Pikeville College - Academic Affairs

Division of Nursing faculty believe:

Every Person ...

• has infinite worth and is endowed with unique characteristics and abilities.

• is a holistic being with biological, psychological, social, spiritual and cultural needs.

• is characterized by complexity, creativity and varying capacities to function in society.

• is continually interacting with, and adapting to, constantly changing internal and external environments.

• has the right of self-determination within his/her capabilities.

• must accept responsibility for his/her own actions within his/her capabilities.

Environment/Society ...

• is a comprehensive social network composed of functional units which may be defined as individuals, families, groups and communities. These units possess structure, values, beliefs and expectations which influence roles and interactions.

• is influenced by nurses who, as members of the society in which they live, serve as role models of health, professionalism, citizenship and leadership.

Health ...

• is the ability to adapt to changes in the environment and to function at a maximal level of potential.

• is unique to each individual.

• of an individual, family, group or community is dynamic and has the potential for movement along a continuum from high-level wellness to death.

Nursing ...

• is both an art and a science whose base of knowledge is dynamically shaped through research and technology to meet the health needs of society.

• is a caring profession which is concerned with assisting individuals, families, groups and communities to achieve an optimal state of health, an optimal level of functioning or a dignified death.

• assists clients in attaining an optimal level of health by responding to the needs, conditions or events that result from actual or potential health problems across the lifespan (American Nurses Association, 1981).

• encompasses the concepts of person, environment, health and nursing care.

• utilizes the nursing process as a basis for critical thinking and decision making consistent with standards for practice.

• has legal and ethical boundaries consistent with the scope of nursing practice.

Education ...

• is a lifelong process; is the responsibility of the individual; and allows for self-direction, responsibility and accountability within a supportive environment for learning.

• is a process of learner/educator collaboration that provides guidance, criteria, standards and information as needed to create a supportive environment for learning.

• emphasizes communication, leadership, quantitative skills, exploration of insights, critical thinking and the ability to find answers appropriate to the situation.

• stresses tolerance of diverse points of view, cultural and historical awareness and an understanding of the legal, ethical and moral dimensions of all endeavors within the College, and within service to the community.

• recognizes that because the individual learner has unique needs, capabilities and learning styles, the learning process is dynamic, individualized and promotes personal and professional growth in ways that are unique for each person.

• builds upon prior learning and is best accomplished when experiences are planned to progress from the known to the unknown and/or from the simple to the complex.