The Butler Community College nursing graduate will be able to:

1. Demonstrate clinical competence while caring for developing individuals and groups with divergent health states in a variety of learning environments.

NLN Core Components and Competencies

Caring interventions are those nurse behaviors and nurse actions that assist the client to move toward a desired or positive outcome.
- Caring is working with the client to create an environment of hope and trust where the client's choices are respected.
- Nursing interventions are derived from scientific knowledge associated with the biophysical and behavioral sciences, nursing theory based on research and past nursing experience and are implemented within the legal and ethical framework of nursing and adheres to the standards of nursing practice.

Teaching/learning promotes and maintains health and reduces risks.
- Teaching encompasses the provision of health education to the client, decision, desired outcomes and self-care activities.
- Teaching involves assessment of learning needs and barriers and collaboration with the client, significant support persons and the health care team. Integral components of the process include the transmission of information, evaluation of the response to teaching and modification of care based on identified response.
- Learning involves the assimilation of information to expand knowledge and/or change behavior.

2. Incorporate critical thinking into clinical decision-making based on the Butler Community College educational model for nursing process.

NLN Core Components and Competencies

Critical thinking is the active, organized, cognitive process used to carefully examine one's thinking and the thinking of others (Chaffee,1994). Critical thinking is purposeful and self-regulatory judgment that results in interpretation, analysis, evaluation, and inference (Facione,1990). Critical thinking competencies are the cognitive processes a nurse uses to make judgments (Kataoka-Yahiro and Saylor, 1994). The specific critical thinking competency in nursing is the nursing process (Butler Nursing Faculty, 1999).

Clinical decision making encompasses performance of accurate assessments, the use of technology to access information, the analysis and integration of knowledge/data/information to:
- Make clinical management decisions.
- Find solutions
- Individualize care
- Assure the delivery of accurate and safe care, and
- Move clients and services toward desired outcomes

Outcome based practice provides the foundation and is necessary for appropriate clinical decision making.

3. Communicate and collaborate effectively within the health care system.

NLN Core Components and Competencies

Communication is a process by which there is an interchange of information that may occur verbally, non-verbally, in writing or through information technology. Included in this process are the nurse, client, significant support persons, members of the health team, and appropriate community agencies.
- The information exchanged and transmitted is clear, concise, accurate and complete. It is appropriate to the situation and the knowledge base of those involved.

Collaboration is accomplished through open communication with the client, significant support persons, community groups and other providers.
- Collaboration facilitates a holistic team approach to client centered care, across the continuum.
- Collaboration includes functioning as an advocate, liaison, coordinator and colleague as all health care providers work together to establish priorities and meet client needs and move the client towards positive outcomes.
- Collaboration requires consideration of available resources and services, client preferences, shared accountability and mutual valuing.

Managing care across the health care continuum is the coordination and direction of client-centered care for individuals and groups in any care setting.

Professional behavior is characterized by a commitment to the profession of nursing and accountability for competent practice.

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Last updated: Thursday, March 20, 2008