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Philosophy & Concepts

The Associate Degree Nursing program is congruent with the mission, goal statements, and objectives of PTC.  The faculty believe that they have a responsibility to provide a curriculum that will prepare competent graduates for employment as entry level practitioners. The faculty's philosophy reflects basic concepts common to nursing and nursing education. The faculty believes:

Person
Each person is a dynamic, complex, unique human being with intrinsic dignity and worth and is comprised of physiological, psychological, socio-cultural, developmental, and spiritual variables. Each individual is responsible and accountable for his/her own actions. These actions result from choices which have special meanings to that person are based on values and beliefs.

Environment
The environment encompasses all that is internal and external to the person. The person interacts with the environment by either adapting to the environment or the environment to one's self.

Health
Health is a unity and harmony within the mind, body and spirit which is unique to each person, and is as defined by that person. The level of wellness or health is, in part, determined by the ability to deal with and defend against stress. Health is on a continuum with movements between a state of optimum well-being and illness which is defined as degrees of disharmony. It is determined by physiological, psychological, socio-cultural, spiritual, and developmental stage variables.

Nursing
Nursing is an applied science which has a unique body of knowledge that utilizes principles from the physical, biological, and behavioral sciences. The central concern of nursing is the holistic person. The focus of nursing is health promotion, maintenance, curative, restorative, supportive and terminal care to individuals and groups of all ages, taking into consideration the factors that influence them in the total environment.

Communication
Communication is an interpersonal process that involves verbal and nonverbal exchanges of information and ideas through reading, writing, speaking, listening, and processing information.

Caring 
Caring is a process and product which incorporates supports, sharing and respect. It encompasses the unity of mind, body and spirit of the holistic person with the broader content of one's environment. The practice of caring becomes the highest commitment and provides a value-based approach to nursing practice.

Nursing Education
The methodological approach to nursing education is the nursing process. Nursing education provides learners with the opportunity to acquire, integrate, apply, and synthesize knowledge in the delivery of nursing care. Within the scope of registered nursing practice there are two levels of basic education: the associate degree and the baccalaureate degree nurse. Basic nursing education prepares the learner for entry level nursing practice.

Educational Outcomes
The educational outcomes of the graduate are the culmination of a knowledge base, performance competencies, critical thinking and humanities values. Nursing practice roles of the associate degree graduate are three, which are complimentary and interrelated:

1. Provider of care
2. Coordinator/manager of care
3. Member of the discipline of nursing

Teaching-Learning Process
Education encompasses the total experience of an individual. Learning is an active cognitive life-long process validated by a change in behavior, insights, and perceptions. Learning proceeds from simple to complex, concrete to abstract, and dependent to independent nursing actions. The teaching-learning process is a joint responsibility of faculty and students through mutual sharing, learning and growth occurring in an atmosphere of respect, collegiality, and affirmation.

Caring Relationships
The faculty recognizes that caring relationships are critically important in successful coping with the inherent stressors of school and will strive to provide a positive environment. The faculty roles will include those of facilitator, mentor, stimulator, and socializing agent. Recognizing that the student has unique life experiences, the faculty will utilize various teaching strategies to assist in individualizing the learning process.

Learners
The learner is an individual who has recognized a need for learning. This individual enters the educational process with varied life experiences, values, and goals. Education promotes self direction and personal growth, allowing for individual differences within a changing society. The role of the learner is to be responsible and accountable for the acquisition of knowledge and skills.

Evaluation of Progress
Evaluation of progress is a shared responsibility between student and faculty. Formative and summative clinical evaluations throughout the program, conferences, and midterm and final theory grades allow for determination of the student's achievement of the required level of competence.

Critical Thinking
Critical thinking is a process that challenges an individual to use reflective, reasonable, rational thinking to gather, interpret and evaluate information in order to derive a judgment. The process involves thinking beyond a single solution for a problem and focusing on deciding what the best alternatives are.
 

 Last Updated February 28, 2006