Nursing/Allied Health

Programs

Associate of Science

• •  Medical Office Management Program A.S. - Administrative
• •  Medical Office Management Program A.S. - Clinical
• •  Nursing Career Program A.S.
• •  Physical Therapist Assistant Career Program A.S.
• •  Respiratory Care Career Program A.S.

Certificate

• •  Medical Assistant Certificate Program
• •  Medical Office Specialist Certificate Program

Courses

Medical Assistant / Medical Office

• HIM 155 Fundamentals of Clinical Informatics and Electronic Medical Records

  
  Prerequisites: MED 125  and CSA 105  or BBG 114  
  3 credits
  
  This course is meant to give the participant an inside look at Clinical Informatics related to systems and processes for collecting and maintaining patient health information.  This course offers consumers interested in obtaining knowledge of health information systems and records an introduction to the use of basic electronic medical record systems. This course includes an overview of Health Information Systems, terminology, data management, and regulatory concepts. The course is intended to inform the general public and/or offer a broad overview to health workers or information technology specialists who are interested in this field.
• MED 112 Medical Insurance and Billing

  
  Pre- or Co-Requisite: MED 125  
  3 credits
  
  This course covers the clerical and administrative skills necessary to work effectively in a private physicians office, a multi-specialty clinic, or a hospital setting. These skills include maintaining patients medical records, discussion of the important issues regarding health care today, the changing skills required for success and the computerization of medical offices with HIPAA (Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act). This course introduces the student to the major medical insurance programs used in physician offices and gives a basic knowledge of the international diagnostic and procedural coding systems.
• MED 125 Medical Terminology

  
  Pre-requisites: Eligibility for ENG 101  
  3 credits
  
  Medical Terminology is a comprehensive study of the technical language of medicine through word construction. The student learns the anatomic and clinical medical terms, anatomy and physiology, path physiology, diagnostic testing, and pharmacological agents pertaining to each body system.
• MED 217 Medical Coding

  
  Prerequisites: MED 112  and MED 125 
  3 credits
  
  This course encompasses most aspects of fundamentals of the Official Coding and Reporting Guidelines used by providers to facilitate payment of health services. Students apply coding concepts and conventions of ICD-10 and CPT-4 coding as they review actual medical records.
• MED 245 Clinical Lab Procedures I

  
  Prerequisites: Minimum GPA of 2.3 and admission to the Medical Assistant Program
  Corequisites: MED 112  and MED 125  
  4 credits
  
  This course provides an overview of health care procedures required by medical assistants.  The course teaches students to prepare examination and treatment areas in health care settings.  Concepts of universal and standard precautions, aseptic technique, and infection control are presented.  Therapeutic communication, medical ethics, confidentiality and accountability are stressed.  In addition, the course teaches students to perform simple lab tests, vital signs, and specimen collection.  Principles of medication administration, pharmacology and principles of anatomy and physiology are integrated throughout this course.  Three hours of class; three hours of clinical laboratory experience per week. Offered fall semester only.
• MED 246 Clinical Lab Procedures II

  
  Prerequisites: MED 245  with a grade of C or higher
  5 credits
  
  This advanced clinical procedure course builds upon the knowledge from Clinical Lab Procedures I and will provide the student with phlebotomy skills, EKG skills, and basic principles of radiology safety. The course will present concepts related to nutrition, surgical asepsis and autoclaving, simple dressing changes and response to medical emergencies. Principles of pharmacology are integrated throughout the course. Three hours of lecture, three hours of laboratory and four hours of clinical rotations per week. Offered spring semester only.
• MED 296 Cooperative Education Work Experience

  
  Prerequisite: MED 217 , MED 246  with a grade of C or higher
  3 credits
  
  This course combines a classroom seminar with on the job learning. Students who meet program eligibility work at approved Cooperative Education Work Experience sites and participate in regularly scheduled seminars. Seminars cover the establishment of learning goals for the work assignment, work related problem solving, and legal and ethical dilemmas facing healthcare personnel. A final project is designed to incorporate on-the-job learning and medical law and ethics. Students must complete the seminar, all assignments, the final project, and the clinical work assignment to receive credit.  This course includes 135 hours of supervised, unpaid externship.

