philosophy
In keeping with the role and mission, and the philosophy statement of The University of Texas at Brownsville and Texas Southmost College, we, the faculty of the Associate Degree Nursing Program, believe that:
Education is an interactive process involving teaching, learning and critical thinking. The faculty believes that learning is a dynamic life-long process of change in which the learner acquires knowledge, skills and attitudes by means of study, practice and experience. The faculty further believes that the teaching-learning process is based on adult learning principles that include collaborative problem solving bi-directional relationship between the learner and instructor that empowers the student to cope with change and assume the responsibility for his/her own learning. Implicit within the educational process is the need for formative and summative evaluation of outcomes.
Nursing education is a curriculum driven program of learning activities designed by the faculty through which the nursing student acquires the cognitive, affective, psycho-motor, and critical thinking/ problem solving skills necessary to perform safe nursing care in a variety of structured health care settings. The emphasis of the curriculum is the interrelationship between the nurse’s caring role as a provider, coordinator and member of the profession and the scientific knowledge needed to carry out that role. The faculty believe that nursing education is an eclectic set of organizing ideas that incorporates nursing theories and educational theories, which have a foundation in the natural, social, humanistic, and behavioral sciences with a major emphasis on critical thinking, communication, therapeutic interventions, caring, cultural diversity and ethical behavior. The learning experiences are designed, implemented and evaluated by the faculty in order to prepare the graduates to function in acute care and long-term care, as well as in community-based health care settings. In keeping with the educational, professional, ethical and legal standards of nursing, the faculty believes that nurses must have the flexibility to function in various health care systems while remaining sensitive to clients/families who are culturally, racially and ethnically diverse.
The faculty believes that health is a condition of physical, mental, and social well-being, and the absence of disease or other abnormal condition. Health is not a static condition; it is constant change and adaptation to stress resulting in homeostasis. Further, the faculty believes that clients are biological, psychological, social, cultural and spiritual beings who have basic human needs and unique characteristics; the various components of the individual interact throughout the life span. The clients/families strive to change and adapt in order to maintain homeostasis through continual interactions between the internal and external environments as they progress through the life span. The response to this dynamic interaction is what determines the clients’ status on the wellness-illness continuum and will dictate the focus of the nurses’ interaction with the clients. Client centered nursing care must incorporate the beliefs, practices and behaviors of the clients and their families.
The faculty believes that nursing is an art and a science that provides service based on research and education. Nursing is the diagnosis and treatment of human responses to actual or potential health problems within established legal and ethical parameters. Caring is reflected in the nurses’ response to the needs of the clients and their families. Nursing practice is based on the nursing process, which requires assessment, critical thinking, decision-making, implementation and evaluation. The nurse in his/her role as provider, coordinator of care and member of the profession focuses on health promotion, disease prevention, health restoration, health maintenance, and client advocacy. Nursing practice collaborates with the health care team to coordinate human, material and technical resources in providing quality care for a group of clients and their families in a variety of structured health care settings.
The faculty believes that the education of nurses for practice within the profession implies a dedication and commitment to inculcate and maintain the standards established by the profession.