Nursing Course Descriptions

Course Descriptions

Nursing Course Descriptions MSN Core Courses NURS 600 – Theoretical Foundations of Nursing Practice A master’s-prepared nurse is expected to critique, evaluate and utilize appropriate theory within his/her practice. This course focuses on the application of theoretical and conceptual frameworks to guide decision making that enhances health for culturally diverse populations. A variety of theories, e.g., developmental, systems, psychodynamic, physiological, and nursing theories relevant to health and illness care and organizations are explored. (3 credit hours) NURS 601 – Evidence-Based Practice in Nursing Evidence-based practice is the deliberate use of current best practice in making informed decisions about patient care. This course emphasizes evidence-based practice as it relates to changing and improving nursing practice. Students systematically explore and evaluate current nursing knowledge for scientific and clinical merit. (3 credit hours) NURS 602 – Health Care Policy The advanced practice nurse needs to understand the complexities and functioning of health care delivery systems, health care financing systems, and the development and implications of health care policies that guide those systems. The philosophical and sociocultural underpinnings of health care policy are examined. (3 credit hours) NURS 603 – Professional Role Development Advanced Practice Nurse This course provides a theoretical foundation for exploring, analyzing, and evaluating the advance practice nursing roles within the health care system. The legal and ethical context in which the advanced nurse practices is addressed. (3 credit hours) NURS 610 – Health Promotion/Disease Prevention The master’s-prepared nurse is in a key position to influence the health practices of individuals, groups and communities. Health screening, risk assessment, targeted needs assessment, and health promotion are emphasized. Health care goals at the local, regional, and national levels are implemented to direct program planning, development, implementation, and evaluation. (3 credit hours) NURS 611 – Advanced Pathophysiology Provides the basis for understanding the pathophysiology of diseases and the changes in normal function that result in manifestations indicative of illness. Emphasis is on correlating manifestations of illness with pathophysiological processes in order to formulate diagnoses and health care goals. (3 credit hours) NURS 612 – Advanced Health Assessment Advanced practice nurses perform comprehensive health assessments in a variety of settings. Advanced health assessment integrates health history, physical and psychological changes and psychosocial variations. The assessment is used to determine health and risk status, develop health promotion strategies, and establish priorities of care. Differences between a complete health history and a history 1

Course Descriptions

for an episodic event are examined. This course incorporates 80 hours of documented clinical experience with a preceptor focusing on health history and physical assessment. The student will apply concepts related to advanced health assessment and health promotion to problems of adults in rural and/or urban health settings and will begin their clinical logs. (5 credit hours) NURS 615 – Advanced Pharmacotherapeutics Nurse practitioners diagnose and prescribe treatment regimens for persons with common acute and/or chronic health problems. This course focuses on the pharmacological foundation for safely prescribing medical regimens for illnesses that affect individuals. Also included are illness prevention and nonpharmacological primary care for individuals and populations at risk. Selection of appropriate therapies, patient education and evaluation parameters are stressed. (3 credit hours) NURS 619 – Leadership and Quality This course focuses on preparing the graduate nursing student to assume leadership roles on interprofessional teams that effectively implement patient safety and quality improvement initiatives. The course explores using a complexity science and systems theory approach to analyze organizations and the provision of health care within those organizations, as well as plan change strategies to improve the care environment. Budget and marketing principles will also be discussed. (3 credit hours)

Doctor of Nursing Practice Courses NURS 700 – Principles of Epidemiology and Biostatistics This course introduces students to the purpose, content, and methods of epidemiology and biostatistics. The fundamental concepts and techniques of descriptive and inferential statistics are explored with particular emphasis on applications in epidemiology, public health, global health, disease surveillance and outbreak analysis, health care administration, and the social and biological sciences. Basic statistics, including exploratory data analysis, descriptive statistics, hypothesis testing, correlation, regression, and ANOVA methods are presented. Evaluating and using output from statistical computing software are also addressed. (3 credit hours) NURS 701 – Foundations of Clinical Scholarship As the first course in the DNP program, this course is designed to refine students’ scholarly writing skills through a variety of strategies. Along with important works in nursing, literature in other disciplines is also explored. The process of concept analysis is emphasized. (3 credit hours) NURS 702 – Integrating and Synthesizing Research This course emphasizes an objective approach to the integration and synthesis of knowledge according to scientific principles and rules. The conceptual consequences imposed by science on philosophies of knowledge are also discussed. Manuscript preparation and practical use of evidence are incorporated in an effort to prepare students for the design of research proposals. (3 credit hours) NURS 703 – Ethics For Advanced Nursing Practice This course is designed to present ethical principles and decision-making models for the highest level of nursing practice. Evidence-based nursing and interprofessional literature are used to analyze ethical dilemmas that arise in professional practice. (3 credit hours) 2

