In support of the mission of the college, the nursing faculty believe that baccalaureate nursing
education should be accessible, affordable and of high quality, keeping the learner at the center of
decision making in the context of a dynamic, global community. We believe this educational process
enhances and expands the essential knowledge, values and professional behaviors expected of the
baccalaureate nursing graduate. This program allows the School of Nursing to provide a broader, more
complex level of education for the technical nurse in the community.
The faculty believes that human beings influence, and are influenced by the changing world in which
they live. The unique experiences of life impacts or assists people to develop as individuals equipped
with the capacity to love, value, care, nurture, learn, and creatively respond to situations.
Human beings exercise choices, adapt to the environment, and have the capacity for self-actualization.
Human beings are actual or potential recipients of nursing care, and may be within families, local or
global communities. The faculty believes that human beings are held together by common bonds, and
recognize the diversity of cultural goals and values within the global community.
Nursing is viewed as a practice discipline encompassing both art and science. The faculty values
universal access to health care. We believe that the profession of nursing is an integral part of the
health care systems that makes provisions for effective utilization of human, scientific, technological,
and economic resources in the delivery of health care.
Nurses intervene with persons across the life span through primary, secondary and tertiary prevention
and restoration behaviors. Nurses use the tools of communication, caring, research, critical thinking,
and professionalism to promote health, and prevent disease in people and their environment. Nurses
care for people across the lifespan in various stages of illness. The increasing complexity of the health
care system requires that nursing assume responsibility for assuring that the values of caring and
concern for human beings have primacy in the decision-making process using all available scientific
and technological resources. Nurses use a scientific, goal-directed, interpersonal process in assisting
individuals, families, local and global populations to achieve a valued health state.
The professional nurse, as a leader, must be willing to take risks and serve as a patient advocate to
create innovative, planned changes that contribute to the improvement of the quality of health care.
The professional nurse functions autonomously and in collaboration with other health care providers.
Accountability and quality of care are assessed in accord with individual and professional values,
published standards of care, and the profession’s Code of Ethics.
The baccalaureate learner is engaged in a continuous process of gathering, exchanging, synthesizing,
and managing information. Learning is the collaborative process of changing behavior through the
development of the cognitive, affective, and psychomotor abilities inherent in each individual. The
collaborative learning process is enhanced and facilitated when learners as well as faculty possess and
practice self-awareness, acceptance, understanding, and effective communication. The faculty
believes that the education of individuals for professional careers is dependent on the socialization
process in which faculty members model professional role behavior, and learners acquire the values,
knowledge, and behaviors necessary to function as professional practitioners of nursing.
Critical thinking, self-evaluation, and self-directed learning are regarded as essential components for
continual personal and professional development. The faculty believes that opportunities should be
provided for life-long learning. Nurses at the baccalaureate level engage in independent and
collaborative practice to improve and promote access to health services, and achieve high quality,
fiscally responsible outcomes.
The Bachelor degree graduate will possess the competencies that characterize a professional nurse,
including the knowledge, skills, and pre-requisites to be eligible to apply for post-baccalaureate
certificates, Master of Science (MSN) programs, and doctoral studies in nursing. Graduates will be
able to provide and manage the care for individuals, families, and local and global communities.
Graduates will be able to use creative leadership, their advanced knowledge and skills to improve the
health and well-being of individuals, families, and communities as well as promote quality health care
in a multi-cultural global environment.
EDUCATIONAL OUTCOMES:
Upon completion of the proposed RN-BSN degree, graduates will be expected to demonstrate
the following:
- Integration of theoretical and scientific knowledge from nursing and related disciplines to
provide quality, culturally competent healthcare to multi-cultural patients and communities
in our global environment. - Application of appropriate evidence-based findings to change and improve nursing practice.
- Analysis of theories and concepts from nursing and related disciplines in professional
nursing practice. - Analysis of ethical, legal, and socio-economic issues to develop unique nursing strategies to
improve healthcare delivery in a dynamic global community. - Utilization of professionalism, communication, interdisciplinary collaboration, and creative
leadership and management to enhance healthcare for diverse populations. - Integration of professional nursing knowledge, abilities and skills in the provision of
complex and unique nursing care to a variety of diverse populations. - A commitment to life-long learning to enhance critical thinking and professional values and
behaviors in professional nursing care.
MIAMI DADE COLLEGE
MEDICAL CENTER CAMPUS
SCHOOL OF NURSING
CURRICULUM FRAMEWORK
The Miami Dade College BSN conceptual framework is based on a systems theory approach. This
approach is supported by six core components, which guide individual course expectations and
program outcomes for the graduate. These core components are:
Professionalism
Critical Thinking
Communication
Globalization of Nursing Practice
Evidence-based Practice
Health Care Delivery Systems
The faculty believes that the baccalaureate student moves into an expanded role and scope of practice
reflected by the America Nurses Association Standards of Professional Performance which include
application of the nursing process plus quality of practice, education, professional practice evaluation,
collegiality, collaboration, ethics, research, resource utilization and leadership. These commonalities
are subsumed within the core components.
The nursing faculty believes that the world and nursing are ever changing, and that nursing continues
to be an ever-growing body of knowledge. Therefore, the faculty, as nursing professionals is open and
receptive to identifying those changes, adding to that body of knowledge, and modifying the
curriculum accordingly.
The faculty believe that commonalities of registered nursing practice identified by the National
Council of State Boards of Nursing are safe, effective care environment, psychosocial integrity,
physiologic integrity, and health promotion. These commonalities are subsumed within the core
components.
