Previous IU South Bend Campus Bulletins

Students are ordinarily subject to the curricular requirements outlined in the Bulletin in effect at the start of their current degree. See below for links to previous Bulletins (PDF format).

Contact Us

If you are seeking further information, please contact individual departments. For problems accessing information on this website, please contact Teresa Sheppard.

Nursing | NURS

Students in the School of Nursing, IU South BendNursing | NURS

P Prerequisite | C Co-requisite | R Recommended
I Fall Semester | II Spring Semester | S Summer Session/s


  • NURS-B 105 Medical Terminology (1 cr.) Credit not awarded for NURS-B 105 and AHLT-R 185. This course covers medical terminology, symbols, and abbreviations and the application of this new language in the field of health care.  While terms are covered as they relate to body structure and function, the main focus is on medical vocabulary and being able to construct terms using word parts such as roots, suffixes, and prefixes. I, II, S
  • NURS-B 108 Personal Health and Wellness (2 cr.) Students will learn and apply a holistic approach to achieve an improved level of wellness.  Physical, psychological, social, intellectual, and environmental wellness will be explored. Both traditional western and alternative views of health will be presented. This course will help students evaluate their personal level of health, examine successful strategies for changing health behaviors, and develop a plan for improving health based upon personal health risk. The importance of a health care professional modeling health and wellness behaviors will be examined. I, II, S
  • NURS-B 109 Personal Health and Wellness (1 cr.) Students will learn and apply a holistic approach to achieve an improved level of wellness. Physical, psychological, social, intellectual, and environmental wellness will be explored. Both traditional western and alternative views of health will be presented. Content will be provided in an Online format which includes podcast lectures, student participation in Oncourse Forum discussions, and reading both Online and text. This course will help students evaluate their personal level of health, examine successful strategies for changing health behaviors, and develop a plan for improving health based upon personal health risk.
  • NURS-B 216 Pharmacology (2-3 cr.) P: PHYS-P 262. Provides students with a basic understanding of pharmacodynamics relevant to clinical nursing practice. Principles from the basic sciences to include a holistic perspective will be reinforced. The nurse's interdisciplinary role in drug administration and the need for continuous drug study are emphasized. I, II, S
  • NURS-B 231 Communication Skills for the Health Professionals (3 cr.) Students in this course will focus on basic communication skills essential for working with clients of various ages and health care professionals. Content includes interpersonal communications and group dynamics. Students will practice communication skills with individuals, within groups, and through electronic media.
  • NURS-B 232 Introduction to Discipline (2-3 cr.) P: Admission to B.S.N. degree program. This course focuses on core theoretical concepts of nursing practice: health, wellness, illness, wholism, caring, environment, self-care, uniqueness of persons, interpersonal relationships and decision-making. This course helps the student understand nursing's unique contribution to meeting societal needs through integrating theory, research and practice.
  • NURS-B 244 Comprehensive Health Assessment (2-3 cr.) P: PHSL-P 261, PHSL-P 262, PSY-P 103, SOC-S 161, or ANTH-E 105. C: NURS-B 245. This course focuses on helping students acquire skills to conduct a comprehensive health assessment, including the physical, psychological, social, functional, and environmental aspects of health. The process of data collection, interpretation, documentation, and dissemination of assessment data will be addressed. I, II.
  • NURS-B 245 Health Assessment: Practicum (1-2 cr.) P: NURS-B 244. Students will have the opportunity to use interview, observation, percussion, palpation, inspection and auscultation in assessing clients across the life span in simulated and actual environments. Taken concurrently with NURS-B 244. I, II.
