Course Name: NUR 225: Issues in Aging
Instructor: Jody Rawlings, Assistant Professor of Nursing
This assignment wasn't so much about our knowledge of the nursing material, but more so about who we are as people. It was nice to have that separation between chasing a grade to become a nurse and who you are as a future nurse.”
Course Description: This course focuses on current issues in aging to promote competence in caring for the older adult in accordance with established standards for Gerontological nursing practice.
Instructor Commentary: Students are required to create a self-reflective garden drawing that represents their personal characteristics. In addition, they must write a summary of how this garden might assist older adults with different sensory impairments. It also helps nursing students see the therapeutic effects of art.
Student Commentary: “I enjoyed the class because it allowed us as students to see some of the challenges that people face as they age. The majority of us in the class were 18-21 years old so it can be hard for us to imagine what it's like as we age. As far as the creative drawing assignment, it allowed me to reflect on who I am as a person and how that will contribute to my career as a nurse. In nursing, and any major for that matter, we often get so caught up in focusing on passing tests and getting the grades to move on to the next level. This assignment wasn't so much about our knowledge of the nursing material, but more so about who we are as people. It was nice to have that separation between chasing a grade to become a nurse and who you are as a future nurse.” – Brandon Donley, junior nursing major
“I very much enjoyed the project of the self-reflective garden that we did in Issues in Aging. As a sophomore nursing student, you're just starting to begin thinking of the kind of nurse that you want to grow into being. It's an assignment that allows you to explore those thoughts, all while being creative and allowing yourself to take a break from studying and working on the more structured assignments of all the other classes. I still have mine hanging above my desk, and it serves as a little reminder for my goals in nursing school and as a professional in the field one day!” - Amanda Schardt, 2nd degree nursing major
Creative drawings that students created during the course
Department of Nursing
As a student in the Department of Nursing, you'll be well-rounded and capable of providing ethical and scientific care-giving with multi-cultural patients, experiencing diverse health concerns, in a variety of health care settings.
The undergraduate nursing program offers a curriculum sequence for students wishing to pursue a career in professional nursing. Additionally, curriculum sequences are provided for the Licensed Practical Nurse, the RN seeking a BSN degree, and the individual with a degree who is interested in obtaining a BSN as a second degree.
