Nursing
30 courses · MiraCosta College · 2026-2027 Catalog
Classes: Fall 2026
NURS 64 Home Health Aide
- Units
- 2
- Hours
- Lecture 1.50 hours, laboratory 1.50 hours
- Prerequisite
- NURS 160 or current California Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA) certificate (CNA state exam results, including written and skills portions, must be submitted to the Home Health Aide program director by the second week of the program)
This 48-hour course is designed for the certified nursing assistant to meet the state requirement of 40 hours to obtain a Home Health Aide Certificate. Topics include the role of the home health aide, federal and state requirements for the home health aide, interpretation of medical and social needs of people being served, personal care services, nutrition and cleaning, and care tasks in the home.
NURS 100 Basic Pharmacology--Dosages and Calculations
- Units
- 3
- Hours
- Lecture 3 hours
- Transfers to
- CSU
This course introduces important concepts, methods, and principles of administering medications. Topics include drug action and drug interaction, drug classifications, terminology, pertinent abbreviations, legalities, pharmacokinetics, and pharmacodynamics as well as problem solving for accurate measurement of medications using the apothecary and metric systems, conversion of these systems, ratio, proportion, and other formulas. Formerly PHAR 100.
NURS 151 Body Systems Survey for Health Professions
- Units
- 3
- Hours
- Lecture 3 hours
- Transfers to
- CSU
This basic anatomy and physiology course is intended for students who are preparing for a career in health professions. The content is presented from simple to complex, beginning with cellular functioning and progressing through the various organ systems. Students learn how an organ is anatomically designed to perform a specific physiological task and how each organ system plays a role in maintaining homeostasis.
NURS 153 Pathophysiology for Health Professions
- Units
- 3
- Hours
- Lecture 3 hours
- Prerequisite
- NURS 151
- Transfers to
- CSU
This pathophysiology course is intended for students who are preparing for a career in health professions. The course focuses on disease processes in the human body from a systems approach and includes an analysis of the most common and significant diseases. Students use appropriate medical terminology to examine the signs, symptoms, etiology, diagnosis, and treatment of disease.
NURS 155 Basic Medical Terminology
- Units
- 3
- Hours
- Lecture 3 hours
- Transfers to
- CSU
This course covers the origin, correct spelling, pronunciation, meaning, and correct usage of common medical terms and their application to clinical records and reports. It emphasizes the roots, prefixes, suffixes, medical abbreviations, symbols, and terms commonly used in medical records.
NURS 160 Certified Nursing Assistant
- Units
- 6.5
- Hours
- Lecture 4 hours, laboratory 7.50 hours
- Prerequisite
- ESL 150, or eligibility determined by the English placement process; AHA BLS Provider card. (Submit valid SSN, MCC physical, current flu shot, and TB clearance to T420 two weeks before first class meeting.)
- Transfers to
- CSU
This course covers basic nursing skills, including fundamentals of nursing, nutrition, gerontology, and home nursing. It is a prerequisite for MiraCosta's Licensed Vocational Nursing program and has been approved by the California Department of Public Health for the Certified Nursing Assistant certification. Upon successful completion of the course, students may seek employment in long-term and skilled nursing facilities, acute care, and in-home care. Students with prior convictions for misdemeanors or felonies will need to be cleared by the California Department of Public Health. This is done with a Live Scan on the second day of class. Formerly NURS 60.
NURS 170 Licensed Vocational Nursing I
- Units
- 7.5
- Hours
- Lecture 4.50 hours, laboratory 9 hours
- Prerequisite
- NURS 160 or a current California CNA license; and PHAR 100; and NURS 151 or BIO 210, or BIO 220; and admission to the LVN program
- Transfers to
- CSU
This course introduces the beginning vocational nursing student to therapeutic communication, the nursing profession, basic nursing skills, basic pharmacology, and the nursing process. Materials Fee: $550.00.
NURS 171 Licensed Vocational Nursing II
- Units
- 7.5
- Hours
- Lecture 4.50 hours, laboratory 9 hours
- Prerequisite
- NURS 170
- Transfers to
- CSU
This course introduces the vocational nursing student to nutrition, medication administration, gerontology, adult growth and development, the diabetic patient, and the integumentary system. Each unit integrates related anatomy, pathophysiology, pharmacology, psychosocial, and nutrition considerations of the patients. Materials Fee: $310.00.