Course Descriptions

NURS 704 Quality and Patient Safety in Advanced Nursing Practice This course is designed to provide students with the foundation of process improvement (PI) and quality improvement (QI) concepts. Theoretical perspectives of quality and patient safety factors and the use of selected process improvement tools will be examined. Evidence-based practice and change management will be integrated with concepts of PI and QI. Systems thinking will be emphasized. (3 credit hours) NURS 708 – Organizations Theory and Systems Leadership Organizational, management and social science theories are analyzed in the context of organizational leadership and change management. Systems thinking is emphasized. (3 credit hours) NURS 709 – Advanced Health Care Policy In this course knowledge of the American healthcare system is used to identify economically and politically feasible and viable policy changes that would improve the efficiency and effectiveness of the system’s delivery of health care. The policy-making process is examined to prepare students to be effective advocates for health policy change. (3 credit hours) NURS 710 – Graduate Statistics Understanding the measurement of phenomena is a critical component of the research process. Procedures for selecting, applying and interpreting the correct statistical application to a research problem will be presented with students processing the results. (3 credit hours) NURS 705 – Clinical Inquiry I In this course, students design an evidence-based research study that will guide clinical practice. The feasibility of conducting this research initiative is explored. Potential funding sources and budget issues will be examined. Students complete the human subjects training and write a proposal. (3 credit hours) NURS 706 – Clinical Inquiry II In this course, students implement their clinical project and complete data collection. Students apply integrated research concepts as they pertain to their clinical project. Utilization of various methods of data analysis and data management systems will be explored. (3 credit hours) NURS 707 – Clinical Inquiry III In this course, students complete data analysis of the clinical project. Based upon the results of data analysis, students disseminate their evidence-based research through written and oral delivery. (3 credit hours)

Post-Master’s NP Certificate Core Courses See MSN Core Courses: NURS 603, NURS 610, NURS 611, NURS 612, NURS 615

BSN to DNP Core Courses 3

Course Descriptions

See MSN Core Courses: NURS 600, NURS 601, NURS 602, NURS 603, NURS 610, NURS 611, NURS 612, NURS 615 See DNP Core Courses: NURS 700, NURS 701, NURS 702, NURS 703, NURS 704, NURS 708, NURS 709, NURS 710

Concentration Courses Adult-Gerontology Acute Care Nurse Practitioner Core Courses NURS 640 Adult-Gerontology Acute Care Diagnosis and Management I First didactic management course in the Adult Gerontology Acute Care Nurse Practitioner program. Focus is on evidence based theory and research in individuals experiencing acute illness with common problems seen in the acute care setting. Students will analyze practice guidelines and learn to develop differential diagnoses implementing clinical judgment and decision-making as it relates to pathophysiology, pharmacology and evidence based management. (3 credit hours) NURS 641 Adult-Gerontology Acute Care Diagnosis and Management Practicum I First practicum course in the Adult Gerontology Acute Care Nurse Practitioner (AGACNP) program. Application and integration of concepts presented in the NURS 640 with focus on applying knowledge and skills in acute care practice settings. This course will examine common acute care presentations. The practicum requires 250 clinical practice hours. (3 credit hours) NURS 642 – Adult-Gerontology Acute Care Diagnosis and Management II Second didactic management course in the Adult Gerontology Acute Care Nurse Practitioner program. Students will continue to expand on knowledge, decision making and management of acute and emergent physiological alterations in cardiovascular, pulmonary, renal, genitourinary, gastrointestinal, endocrine, infectious disease, OB-GYN and Hematology-Oncology disorders, while implementing critical thinking of pathophysiology, pharmacology and evidence-based management of complex symptomatology. (3 credit hours) NURS 643 – Adult-Gerontology Acute Care Diagnosis and Management Practicum II Second practicum course in the Adult Gerontology Acute Care Nurse Practitioner (AGACNP) program. Application and integration of concepts presented in the NURS 642 with focus on comprehensive health care to complex, acute and critically ill patients in a clinical, preceptored practicum experience. The practicum requires 250 clinical practice hours. (3 credit hours) NURS 644 – Adult-Gerontology Acute Care Diagnosis and Management III Final didactic management course in the Adult Gerontology Acute Care Nurse Practitioner (AGACNP) program. Students will continue to refine knowledge, decision making and management of acute and emergent physiological alterations in neurological, traumatic, toxicology/ingestions, psychiatric, burns, shock states, failures states, sepsis, and multisystem disorders, as well as intensive life support and end of life, while implementing critical thinking of pathophysiology, pharmacology and evidence based management of complex symptomatology. (3 credit hours)

