SAN MARCOS ---- Introductory Spanish and balancing life and work are among the courses slated to begin next month in the Cal State San Marcos program designed for nurses to refresh and upgrade their skills.

As part of an effort to address a nursing shortage in North County, the university's office of extended studies is also scheduling courses aimed at helping nurses meet the licensing requirements of the state Board of Registered Nursing.

Other courses include infusion therapy administration, pharmacology review, physical assessment, legal documentation, pediatric health assessment and managing change.

The course on balancing work and life, scheduled for Feb. 19, is to focus taking responsibility for one's own resilience. The university said the daylong course, set for 8:30 a.m. to 3 p.m., will explore techniques for reconciling the problems of "urgency addiction" and "time starvation."

Details and schedules for all the upcoming offerings are available at www.csusm.edu/es or by calling (760) 750-4020.