Southern Utah University

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Southern Utah University
Southern Utah University
Fall Semester 2026

Nurs Wellness in Older Adults (Face-to-Face)

NURS 4342-01

Course: NURS 4342-01
Credits: 2
Term: Fall Semester 2026
Department: Nursing
CRN: 31880

Course Description

This course examines the needs of older adults, addressing emotional, social, physiologic, and behavioral changes. This course focuses on ageism, gender issues, chronicity, death and dying, loss, and life review in support of the wellness of the aging adult.

Required Texts

Required: Miller, C.A. (2004). Nursing for wellness in older adults: Theory and practice (9th ed.). Philadelphia: Lippincott Williams & Wilkins. ISBN 13-978-1-975179-13-7

Recommended: Previous Nursing Texts for 3130, 3120, 3230, 3260, 3240, 3220

American Psychological Association (2010). Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association (6th ed.). American Psychological Association. ISBN: 1557988102

American Association of Colleges of Nursing (2008). The Essentials of Baccalaureate Education for Professional Nursing Practice. Washington DC: AACN available through: http://www.aacn.nche.edu

American Nurses Association (2004). Nursing: Scope & Standards of Practice. Washington DC: Nursesbooks.org ISBN: 1-55810-215-9

Learning Outcomes

  • Appreciate the contributions and the challenges of the elderly in society.
  • Provide safe patient centered nursing care based on client characteristics and needs.
  • Develop therapeutic nurse patient relationships using therapeutic communication skills appropriate for elderly clients and their families.
  • Learn and apply course material to outside assignments with reflections of how course material is applied to nursing practice.
  • Learns to seek and use resources, which apply to care of the older adult in society.
  • Seeks to understand points of view of the older client and demonstrates appreciate for the differences that the older population presents.

Course Requirements

Assignment Outline

Fall 2026 HP 4342 (TUESDAYS 1-3pm).pdf

Assignments - 20%
  • In class attendance.
  • Attitudes and Values on aging reflection.
  • Dad Video.
  • Aging Theory Assignment.
  • Mid-term check in.
  • Peer Reflections for each small group presentation.
Class Participation - 30%
  • Well Elder Presentation.
Well Elder Project and Paper - 40%
  • Well Elder Visits.
  • Well Elder Paper.
  • Well Elder Medications.
Tests - 10%
  • Final Exam.
Grade Scheme

Grades will be determined in the undergraduate programs using the following grading scale. To progress in the undergraduate program, students must pass each course with a C (74%) minimum.

Grade Range
A100 % to 94.0%
A-< 94.0 % to 90.0%
B+< 90.0 % to 87.0%
B< 87.0 % to 84.0%
B-< 84.0 % to 80.0%
C+< 80.0 % to 77.0%
C< 77.0 % to 74.0%
F< 74.0 %