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Course Descriptions

NURS 645 – Adult-Gerontology Acute Care Diagnosis and Management Practicum III Final practicum course in the Adult Gerontology Acute Care Nurse Practitioner (AGACNP) program. Application and integration of concepts presented in the NURS 644 with focus on comprehensive health care to complex, acute and critically ill patients in a clinical, preceptored practicum experience. The practicum requires 250 clinical practice hours. (3 credit hours)

Adult-Gerontology Primary Care Nurse Practitioner Core Courses NURS 620 – Adult-Gerontology Health Care I Care of adults experiencing selected common acute and chronic health problems as well as those experiencing complex and multiple health problems are studied in this course. Emphasis is placed on detailed history taking, differential diagnosis, management of health care problems, and documentation of findings. Strategies to manage health problems of adults in urban and rural primary care settings are explored with an emphasis on evidence-based research guidelines. Nursing care to support positive lifestyle behaviors, primary prevention, and support of functional ability is discussed. (3 credit hours) NURS 621 – Adult-Gerontology Nurse Practitioner Practicum I The theoretical, clinical, and role components of care are implemented in a supervised clinical practicum with a board certified nurse practitioner or physician preceptor. Opportunity is provided for the assessment, management, and evaluation of young, middle, and older aged adults with common and complex health problems in a primary care setting. Emphasis is on independence in decision making within a multidisciplinary context. The practicum requires 215-250 clinical practice hours. (3 credit hours) NURS 623 – Adult-Gerontology Health Care II Care of adults experiencing selected common acute and chronic health problems as well as those experiencing complex and multiple health problems is studied in this course. Emphasis is placed on detailed history taking, differential diagnosis, management of health care problems, and documentation of findings. Strategies to manage health problems of adults in urban and rural primary care settings are explored with an emphasis on evidence-based research guidelines. Nursing care to support positive lifestyle behaviors, primary prevention, and support of functional ability is discussed. (3 credit hours) NURSE 624 – Adult-Gerontology Nurse Practitioner Practicum II The theoretical, clinical, and role components of care are implemented in a supervised clinical practicum with a board certified nurse practitioner or physician preceptor. Opportunity is provided for the assessment, management, and evaluation of young, middle, and older-aged adults with common and complex health problems in a primary care setting. Emphasis is on independence in decision making within a multidisciplinary context. The practicum requires 215-250 clinical practice hours. (3 credit hours)

FAMILY NURSE PRACTITIONER CORE COURSES NURS 620 – Adult-Gerontology Health Care I Care of adults experiencing selected common acute and chronic health problems as well as those experiencing complex and multiple health problems are studied in this course. Emphasis is placed on 5

