San Joaquin Valley College

Course Syllabus
SJVC Course Syllabus RN 30
Revised: 12.13 Academic Affairs Department Page 1 of 5

Course: RN 30: Gerontology Community Nursing Theory
Total Semester Units: 1.0
Instructor:
Advising Times:
Phone:

Email:
Barbara Lund MSN, RN
An hour before and an hour after class or by appointment
College: (559) 651-6200
Cell (559)765-7765
Barbara.lund@sjvc.edu
Class Schedule:

Feb. 14 2014 to March 14, 2014
Class will be from 0900 to 1200
Room 330 on Main Campus
Textbook(s):
Jarvis, C. Physical examination & health assessment. ed.6
th
,
St. Louis, 2012, Saunders/Elsevier
Lewis SL, Dirkese SR, Heitkemper MM, Bucher L and Cemera
IM. Medical-Surgical Nursing: Assessment and Management
of Clinical Problems, ed. 8
th
, St. Louis, Elsevier/Mosby.
Butts JB & Rich KL. Nursing ethics: Across the curriculum
and into practice, ed.2
nd
. Sudbury, Jones & Bartlett
Course Description:
In this course, students are introduced to the nursing role within the community health
setting. They will also discuss the geriatric nurses role, and the process of healthy aging.

Course Learning Outcomes
Upon completion of this course, the student will be able to:
1. Define the role of the nurse in a variety of community outpatient settings
2. Discuss the role of the nurse in the care of the geriatric client

Grade Item Weights
20% Projects/Homework
80% Quizzes/Exams












San Joaquin Valley College
Course Syllabus
SJVC Course Syllabus RN 30
Revised: 12.13 Academic Affairs Department Page 2 of 5
Projects/Homework: (20 points or 20%)
Homework: There will be four homework assignments each worth 5 points or 5%.

ATI: (Mandatory no points are attached to this assignment)
You must go to the ATI tutorial then to learning system and complete the gerontology
practice exam. This must be completed and a printed copy of your ATI exam grade will be
due on Feb. 28
th
. Answers will be turned on after submission of your printed copy on Feb.
28
th
. If you have not received a 90% or better you will redo the test and submit the new
printed copy of your grade on March 7
th
. This grade must be 90% or better.

Going to ATI learning systems you will complete the ATI gerontology Final Examination. A
printed copy of your grade will be submitted to your instructor This is due on March 7
th
. If
you did not receive a 90% or better, you will be able to resubmit on March 14
th
. This must
be a 90% or better.

These ATI exams must be completed prior to moving on to the next class.

Quizzes/Exams: (80 points or 80%)
Quizzes: There will be two quizzes. Each quiz will be worth 10 points or 10% for a total of
20 points or 20%
Examinations: There will be 2 examinations: Each examination will be worth 30 points for a
total of 60 points or 60%




Points earned in the course are converted to the percentage and letter grade as shown in
the chart below for final grades and transcripts.

90 - 100% = A
80 - 89% = B
74 - 79% = C
65 - 73% = D
Below 65 = F

To successfully pass this course, the student must achieve an average grade of
74% or higher on Quizzes/Exams. Upon achieving the benchmark,
Homework/Projects points will be added to calculate the students final grade.

Students much achieve an overall grade of 74% or higher for credit in the course
and to move on to the next term.

NOTE: Students may be required to submit course paperwork through TurnItIn. TurnItIn
checks paperwork for originality and generates a report which may help improve citation
and/or avoid potential plagiarism.


San Joaquin Valley College
Course Syllabus
SJVC Course Syllabus RN 30
Revised: 12.13 Academic Affairs Department Page 3 of 5
Weekly Outline of Curriculum
Week 1 Daily Objectives CLO # Assignments & Activities
Day 1
Feb. 14
Clinical preparation
Clinical expectations

1 & 2
Syllabus discussion
Video: Your Legal Duty Reporting Elder
Abuse
Homework Handout
Week 2 Daily Objectives CLO # Assignments & Activities
Day 2
Feb. 21
Describe common
physiological changes of aging

Discuss selected biological and
psychosocial theories of aging

Discuss issues related to
psychosocial changes of aging

2
Read: Jarvis Chapter 30

Jarvis chapter 3 and 5 review. These
chapters will assist you in completing
the geriatric/Alzheimers clinical
paperwork.

