors, and visitors. Forms of tobacco not permitted include
cigarettes, cigars, pipes, water pipes (hookah), bidis, kreteks, electronic cigarettes,
smokeless tobacco, snuff, chewing tobacco, and all other tobacco products. There are
several cessation programs available to students looking to quit smoking including
counseling, quitlines, and group support. For more information on cessation programs
please visit www.uttyler.edu/tobacco-free.
Grade Replacement/Forgiveness and Census Date Policies Students repeating a
course for grade forgiveness (grade replacement) must file a Grade Replacement
Contract with the Enrollment Services Center (ADM 230) on or before the Census Date
of the semester in which the course will be repeated. (For Fall, the Census Date is Sept.
11.) Grade Replacement Contracts are available in the Enrollment Services Center or at
http://www.uttyler.edu/registrar. Each semesters Census Date can be found on the
Contract itself, on the Academic Calendar, or in the information pamphlets published
each semester by the Office of the Registrar.
Failure to file a Grade Replacement Contract will result in both the original and repeated
grade being used to calculate your overall grade point average. Undergraduates are
eligible to exercise grade replacement for only three course repeats during their career
at UT Tyler; graduates are eligible for two grade replacements. Full policy details are
printed on each Grade Replacement Contract.
The Census Date (Sept. 11th) is the deadline for many forms and enrollment actions of
which students need to be aware. These include:
NURS 3611 Fall 2017

Submitting Grade Replacement Contracts, Transient Forms, requests to withhold

directory information, approvals for taking courses as Audit, Pass/Fail or
Credit/No Credit.
Receiving 100% refunds for partial withdrawals. (There is no refund for these
after the Census Date)
Schedule adjustments (section changes, adding a new class, dropping without a
W grade)
Being reinstated or re-enrolled in classes after being dropped for non-payment
Completing the process for tuition exemptions or waivers through Financial Aid
State-Mandated Course Drop Policy Texas law prohibits a student who began college
for the first time in Fall 2007 or thereafter from dropping more than six courses during
their entire undergraduate career. This includes courses dropped at another 2-year or 4-
year Texas public college or university. For purposes of this rule, a dropped course is
any course that is dropped after the census date (See Academic Calendar for the
specific date). Exceptions to the 6-drop rule may be found in the catalog. Petitions for
exemptions must be submitted to the Enrollment Services Center and must be
accompanied by documentation of the extenuating circumstance. Please contact the
Enrollment Services Center if you have any questions.
Student Accessibility and Resources In accordance with Section 504 of the
Rehabilitation Act, Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and the ADA Amendments Act
(ADAAA) the University offers accommodations to students with learning, physical
and/or psychiatric disabilities. If you have a disability, including non-visible disabilities
such as chronic diseases, learning disabilities, head injury, PTSD or ADHD, or you have
a history of modifications or accommodations in a previous educational environment
you are encouraged to contact the Student Accessibility and Resources (SAR) office
and schedule an interview with the Accessibility Case Manager/ADA Coordinator,
Cynthia Lowery Staples. If you are unsure if the above criteria applies to you, but have
questions or concerns please contact the SAR office. For more information or to set up
an appointment please visit the SAR office located in the University Center, Room 3150
or call 903.566.7079. You may also send an email to cstaples@uttyler.edu
Student Absence due to Religious Observance Students who anticipate being
absent from class due to a religious observance are requested to inform the instructor of
such absences by the second class meeting of the semester. Revised 09/16 Student
Absence for University-Sponsored Events and Activities If you intend to be absent for a
university-sponsored event or activity, you (or the event sponsor) must notify the
instructor at least two weeks prior to the date of the planned absence. At that time the
instructor will set a date and time when make-up assignments will be completed.
Social Security and FERPA Statement It is the policy of The University of Texas at
Tyler to protect the confidential nature of social security numbers. The University has
changed its computer programming so that all students have an identification number.
NURS 3611 Fall 2017

The electronic transmission of grades (e.g., via e-mail) risks violation of the Family
Educational Rights and Privacy Act; grades will not be transmitted electronically.
Emergency Exits and Evacuation Everyone is required to exit the building when a fire
alarm goes off. Follow your instructors directions regarding the appropriate exit. If you
require assistance during an evacuation, inform your instructor in the first week of class.
Do not re-enter the building unless given permission by University Police, Fire
department, or Fire Prevention Services.
Student Standards of Academic Conduct Disciplinary proceedings may be initiated
against any student who engages in scholastic dishonesty, including, but not limited to,
cheating, plagiarism, collusion, the submission for credit of any work or materials that
are attributable in whole or in part to another person, taking an examination for another
person, any act designed to give unfair advantage to a student or the attempt to commit
such acts.
Cheating includes, but is not limited to:
o copying from another students test paper; using, during a test, materials
not authorized by the person giving the test;
o failure to comply with instructions given by the person administering the
test; possession during a test of materials which are not authorized by the
person giving the test, such as class notes or specifically designed crib
notes. The presence of textbooks constitutes a violation if they have been
specifically prohibited by the person administering the test;
o using, buying, stealing, transporting, or soliciting in whole or part the
contents of an unadministered test, test key, homework solution, or
computer program;
o collaborating with or seeking aid from another student during a test or
other assignment without authority;
o discussing the contents of an examination with another student who will
take the examination;
o divulging the contents of an examination, for the purpose of preserving
questions for use by another, when the instructors has designated that the
examination is not to be removed from the examination room or not to be
returned or to be kept by the student;
o substituting for another person, or permitting another person to substitute
for oneself to take a course, a test, or any course-related assignment;
o paying or offering money or other valuable thing to, or coercing another
person to obtain an unadministered test, test key, homework solution, or
computer program or information about an unadministered test, test key,
home solution or computer program;
o falsifying research data, laboratory reports, and/or other academic work
offered for credit; taking, keeping, misplacing, or damaging the property of
The University of Texas at Tyler, or of another, if the student knows or
NURS 3611 Fall 2017

reasonably should know that an unfair academic advantage would be

gained by such conduct;
o and misrepresenting facts, including providing false grades or resumes,
for the purpose of obtaining an academic or financial benefit or injuring
another student academically or financially.
Plagiarism includes, but is not limited to, the appropriation, buying, receiving as
a gift, or obtaining by any means anothers work and the submission of it as
ones own academic work offered for credit.
Collusion includes, but is not limited to, the unauthorized collaboration with
another person in preparing academic assignments offered for credit or
collaboration with another person to commit a violation of any section of the rules
on scholastic dishonesty.
All written work that is submitted will be subject to review by SafeAssignTM,
available on Blackboard.

UT Tyler Resources for Students

UT Tyler Writing Center (903.565.5995), writingcenter@uttyler.edu
UT Tyler Tutoring Center (903.565.5964), tutoring@uttyler.edu
The Mathematics Learning Center, RBN 4021, this is the open access computer
lab for math students, with tutors on duty to assist students who are enrolled in
early-career courses.
UT Tyler Counseling Center (903.566.7254)