NURS 172 Licensed Vocational Nursing III
- Units
- 7.5
- Hours
- Lecture 4.50 hours, laboratory 9 hours
- Prerequisite
- NURS 171
- Transfers to
- CSU
This course introduces the vocational nursing student to perioperative and medical-surgical nursing, the genitourinary and gastrointestinal systems, and communicable diseases. Each unit integrates related anatomy, pathophysiology, psychosocial, pharmacology, and nutrition considerations.
NURS 173 Licensed Vocational Nursing IV
- Units
- 7.5
- Hours
- Lecture 4.50 hours, laboratory 9 hours
- Prerequisite
- NURS 172
- Transfers to
- CSU
This course introduces vocational nursing students to the nursing care of the neurological, endocrine, oncology, orthopedic, and rehabilitation patient as well as the patient with a hematological and lymphatic disease. Each unit integrates related anatomy, pathophysiology, psychosocial, pharmacology, and nutrition considerations. Materials Fee: $310.00.
NURS 180 Fundamentals of Nursing
- Units
- 4
- Hours
- Lecture 2 hours, laboratory 6 hours
- Transfers to
- CSU
This entry-level nursing course introduces students to the core concepts, principles, and clinical skills common to all areas and levels of the nursing practice. It provides the platform upon which all subsequent nursing courses build. Its integration of clinical experiences may include acute, long-term, and perioperative/ambulatory care settings as well as college laboratory simulations. Materials Fee: $1477.00.
NURS 181 Medical Surgical Nursing I
- Units
- 4
- Hours
- Lecture 2 hours, laboratory 6 hours
- Prerequisite
- NURS 180 (ADN)
- Transfers to
- CSU
This course introduces the basic concepts required to care for adult patients with stable and/or less complex medical-surgical health problems. It emphasizes the management of unmet needs and the nursing process as organizing frameworks for providing nursing care. Students integrate and apply theoretical concepts and clinical skills in acute, long-term, and perioperative/ambulatory care settings as well as college laboratory simulations.
NURS 182 Maternal-Child Nursing
- Units
- 5
- Hours
- Lecture 3 hours, laboratory 6 hours
- Prerequisite
- NURS 183
- Transfers to
- CSU
This course relates the nursing process to the needs of maternity and pediatric patients and their families. Students adapt previously learned skills and knowledge to the observation and direct care of normal- and high-risk populations. The integration of students' clinical experiences may include acute, long-term, and perioperative/ambulatory care settings as well as college laboratory simulations. Non-clinical and clinical activities may be presented in an online format.
NURS 183 Medical Surgical Nursing II
- Units
- 4.5
- Hours
- Lecture 2 hours, laboratory 7.50 hours
- Prerequisite
- NURS 181 (ADN)
- Transfers to
- CSU
This course continues the study of caring for adult patients with unmet medical needs. It emphasizes perioperative health care needs across the adult life span and respective nursing interventions. Clinical simulations and experiences provide students with opportunities to apply theoretical concepts, improve clinical judgment, and broaden clinical skills in acute, long-term, perioperative/ambulatory, and/or college nursing lab care settings. Non-clinical activities in this course may be presented in an online format. Materials Fee: $549.00.
NURS 185 Nursing Skills/Simulation Laboratory I
- Units
- 0.5-1
- Hours
- Laboratory 3 hours
- Prerequisite
- Students must be accepted for re-entry into the ADN, LVN, or LVN-RN programs or concurrently enrolled in NURS 170, NURS 171, NURS 180, NURS 181, or NURS 280 if prerequisite not met
- Transfers to
- CSU
This course gives students the opportunity to apply related theoretical concepts with supervised practice of fundamental patient care skills and procedures that are presented in beginning nursing courses. Topics include the nursing process, patient assessment, fundamental nursing skills, and medication administration. This course is intended for beginning nursing students in the Associate Degree Nursing (ADN) Program, Licensed Vocational Nursing Program (LVN), and LVN-RN Nursing Program. This course is also open to accepted re-entry students who need to remediate skills prior to returning to the nursing program. Offered pass/no pass only.
