Concepts found in the philosophy of the BSN Completion Program at Lincoln University form the basis for the conceptual framework and curriculum design. Emphasis within the program is placed on nursing, person, health, and environment, as well as, the Essentials of Baccalaureate Education for Professional Nursing Practice as defined by the AACN, 2008.

The person is a developing holistic being with intrinsic value and worth that interacts continuously with the environment.  Each person has similar needs including physiological, safety and security, and psychosocial within a cultural context.  A person’s needs vary, as does his/her ability to meet these needs.  Persons from diverse backgrounds are able to choose among alternative outcomes, set goals, and make decision based on needs and developmental level. Persons may be categorized as individuals, families, groups, communities and populations. Maslow’s hierarchy of needs provides the theoretical basis for defining the basic needs common to all people. Lastly, Erikson’s eight stages of development provide the framework for assessing the client as they progress along the life continuum. 

 

Health is a dynamic phenomenon, experienced in a unique way by each individual, family, group, community and population. It can best be viewed on a wellness/illness continuum in which adjustments are made in order to maintain the relative constancy called homeostasis. Homeostasis is the ability of the person to maintain a state of balance or equilibrium while interacting with the environment. Wellness is a state of health in which basic needs are being met and homeostasis is maintained. A health problem can be any actual or potential concern or condition which must be resolved or prevented to maintain optimal health of the individual. If unresolved, the problem will result in illness or death, an alteration in the state of health in which there is an inability to meet basic needs and maintain homeostasis.

 

The environment includes all internal and external physical, safety and security, and psychosocial conditions affecting individuals, families, groups, communities and populations. Unique responses by the individuals, families, groups, communities or populations to constant interaction with the environment result in varying degrees of health. A focus of nursing is to optimize the environment, in diverse health care settings in order to prevent illness; promote, maintain or restore health; or provide end of life care.

 

Nursing is the art and science of assisting clients, significant support persons, groups and/or populations to maximize health outcomes. Nursing is involved in assisting clients with health promotion, disease prevention, attaining or maintaining optimal health and/or dying with peace and dignity. Nursing functions independently, dependently, and in collaboration with other health care providers to achieve the above goals. Knowledge, theory and research from nursing and related disciplines are utilized for nursing practice. Nursing uses the nursing process to assess and meet the needs of clients. Roles that nursing assumes are provider of care, manager of care and member within the discipline of nursing. Along with the nursing roles, the BSN Completion Program , incorporates the Essentials of Baccalaureate Education for Professional Nursing Practice, AACN, 2008. Nursing entails ethical and legal accountability and responsibility to self, individuals and society.

 

The professional role set, in conjunction with Essential IX, Baccalaureate Generalist Nursing Practice (AACN, 2008), include provider of care, designer/manager/coordinator of care, and member of a profession. In the role of provider of care emphasis is placed on holistic provision of health care to an increasingly diverse population across all environments. Through partnerships with clients and multidisciplinary teams, nurses serve as advocates and educators to deliver high quality care, evaluate care outcomes, and provide leadership in improving care of the individual, family, group, community, and population.

 

In the role of designer/manager/coordinator of care, the nurse is responsible for providing leadership and management in diverse health care settings to promote high quality, cost-effective outcomes. The nurse manages information, designs, and coordinates health care in diverse settings, delegates, and evaluates nursing care, and supervises other health care personnel in implementing care.

 

In the role of the member of a profession, the nurse develops and exhibits professional values, embraces lifelong learning and incorporates professionalism into practice. The values inherent in caring as a professional nurse are autonomy, human dignity, and diversity. In addition, critical reasoning, evidence based practice, communication, collaboration, and technology are required to practice professional nursing.    Professionalism is defined as the consistent demonstration of core values evidenced by nurses working with other professionals to achieve optimal health and wellness outcomes in individuals, families, groups, communities, and populations.   Professionals also involve accountability for one’s self and nursing practice, including continuous professional engagement and lifelong learning.

 

Critical reasoning, the nursing process, along with evidence based practice, is the process of purposeful, outcome directed thinking in exploring a situation, along with translation of current evidence into one’s practice. Critical reasoning includes questioning, analysis, synthesis, interpretation, inference, inductive and deductive reasoning, intuition, application, and creativity. With the application of the nursing process, evidence based practice is the foundation used to provide current, safe and professional care to the client.

   

Health promotion, risk management, and disease prevention are necessary to improve overall health of a society.   These concepts are important throughout the lifespan and include assisting individuals, families, groups, communities, and populations to prepare for and minimize health consequences.

 

Organizational and systems leadership, quality improvement, and safety are critical to promoting high quality patient care. Leadership skills are essential to the overall success of the nursing profession. Leadership skills are needed that emphasize ethical and critical reasoning, initiating and maintaining effective working relationships, using mutually respectful communication and collaboration with professional teams, care coordination, delegation, and developing conflict resolution strategies (AACN, 2008).

 

Knowledge and skills in information and patient care technology are critical in performing in a clinical setting. A nurse must have basic competence in technical skills, which includes the use of computers, as well as, the application of patient care technologies such as monitors, data gathering devices and other technological supports for patient care interventions.

 

Healthcare policies, including financial and regulatory policies, directly and indirectly, influence nursing practice, as well as, the nature and functioning of the healthcare system. These policies shape responses to organization, local, national, and global issues of equity, access, affordability and social justice in health care.