  • NURS-B 248 Science and Technology of Nursing (2-4 cr.) P: PHSL-P 261, PHSL-P 262, MICR-M 250, MICR-M 255. C: NURS-B 249; P or C: NURS-B 245 This course focuses on the fundamentals of nursing from a theoretical research base. It provides an opportunity for basic care nursing skills development. Students will be challenged to use critical thinking and problem solving in developing the ability to apply an integrated nursing therapeutics approach for clients experiencing health alterations across the life-span. Taken concurrently with NURS-B 249. I, II
  • NURS-B 249 Science and Technology of Nursing Practicum (1-2 cr.) C: NURS-B 248. Students will have the opportunity to demonstrate fundamental nursing skills in the application of nursing care for clients across the lifespan. I, II
  • NURS-B 251 Fundamentals of Nursing Clinical (1 cr.) P: NURS-P 261, NURS-P 262, NURS-M 250, NURS-M 252. C: NURS-B 232, NURS-B 244, NURS-B 245, NURS-B 248, NURS-B 249 Students will have the opportunity to demonstrate fundamental nursing skills in a structural setting while safely caring for patients. Emphasis is also on basic professional communication skills and caring for the elderly. High fidelity simulations are introduced in this course. I, II
  • NURS-B 304 Health Policy (3 cr.) RN-BSN. Social, ethical, cultural, economic, and political issues that affect the delivery of health and nursing services globally are critically analyzed. Government and entrepreneurial interests are examined. Emphasis is placed on the impact of policy decisions on professional nursing practice and health services.
  • NURS-B 331 Transition to Baccalaureate Nursing Practice (3 cr.) RN-BSN. This course bridges the nurse to the essential elements of baccalaureate professional practice. Students examine inter and intra professional communication, collaboration, and teamwork to enhance quality patient care. Students explore nursing professional organizations, issues in professional practice, and the impact of lifelong learning on career development.
  • NURS-B 344 Comprehensive Nursing Health Assessment (3 cr.) RN-BSN. This course focuses on the complete health assessment, the nursing process, and its relationship to the prevention and early detection of diseases across the lifespan. Students learn the skills of interview, inspection/palpation, percussion, and auscultation in assessing clients across the lifespan and comparing normal from abnormal findings.
  • NURS-B 403 Gerontological Nursing (3 cr.) RN BSN This course promotes a holistic approach to persons in the later years of life.  Death and dying, legal and ethical issues, family care giving, and future challenges will be discussed in the context of best practices as outlined by the John A. Hartford foundation; Institute for Geriatric nursing.
  • NURS-B 404 Informatics (3 cr.) RN BSN This course addresses nursing informatics: state of the science and issues for research, development, and practice. It clarifies concepts of nursing, technology, and information management; and comprises theory, practice, and the social and ethical issues in nursing and health care informatics.
  • NURS-F 570 Advanced Health Assessment Across the Lifespan (3 cr.) This course enables students to develop advanced practice nursing skills in individual health assessment of infants, children, adults and aging people. In addition, students develop skills in family and community assessment. I
  • NURS-F 572 Primary Health Care Nursing-Children (2-3 cr.) This course prepares the graduate family nurse practitioner (FNP) student with a knowledge base for the following topics: Developmental and Functional Milestones, Health Maintenance and Screening, Risk Factor Assessment; and the following systems:  HEENOT, Respiratory, Cardiovascular, Dermatology/Infectious diseases/ GI and GU/renal, for clinical decision making for individuals and families across the lifespan. FNP roles include preventative healthcare and wellness education as well as the assessment, diagnosis and treatment of acute and chronic illnesses in a primary care setting.