NURS 186 Nursing Skills/Simulation Laboratory II
- Units
- 0.5-1
- Hours
- Laboratory 3 hours
- Corequisite
- NURS 182 or NURS 183
- Transfers to
- CSU
This course provides students with the opportunity to apply related theoretical concepts with supervised practice of patient care skills and procedures related to specialty patient populations. Topics include the nursing process, patient assessment, intermediate nursing skills, and medication administration. This course is intended for nursing students in the Associate Degree Nursing (ADN) and LVN-RN nursing program. Offered pass/no pass only.
NURS 201 Pharmacology Essentials for Nursing Practice
- Units
- 3
- Hours
- Lecture 3 hours
- Transfers to
- CSU
This course covers pharmacology principles and major drug groups. It emphasizes applying the nursing process to the utilization of therapeutic drugs to address health problems. Students develop quantitative reasoning skills necessary for accurate drug dosage calculations and safe medication administration. Topics include pharmacokinetics, pharmacodynamics, dosage calculations, principles of medication administration, and variables that impact drug therapy. This course satisfies a major requirement for the registered nursing programs. Formerly PHAR 201.
NURS 274 Licensed Vocational Nursing V
- Units
- 7.5
- Hours
- Lecture 4.50 hours, laboratory 9 hours
- Prerequisite
- NURS 173
- Transfers to
- CSU
This course introduces the advanced vocational nursing student to the nursing care of patients with circulatory and respiratory diseases and disorders as well as home health/hospice and leadership. Each unit integrates related anatomy, pathophysiology, pharmacology, psychosocial, and nutrition considerations. The course also covers leadership, supervision skills, and interpersonal relationships.
NURS 275 Licensed Vocational Nursing VI
- Units
- 7.5
- Hours
- Lecture 4.50 hours, laboratory 9 hours
- Prerequisite
- NURS 274
- Transfers to
- CSU
This course introduces the advanced vocational nursing student to the nursing care of obstetric, gynecologic, pediatric, and mentally ill patients as well as growth and development of the child and adolescent. Each unit integrates related anatomy, pathophysiology, psycho-social, pharmacology, and nutrition considerations. The course includes professional adjustment to prepare the nursing student for employment.
NURS 280 Transition from LVN to RN
- Units
- 2.5
- Hours
- Lecture 1.50 hours, laboratory 3 hours
- Transfers to
- CSU
This course facilitates the transition of the licensed vocational nurse (LVN) into the roles and responsibilities of the registered nurse (RN). It introduces the philosophy and conceptual framework of the RN as member of the discipline and provider of care. The course content focuses on competencies expected of the graduate Associate Degree Nurse (ADN), including clinical reasoning skills, role development, clinical skills, and the nursing process. Materials Fee: $1245.00.
NURS 281 Medical Surgical Nursing III
- Units
- 7
- Hours
- Lecture 3 hours, laboratory 12 hours
- Prerequisite
- NURS 182 and NURS 183 (ADN); or NURS 280 (LVN to RN)
- Transfers to
- CSU
This course continues the study of caring for adult patients with unmet medical needs. It examines the effect of complex and chronic health problems on the physiologic and psychosocial integrity of the adult and elderly patient. Students apply theoretical concepts, improve clinical judgment, and broaden clinical skills in acute, long-term, perioperative/ambulatory, and/or college nursing lab settings. Non-clinical activities may be presented in an online format. Materials Fee: $549.00.
NURS 282 Psychiatric-Mental Health Nursing
- Units
- 3.5
- Hours
- Lecture 2 hours, laboratory 4.50 hours
- Prerequisite
- NURS 182 and NURS 183 (ADN); or NURS 280 (LVN to RN)
- Transfers to
- CSU
This course introduces students to the theory and practice of nursing as related to mental health and illness. It examines how mental healthcare problems impact client integrity in various healthcare settings, and it emphasizes how therapeutic communication establishes and maintains effective nurse-client relationships. Non-clinical activities may be presented in an online format.
