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 program prepares graduates to function as competent, ethical, accountable, and safe entry-level vocational nurses. The program views nursing as both an art and a science grounded in caring, clinical judgment, evidence-based practice, integrity, professionalism, and respect for human dignity.
Students learn to support human flourishing, use nursing judgment, develop a professional identity, and demonstrate a spirit of inquiry. These organizing concepts align with the National League for Nursing practical/vocational nursing curriculum framework and reflect the program’s commitment to holistic, patient-centered care across the lifespan and across diverse healthcare settings (National League for Nursing [NLN], 2014).
Students also learn to apply the QSEN competencies of patient-centered care, teamwork and collaboration, evidence-based practice, quality improvement, safety, and informatics. These competencies support safe care, effective communication, ethical practice, coordinated teamwork, responsible use of technology, and continuous improvement (Quality and Safety Education for Nurses Institute [QSEN Institute], n.d.).
The curriculum progresses from simple to complex, normal to abnormal, and foundational to increasingly accountable practice under the direction of a registered nurse or licensed provider. Learning experiences connect theory, skills laboratory, simulation, clinical practice, reflection, remediation, and professional role development. This progression supports practical/vocational nursing education through structured development of knowledge, judgment, professional identity, and lifelong learning (NLN, 2014).
Philosophical Foundation
The framework reflects the following beliefs from the Stanbridge University AOSVN Program Philosophy:
· The person is a holistic being worthy of respect, protection, and preservation across the lifespan.
· Health is a dynamic state on the health-wellness continuum.
· Nursing is both a science and an art focused on clinical judgment, patient-centered care, safety, and quality.
· Caring supports collaborative evidence-based practice.
· Professional nursing practice occurs in diverse healthcare contexts and uses informatics and innovative technology to support patient-centered care.
· Nursing education promotes academic excellence, professionalism, teamwork, adaptability, and holistic care.
· Teaching and learning are active processes. Faculty facilitate learning, and students remain accountable for building on previously learned concepts.
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.