This course emphasizes basic nursing concepts and incorporates the development of conceptual skills needed for therapeutic nursing interventions for culturally diverse individuals, families and communities. Focus is placed on providing a solid foundation of technical and interpersonal skills including written, verbal and therapeutic communication. An introduction to the major disease processes, symptomatology, diagnostic testing, medical-surgical nursing interventions, aspects of nutritional and pharmacological therapy to provide nursing care is included. Students will be introduced to evidence-based nursing care and the use of the nursing process to determine and evaluate nursing care. In the laboratory setting, the student will practice nursing procedures including beginning physical health assessment. Corequisites: NURS 114 and NURS 116. (F)