Introduction to concepts related to common physiologic alterations and influences of genetics and genomics on disease development. Building upon science and math courses while integrating and threading concepts introduced in introductory nursing courses, this course illustrates resulting human adaptation processes to expand student critical thinking and judgment for patient care. Pharmacologic concepts and applications to associated alterations are integrated as applicable to physiologic processes throughout the course.

Focuses on nursing care of adult clients experiencing complex health problems, those with unpredictable outcomes, consistent with the ANA (2004) Nursing: Scope and Standards of Practice. Therapeutic interventions address the nurse's leadership role of promoting health, guiding the person, and shaping the health environment through advocacy, multidisciplinary collaboration, evaluation of outcomes and effective management of resources. Socio-environmental factors influencing the person, nurse and health care decisions are analyzed.