Associate of Science Degree in Nursing

Mission

The mission and purpose of the Nursing Program fits in well with the College Mission to provide quality, student-centered educational services to Marshallese people who desire access to a postsecondary education and to fulfill the need for well trained nurses in the country.  The staff and faculty of the nursing program are committed to ensuring that students are able to demonstrate the theoretical basis of nursing and able to practice safely in the clinic settings and that students become proficient in the arts and science of nursing.  With this in mind, the curriculum is reviewed periodically for relevancy in meeting the need for quality nursing education.  Changes in the curriculum are made to better prepare students to meet nursing standards of practice in the RMI and elsewhere in the region as they assume their beginning nursing roles.

Purpose of the Program and Content

The Department of Nursing & Allied Health at the College of the Marshall Islands prepares students to provide basic nursing care in the Marshall Islands and the Micronesia region. The curriculum offers an Associate of Science degree in Nursing and are crucial resources to improving health outcomes of a community.

In addition to nursing program requirements, students enrolled in the program, like all CMI majors, are required to complete general education courses that include English, Math, Science, Psychology, Social Issues, Technology, and Humanities.  Furthermore, students in the program are required to take several science courses which are key in understanding the human body and how alterations in the human anatomy and physiology manifest in diseases and disorders.  Students are expected to accumulate a total of 87 credits to fulfill nursing major requirements. Although this exceeds the usual standard for associate-level programs at the college, an increase was needed following review by external consultants and in order to meet the demands of the primary employer.

Program Learning Outcomes

  1. Evidence-based care: Use the nursing process to provide evidence-based nursing care in health promotion, disease prevention, and health restoration to clients, their families, and the community (ISLO 4).
  2. Ethics, Civic, Responsibility: Demonstrate civic, legal, ethical, and cultural responsibility as a professional nurse and citizen (ISLO2).
  3. Healthy Lifestyle: Apply decision making skills that lead to a healthy lifestyle (ISLO 5).
  4. Professional Development: Use available resources to develop and pursue personal and professional development (ISLO 1).
  5. Issues and Trends: Identify and address issues and trends that affect health care (ISLO 3)

Nursing Program Guide and Program Sheet – Effective Fall 2022

Pathway for Completion

Credit level students entering CMI will complete their nursing education in three years (6 semesters) if they are successful in each course and if they follow the course sequence.

Semester 1 Semester 2
CMI 101 – First Year Experience
ANAT 110 – Human Anatomy and Physiology I
ENG 111 – English Composition I
CHEM 101 – Chemistry
ENG 105 – Fundamentals of Speech
PSY 101 – Psychology
ICS 101 – Introduction to Microsoft Office
MATH 160 – Elementary Statistics
BIO 101 – Biology
Humanities Elective
Semester 3
Semester 4
ANAT 210 – Human Anatomy & Physiology II
NURS 122 – Nursing of Adults I
NURS 113 – Pharmacology
NURS 235 – Family Health Nursing I
AH 114 – Nutrition
PSY 201 – Human Growth & Development Humanities
NURS 110 – Fundamentals of Nursing
NURS 120 – Pathophysiology
SCI 215 – Microbiology
Semester 5
NURS 222 – Nursing of Adults II
NURS 256 – Community and Mental Health Nursing
NURS 245: Family Health Nursing II
NURS 260 – Senior Nursing Seminar

Courses Offered

Allied Health (AH)
3 Credits
AH 114 – Nutrition

Prerequisite:
C or better in ENG 101

Presents basic nutrition concepts and their application in planning nutritional meals for persons of various age groups. Consideration is given to physiological, economic, psychological, geographic, and cultural factors of food acceptance and availability. Special and therapeutic diets and their rationale are studied.

Course Outline - AH 114
Nursing (NURS)
4 Credits
NURS 110 – Fundamentals of Nursing

Prerequisites:
SCI 210 or concurrent with SCI 210

Introduces students to the conceptual framework of nursing practice.  Provides skills needed in performing basic therapeutic interventions for individuals with common health alterations.  Obtains nursing skills  provided by demonstration and simulation in the nursing labs and in the clinic practice setting.

Course Outline - NURS 110
3 Credits
NURS 113 – Pharmacology

Prerequisite:
SCI 210 or concurrent with SCI 210

Introduction to pharmacological agents, their sources, actions, uses, side effects, and metabolism within the body. Reviews system of measurement and dosage calculation. Includes nursing actions relative to safe drug administration and control.

Course Outline - NURS 113
5 Credits
NURS 122 – Nursing of Adults I

Prerequisite:
“C” or better in NURS 110

Focuses on nursing care of hospitalized young and middle-aged adults in the acute and perioperative health care settings. Includes normal and pathological functions of body systems and structures.  Emphasizes care of acute, non-critical conditions in young adults.  Includes classroom instruction and clinical practicum.

Course Outline - NURS 122
5 Credits
NURS 222 – Nursing of Adults II

Prerequisite:
C or better in NURS 122

Examines the care of adults, primarily the elderly, the critically ill, and those with compromised self-care ability. Focuses on the changes of aging and diseases and the management of persons experiencing loss of one or more bodily functions. Introduces students to key components of rehabilitation nursing  including the care and treatment of persons with maladaptive psychosocial behavior.

Course Outline - NURS 222
5 Credits
NURS 235 – Family Health

Prerequisite:
“C” or better in NURS 110

Focus on family centered care of the pregnant woman from conception to delivery and the care of the child from neonate to adolescent. Includes the care of the high-risk mothers, infants and children with emphasis on the Micronesian culture. Reviews growth and developmental theories as a basis for care during health and illness.

Course Outline - NURS 235
5 Credits
NURS 256 – Community and Mental Health Nursing

Prerequisite:
“C” or better in NURS 122

Examines nursing care directed toward clients of all ages in a wide variety of settings. Includes health education, maintenance, restoration, coordination, management, and evaluation of care of individuals, families, and aggregates, including communities. Explores the theories of personality, human interaction and communication, normal and abnormal psychosocial adaptation, and the care and treatment of persons with maladaptive psychosocial behavior.

Course Outline - NURS 256
3 Credits
NURS 260 – Senior Nursing Seminar

Prerequisite:
NURS 122

Discusses specific nursing care and issues in greater depth. Integrates the nursing process in case study reviews focusing on the disease process. Introduces the nursing management process, trends, and issues in nursing.

Course Outline - NURS 260