1. Welcome to NU 304 Instructor: Kelley Edds, MSN, APN-BC

2.  I hope you have used the first week to look through the site and get familiar with the format  The format is very similar from week to week (Unit to unit)  Make sure to read the directions to the assignments carefully and observe how many DQs there are for the week – it varies from 1-2 per week. You must answer all of them and follow the criteria for each question.

3.  Please read the announcements as I post important announcements. Please check your emails frequently or have emails forwarded to your home email.  I will always post when your grades are posted after DQ responses and Assignments  I always try to get your grades posted as soon as possible…but this is a large class. I have 7 days to return your grades back to you per Kaplan’s policy but will always try to get them back sooner. I know how it feels waiting for a grade to be returned

4. Discussion Questions  Please check the number of questions for each unit  Answer question(s) by Friday, day 3, 11:59 pm  You are required to have a reference in APA ◦ An in text citation of the reference ◦ This reference supports your thoughts or ideas ◦ As nurses we build on the work of others, this class is no exception

5.  Please look at and refer to your discussion rubric when you complete your DQ responses  There are specific criteria that must be followed every week  I will grade your weekly responses by this rubric  I will also place an example in the announcements you should follow for all DQ responses

6.  These are some things student’s overlook when completing their DQ responses  Initial discussion question responses need to be a minimum of 100-150 (or longer if you choose) words. Comments to classmates do not have a length requirement. But need to be substantial.  Students are required to participate in each discussion thread on at least 3 different days during the unit week.  When answering DQ, in the subject line write “Name, DQ# answer”

7.  You must reference your initial response a cited source (from the week’s reading or something else you came across). This will get you used to writing your sources in APA format (will post an example).  When you respond to other student’s responses, please include their name in the Title line. ie “response to Katie from Kelley”

8.  Everything is due by 11:59pm (EST)  Please communicate to me if something comes up and you can not turn your assignment in on time.  I will grant extensions for certain circumstances…but do not assume you will be able to turn in your assignment late. You must get the “OK” from me first.

9. Family Assignment  Your family assignment is in the announcement page under “family assignment.”  I know there is limited information in your “family.” Do the best you can with the assignments.  Family information is found in doc sharing.

10.  You are probably familiar with an artist’s portfolio, which contains various pictures and photographs that are used in conjunction with job interviews, art shows, and studio displays. However, portfolios are not limited to the creative professions. College graduates and professionals are increasingly using portfolios for job searches and career development. An effective portfolio should highlight education, skills, attributes, and professional experience relevant to your targeted career. Your portfolio should demonstrate concrete examples of what you can do and how well you can do it.  As a Kaplan University student over the course of your program you will build a Program Portfolio to document your academic achievements using OptimalResume.com with the help of your professors. In addition, through Career Resources and the Office of Personal Brand Strategy you will have the opportunity to leverage your Program Portfolio in the production of a Career Portfolio for professional purposes as part of your Personal Brand. You will retain access to your Portfolios after graduation.  View this online tutorial about Kaplan’s Student Portfolios

11. Grading Rubrics  Under “Course Home” there is a document labeled “Grading Rubrics”  Please refer to this weekly  This has all your assignments, rubrics, and criteria for all your major assignments. Again I use the rubrics to grade your assignments.

12.  Please remember that all your assignments, except assignment 6, are to be in APA format.  You must have a title page in APA format  A reference page in APA format  Paper must be formatted properly throughout

13.  You may turn in papers early into the dropbox if you need to  You may not answer DQ questions early…you must wait until the Unit to start to receive credit for your post  Please focus on the current DQs in the Unit and only answer/respond to those question  If you want to get a head start on next week’s DQs…you may complete them in WORD on your computer and copy and paste them into the forum when the week starts. This way you have completed them already, so all you have to do is post them

14.  There are 3 required seminars in units 3, 5 and 9  Our seminars will always be on ?????  If you are unable to make it, you will have to submit the alternate seminar assignment to the dropbox. The alternate assignment is located under the seminar tab for the week.

15.  You will complete a health history on a member of your virtual family, based upon your collection of the data provided in the course to date. Submit the health history form with these initial findings in the Dropbox.  For Parts I - VII, fill out as much of the form with relevant data as possible. If there is no information available at this time to answer some of the questions, you can indicate that in your response. Based on your collected data in Part I - VII, you will respond to Part VIII based on the available information.  Finally, there are three questions at the end of the form that require a response. (Note: You do not need to respond to these questions in APA format but your answers should be well written and organized.)  Make sure to complete your Unit 4 Web Resources (found in Unit Activities) on Evidence Based Practice before responding to the questions at the end of the form.  To view the Grading Rubric for this assignment, please visit the Course Home.

16.  Make a project list and rank the projects by date due, work involved, ect.  Don’t forget to add in time to take care of yourself, your home, and your family.  Mark the time of the day you will be on line and/or complete your projects and dqs.  Take a 3 minute vacation- see anouncements.