Nursing exists in a changing environment and curriculum requires the flexibility to adapt to the
environment. Local and national trends guide curriculum and nursing practice. The faculty of Miami
Dade College have pledged to identify these trends and practices and modify the curriculum as the
community, technology and environment change.
Bachelors of Science in Nursing Paradigm
DEFINITIONS OF CORE COMPONENTS
Building upon the Associate of Science Degree core components listed below we have incorporated definitions
of the Bachelors of Science Degree core components:
Professional Behaviors
Professional behaviors are the actions of the associate degree nurse that demonstrate a commitment to the
profession. These include adhering to legal and ethical standards of practice, demonstrating concern for others,
accepting responsibility for his or her own actions, and committing to professional development.
Communication
Communication requires the exchange of information through verbal and non-verbal means, in writing, and/or
through technology. All colleagues, members of the healthcare team, patients, families and significant others
may be involved in the communication process. Effective communication demonstrates sensitivity toward the
individual’s needs, background and beliefs. Using therapeutic communication techniques, the associate degree
nurse seeks to establish a trusting relationship to reach positive outcomes for the patient.
Assessment
Assessment is an orderly gathering of information about the patient’s health state. Through an analysis and
synthesis of the information, the associate degree nurse establishes a foundation for the provision of care.
Assessment includes objective and subjective data obtained from multiple sources and includes physical,
cognitive, psychosocial, and functional information. Assessment is ongoing to identify the patient’s response to
changes in the health state, the environment, and interventions.
Clinical Decision Making
Clinical decision-making requires the associate degree nurse to use critical thinking to perform assessments,
analyze and synthesize information, and formulate clinical judgments. The associate degree nurse uses evidencebased practice to individualize safe, effective care.
Caring Interventions
Caring interventions are protective, nurturing, compassionate and person-centered. The associate degree nurse
uses knowledge of the physical and behavioral sciences, nursing theory and research, and nursing experiences to
create an environment of hope and trust. Patient choices related to cultural values, beliefs, and life-style are
respected.
Teaching and Learning
Teaching provides the patient with the information needed to make informed decisions and participate in selfcare, with the intent of producing positive outcomes. Teaching and learning requires collaboration between the
nurse and the patient and/or family member or significant other. The associate degree nurse develops and
implements a teaching plan based on an assessment of needs. The associate degree nurse teaches assistive
personnel to carry out those tasks within their scope of practice that are delegated to them.
Collaboration
Collaboration is participation of the associate degree nurse with others in the shared planning, decision-making,
problem solving and goal setting to accomplish positive outcomes. The nurse interacts creatively and
cooperatively with others to achieve patient and organizational outcomes that are fair and balance the needs,
values, and purposes of all parties.
Managing Care
Managing care is the efficient use of human, physical, financial, and technological resources to meet patient
needs and support organizational outcomes. The associate degree nurse determines the priority of patient care,
coordinates continuity of care, delegates care to qualified assistive personnel, implements cost efficient care and
maintains competence with current treatment modalities and technologies.
DEFINITIONS OF BSN CORE COMPONENTS
Globalization of nursing practice – The baccalaureate nurse provides culturally competent and
sensitive care to individuals, families, local, and global communities through the process of
collaboration. The baccalaureate nurse addresses issues affecting nursing practice worldwide, utilizing
knowledge of the concepts of culture, cultural competence and brokerage, community, and
international health goals.
Critical Thinking is the intellectually disciplined process of actively and skillfully conceptualizing,
applying, analyzing, synthesizing, and/or evaluating information gathered from, or generated by,
observation, experience, reflection, reasoning, or communication, as a guide to belief and action. The
baccalaureate nurse will demonstrate professional commitment using appropriate clinical judgment
and decision-making skills using scientific and moral thinking.
Evidence-based practice is nursing activity supported by research findings and/or demonstrated as
being effective through a critical examination of current and past practices. The baccalaureate nurse
utilizes basic knowledge and concepts of nursing research steps and processes in quantitative and
qualitative research. The baccalaureate nurse critiques research to determine the usefulness and
appropriate application of research findings to improve nursing practice.
Communication is the process that allows people to exchange information by one or several methods,
these behaviors include speaking, writing, computer literacy, and health education in a culturally
competent manner. The baccalaureate nurse will communicate effectively and demonstrate
competence in information technology.
Professionalism is the skill, competence, or standards expected of a member of a profession. The
baccalaureate nurse will adhere to professional nursing practice and performance standards when
caring for individuals, families, local and global communities. The baccalaureate nurse will
demonstrate knowledge of professional nursing practice and performance standards including
behaviors, legal issues, ethics, values, accountability and their application in practice.
Health care delivery systems are the practice arenas in which the baccalaureate nurse provides and
promotes access to health care services to individuals, families, local and global communities. The
baccalaureate nurse demonstrates knowledge of selected delivery systems, health policies, and finance
when negotiating health care for selected populations.
Upon completion of the proposed RN-BSN degree, graduates will be expected to demonstrate
the following:
- Integration of theoretical and scientific knowledge from nursing and related disciplines to
provide quality, culturally competent healthcare to multi-cultural patients and communities
in our global environment. - Application of appropriate evidence-based findings to change and improve nursing practice.
- Analysis of theories and concepts from nursing and related disciplines in professional
nursing practice. - Analysis of ethical, legal, and socio-economic issues to develop unique nursing strategies to
improve healthcare delivery in a dynamic global community. - Utilization of professionalism, communication, interdisciplinary collaboration, and creative
leadership and management to enhance healthcare for diverse populations. - Integration of professional nursing knowledge, abilities and skills in the provision of
complex and unique nursing care to a variety of diverse populations. - A commitment to life-long learning to enhance critical thinking and professional values and
behaviors in professional nursing care.
Sample Solution
