Nursing Curriculum

OVERVIEW

The nursing program curriculum is built around the university-wide outcomes of Personal, Social and Spiritual Development, Communication Skills, Higher Level Thinking Skills and Knowledge. The curriculum is organized into three levels, each building upon the previous level. This design reflects three factors:

Level of students

• beginning—understanding and gaining knowledge
• intermediate—application of knowledge, building upon the theoretical and scientific foundation
• advanced—synthesis of knowledge and understanding with a societal view of nursing's place in health care

Emphasis of the nurse/patient relationship

• individual
• family/significant others and colleagues
• community aggregates/society

Level of health

• wellness
• acute/chronic/complex
• societal/global

COURSES

Courses in the nursing major are designed to prepare the student as a beginning practitioner in a variety of practice settings. Avila's nursing program gives the student a liberal arts base with a professional degree. Students take courses in the natural sciences, social sciences, arts and humanities, and then focus on the theoretical knowledge and skills needed to practice nursing. The curriculum is designed to help develop personal and professional values that enable the student to better assume the responsibilities they face in contemporary society with an emphasis on community and societal health, health promotion/risk reduction, and professionalism. 

Click here for Course Descriptions

CLINICAL
Nursing students participate in clinical lab courses through four semesters of the nursing major. Diverse types of experiences in traditional settings, such as the acute care setting (e.g., hospital) and in less traditional settings (e.g., hospice, school settings, postpartum home care, medical offices, residential treatment centers) help integrate community and societal health concepts and prepare students for nursing careers across a wide variety of emphasis areas.

Click here for Sample Nursing Four-Year Curriculum (Schedule is subject to change).