Nursing Learning Outcomes (NLOs)

Upon completion of the Jacksonville State University (JSU) School of Nursing (SON) programs, the student will be competent in and demonstrate critical thinking, therapeutic nursing interventions, effective communication, and professional behavior. 

  1. Critical thinking (CT) reflects skills in reasoning, analysis, evidence-based practice, and decision making relevant to the discipline of nursing. Critical thinking encompasses knowledge, skills, and values from the arts and sciences to provide safe and quality care to diverse populations.  Critical thinking integrates knowledge and skills in leadership, quality improvement, and safety in providing high quality health care. Critical thinking examines the role of financial and regulatory health policies and their effects on health care systems.
  2. Therapeutic Nursing Interventions (TNI) reflect the ability to safely perform theory and/or evidence-based patient centered nursing interventions reflective of professional knowledge, skills, and attitudes. TNI reflect the synthesis of evidence-based practice to improve patient outcomes and identify practice issues.
  3. Effective Communication (EC) reflects the students’ interpersonal relationship skills reflective of professional values/attitudes evidenced through effective written, oral, and nonverbal communication, group process, use of information technology, and the ability to adapt communication to needs of the patient/family, colleagues, health care team and situation. Effective Communication reflects synthesis of communication and collaboration as an interprofessional team member to deliver high quality, safe patient centered care. 
  4. Professional behavior (PB).  JSU SON embraces the professional values promulgated by the American Association of Departments of Nursing (AACN) and the American Association of Nursing (ANA) Code of Ethics.  Professional behavior expectations, in both classroom and clinical settings, include respect for all, a primary commitment to the patient, advocacy for the health, safety and rights of patients, responsibility and accountability for one’s own nursing practice, duty to self to maintain integrity, competence and professional growth, ownership of a healthy work/health care environment, contributions to the advancement of the profession, interprofessional collaboration, and the articulation of nursing’s values and the shaping of social policy. 


Program Learning Outcomes (PLOs) (Undergraduate)

Based on The Essentials: Core Competencies for Professional Nursing Education (AACN, 2021), graduates of the baccalaureate nursing program will be able to:

  1. Apply nursing knowledge, skills, values, and ways of knowing from the arts, sciences, and other disciplines to cultivate sound clinical judgment and innovative nursing practice.
    (Critical Thinking and Therapeutic Nursing Interventions)
    (Domain 1Knowledge of Practice)

  2. Collaborate within interprofessional teams, patients, families, and communities to optimize the healthcare experience.
    (Critical Thinking, Therapeutic Nursing Interventions, and Effective Communication)
    (Domain 6 Interprofessional Partnerships)

  3. Synthesize evidence-based practice to improve patient outcomes and identify practice issues. (Critical Thinking, Therapeutic Nursing Interventions, and Effective Communication) (Domain 4 Scholarship for the Nursing Discipline)

  4. Utilize best practices in information and communication technology that align with professional and regulatory standards to direct data-informed decisions and ensure equitable high-quality patient care.
    (Critical Thinking and Therapeutic Nursing Interventions)
    (Domain 8 Informatics and Healthcare Technologies)

  5. Analyze the complex healthcare system, utilize resources, solutions and evidence-based practices to deliver safe, high-quality, and equitable care to diverse populations (obstetrics, mental health, pediatrics, acute care, etc.).
    (Critical Thinking and Professional Behavior)
    (Domain 7 Systems-Based Practice)

  6. Implement high-quality, person-centered care by integrating holistic, individualized care strategies and values utilizing the nursing process to enhance health outcomes.
    (Effective Communication and Professional Behavior)
    (Domain 2 Person-Centered Care)

  7. Incorporate population health principles throughout the care continuum, utilizing multidisciplinary collaboration to promote health equity and outcomes for diverse populations (obstetrics, mental health, pediatrics, acute care, etc.).
    (Critical Thinking and Therapeutic Nursing Interventions)
    (Domain 3 Population Health)

