This practical course emphasizes the development of nursing skills aimed at promoting health and healing with individuals experiencing acute health challenges across the lifespan. Classroom, laboratory, simulation, and integrated practice experiences will help students build on theory and practice from Levels One, Two or Access, and Level Three, to integrate new knowledge and skills relevant to the acute care setting.
Prerequisites
NURS 3006.
Missing prerequisites?
Learn more about VCC's academic upgrading or English as a Second Language (ESL) courses, or discover which university transfer options are right for you.
What you will learn
- Comprehensive Health Assessment: Physical assessment across the lifespan, Mental Health Assessment, Acute pain assessment, Nutritional assessment (including fluid intake and output and clients receiving total parenteral nutrition), Focused (priority) assessment, Infusion Therapy 2
- Clinical Decision Making: Using the nursing process in the acute care setting; Applying clinical decision making tools to clients across the lifespan; Lab (diagnostic) values; Evidence-informed practice; Clinical practice guidelines specific to acute care setting;
- Nursing Interventions with Clients Experiencing Acute Illness: Catheterization and Continuous bladder irrigation, Risk management, Principles of infection control, Remove sutures, staples and drains, insert and remove packing, IV insertion (converting IV to an intermittent infusion device, flushing an intermittent infusion device, discontinuing a peripheral infusion device), Inserting (knowledge and lab practice only) maintaining and removing nasogastric tubes, management of chest tubes, epidural catheter, drainage tubes, suprapubic catheter, tracheostomy, ostomy,
- Care of the medical/ surgical client; Individualizing nursing care plans in acute care setting
- Reporting and Documentation in acute care setting, Communication tools in acute care setting, electronic health records
- Medication administration: Client in the acute care setting
Pain management: Client in the acute care setting
IV medication administration—theory/ knowledge only - Leadership Competencies
How to register
This course is offered as part of a VCC program only.
Course schedules
Select your program to see the available course schedules.
| CRN# | Duration | Delivery | Location | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 60275 |
May 12, 2026 to July 24, 2026 |
Lecture Lab |
VCC Broadway Building B | See full schedule |
Online courses listed without scheduled meeting times can be completed on your own schedule.
| CRN# | Duration | Delivery | Location | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 60554 |
August 5, 2026 to October 16, 2026 |
Lecture Lab |
VCC Broadway Building B | See full schedule |
Online courses listed without scheduled meeting times can be completed on your own schedule.
Contact us
If you have any question, please email at advising@vcc.ca.
† This information is intended as a guideline only. Program and course details are subject to change with the approval of VCC's Board of Governors.