AOSVN General Information
Associate of Occupational Science in Vocational Nursing
The Associate of Occupational Science in Vocational Nursing (AOSVN) program prepares students for entry-level vocational nursing licensure. Upon satisfactory completion of all required general education and vocational nursing courses, the graduate will be awarded an Associate of Occupational Science in Vocational Nursing degree and the university will notify the Board of Vocational Nursing and Psychiatric Technicians the graduate is eligible to take the National Council Licensure Examination for licensure as a Vocational Nurse in the state of California.
AOSVN Mission Statement
The Associate of Occupational Science in Vocational Nursing program provides theoretical and clinical experiences in nursing and incorporates knowledge from the related disciplines. These experiences will be facilitated by the acquisition of knowledge, skills, and attitudes in every nursing course. The goal of the program is to prepare entry level graduates for positions where they will provide patient-centered, safe, quality health care services in diverse settings.
Program Philosophy
The Associate of Occupational Science in Vocational Nursing program believes that nursing is both an art and a science. The program faculty recognize that both nursing education and practice are based on caring for oneself, as well as for others. During their education, nurses are taught to value diversity in the population, meet the needs of all persons with sensitivity as well as to identify the need for ethics in all areas of practice, and to function with overall excellence and integrity. Nursing education at Stanbridge strives to present a practice model for students that has holism and patient-centeredness at its core.
The faculty believe:
- the person is a holistic being worthy of respect, protection, and preservation throughout the span of their life.
- health is a dynamic state on the health-wellness continuum and individuals achieve wellness by functioning to the best of their ability within their own limitations.
- nursing is a science and an art, focusing on the application of clinical judgement for patient-centered, safe quality care. The science of caring provides the framework for collaborative evidence-based practice.
- professional nursing provides leadership within diverse healthcare contexts and environments, utilizing informatics and innovative technology with a focus on patient-centered care.
- Nursing education is supportive of academic excellence with a focus on patient-centered care. Nursing education promotes professionalism, teamwork, and adaptability in providing holistic care to patients across the lifespan in diverse settings. Teaching/learning is an active process with faculty as a facilitator. Students are accountable for their own learning, building upon previously learned concepts.
Program Organizing Framework
The conceptual framework for the Vocational Nursing Program is based upon Quality and Safety Education for Nurses (QSEN, 2007), Massachusetts Nurse of the Future (MNF, 2016), and the National League for Nursing (NLN) Education Competencies Model (2010). QSEN and MNF competencies provide the foundational concepts of the curriculum and are aligned with the end of program student learning outcomes and associated competencies. The NLN education competencies model is linked to curricular course objectives and aligned throughout the curriculum.
The curriculum emphasizes:
- safe, quality, patient-centered nursing care provided in diverse environments and accomplished through teamwork, collaboration, and effective communication.
- excellence in holistic care for a diverse patient population achieved through caring relationships based on an atmosphere of mutual respect and trust.
- ethical nursing care delivered with the highest degree of integrity utilizing best current evidence for positive patient outcomes.
A professional nursing role requires a commitment to lifelong learning and professional development, as well as personal self-care. Graduates from the Associate of Occupational Science in Vocational Nursing program at Stanbridge University embody the QSEN, MNF, and NLN Education competencies through:
- competent patient care
- health and wellness
- caring and ethical approach
- professionalism
- motivation to advance the nursing profession
- commitment to continuous quality improvement
- clinical judgement
- cultural sensitivity
- dedication to lifelong learning
AOSVN Program Learning Outcomes
PLO1. Practice nursing that is patient-centered, caring, culturally sensitive, and based on the physiological, psychosocial, and spiritual needs of patients.
PLO2. Serve as a member of the interprofessional healthcare team to promote continuity of patient care.
PLO3. Use leadership skills, information technology, best practice resources, and current evidence, as a basis for safe nursing practice.
PLO4. Promote quality improvement by contributing to the implementation of care-related plans to improve health care services.
PLO5. Practice nursing in a professional, ethical, and legal manner.
PLO6. Use effective communication skills that promote an effective exchange of information, the development of therapeutic relationships, and patient satisfaction.
PLO7. Display the principles of self-reflection required to evaluate effectiveness and experiences for ongoing lifelong learning and growth.