Read in Lewis:
Chapter 5 and Pages:
224-280, 329, 345, 363-364, 371pg.
401 read about glaucoma and
cataracts in the text,
pg. 416-417, 481, 634-636, 691,725,
740-741, 871, 928, 951, 740-741,
871, 928, 951, 982 and 1029, 1051
1494

Homework # 1 due

Quiz #1

Week 3 Daily Objectives CLO #

Assignments & Activities
Day 3
Feb. 28
Identify nursing interventions
related to the physiological,
cognitive and psychosocial
changes of aging.

Define dementia

Describe the nursing
management of the patient
with Alzheimers disease

Differentiate among other
neurodegenerative disorders
associated with dementia,
including dementia with Lewy
bodies, frontotemporal lobar
degeneration, Creutzfeldt-
Jakob disease.

1 & 2
Read Lewis: Chapter 60

Handouts on Dementia

ATI: submission of ATI gerontology
practice test.

Homework #2 due
San Joaquin Valley College
Course Syllabus
SJVC Course Syllabus RN 30
Revised: 12.13 Academic Affairs Department Page 4 of 5
Differentiate among delirium,
dementia and depression

Week 4 Daily Objectives CLO # Assignments & Activities
Day 4
March 7
Identify characteristics of
patients in vulnerable
populations that influence the
community-based nurses
approach to care

Discuss the nursing care of
the hospice/Palliative patient.

Discuss end of life care and
ethical issues with end of life
care.
1 & 2
Read: Lewis chapter 10

Read: Butts and Rich chapters 8 & 9

ATI: submission of ATI gerontology
Final

ATI: resubmission of ATI practice test
at 90% or better

Homework #3 due

Quiz # 2
Week 5

Daily Objectives CLO # Assignments & Activities
Day 5
March
14
Wrap up.
Review of course content
Evaluations
Final examination.

1 & 2
Review all assigned material

Homework #4 due

All ATI remediation from
gerontological tutorial testing due

1115: course evaluation

Final examination
San Joaquin Valley College
Course Syllabus
SJVC Course Syllabus RN 30
Revised: 12.13 Academic Affairs Department Page 5 of 5
Institutional Classroom Standards

As a working professional, you will have policies and procedures on the job. In preparing
you for a future as a successful professional, the college expects students to follow policies
as presented in the Student Handbook and the College Catalog. In addition, your classroom
experience is structured to prepare you for a successful career. The following are examples
of how your classroom experience relates to and influences those skills and behaviors
required of professionals:
A. As a professional, you are expected to follow a dress code. At SJVC you will dress
for success. In all classes, including General Education courses, students are
expected to follow their program dress codes.
B. As a professional, you are required to be present and punctual every day. Just as
you would give notification at work, you are to contact your instructor ahead of class
time if absence or tardiness is unavoidable.
C. On the job, you are expected to complete work on time. Your training for meeting
deadlines begins now:
i. Missed deadlines for homework and projects may affect your grade with either
a 10% reduction in points or no credit.
ii. Missed quizzes may not be taken.
iii. Missed midterms or final exams, however, may be taken in accordance with
college policy.
D. As an employee, you are expected to conduct yourself with integrity. In your class
work you are expected to fulfill the principles and standards of academic integrity.
Cheating or plagiarism on tests or assignments is cause for formal disciplinary action.
E. On the job your performance must be exceptional. The expectation at school is the
same. To help improve classroom performance students who score below 70% on
quizzes or assignments should attend tutoring sessions to review the material or
skills missed.
F. As an employee, you are expected to show respect for your supervisors, fellow
employees, and clients by silencing your cell phone and appropriately using other
electronic devices. Students are expected to show the same respect in class.
G. Students may bring water into the classroom only in a screw cap bottle; no food is
allowed.

CHANGE is the only constant in life. The professional environment can be unpredictable
with changing deadlines, meetings, and demanding customers. Be flexible and adaptable.
This syllabus is only a guideline and subject to change.