Nursing

• NUR 101 Introduction to Nursing Practice

  
  Prerequisites: BIO 211 , BIO 212 , ENG 101 
  8 credits
  
  The student will focus on concepts basic to nursing practice. Emphasis is placed on application of the nursing process, communication skills, and nursing practice procedure acquisition. Clinical and laboratory experiences offer opportunities to integrate theoretical principles and demonstrate caring and competence in beginning professional role development.
• NUR 102 Family Health Nursing

  
  Prerequisites: NUR 101 , BIO 235 , PSY 111  
  Corequisite: NUR 103  
  8 credits
  
  The student will focus on issues affecting the family, including childbearing, childrearing, geriatric care and intermediate health care needs of limited duration.  The medical surgical health problems include care for the client in the peri-operative period and the client experiencing orthopedic and simple genito-urinary conditions.  The course addresses several psychiatric disorders: anxiety and cognitive disorders, common child and adolescent psychiatric disorders.  The student will have clinical rotations that provide experience caring for the childbearing family as well as caring for medical-surgical clients across the lifespan.
• NUR 103 Pharmacology for Families Across the Lifespan

  
  Prerequisites: NUR 101 , BIO 235 , PSY 111  
  Corequisite: NUR 102  
  1 credit
  
  The student will focus on the safe use, pharmacological principles, indications and nursing implications related to drug therapy when caring for individuals and families. Emphasis will be placed on medications used with prenatal, neonatal, pediatric, geriatric and peri-operative clients. The course will stress the general characteristics of selected medications and will include indications, pharmacokinetics, side effects, adverse effects, contraindications, administration, nursing implications across the life span, client education and relationship to prior learning.
• NUR 132 LPN to RN Transition Practicum

  
  Prerequisites: Connecticut Community Colleges BIO 211 , BIO 212 , ENG 101 , BIO 235 , PSY 111 , PSY 201 , SOC 101 , Charter Oak State College NUR 190
  2 credits (Pass/Fail)
  
  This course is the final component of the Connecticut League for Nursing LPN to RN Articulation plan for the Connecticut Community Colleges Nursing Program (CT-CCNP) which prepares LPNs to enter the CT-CCNP in the second year of study. Students enrolling in this course have been accepted for admission into the (CT-CCNP) and have chosen the option to enter the third semester. This course builds upon the content of Charter Oak State College NUR 190: LPN to RN Articulation Bridge Course by providing and integrating content that is specific to the CT-CCNP curriculum. Upon successful completion of Charter Oak State College Nursing 190, this course and the CT-CCNP pre-requisite and concurrent general education courses up to the second year of study, articulation credits are awarded per the escrow model and the LPN advances to NUR 201  and NUR 202 . NUR 132 cannot be applied as a free elective toward the CT-CCNP program of Study for the Associate of Science degree in Nursing. Hours: Clinical: 90 hours (Clinical and laboratory hour distribution is at the discretion of the campus attended.)
• NUR 201 Nursing Care of Individuals and Families I

  
  Prerequisites: NUR 102 , NUR 103 , PSY 201 , SOC 101  
  Corequisite: NUR 202  
  9 credits
  
  The student will focus on holistic care of individuals and families across the life span with a variety of health care needs.  The needs of clients experiencing endocrine, respiratory, gastrointestinal, cardiovascular conditions and selected mental health disorders are examined.  Bioterrorism as a health care issue will be addressed.  Clinical laboratory experience provides the student an opportunity to administer care to a diverse population of clients in a variety of acute care and community health care settings.  The student will utilize critical thinking, caring, professionalism and communication skills in the care of the client.  Emphasis is placed on provision of safe and competent care and development of the professional role as a member of a multidisciplinary health care team.  Over the semester, the student is increasingly challenged in the clinical area with more complex client assignments. 
• NUR 202 Pharmacology for Individuals and Families with Intermediate Health Care Needs