Course Outline

Course Summary
  • Wed Sep 9, 2026: Commenced Attendance Quiz — due by 11:59pm
  • Tue Sep 15, 2026: Attitudes and values on aging reflection — assignment due by 1pm
  • Sun Sep 20, 2026: Well Elder Written Agreement — due by 11:59pm
  • Tue Sep 22, 2026: Well Elder - Aging Theory Assignment — due by 1pm
  • Tue Sep 29, 2026: "DAD" video assignment — due by 1pm
  • Tue Oct 13, 2026: Peer reflection for presentations - Group 1 - Psychosocial Wellness — due by 1pm
  • Peer reflection for presentations - Group 2 - Sleep/Rest — due by 1pm
  • Tue Oct 27, 2026: Well Elder Medications Review — due by 1pm
  • Tue Oct 27, 2026: Well Elder Mid-term Check In — due by 1pm
  • Tue Nov 3, 2026: Peer reflection for presentations - Group 3 - Medications and Bioactive Substances — due by 1pm
  • Tue Nov 10, 2026: Peer reflection for presentation - Group 4 - Safety and Mobility — due by 1pm
  • Tue Nov 17, 2026: Peer reflection for presentation - Group 5 - Cardiovascular and Respiratory — due by 1pm
  • Tue Dec 1, 2026: Peer reflection for presentation - Group 6 - Vision and Hearing — due by 1pm
  • Sun Dec 6, 2026: Well Elder (Visits) - Project — due by 11:59pm
  • Sun Dec 6, 2026: Well Elder Paper — due by 11:59pm
  • Tue Dec 8, 2026: Peer reflection for presentation - Group 7 - Urinary — due by 1pm
  • Tue Dec 8, 2026: Peer reflection for presentation - Group 8 - Skin and Thermoregulation — due by 1pm
  • Tue Dec 8, 2026: Well Elder Presentation — due by 11:59pm
  • Tue Dec 15, 2026: Peer reflection for presentation - Group 10 - Pain in the older adult — due by 1pm
  • Tue Dec 15, 2026: Peer reflection for presentation - Group 9 - Nutrition, digestion, and bowel elimination — due by 11:59pm
  • Thu Dec 17, 2026: Well Elder 4342 FINAL — due by 4pm
  • Thu Dec 17, 2026: Course Schedule Outline — due by 5pm
  • Fri Dec 18, 2026: In class attendance — due by 5pm
  • WELCOME - START HERE!!! — due by 5pm
  • Class Power Points and Resources

Instructor's policies on late assignments and/or makeup work

Papers/assignments are due at the time designated by faculty either in the calendar, syllabi, or in class discussion. If you know you will miss a class in advance of the due date, submit materials early when possible. With unforeseen circumstances, you may not be able to submit an assignment on the designated due date, it is your responsibility to notify the instructor and negotiate a reasonable alternate due date prior to missing class when possible or as soon as it is feasibly possible. For this class, late assignments will lose 2 (two) points each day they are late. When extenuating circumstances have been discussed with the instructor, it will be left up to instructor discretion on how to award points as circumstances vary. The instructor will decide when late work is no longer accepted.

Assignments will be submitted using canvas or in person as directed in assignment instructions. Emailed assignments will not be accepted.

Faculty members retain the option of not accepting late papers/assignments and may deduct points for late work. Individual faculty maintains final determination in situations related to late work.

Make-up work for extra credit or in-place of missed assignments for theory classes WILL NOT BE PROVIDED in this course. Extenuating circumstances must be taken up professionally with the instructor.

Instructor's Response Time & Feedback

Semester long course guidelines: Emails from students in semester-long classes must be responded to within three business days (Definition of business day: Monday through Friday, 9:00 am to 5:00 pm and does not include holidays). All assignments must be graded within seven calendar days of due date for semester-long courses. If faculty need an extension to grade assignments because of assignment length, holiday, or other circumstances, faculty will notify students in advance. Assignments need to be graded in sufficient time to allow students to improve and build upon their learning for subsequent assignments.

Attendance Policy

Regular attendance is required at all classes and course-related experiences. Absences and tardiness will result in participation points being subtracted from grade. Attendance is also reflected in coming late to class, leaving early and missing parts of class for other reasons. A roll will be sent around sometime toward the beginning of class and may be circulated later to assure complete attendance. If you are not on it, you will not get credit for that day's attendance. If you sign it late, you are considered late. Signing in on behalf of others will result in all parties involved losing attendance for that day. You will get 10 points for each course you attend. Please plan to attend all classes and stay throughout the entire time. If situations arise, discuss this professionally with the instructor.

Additional Information

Prerequisites

Prerequisites: completion of all 3200 level courses or admission to RN to BSN option.

Credit Hours

Credit hours (2) 2 classroom hours per week.

Statement of Safety or Risk Assumption

You are expected to manage your own transportation and assume your own risks when traveling to and from classes, labs, class related assignments, clinical experiences and when performing duties in class, lab, or clinical experiences.

There are inherent risks involved in travel and in lab and clinical experiences. The most obvious risks are accidents, contracting infections or other communicable diseases, or workplace violence.