  • NURS-F 574 Primary Health Care Nursing of Adults (2-3 cr.) This course enables students to develop a knowledge base for clinical decision-making in the assessment and provision of primary health care for adults and families. Topics include health promotion and maintenance, disease prevention, diagnosis and treatment of common acute and stable chronic illnesses in adults. II
  • NURS-F 576 Primary Health Care Nursing of Women (2-3 cr.) This course enables students to develop a knowledge base for clinical decision-making in assessment and provision of primary health care for women and families. Topics include health promotion/maintenance, disease prevention, diagnosis and treatment of common acute and chronic illnesses in women. S
  • NURS-F 578 Primary Health Care Nursing of Families (6 cr.) Enables the FNP student to develop a practice base for clinical decision making in the assessment and management of health care of families.  The course includes identification of health needs, nursing interventions for the prevention of illness, and health promotion. II
  • NURS-H 351 Alterations in Neuro-Psychological Health (3 cr.) P: SPCH-S 121 and all sophomore-level courses. C: NURS-H 352. This course focuses on individuals and small groups experiencing acute and chronic neuropsychological disorders. Content includes the effect of the brain-body disturbances on health functioning. Other content areas are growth and development, stress, mental status, nurse-client relationships, psychopharmacology, and nursing approaches for clients experiencing DSM-IV neuropsychological disorders. I, II
  • NURS-H 352 Alterations in Neuro-Psychological Health: The Practicum (2 cr.) C: NURS-H 351. Students will provide nursing care to individuals and small groups who are experiencing acute and chronic neuropsychological disturbances related to psychiatric disorders. Student experiences will be with individuals and small groups in supervised settings such as acute care; community-based, transitional, and/or the home.  I, II
  • NURS-H 353 Alterations in Health I (3 cr.) P: SPCH-S 121 and all sophomore-level courses. C: NURS-H 354. This course focuses on the pathophysiology and holistic nursing care management of clients experiencing acute and chronic problems. Students will use critical thinking and problem-solving skills to plan interventions appropriate to health care needs. I, II, S
  • NURS-H 354 Alterations in Health I: Practicum (2 cr.) C: NURS-H 353. Students will apply the science and technology of nursing to perform all independent, dependent and interdependent care functions. Students will engage clients in a variety of settings to address alterations in health functioning, identify health care needs and determine the effectiveness of interventions given expected care outcomes. I, II, S
  • NURS-H 355 Data Analysis/Practice and Research (3 cr.) P: MATH-M 107 or ALEKS Score of 51-60. This course introduces nursing and other health sciences students to the basic concepts and techniques of data analysis needed in professional health care practice. Principles of measurement, data summarization, and unvariate and bivariate statistics are examined. Differences in types of qualitative data and methods by which these types of data can be interpreted are also explored. Emphasis is placed on the application of fundamental concepts to real world situation in client care.
  • NURS-H 361 Alterations in Health II (3 cr.) P: NURS-H 353, NURS-H 354, all sophomore-level courses. C: NURS-H 362. This course builds on alterations in Health I and continues to focus on pathophysiology and holistic nursing care management of clients experiencing acute and chronic health problems and their associated needs. I, II
  • NURS-H 362 Alterations in Health II: Practicum (2 cr.) C: NURS-H 361. Students will continue to apply the science and technology of nursing to perform all independent, dependent and interdependent care functions. Students will engage clients in a variety of settings to address alterations in health functioning. I, II
  • NURS-H 365 Nursing Research (2-3 cr.) RN-BSN. P: HSC-H 322, NURS-H 353, NURS-H 354, and statistics (HSC-H 322, MATH-K 300, NURS-H 355, PSY-P 354, or SOC-S 351. This course focuses on development of students' skills in using the research process to define clinical research problems and to determine the usefulness of research in clinical decisions related to practice. The critique of nursing and nursing related research studies will be emphasized in identifying applicability to nursing practice. I, II
  • NURS-H 366 Nursing Care of Children and Their Families (3 cr.) P: NURS-H 351, NURS-H 352, NURS-H 353, NURS-H 354. C: NURS-H 361, NURS-H 362, NURS-H 367, NURS-H 368, NURS-H 369. This course presents theory and knowledge related to the nursing care of children (ages birth through adolescence) and their families. Emphasis is placed on health promotion in relation to child development as well as common alterations to health experienced by children in the United States.
  • NURS-H 367 Nursing Care of Children and Their Families: Clinical (1-2 cr.) P: NURS-H 351, NURS-H 352, NURS-H 353, NURS-H 354. C: NURS-H 361, NURS-H 362, NURS-H 366, NURS-H 368, NURS-H 369. Application of theory and knowledge to family centered nursing care of children and their families. Emphasis is on care in acute care settings and assisting the child to achieve optimal health.
