Mission - Department of Nursing

Montana Tech Nursing Department is dedicated to preparing generalist nurses by exposing them to a diverse array of nursing roles through a variety of community settings.

The Nursing Department stresses the importance of being an intellectual leader and role model in the profession of nursing.

Montana Tech Nursing Department Philosophy

We believe:

  • Nursing and nursing education are essential for the promotion, maintenance and restoration of health, along with the prevention of illness.
  • Nursing and nursing education will become more complex as health care evolves. This continually changing health care environment mandates the role, function and educational preparation of the nurse.
  • The profession of nursing is best served through highly educated members who continually strive to broaden their knowledge and expertise to meet the increasing demands of the health care environment.
  • In a holistic approach to nursing education, including sensitivity to the physical, psychological, spiritual and sociocultural needs of the individual, family and community.
  • Acquisition of nursing knowledge and skill is best achieved through a combination of class room requirements and clinical experience in both simulated and actual care environment.
  • In a continually evolving curriculum that reflects best practice.

Core Concepts of Conceptual Framework

The following concepts are considered to be the foundation for the nursing program’s conceptual framework and will be threaded throughout the ASN, and BSN curricula.

Caring

Caring is a human response to needs that is articulated through commitment, knowledge, experience, and therapeutic use of self. Caring occurs when the nurse/client interaction transcends physical care and reflects respect for the client and his or her unique circumstances and health beliefs.

Communication

Communication is an interactive process that involves the nurse, the client, and health care team members. Communication consists of both verbal and non-verbal and electronic exchanges that encourage the expression of needs, support coping behaviors, and facilitate decision making.

Professionalism

Professionalism is a set of behaviors that all nurses are expected to exhibit as members of the nursing profession. These behaviors foster the nurse-client relationship while supporting the integrity of the profession. Expected behaviors include, but are not limited to, unconditional positive regard, efficiency, responsibility, accountability, fairness, trustworthiness, honesty, confidence, and competence.

Critical Thinking

Critical thinking is an active, purposeful reasoning process that is used to continually modify and improve individual nursing practice. It involves ongoing reflective analysis of data accumulated through assessment, planning, implementation, and evaluation of nurse/client interactions.

Clinical Judgment

Clinical judgment is an autonomous problem-solving process that is derived through evidence based inquiry, critical thinking, and decision making, while responding to clients as unique individuals who have the right to self-determination.

Student learning Outcomes, BSN Program Outcomes and Overall Program Goals

BSN Individual Student Learning Outcomes

  1. Apply and integrate theories and concepts from the sciences, arts, and humanities into nursing practice.
  2. Demonstrate knowledge of healthcare organizations and the leadership role that nurses must possess to ensure quality care and patient safety.
  3. Use theory, research, and evidenced-based practice models in the delivery of nursing care and in the promotion of health and well-being to individuals, families, and communities.
  4. Demonstrate competency in the clinical area by using patient care technologies and information management systems to deliver safe and effective care.
  5. Integrate knowledge of healthcare policy, finance, and regulatory environments into professional nursing practice and the healthcare system.
  6. Demonstrate effective interprofessional communication and collaboration with a multidisciplinary healthcare team to improve patient outcomes.
  7. Provide nursing interventions that focus on disease prevention and health promotion to individuals, families, communities, and to diverse populations.
  8. Demonstrate professional accountability and ethical responsibility in the delivery of nursing care.
  9. Deliver holistic, generalist nursing care to patients across the lifespan and through the healthcare continuum that reflects compassionate, patient –centered care and results in high quality patient outcomes. 

BSN Program Outcomes

Montana Tech’s Bachelor of Science in Nursing Program curriculum provides addition education that will prepares the graduate to:
  1. Provide nursing care to individuals, families and communities utilizing interprofessional communication, collaboration and a holistic framework.
  2. Design, manage, and evaluate comprehensive plans of nursing care in a variety of structured and unstructured settings including vulnerable populations.
  3. Function as a leader, change agent and resource manager in the health care system to promote patient safety utilizing information technology.
  4. Critically appraise current research to promote understanding of the production of knowledge and application of evidence-based nursing practice.
  5. Actualize a commitment to professional accountability and ethical standards in practice.

Overall Program Goals

  1. Prepare individuals for practices as baccalaureate prepared nurses.
  2. Recruit and retain a qualified and engaged faculty.
  3. Provide an environment that supports student’s success and promotes innovation and excellence in instruction.
  4. Contribute to the improvement of healthcare in our local and regional communities.