Please take common precautions to prevent accidents, infections and violence.

AI Policy

When students use generative artificial intelligence (AI) and AI-assisted technologies in the writing process for this course, students should only use these technologies to improve readability and language, or to generate a basic skeleton of ideas for assignment content. Applying these technologies should be done with careful oversight, and students should carefully review and edit the result, as AI can generate good-sounding output that can be incorrect, incomplete or biased. SUU Policy#6.33 on academic integrity should be followed when using AI. If you are unsure to what extent to use AI as part of an assignment, please reach out to me before the assignment is due. If a student uses AI-assisted technologies, the student should disclose in their assignment the use of AI and AI-assisted technologies in the assignment by following the instructions below. This declaration does not apply to the use of basic tools for checking grammar, spelling, references etc. If there is nothing to disclose, there is no need to add a statement. Any assignment which has been determined by the professor (using the tools provided by SUU to monitor academic integrity) to have been created using these technologies which were not disclosed by the student is subject to failure.

Disclosure Instructions:

Students must disclose the use of generative AI and AI-assisted technologies in the writing process by adding this statement at the end of their assignment:

Statement: During the preparation of this work [THE STUDENT(S)] used [NAME TOOL /SERVICE] in order to [REASON].

Supplemental Resources

Face to Face Student Handbook (Pre-Licensure and HP Programs)

ADA Statement

Students with medical, psychological, learning, or other disabilities desiring academic adjustments, accommodations, or auxiliary aids will need to contact the Disability Resource Center, located in Room 206F of the Sharwan Smith Center or by phone at (435) 865-8042. The Disability Resource Center determines eligibility for and authorizes the provision of services.

If your instructor requires attendance, you may need to seek an ADA accommodation to request an exception to this attendance policy. Please contact the Disability Resource Center to determine what, if any, ADA accommodations are reasonable and appropriate.

Academic Credit

According to the federal definition of a Carnegie credit hour: A credit hour of work is the equivalent of approximately 60 minutes of class time or independent study work. A minimum of 45 hours of work by each student is required for each unit of credit. Credit is earned only when course requirements are met. One (1) credit hour is equivalent to 15 contact hours of lecture, discussion, testing, evaluation, or seminar, as well as 30 hours of student homework. An equivalent amount of work is expected for laboratory work, internships, practica, studio, and other academic work leading to the awarding of credit hours. Credit granted for individual courses, labs, or studio classes ranges from 0.5 to 15 credit hours per semester.

Academic Freedom

SUU is operated for the common good of the greater community it serves. The common good depends upon the free search for truth and its free exposition. Academic Freedom is the right of faculty to study, discuss, investigate, teach, and publish. Academic Freedom is essential to these purposes and applies to both teaching and research.

Academic Freedom in the realm of teaching is fundamental for the protection of the rights of the faculty member and of you, the student, with respect to the free pursuit of learning and discovery. Faculty members possess the right to full freedom in the classroom in discussing their subjects. They may present any controversial material relevant to their courses and their intended learning outcomes, but they shall take care not to introduce into their teaching controversial materials which have no relation to the subject being taught or the intended learning outcomes for the course.

As such, students enrolled in any course at SUU may encounter topics, perspectives, and ideas that are unfamiliar or controversial, with the educational intent of providing a meaningful learning environment that fosters your growth and development. These parameters related to Academic Freedom are included in SUU Policy 6.6.

Academic Misconduct

Scholastic honesty is expected of all students. Dishonesty will not be tolerated and will be prosecuted to the fullest extent (see SUU Policy 6.33). You are expected to have read and understood the current SUU student conduct code (SUU Policy 11.2) regarding student responsibilities and rights, the intellectual property policy (SUU Policy 5.52), information about procedures, and what constitutes acceptable behavior.

Please Note: The use of websites or services that sell essays is a violation of these policies; likewise, the use of websites or services that provide answers to assignments, quizzes, or tests is also a violation of these policies. Regarding the use of Generative Artificial Intelligence (AI), you should check with your individual course instructor.