Course Descriptions

detailed history taking, differential diagnosis, management of health care problems, and documentation of findings. Strategies to manage health problems of adults in urban and rural primary care settings are explored with an emphasis on evidence-based research guidelines. Nursing care to support positive lifestyle behaviors, primary prevention, and support of functional ability is discussed. (3 credit hours) NURS 621 – Adult-Gerontology Nurse Practitioner Practicum I The theoretical, clinical, and role components of care are implemented in a supervised clinical practicum with a board certified nurse practitioner or physician preceptor. Opportunity is provided for the assessment, management, and evaluation of young, middle, and older aged adults with common and complex health problems in a primary care setting. Emphasis is on independence in decision making within a multidisciplinary context. The practicum requires 215-250 clinical practice hours. (3 credit hours) NURS 623 – Adult-Gerontology Health Care II Care of adults experiencing selected common acute and chronic health problems as well as those experiencing complex and multiple health problems is studied in this course. Emphasis is placed on detailed history taking, differential diagnosis, management of health care problems, and documentation of findings. Strategies to manage health problems of adults in urban and rural primary care settings are explored with an emphasis on evidence-based research guidelines. Nursing care to support positive lifestyle behaviors, primary prevention, and support of functional ability is discussed. (3 credit hours) NURSE 624 – Adult-Gerontology Nurse Practitioner Practicum II The theoretical, clinical, and role components of care are implemented in a supervised clinical practicum with a board certified nurse practitioner or physician preceptor. Opportunity is provided for the assessment, management, and evaluation of young, middle, and older-aged adults with common and complex health problems in a primary care setting. Emphasis is on independence in decision making within a multidisciplinary context. The practicum requires 215-250 clinical practice hours. (3 credit hours) NURS 629 – Pediatric/Family Health Care III Care of childbearing women, pediatric clients, and their families experiencing complex and multiple health problems is studied in this course. This course prepares Family Nurse Practitioners to develop expertise and assume responsibility for health promotion, maintenance, and management of children and women in their reproductive years. Emphasis is placed on the child within the framework of the family. Stages of development are explored from biophysiological, cognitive, emotional, and sociocultural perspectives. (3 credit hours) NUR 630 – Family Nurse Practitioner Practicum III The nurse practitioner practicum experience provides the student with an opportunity to assume responsibility for the primary health care services of individuals and families under the supervision of an established nurse practitioner and/or physician preceptor. The student is expected to assume increasing responsibility for planning and implementing therapeutic processes and for documenting and evaluating outcomes of care. The role of the FNP in health problem management, family involvement, health promotion and teaching, health maintenance, and continued collaboration with health professionals is emphasized. This practicum requires 225 clinical practice hours with a board certified Nurse Practitioner preceptor or MD, reflecting approximately 70 hours in Women’s Health and 155 hours in Pediatrics. (3 credit hours) 6

Course Descriptions

PEDIATRIC (PRIMARY CARE) NURSE PRACTITIONER CORE COURSES NURS 650 – Health Promotion of the Pediatric Population Focus on growth and development for stages of pediatric development using theory and evidence based practice; learn anticipatory guidance techniques. Understand appropriate health promotion and illness prevention within the pediatric population incorporating individual, cultural, ethnic, and spiritual preferences into health care. (3 credit hours) NURS 651 – Pediatric Assessment and Diagnosis I This course introduces pediatric nurse practitioner students to advanced nursing management of the pediatric population in a primary care setting. Content on how to perform comprehensive history and physical examination and use diagnostic testing and screening tools for the pediatric population in addition to interpretation of data and understanding differential diagnosis for common pediatric illnesses. (3 credit hours) NURS 652 – Pediatric Assessment and Diagnosis Practicum I Under the supervision of clinical preceptors, working with the pediatric population in primary care and other settings begin to develop the competences needed for a nurse practitioner. Develop an understanding of pathophysiology concepts in the pediatric population. Understand case management, collaboration and referral for specialist for evaluation and community resources. The practicum requires 250 clinical practice hours. (3 credit hours) NURS 653 – Pediatric Assessment and Diagnosis II This course broadens the pediatric nurse practitioner student’s primary care role and expands the interprofessional team involvement. Course content focuses on advanced nursing management of the pediatric population who present with disease processes seen in a primary care setting along with continued development of health promotion and disease prevention competencies. (3 credit hours) NURS 654 – Pediatric Assessment and Diagnosis Practicum II Under the supervision of clinical preceptors, students will work to assume a more autonomous role in initiating physical assessments, determining pathophysiological processes, interpreting diagnostic findings, initiating pharmacologic and non- pharmacologic therapies, providing patient education, and developing disease management and health promotion strategies for the pediatric population. The practicum requires 250 clinical practice hours. (3 credit hours)

Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner Core Courses NURS 660 – Psychopharmacology and Mental Health Assessment This course will examine the advanced concepts of assessment, psychopathology, and differential diagnosis in advanced practice psychiatric-mental health nursing, as well as the study and use of psychotropic drugs used in the holistic treatment of acute and chronic psychiatric-mental health disorders, including pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics. A strong emphasis is placed on proper assessment and identification of discrete aspects of cognition, affect and behavior in the diagnosis and treatment planning of psychiatric illness across the life span. (3 credit hours) 7

Course Descriptions

NURS 661 – Psychiatric-Mental Health Diagnosis and Management I This course will focus on synthesized advanced practice knowledge relevant to the multidimensional assessment and interventions processes of the adult and older adult and their family. A variety of theories and models will be used to develop an understanding of the etiologies of acute and chronic mental health disorders among adults and older adults. Neuroscience principles and family-centered theories will be addressed. Selection of appropriate treatment strategies including individual and group psychotherapies will be emphasized. (3 credit hours) NURS 662 – Psychiatric-Mental Health Diagnosis and Management Practicum I This practicum is designed to synthesize advanced practice knowledge relevant to persons with psychiatric illness and their families. Students will integrate relevant theories into the clinical management of targeted acute and chronic psychiatric symptoms and disorders. A variety of psychotherapeutic strategies will be explored. Evidence-based practice and research-based clinical decision making will be emphasized in the assessment, diagnosis, and treatment of a variety of DMS-5 diagnoses among adult and older adult clients. (3 credit hours) NURS 663 – Psychiatric-Mental Health Diagnosis and Management II This course will provide the student with an opportunity to evaluate and apply evidenced-based approaches of health promotion, diagnosis and management of psychiatric illness in the care of children and adolescents and their families. An expansion of knowledge in a variety of theories and models will be used to develop an understanding of the etiologies of complex mental health disorders in order to diagnose, treat, and evaluate a variety of DSM-5 diagnoses among children and adolescent clients and their families. Students will continue to develop more in-depth knowledge of various psychopharmacological and non-pharmacological interventions including crisis intervention, as well as individual and group psychotherapies. (3 credit hours) NURS 664 – Psychiatric-Mental Health Diagnosis and Management Practicum II This practicum is designed to synthesize advanced practice knowledge relevant to children and adolescents and their families with psychiatric illness. Students will integrate relevant theories into the clinical management of targeted across the life span with complex psychiatric symptoms and a variety of DSM-5 disorders. A variety of treatment and management strategies will be explored. Evidence-based practice and research-based clinical decision making will be emphasized in order to evaluate, diagnosis, treat, and evaluate a variety of DSM-5 diagnoses across the life span. (3 credit hours) NURS 665 – Psychiatric-Mental Health Diagnosis and Management III This course is designed to synthesize theoretical knowledge and evidenced based research for psychiatric-mental health specialty areas with a focus on life span issues. A continued expansion of knowledge in a variety of theories and models will be used to further enhance an understanding of complex mental health disorders in order to diagnose, treat, and evaluate a variety of specialty issues among patients across the life span. Students will develop an advanced knowledge of various psychopharmacological and non-pharmacological interventions including individual and group psychotherapies to treat various complex DSM-5 disorders across the life span. (3 credit hours) NURS 667 – Psychiatric-Mental Health Diagnosis and Management Practicum III This practicum is designed to synthesize advanced practice knowledge relevant to psychiatric-mental health specialty areas with a focus on life span issues. Students will show an advanced ability to 8

Course Descriptions

integrate relevant theories into the clinical management of targeted across the life span with complex psychiatric symptoms and a variety of DSM-5 disorders. A variety of treatment and management strategies will be explored. Using advanced evidence-based practice knowledge and research-based clinical decision-making students will evaluate, diagnosis, treat, and evaluate a variety of DSM-5 diagnoses across the life span working within a more advanced role. (3 credit hours)

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