  • NURS-H 368 Nursing Care of Childbearing Families (2 cr.) P: NURS-H 351, NURS-H 352, NURS-H 353, NURS-H 354. C: NURS-H 361, NURS-H 362, NURS-H 366, NURS-H 367, NURS-H 369. This course focuses on family centered nursing care of childbearing women and newborns. It includes an overview of various health issues related to the female from puberty to menopause, pregnancy care, labor and birth, and postpartum care (normal and complicated pregnancies) as well as health issues of newborns.
  • NURS-H 369 Nursing Care of Childbearing Families: Clinical (1-2 cr.) P: NURS-H 351, NURS-H 352, NURS-H 353, NURS-H 354. C: NURS-H 361, NURS-H 362, NURS-H 366, NURS-H 367, NURS-H 368. Clinical component of nursing care for the pregnant, labor, and birthing woman and newborn with focus on family centered care. I, II
  • NURS-K 192 Topics in Nursing (.5-3 cr.) Topics and seminars covering current nursing subjects including pharmacology, informatics, leaderships, clinical updates and skills. Topics and credits vary. May be repeated for credit if topic differs.
  • NURS-K 220 Clinical Skills Overview (1-2 cr.) P: Sophomore level classes. Nursing students out of sequence in the clinical program will review and update nursing knowledge and skills to safely return to clinical practice. Assessment skills, fundamental skills, and drug dosage calculations will be reviewed, practiced and validated. The course will be tailored to individual needs of the student. May be repeated for up to 2 credits.
  • NURS-K 300 Transcultural Health Care (3 cr.) This course allows students to explore how culture affects health care decision making and how the health care system integrates culture in its delivery of care.
  • NURS-K 301 Complementary Health Therapies (3 cr.) Core Course for Complementary Health Minor. This course is designed to introduce the student to non-mainstream health care therapies.  The course will serve as an introduction to a variety of therapies, including healing touch, guided imagery, hypnosis, acupuncture, aromatherapy, reflexology and massage, to name a few.
  • NURS-K 304 Nursing Special Elective (3 cr.) RN-BSN. This course allows the RN-BSN student to apply nationally recognized specialty nursing knowledge and skills to the BSN degree, through authentication for course credit. National specialty standards will be used to determine eligibility for course credit.
  • NURS-K 305 New Innovations in Health and Health Care (3 cr.) RN-BSN. This course explores emergent trends in health and health care, including technological advances in health care, developing approaches to care based on new knowledge and/or research findings, and trends in health care delivery in a themed, survey, or independent study format.
  • NURS-K 401 Integrative Health (3 cr.) This course focuses on the integration of complementary health care with the traditional western medicine approach to disease and illness. Complementary therapies will be critically examined in light of their ability to alleviate pain and suffering and improve quality of life in a variety of disease and illness states.
  • NURS-K 414 Chinese Medicine in the Western World (4 cr.) A look at the philosophies and practical application of acupuncture and other eastern medical approaches as they are currently used in clinical settings. This class compares and contrasts the eastern and western medical approaches and discusses how they can be used simultaneously. An overview of how to arrive at an Oriental Diagnosis. An analysis of point location and specific point determinations.
  • NURS-K 490 Clinical Nursing Elective (1-6 cr.) P: Consent of instructor. S/F grading only. Planned and supervised clinical experiences in an area of concentration.
  • NURS-K 492 Nursing Elective (1-6 cr.) P: FINA-S 392 and consent of instructor. Opportunity for the student to pursue study in an area of interest.
  • NURS-K 499 Genetics and Genomics (3 cr.) RN-BSN. The course introduces a basic knowledge of genetics in health care, including genetic variation and inheritance; ethical, legal, and social issues in genetic health care; genetic therapeutics; nursing roles; genetic basis of selected alterations to health across the life span; and cultural considerations in genetic health care are all considered.