Emergency Management Statement

In case of an emergency, the University's Emergency Notification System (ENS) will be activated. Students are encouraged to maintain updated contact information using the link on the homepage of the mySUU portal. In addition, students are encouraged to familiarize themselves with the Emergency Response Protocols posted in each classroom. Detailed information about the University's emergency management plan can be found at https://www.suu.edu/emergency.

HEOA Compliance Statement

For a full set of Higher Education Opportunity Act (HEOA) compliance statements, please visit https://www.suu.edu/heoa. The sharing of copyrighted material through peer-to-peer (P2P) file sharing, except as provided under U.S. copyright law, is prohibited by law; additional information can be found at https://my.suu.edu/help/article/1096/heoa-compliance-plan.

You are also expected to comply with policies regarding intellectual property (SUU Policy 5.52) and copyright (SUU Policy 5.54).

Mandatory Reporting

University policy (SUU Policy 5.60) requires instructors to report disclosures received from students that indicate they have been subjected to sexual misconduct/harassment. The University defines sexual harassment consistent with Federal Regulations (34 C.F.R. Part 106, Subpart D) to include quid pro quo, hostile environment harassment, sexual assault, dating violence, domestic violence, and stalking. When students communicate this information to an instructor in-person, by email, or within writing assignments, the instructor will report that to the Title IX Coordinator to ensure students receive support from the Title IX Office. A reporting form is available at https://cm.maxient.com/reportingform.php?SouthernUtahUniv

Non-Discrimination Statement

SUU is committed to fostering an inclusive community of lifelong learners and believes our university's encompassing of different views, beliefs, and identities makes us stronger, more innovative, and better prepared for the global society.

SUU does not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, color, national origin, citizenship, sex (including sex discrimination and sexual harassment), sexual orientation, gender identity, age, ancestry, disability status, pregnancy, pregnancy-related conditions, genetic information, military status, veteran status, or other bases protected by applicable law in employment, treatment, admission, access to educational programs and activities, or other University benefits or services.

SUU strives to cultivate a campus environment that encourages freedom of expression from diverse viewpoints. We encourage all to dialogue within a spirit of respect, civility, and decency.

For additional information on non-discrimination, please see SUU Policy 5.27 and/or visit https://www.suu.edu/nondiscrimination.

Pregnancy

Students who are or become pregnant during this course may receive reasonable modifications to facilitate continued access and participation in the course. Pregnancy and related conditions are broadly defined to include pregnancy, childbirth, termination of pregnancy, lactation, related medical conditions, and recovery. To obtain reasonable modifications, please make a request to title9@suu.edu. To learn more visit: https://www.suu.edu/titleix/pregnancy.html.

Religious / Conscience Belief Accommodation

RELIGIOUS / CONSCIENCE BELIEF ACCOMMODATION: In accordance with SUU Policy 6.7 Student Belief Accommodation, students may request, in writing, that their faculty accommodate their sincerely held religious or conscience beliefs. Students should provide their faculty with sufficient advanced notice, if possible within the first five (5) business days of the semester or session, or thereafter with good cause for requesting an accommodation after the first five (5) business days.

Faculty must provide a schedule accommodation or excuse an absence, in any course, for students to observe or participate in religious holidays or an organized activity conducted under the auspices of the student’s religious tradition or religious organization.

In courses that are required for graduation or for an academic major, a faculty member may accommodate a religious or conscience belief by modifying an assignment or examination if its content conflicts with the student’s belief. Faculty may decline the accommodation if it would fundamentally alter the course requirements. If declined, the student may request review by a neutral arbiter using the Belief Accommodation Request Form: https://cm.maxient.com/reportingform.php?SouthernUtahUniv&layout_id=5

Questions go to Assistant Provost Jake Johnson at johnsonj@suu.edu.

Disclaimer Statement

Information contained in this syllabus, other than the grading, late assignments, makeup work, and attendance policies, may be subject to change with advance notice, as deemed appropriate by the instructor.