  
  Prerequisites: NUR 102 , NUR 103  
  Corequisite: NUR 201  
  1 credit
  
  The student will focus on pharmacologic principles related to the care of individuals and families across the life span with intermediate health care needs.  Emphasis will be placed on medications used for clients who have endocrine, gastrointestinal, respiratory, cardiovascular, autoimmune, and psychiatric conditions and clients who are survivors of bioterrorism. 
• NUR 203 Nursing Care of Individuals and Families II

  
  Prerequisites: NUR 201 , NUR 202 , ENG 102  
  Corequisite: NUR 204 , NUR 205  
  8 credits
  
  The student will focus on the holistic care of individuals, families, and groups with complex health care needs.  The student will incorporate critical thinking, caring behaviors, professionalism, and communication skills when providing nursing care in a variety of acute, long-term and/or community settings.  The student will have an opportunity to manage a multi-client assignment with an emphasis on safe and competent practice.  An observational experience with a visiting nurse agency, a dialysis unit and/or a cancer center will be provided. 
• NUR 204 Pharmacology for Individuals, Families and Groups with Complex Health Care Needs

  
  Prerequisites: NUR 201 , NUR 202  
  Corequisite: NUR 203 , NUR 205 
  1 credit
  
  The student will focus on safe use, pharmacologic principles, indications and nursing implications related to drug therapy in the care of individuals, families, and groups with complex health care needs.  Emphasis will be placed on medications used for clients who have acute and chronic renal failure, oncology and neurological conditions, and multisystem dysfunction and clients who choose an alternative therapy. 
• NUR 205 Nursing Management and Trends

  
  Prerequisites: NUR 201 , NUR 202  
  Corequisites: NUR 203 , NUR 204 
  2 credits
  
  The student will explore the basic principles of management, leadership and collaborative relationships as they relate to providing safe and competent care. The focus is on the utilization of critical thinking skills to make decisions, priority setting, delegation, legal parameters of nursing practice and ethical issues. The student will expand the concept of caring to the profession of nursing through collegial and interdisciplinary communication. The course facilitates the transition of the student into the profession and his/her role in contemporary nursing practice.

Physical Therapist Assistant

• PTA 120 Introduction to Physical Therapy

  
  Prerequisite: Acceptance into the PTA program
  3 credits
  
  This course is designed to be an introduction to the Physical Therapist Assistant program. The student will learn the paraprofessional duties of being part of a healthcare team in a clinical setting as well as recognizing the professional relationship that they will have with the Physical Therapist. Patient management, communication, conduct, medical terminology, documentation, ethics, and laws, as well as related organizations and their history will be discussed.
• PTA 125 Physical Therapy for Function

  
  Prerequisite: Acceptance into the PTA program
  4 credits
  
  This course will provide the student with the knowledge and skills necessary for patient education in the use of assistive and/or adaptive, protective, supportive, prosthetic and orthotic devices. Concepts of gait, balance, and developmental activity therapy will also be discussed. Three hours of lecture; three hours of lab per week.
• PTA 230 Physical Agents in Physical Therapy

  
  Prerequisites: Successful completion of PTA 235 , PTA 253  and PTA 259 
  4 credits
  
  This course is designed to provide the knowledge needed by Physical Therapist Assistants to safely administer physical and mechanical agents to their patient population. Through case studies and problem-oriented management, the student will learn to administer modalities, as well as understand indications and contraindications for each agent. Heat, cold, water, electrical, and mechanical forces will be discussed in detail. Three hours of lecture, three hours of lab per week.
• PTA 235 Kinesiology for Rehabilitation

  
  Prerequisites: Successful completion of PTA 120  and PTA 125 
  4 credits
  
  This course is designed to give the student an understanding of human movement, anatomy, and biomechanics, and their application to physical therapy. Students will explore the anatomical structure of each muscle/joint of the body as well as positioning variables, range of motion, applied forces, and joint kinematics. Students will learn to assess, measure, and analyze posture, gait, range of motion, and biomechanics. Three hours of lecture; three hours of lab per week.
• PTA 250 Therapeutic Exercise

  
  Prerequisites: Successful completion of PTA 235 , PTA 253  and PTA 259 
  5 credits
  