  • NURS-N 502 Theory I (3 cr.) The focus of this course is on evaluating the factors and issues influencing the development of theory in nursing. Theoretical terminology and criteria for the evaluation of theories are examined. Linkages applied between theory, practice, and research are explored. S
  • NURS-N 504 Leadership for Advanced Nursing Practice (3 cr.) Course addresses core competencies as leadership, role, health care economics, policy, and the law and ethics that are essential to all advanced nursing practice roles and health care in complex systems. S
  • NURS-P 345 Pharmacology for Professional Nursing Practice (3 cr.) RN-BSN. This course focuses on principles of pharmacology for professional nursing practice. It includes the pharmacologic properties of major drug classes and individual drugs, with an emphasis on the clinical application of drug therapy through the nursing process.
  • NURS-R 375 Nursing Research and Evidence-Based Practice (3 cr.) P: HSC-H 322, MATH-K 300, NURS-H 355, PSY-P 354, SOC-S 351, or equivalent. This course focuses on nursing research and evidence-based practice. Students develop skills in retrieving and appraising literature relevant to clinical problems, understanding the research process, and critiquing evidence from research publications and other sources to inform evidence-based nursing practice. I, II, S
  • NURS-R 470 Clinical Baccalaureate Nursing Capstone (3 cr.) RN-BSN. This course allows students to synthesize knowledge and skills learned in the baccalaureate program and to demonstrate competencies consistent with program outcomes and to refine their nursing practice skills. Students will plan and organize learning experiences, design a project, and practice professional nursing in a safe and effective manner.
  • NURS-R 500 Nursing Research Methods I (3 cr.) This course provides a survey of research in nursing with a focus on evaluating nursing research for usability in practice. II
  • NURS-R 505 Measurement and Data Analysis (3 cr.) Principles and applications of scientific measurement, data summarization, inferential statistics, and practical derivations of the general linear model. Considers the research purpose and the phenomenon under study as determinants of measurement techniques and data analysis. I, II, S
  • NURS-R 590 Scholarly Project (1-3 cr.) P: NURS-R 500. A guided experience in identifying a researchable nursing problem and in developing and implementing a research project. I
  • NURS-S 410 Emergency Preparedness and Disaster Response (3 cr.) This course focuses on the theoretical and practical perspectives of disaster response and emergency management for nursing professionals. Students will explore disaster/ emergency response preparedness, leadership principles, decision-making, and recovery training measures for health care providers devoted to supporting community disaster resilience.
  • NURS-S 420 Care Coordination in Transitions of Care (3 cr.) Students will synthesize knowledge and skills relevant to care coordination to ensure smooth care transition. Students will develop an understanding of the role of the RN as a member of a interprofessional team, as well as options for the most appropriate care setting for an individual patient.
  • NURS-S 470 Restorative Health for Systems (3 cr.) P: All junior-level courses. C: NURS-S 471. This course focuses on the pathophysiology and nursing care management of clients experiencing multi-system alterations in health status. Correlations among complex system alterations and nursing interventions to maximize health potential are emphasized. I, II
  • NURS-S 471 Restorative Health: Practicum (2 cr.) P: NURS-S 470. The students will apply the nursing process to the care of clients experiencing actual multi-system alterations in health. I, II
  • NURS-S 472 A Multisystem Approach to the Health of the Community (3 cr.) P: All junior-level courses. C: NURS-S 473. This course focuses on the complexity and diversity of groups or aggregates within communities and their corresponding health care needs. Through a community assessment of health trends, demographics, epidemiological data, and social/political issues in local and global communities, the student will be able to determine effective interventions for community-centered care. I, II
  • NURS-S 473 Health of the Community: Practicum (2 cr.) C: C: NURS-S 472. Students will have the opportunity to apply the concepts of community assessment, program planning, prevention and epidemiology to implement and evaluate interventions for community-centered care to groups or aggregates. Professional nursing will be practiced in collaboration with diverse groups within a community. I, II
  • NURS-S 474 Applied Health Care Ethics (3 cr.) RN-BSN. Building on the ANA Code of Ethics, this course explores the nurse's role in ethical clinical practice, academic work, health policy, and research conduct, focusing particularly on the advocacy role of the nurse. Common ethical problems are discussed and strategies for resolution are applied.