NURS 283 Medical Surgical Nursing IV
- Units
- 7
- Hours
- Lecture 3 hours, laboratory 12 hours
- Prerequisite
- NURS 281 and NURS 282
- Transfers to
- CSU
This course focuses on the theory and practice of nursing necessary to assist the acute and critically ill across the lifespan in achieving client integrity. It emphasizes refining use of the nursing process to provide nursing care for individuals with complex and acute health problems. Students apply advanced theoretical knowledge, critical thinking, and psychomotor skills in practical situations. Non-clinical activities may be presented in an online format. Materials Fee: $549.00.
NURS 284 Contemporary Nursing Practice and Leadership
- Units
- 1.5
- Hours
- Lecture 1.50 hours
- Prerequisite
- NURS 181 or NURS 282
- Transfers to
- CSU
This course facilitates the student's transition to entry-level registered nursing practice. It presents management and leadership concepts that are applicable to a variety of healthcare settings. Topics include transitioning from student to registered nurse, decision-making, organization, values clarification, resource allocation, and health care trends.
NURS 285 Nursing Skills/Simulation Laboratory III
- Units
- 0.5-1
- Hours
- Laboratory 3 hours
- Corequisite
- NURS 281 or NURS 282
- Transfers to
- CSU
This course provides students with the opportunity to apply related theoretical concepts with supervised practice of patient care skills and procedures for patients across the lifespan. Topics include the nursing process, patient assessment, advanced nursing skills, and medication administration. This course is intended for nursing students in the Associate Degree Nursing (ADN) and LVN-RN nursing programs. Offered pass/no pass only.
NURS 286 Nursing Skills/Simulation Laboratory IV
- Units
- 0.5-1
- Hours
- Laboratory 3 hours
- Corequisite
- NURS 283
- Transfers to
- CSU
This course provides students with the opportunity to apply related theoretical concepts with supervised practice of patient care skills and procedures for critically ill patients. Topics include the nursing process, patient assessment, critical care nursing skills, and medication administration. This course is intended for nursing students in the Associate Degree Nursing (ADN) and LVN-RN Nursing Programs. Offered pass/no pass only.
NURS 288 Nurse Externship
- Units
- 0.5-14
- Hours
- Laboratory 42 hours
- Prerequisite
- NURS 183 (Generic RN) or NURS 280 (LVN-RN Bridge)
- Corequisite
- Concurrent enrollment in Nursing Program and complete 54 hours of work per unit
- Transfers to
- CSU
This course provides registered nursing (RN) students an opportunity to obtain clinical experience in the application of all previously learned knowledge and skills. Students work collaboratively with a faculty mentor, RN supervisor, and members of the health care team to meet job-oriented learning objectives. Under an RN's supervision, students are provided opportunities to increase their nursing judgment and enhance their nursing skills as preparation for their role as professional graduate nurses.
NURS 290 Critical Care
- Units
- 1.5
- Hours
- Lecture 1.50 hours
- Transfers to
- CSU
This course introduces students to critical care concepts and care of critically patients experiencing varied disorders. It discusses the relationship of pathophysiology to clinical manifestations that patients experience and the interventions the registered nurse needs to implement to improve patient outcomes. Topics include rhythm and 12 lead electrocardiogram (ECG) analysis and treatment, shock syndromes, medications used to maintain hemodynamic stability and perfusion, maintenance of artificial airways, and mechanical ventilation.
NURS 292 Internship Studies
- Units
- 0.5-14
- Corequisite
- Complete 54 hours of work per unit, paid or unpaid
- Transfers to
- CSU
This course provides students the opportunity to apply the theories and techniques of their discipline in an internship position in a professional setting under the instruction of a faculty-mentor and site supervisor. It introduces students to aspects of the roles and responsibilities of professionals employed in the field of study. Topics include goal-setting, employability skills development, and examination of the world of work as it relates to the student's career plans. Students must develop new learning objectives and/or work/intern at a new site upon each enrollment.
NURS 299 Occupational Work Experience Education
- Units
- 0.5-14
- Corequisite
- Complete 54 hours of work per unit, paid or unpaid
- Transfers to
- CSU
This course is intended for students who are employed in a job directly related to their major or career area of interest. It allows such students the opportunity to apply the theories and skills of their discipline to their position and to undertake new responsibilities and learn new skills at work. Topics include goal-setting, employability skills development, and examination of the world of work as it relates to the student's career plans. Students must develop new learning objectives and/or work/intern at a new site upon each enrollment.