Adaptation to Chronic Illness and Disability (n492CI)
Course Number: 492CI
Credits: 3
Prerequisites: Current RN license
Course Description
This course explores human responses (physical, psychological, social) to chronic illness and disability and factors that have an impact on biopsychosocial adaptation. Chronic illness care requires a shift in perspective to a care (versus cure) paradigm. Critical concepts and theories important to understanding nursing care of the chronically ill client are covered.
Interactive methods, such as discussion and team work, are used in the course to facilitate engagement with course content, critical thinking, and learning. Clinical scenarios and qualitative data are used to help you understand coping processes and the lived experience with chronic illness and disability. The course covers adherence issues and readiness to make change necessary with chronic illness and disability. Pender's model of health promotion is used to understand variables that influence motivation to change and guide development of nursing interventions to facilitate behavior change. Additional topics covered include stress responses and disability legislation.