  This course is designed to provide the student with the fundamentals and theory of safe and effective therapeutic exercise with patients. Students will also become proficient in measuring physiological and anatomical parameters. This includes but is not limited to manual muscle testing, aerobic capacity, and range of motion. Three hours of lecture; six hours of lab per week.
• PTA 253 Pathophysiology for Rehabilitation

  
  Prerequisites: Successful completion of PTA 120  and PTA 125 
  3 credits
  
  This class is designed to address the structural and functional changes in tissues and organs of the body in a variety of conditions and diseases throughout the human life span. The student will come to understand the effects of rehabilitation on many special populations including those with neurological and orthopedic conditions.
• PTA 258 PTA in the Healthcare Arena

  
  Prerequisites: Successful completion of PTA 230 , PTA 250  and PTA 261 
  2 credits
  
  This course will provide the Physical Therapist Assistant student with the necessary knowledge for understanding the healthcare processes of the clinical setting. Research based decision making will also be covered. Other topics such as licensure, continuing education, data collection, and problem-oriented management will be discussed.
• PTA 259 Clinical Experience Orientation

  
  Prerequisites: Approval from PTA Program Director
  1 credit
  
  This course is designed as an introduction to and preparation for clinical education in the Physical Therapist Assistant program. Students will become oriented to the clinical education process and come to understand provisions of the Physical Therapist Assistant in the clinical setting. Other topics such as learning opportunities, communication, leadership, supervision of staff, and problem solving will also be discussed.
• PTA 261 PTA Internship I

  
  Prerequisites: Successful completion of PTA 259 
  3 credits
  
  PTA Internship I is designed to afford the student supervised clinical experience hours in observation and application of physical therapy services as a physical therapist assistant. Principles of the curriculum will be applied to general skills needed in a clinical setting. Consists of 120 clinical hours; one day per week for 15 weeks.
• PTA 262 PTA Internship II

  
  Prerequisites: Successful completion of PTA 230 , PTA 250  and PTA 261  and successful completion of all general education courses required in PTA program
  5 credits
  
  PTA Internship II is an advanced clinical experience designed to afford the student supervised clinical experience hours in physical therapy services as a physical therapy assistant. Theory and fundamentals of the curriculum will be applied to specific care plans and patient management as the student hones skills needed in a clinical setting. Consists of 280 clinical hours; full-time (approximately 40 hours per week) for seven weeks in the first half of the semester.
• PTA 265 PTA Internship III

  
  Prerequisites: Successful completion of PTA 262 
  5 credits
  
  PTA Internship III is an advanced clinical experience designed to afford the student supervised clinical experience hours in physical therapy services as a physical therapist assistant. The student will be able to focus on specific interests in the field of physical therapy as they finalize their transition from student to paraprofessional. Takes place after PTA 262  in the last seven weeks of the semester. Consists of 280 clinical hours; full-time (approximately 40 hours per week) for seven weeks.

Respiratory Care

• RSP 111 Medical Physics

  
  Prerequisite: ENG 101 , BIO 211 , BIO 235 , CHE 111 , CSA 105  
  Co-requisite: BIO 212 , PSY 111 , RSP 141  
  3 credits
  
  This course introduces the student to the basic principles of physics applicable to respiratory care. Topics include systems of measurement, fluid dynamics, gas laws, diffusion, pneumatics, heat and electricity. Additionally, the course provides a review of basic algebraic operations. Three hours of class per week. Offered fall semester only.
• RSP 120 Respiratory Physiology

  
  Prerequisites: RSP 141 , RSP 111 
  Co-requisites: RSP 151 , RSP 161  
  2 credits
  
  The structure and function of the respiratory system and its relationship to the cardiovascular system are studied. Emphasis is placed on the interrelationship of structure and function, including mechanics of respiration, ventilation, tissue metabolism, oxygen transport, perfusion, gas exchange and histology. Two hours of class per week. Offered spring semester only.
• RSP 141 Principles of Respiratory Care

  
  Prerequisites: BIO 211 , BIO 235 , CHE 111 , CSA 105 , ENG 101  
  Co-requisites: PSY 111 , RSP 111  , BIO 212  
  4 credits
  
