University of Maine at Augusta

Nursing Programs Offered

ADN Program Details

The Associate of Science in Nursing program prepares the graduate to enter the health care delivery system at the beginning practitioner level. The graduate is prepared to practice in a structured health care setting. Nursing is a health care profession with a goal of assisting clients to achieve a level of wellness through a holistic approach. Nursing actions are based on a body of knowledge which integrates theory from the arts, sciences, and nursing. Nursing process and basic human needs provide the framework for nursing practice. Graduates from this program will have:

Professional Behaviors:

-demonstrate professional behaviors of nursing practice including assuming responsibility for his/her own actions, practicing nursing within legal and ethical standards, acting as a client advocate, and maintaining professional boundaries in the nurse-client relationship
-assume responsibility for personal and professional growth

Communication:

-establish, maintain, and use therapeutic skills to promote effective communication with individuals and groups
-document client assessment data and nursing actions accurately with minimal assistance
-communicate relevant, accurate, and complete information, written and verbal, in a concise and clear manner

Assessment:

-assess the client's health by completing a health history and performing a physical, cognitive, psycho-social and functional assessment including the impact of developmental, cultural, and spiritual influences
-assess the client's changing health and responses to interventions

Clinical Decision Making:

-make clinical judgments to ensure safe and competent care
-apply all four components of the nursing process, at a beginning practitioner level, to provide care to clients across the life span experiencing common recurring health problems
-formulate an individual plan of care based on assessment data
-evaluate and modify care plan based on ongoing assessment
-evaluate the effectiveness of care in meeting client outcomes

Caring Interventions:

-demonstrate caring behaviors toward the client, significant support persons, peers and other members of the healthcare team
-identify and honor the emotional, cultural, and spiritual influences on the client's health

Teaching and Learning:

-develop, implement and modify teaching plans for clients based on assessment data and identified learning needs
-modify the teaching plan based on evaluation of progress toward identified learning outcomes

Collaboration:

-collaborate with other health care professionals and seek assistance from those with more education and/or experience to achieve optimal client outcomes

Managing Care:

-coordinate the implementation of care plans for clients and significant support personnel
-provide nursing care to multiple clients, prioritizing care effectively
-supervise and evaluate the activities of assistive personnel
-facilitate continuity of care across health care settings
-delegate appropriate aspects of client care to qualified assistive personnel, providing effective feedback, supervision and evaluation