  8. Emulate core values associated with developing professional identity reflecting nursing’s responsibilities, characteristics, and values.
    (Professionalism Behavior)
    (Domain 9 Professionalism)

  9. Integrate safety and quality improvement principles to enhance quality of care, minimize
    risk, and foster a safe, just healthcare environment.
    (Critical Thinking, Therapeutic Nursing Interventions, Effective Communication, and Professional Behavior)
    (Domain 5 Quality and Safety)

  10. Cultivate resilience, lifelong learning, and leadership skills to enhance personal well-
    being and professional excellence in nursing practice.
    (Critical Thinking, Professional Behavior)
    (Domain 10 Personal, Professional, and Leadership Development)


Program Learning Outcomes (PLOs) (MSN-Population Health)

Based on The Essentials of Master’s Education in Nursing (AACN, 2011), graduates of the graduate nursing program will be able to:

  1. Synthesize theories from the humanities and the natural, behavioral, and applied sciences which support advanced clinical practice and role development. (Critical Thinking, Therapeutic Nursing Interventions, and Professional Behavior); (MSN Essentials I and Essential II)
  2. Develop advanced practice expertise to affect positive health care outcomes for vulnerable populations. (Critical Thinking and Therapeutic Nursing Interventions); (MSN Essential IX)
  3. Assume accountability for ethical values, principles, and personal beliefs that acknowledge human diversity and influence professional practice decisions and nursing interventions. (Critical Thinking, Therapeutic Nursing Interventions, Effective Communication and Professional Behavior); (MSN Essential VIII)
  4. Employ effective communication and technology within the multidisciplinary collaborative context of advanced community health nursing practice. (Therapeutic Nursing Interventions, Effective Communication, and Professional Behavior); (MSN Essentials V and VII)
  5. Design cost-effective interventions/strategies collaboratively with multiple disciplines for the purpose of providing quality health care within the community. (Therapeutic Nursing Interventions and Effective Communication); (MSN Essential III)
  6. Evaluate research findings for the development and implementation of evidence-based practice guidelines. (Therapeutic Nursing Interventions and Effective Communication); (MSN Essential IV)
  7. Evaluate health care issues, trends, and policies for application to the health status of communities. (Therapeutic Nursing Interventions, Effective Communication and Professional Behavior); (MSN Essential VI)

Program Learning Outcomes (PLOs) (Doctor of Nursing Practice)

Based on The Essentials of Doctoral Education for Advanced Nursing Practice (AACN, 2006), graduates of the DNP program will be able to:

  1. Practice nursing at the highest level, demonstrating knowledge, skills, and attributes essential to advanced practice in the designated pathway for advanced practice. (Essential VI, VII, and VIII; DLOs CT, TNI, PB, and EC)
  2. Analyze, lead, and manage complex and diverse health care organizations and be responsive to a changing health care environment. (Essential II, II, IV, VI, and VII; DLOs CT, PB, and EC)
  3. Function as nurse scholars to advocate and ensure quality outcomes-based care utilizing evidence to guide best practice. (Essential I, III, IV, V, VI, and VIII; DLOs CT, TNI, PB, and EC)
  4. Apply information and patient care technology to transform patient care delivery. (Essentials II, III, IV, VI, and VIII; DLOs CT, TNI, PB, and EC)
  5. Participate in development of health care policy and lead as an advocate for improvements in the health care system. (Essentials II, V, VI, and VII; DLOs CT, PB, and EC)
  6. Participate in interprofessional teams as leader and consultant to deliver optimal, evidence-based care to patients and populations. (Essentials II, III, IV, VI, VII, and VIII; DLOs CT, TNI, PB, and EC)
  7. Design and apply evidence-based strategies for clinical prevention and population health to improve the nation's health. (Essentials III, IV, V, VI, and VII; DLOs CT, PB, and EC)