  This course introduces the student to basic principles of Respiratory Care. Technical aspects include medical gas therapy, humidity and aerosol therapy, physical assessment techniques, infection control, and oxygen therapy. The student will also learn about professionalism, cultural diversity in health care and computerized medical documentation. Four hours of classroom ( including simulation) and four hours of lab Offered fall semester only.
• RSP 151 Cardiopulmonary Pathophysiology

  
  Prerequisites: RSP 111 , RSP 141  
  Co-requisites: RSP 120 , RSP 161  
  3 credits
  
  This course examines the etiology, path physiology, clinical manifestations and treatment of various cardiovascular diseases and diseases that directly affect the cardiopulmonary system. Case application will be included. Three hours of class per week. Offered spring semester only.
• RSP 161 Diagnostic and Therapeutic Procedures

  
  Prerequisites: RSP 111 , RSP 141  
  Co-requisite: RSP 120 , RSP 151  
  5 credits
  
  This course introduces the student to the diagnostic and therapeutic procedures utilized in the hospital to manage patients with abnormalities or dysfunction of the respiratory system. Included in the course are theory and operation of such topics as aerosol therapy, respiratory pharmacology, hyper-inflation therapy, and pulmonary function studies with the use of computerized technology. Computerized charting systems are also introduced. Four hours of class including simulations, four hours of laboratory practice and eight hours of clinical experience per week. Offered spring semester only.
• RSP 201 Future Trends

  
  Prerequisites: RSP 281 
  Co-requisites: ENG 102 , RSP 272 , RSP 291  
  2 credits
  
  This course is designed to expose the student to health care settings and issues other than those found in an acute care setting. This course will provide an overview of such topics as smoking cessation, polysomnography, continuous quality improvement, research methods and statistics, and development and implementation of respiratory protocols. Two hours of class per week. Offered fall semester only.
• RSP 272 Critical Care I

  
  Prerequisite: RSP 281  
  Co-requisites: ENG 102 , RSP 201 , RSP 291  
  7 credits
  
  This course will focus on conventional and alternative forms of mechanical ventilation. Indications, application, discontinuation, and physical effects of mechanical ventilation will be discussed. The student will learn advanced interpretation of arterial blood gases, pulmonary function testing and imaging studies. Noninvasive, home, and emergency and hospital transport strategies will also be covered. Three hours of class, four hours of laboratory and 16 hours of clinical experience per week. Offered fall semester only.
• RSP 273 Critical Care II

  
  Prerequisites: RSP 201 , RSP 272 , RSP 291  
  Co-requisites: COM 173 , and either IDS 210  OR IDS 230  
  7 credits
  
  This course focuses on basic cardiac and neurological function. Electrophysiology, lead placement, cardiac dysrhythmias recognition and treatment will be covered. The student learns the concepts and clinical applications of cardiology, cardiac diseases, and invasive and noninvasive physiologic monitoring. Successful completion of a group administered self assessment credentialing examination is required for course completion. Three hours of class, three hours of lab (including simulation) and 16 hours of clinical experience per week. Offered spring semester only.
• RSP 281 Advanced Clinical Practicum

  
  Prerequisite: RSP 120 , RSP 151 , RSP 161  
  2 credits
  
  This course is designed to allow the student to utilize all previously learned respiratory care skills in a clinical setting. The student is introduced to more invasive patient care procedures such as airway management, arterial puncture, analysis and data entry, and BLS CPR, which will enhance the transition to critical care. Two hours of class, two hours of laboratory practice, and 16 hours of clinical per week. Offered summer session only.
• RSP 291 Perinatal Care and Pediatric Respiratory Care

  
  Prerequisite: RSP 281 
  Co-requisites: ENG 102 , RSP 201 , RSP 272  
  2 credits
  
  This course will provide the student with a comprehensive study of pediatric and prenatal respiratory care. Pediatric/prenatal cardiopulmonary path physiology, ventilator management, PALS and NRP techniques, and embryology will be examined. Two hours of class per week. Offered fall semester only.