  • NURS-S 475 A Multisystem Approach to the Health of the Community: RNBSN (3 cr.) RN BSN Basic epidemiological principles and community health nursing models are applied in collaboration with diverse groups. Disease prevention strategies are applied to individuals and populations to promote health students apply the concepts of community assessment, disease prevention and health promotion to plan, implement, and evaluate interventions for populations in the community.
  • NURS-S 481 Nursing Management (2-3 cr.) P: All first semester senior-level courses and all general education requirements except one 3 credit hour course. C: NURS-S 482. This course focuses on the development of management skills assumed by professional nurses, including delegation, networking, facilitating groups, conflict resolution, leadership and collaboration.  Concepts addressed include patient safety, clinical judgment, complexity, change, managing quality and performance, workplace diversity, budgeting/resource allocation, delivery systems, and informatics application for today's nurse. I, II
  • NURS-S 482 Nursing Management: Practicum (2-3 cr.) C: NURS-S 481. Students will have the opportunity to apply professional management skills in a variety of nursing leadership roles. I, II
  • NURS-S 483 Clinical Nursing Practice Capstone (3 cr.) P: All first semester senior-level courses and all general education requirements except one 3 credit hour course. C: NURS-S 482. Students will have the opportunity to demonstrate competencies consistent with program outcomes and to refine their nursing care practice skills. Students will collaborate with faculty and a preceptor in choosing a care setting, planning and organizing a learning experience, and practicing professional nursing in a safe and effective manner. I, II
  • NURS-S 485 Professional Growth and Empowerment (2-3 cr.) P: All junior-level courses. This course focuses on issues related to professional practice, career planning, personal goal setting, and empowerment of self and others. Students will discuss factors related to job performance, performance expectations and evaluation, realty orientation, and commitment to life-long learning. I, II
  • NURS-S 487 Nursing Management: RN-BSN (3 cr.) RN-BSN. This course focuses on development of management skills assumed by professional nurses, including delegation of responsibilities, networking, and facilitation of groups, conflict resolution, leadership, case management, and collaboration. Concepts addressed include organizational structure, delivers systems, change, managing quality and performance, budgeting and resource allocation, staffing, scheduling, evaluation and career development.
  • NURS-W 221 Native Use of Herbs (1 cr.) A field experience course on native uses of herbs with required readings and hands-on work with plants.
  • NURS-Y 515 Advanced Pathophysiology Across the Lifespan (2-3 cr.) This course teaches students advanced principles of human physiology and pathophysiology across the lifespan.  It explores the physiological manifestation and clinical presentation of disease processes in preparation for advanced nursing practice. Graduate students learn to differentiate between normal and abnormal human physiology and the clinical data necessary to identify abnormal pathogenesis and disease processes. II
  • NURS-Y 535 Dynamics of Family Healthcare (3 cr.) Provides students with opportunities to study families within the community context. Consideration is given to theories of family functioning and roles in family health care, using family assessment tools and other nursing intervention strategies. S
  • NURS-Y 612 Advanced Pharmacology Across the Lifespan (3 cr.) This course prepares graduate students to understand the principles of advanced pharmacology across the lifespan as it relates to advanced nursing practice. II
  • NURS-Y 620 Advanced Primary Care and Office Management Procedures (3 cr.) This course introduces students to advanced practice concepts and procedures related to the care of clients in the primary care setting. In addition, students are introduced to documentation and professional relationship building skills necessary for advanced practice nurses (APNS) in the primary care setting. S
  • NURS-Z 490 Clinical Experience in Nursing (1-6 cr.) P: Consent of instructor. S/F grading only. Planned and supervised clinical experiences in the area of the student’s major interest.
  • NURS-Z 492 Individual Study in Nursing (.5-6 cr.) P: Consent of instructor. Opportunity for the nurse to pursue independent study of topics in nursing under the guidance of a selected faculty member.

Academic Bulletins

PDF Version

Click here for the PDF version.