Weekly participation and engagement in the courses are critical for student success. Assignments should be completed by the due date. Students should also refer to the instructor’s attendance policy for additional information. (See LSCO Catalog, Class Attendance.)
The Texas Board of Nursing has identified essential competencies to ensure that vocational nursing graduates will enter the practice as safe and competent nurses. These competencies are organized according to four major roles of the nurse: Member of a Profession, Provider of Patient-Centered Care, Patient Safety Advocate, and Member of the Health Care Team. At the completion of the VN program, the student will have been introduced to the following Differentiated Essential Competencies (DECs) for Vocational Nursing Programs:
I. Member of the Profession
A. Function within the nurse’s legal scope of practice and in accordance with the policies and procedures of the employing health care institution or practice setting.
B. Assume responsibility and accountability for the quality of nursing care provided to patients and their families.
C. Contribute to activities that promote the development and practice of vocational nursing.
D. Demonstrate responsibility for continued competence in nursing practice, and develop insight through reflection, selfanalysis, self-care, and lifelong learning.
II. Provider of Patient-Centered Care:
A. Use clinical reasoning and knowledge based on the vocational nursing program of study and established evidence-based practice as the basis for decision-making in nursing practice.
B. Assist in determining the physical and mental health status, needs, and preferences of culturally, ethnically, and socially diverse patients and their families based on interpretation of health-related data derived from the vocational nursing program of study.
C. Report data to assist in the identification of problems and formulation of goals/outcomes and patient-centered plans of care in collaboration with patients, their families, and the interdisciplinary health care team.
D. Provide safe, compassionate, basic nursing care to assigned patients with predictable health care needs through a supervised, directed scope of practice.
E. Implement aspects of plan of care within legal, ethical and regulatory parameters and in consideration of patient factors.
F. Identify and report alterations in patient responses to therapeutic interventions in comparison to expected outcomes.
G. Implement teaching plans for patients and their families with common health problems and well-defined health learning needs.
H. Assist in the coordination of human, information, and material resources in providing care for assigned patients and their families.
III. Patient Safety Advocate:
A. Demonstration knowledge of the Texas Nursing Practice Act and the Texas Board of Nursing Rules that emphasize safety, as well as all federal, state, and local government and accreditation organization safety requirements and standards.
B. Implement measures to promote quality and a safe environment for patients, self, and others.
C. Assist in the formulation of goals and outcomes to reduce patient risks.
D. Obtain instruction, supervision, or training as needed when implementing nursing procedures or practices.
E. Comply with mandatory reporting requirements of the Texas Nurse Practice Act.
F. Accept and make assignments that take into consideration patient safety and organizational policy.
IV. Member of the Health Care Team
A. Communicate and collaborate with patients, their families, and the interdisciplinary health care team to assist in the planning, delivery and coordination of patient-centered care to assigned patients.
B. Participate as an advocate in activities that focus on improving the health care of patients and their families.
C. Participate in the identification of patient needs for referral to resources that facilitate continuity of care and ensure confidentiality.
D. Communicate and collaborate in a timely manner with members of the interdisciplinary health care team to promote and maintain optimal health status of patients and their families.
E. Communicate patient data using technology to support decision making to improve patient care.
F. Assign nursing care to LVNs or unlicensed personnel based upon an analysis of patient or unit need.
G. Supervise nursing care provided by others for whom the nurse is responsible.