Evening and Weekend Option

Program of Study

Course Descriptions

Curriculum Plan

Introduction to Program Offerings at AMH Dixon School of Nursing
The Dixon School of Nursing offers two full-time RN diploma programs. Applicants may apply for enrollment in the full-time Day or full-time Evening/Weekend options. The Day option is a Monday through Friday (7:00 AM –3:30PM) commitment beginning in late August through May. The Evening/Weekend option is a Tuesday and Thursday (5:00PM – 10:00PM) with scheduled weekends (7:00AM – 5:30 PM) to include a clinical look up the Friday prior to clinical. The Evening/Weekend option commitment begins in late August and runs continuously throughout the year with a week break between terms.Click here for information specific to the Day option.

Our programs begin once a year in the Fall (late August). All application materials must be submitted on or before January 15th of the year the applicant plans to enter for regular decision. You must specifiy on your application for which program you are applying. You may not switch options once you are accepted.

Program of Study
Abington Memorial Hospital Dixon School of Nursing offers a strong clinically based course of study in preparation for an exciting career as a professional nurse. The program is planned over three academic years and is considered a full time program of study. After one year of college, of the student's choice, there are two years of nursing education, preparing the graduate for a rewarding career as a nurse in today's challenging healthcare system.

Nursing courses are presented at the School of Nursing by master's prepared nursing faculty with expertise in various areas of clinical practice. These current practitioners guide and direct students toward a high level of professional competence.

Abington Memorial Hospital Dixon School of Nursing uses various clinical facilities to provide students with diverse experiences in clinical practice. Abington Memorial Hospital offers experiences in medical-surgical, operating room, obstetrical and critical care nursing. Clinical experiences at affiliating agencies provide additional experiences in specialized nursing practice, including psychiatric, pediatric, community and oncology nursing.

Pre-requisite college courses may be completed on a part time basis and can be transferred from an accredited college. Download the college course reference sheet.

Students may elect to attend Manor College, Jenkintown, PA, leading to an A.S. Degree in Allied Health/Sciences from Manor and the Nursing Diploma from Abington Memorial Hospital Dixon School of Nursing.

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Course Descriptions

Nursing 100: Perspectives in Nursing
1 credit
N100 is a theoretical self-study course, which provides the student with an introduction to the healthcare system and the nursing profession. The student develops a beginning understanding of the role of the professional nurse, which includes health promotion, illness prevention, and health restoration. Teaching/ learning principles and responsibilities of the adult learner are discussed. Concepts which help the student to recognize the differences between therapeutic and non-therapeutic communication are presented. The student becomes familiar with the use of nursing and healthcare terminology and basic nursing math competency is developed.

Nursing 101: Foundations in Nursing
10 credits
N101 is a theoretical and clinical course, which provides the student with the foundations in the art and science of nursing practice with a focus on the adult patient. The nursing process is presented as the conceptual framework for nursing care. Fundamental nursing skills are presented in the classroom and reinforced in the simulation lab and clinical areas. This course introduces basic assessment skills. Students are guided in the development of therapeutic communication, problem solving as a basis for critical thinking and the professional role in a variety of settings. Principles of medication administration and teaching/learning are introduced along with concepts relative to the care of the adult patient and the patient undergoing surgery.

Nursing 201: Adult Medical-Surgical Nursing I
11 credits
N201 is a theoretical and clinical course, which applies the nursing process to patients with alterations in the normal functioning of the musculoskeletal, nervous, or gastrointestinal systems, or for a patient with cancer, diabetes mellitus or a surgical procedure. The clinical experiences are correlated with the theoretical content and include an observational experience in the operating room and post anesthesia care unit. Emphasis is placed on the development of critical thinking skills and on the nurse’s professional role in collaborative practice. Developing an understanding of the effects of cultural diversity in the care of the patient population is also a focus. The student uses the principles of teaching/learning to aid in health promotion for the adult patient.

Nursing 202: Adult Medical-Surgical Nursing II
11 credits
N202 is a theoretical and clinical course, which uses the nursing process to provide care to patients with alterations in the normal function of the endocrine, cardiovascular, respiratory, genitourinary and immune systems. Nursing care of the patient with chronic health problems is also included. The clinical experiences are correlated with the theoretical content, with planned experiences at a cancer research facility, telemetry unit, medical-surgical units, and a perioperative rotation. The students integrate current research into their nursing care. Emphasis is placed on the holistic assessment and care of the patient while working with the cultural diversity of the patient population. The student begins to develop critical thinking skills while planning and implementing the nursing care of the patients. The students plan teaching activities that incorporate the limitations imposed by the patient’s disease process.

Nursing 301: Nursing Care of the Family
12 credits
N301 is designed to provide correlation between the theoretical knowledge and clinical practice of nursing related to the development of the family. The family is analyzed for their response to physiological and developmental processes from conception through young adulthood. Emphasis is placed on fostering the student’s application of critical thinking skills, caring behaviors, and the application of nursing research. Concepts of nutrition, pharmacology, legal/ethical and mental health are integrated throughout the course.

Nursing 302: Psychiatric/Mental Health & Community Nursing
12 credits
N302 is a theoretical and clinical course in which emphasis is placed on the adult patient in psychiatric and community healthcare facilities. Theoretical content presented includes basic and advanced concepts in psychiatric/mental health nursing, the function of community health care, gerontology and collective community concerns. Clinical experience is obtained through use of acute and chronic facilities for mental healthcare, as well as community agencies. Critical thinking strategies and adaptation to the graduate nurse role are examined and nurtured. The student gains experience collaborating with the healthcare team in planning patient services, monitoring the relationship between needs and services, and evaluating outcomes.

Nursing 303: Advanced Concepts in Medical-Surgical Nursing
12 credits
N303 is a course designed to provide students with a theoretical base in advanced concepts in medical-surgical nursing. The critical care theory consists of advanced concepts in respiratory diseases, cardio-vascular diseases, renal dysfunction, hepatic dysfunction, neurological and endocrine disorders, oncological emergencies, and trauma. This course also focuses on decision-making and setting priorities in managing the care of larger groups of patients. Application of the theoretical base is correlated with a clinical experience in the critical care units, and on the medical-surgical units in conjunction with the professional nurse, in caring for larger groups of patients. This course also provides guidance to the student for the transition from student to the graduate nurse role. Legal and ethical dilemmas encountered in the present healthcare system are discussed, with a focus on the professional nurse’s responsibility in this area. Critical thinking concepts are integrated throughout the course, and caring behaviors are emphasized. Nursing research is utilized in application of theory to clinical experiences.

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Curriculum Plan

1st Year completed at an accredited college.

*Completion of all prerequisite college course work is preferred prior to the start of the nursing curriculum. A student may carry two of the courses indicated above but they must be completed prior to the senior level of the nursing curriculum.

2nd Year Nursing Courses taken at AMH Dixon School of Nursing.

3rd Year Nursing Courses taken at AMH Dixon School of Nursing.

An academic year of nursing is comprised of three eleven-week terms for Day option and three sixteen-week terms for Evening option. Each term consists of ten or fifteen weeks of instruction and the last week is reserved for finals and clinical evaluations. Both options are considered full time.

All nursing credits are semester credits. The term "credits," as assigned to nursing courses, is used for grading purposes and is not meant to imply transferable credits. College course credits are assessed for transferability by the receiving institution and advanced placement for nursing courses is under the purview of the receiving college.

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