College of Nursing

The course focus includes study of selected contemporary nursing and related theories. Major philosophical and theoretical orientations that provide the foundation for nursing practice are analyzed. Theory development and its connection to empirical research are evaluated.

This course examines the issues and concepts that are relevant to an understanding of the relationships among forces in health care. Emphasis will be placed on the process by which health care policies are formulated and on identifying the central issues within policies together with their supportive and non-supportive argumentation.

Individual, family, and group therapeutic techniques when caring for individuals with psychiatric/mental health disorders across the lifespan will be introduced. Each therapeutic modality will be presented using key concepts, explanation of the therapeutic process, and application of techniques.

This didactic course is designed to explore issues related to care of the elderly, including healthful aging, and issues related to chronic illness and frailty. Age related changes and the biopsychosocial theories of aging will provide the foundation for understanding key aspects of healthful aging. Principles of evidence-based practice will be utilized to explore the management of chronic health problems unique to older adults. An analysis of public policy and the impact of the prospective payment system in long-term care will highlight the constraints of healthcare services to institutionalized and community residing elders.

Comprehensive healthcare needs identified for individuals of all ages. Current and evolving healthcare delivery.

This course addresses the political, social, legal, and ethical realities affecting nursing administrators in integrated health care delivery systems. Theoretical as well as operational perspectives are presented, particularly as they distinguish nursing administration from business administration Students analyze the interactions of government authorities, delivery systems, the financing of healthcare, regulation, competition, and organizational innovation.

This course investigates the role of the nurse case manager in a managed care environment. Case management initiatives employed with specific multicultural clinical populations will be discussed with a focus on patient and family education to maximize health. Prerequisite NURS 6224 or by permission.

This course will focus on the financial aspects of integrated health care delivery systems. Basic principles of economics and accounting will be reviewed as they relate to health care organizations. Emphasis will be on the synthesis of clinical and financial operations in ways that limit resource consumption and maximize resource utilization. Prerequisite NURS 6304 or by permission.

This course examines legal issues and risks in healthcare administration. The course will address the broad and divergent elements of health care risk management that healthcare facilities and administrators experience in the current environment of managed care. Prerequisite: NURS 6304 or by permission.

Pathogenesis of major conditions will be presented. Symptoms and signs of clinical situations will be analyzed and discussed in order that the student may have an understanding of the etiology of health deviations as well as a cognizance of the rationale for their management

Provides a working knowledge of pharmacotherapeutics, with emphasis on therapeutic needs of the ambulatory client, from childhood through older years. Basic concepts in qualitative and quantitative drug actions within the body.

This course will examine the determinants of population health and etiology of associated disease throughout the lifespan. Students will critically examine personal, social, economic, and environmental factors that influence health status and nursing care delivery related to social and physical factors in the environment in the United States of America. Concepts and theories related to social, geographical, and biological factors that impact population health will be analyzed. Strategies to decrease barriers and improve resources to facilitate optimized health will be discussed.

Opportunity for graduate nursing students to study a selected area or problem in nursing and to enhance the ability for self-directed learning. Students are assigned or select qualified faculty to serve as consultants.

Opportunity for graduate nursing students to study a selected area or problem in nursing and to enhance the ability for self-directed learning. Students are assigned or select qualified faculty to serve as consultants.

This course examines methods of nursing research. Critique of published quantitative and qualitative nursing research studies is conducted. Emphasis is placed on the nature of scientific inquiry, role of research in knowledge and theory development and ethics in conducting research. Students develop skills for preparing practice focused, theoretically based nursing research proposals. Prerequisite: Undergraduate Nursing Research course, Undergraduate Basic Statistics Course NURS 6123.

Students acquire theory to initiate, manage, and evaluate health care regimens for children and adolescents. This course provides the nurse practitioner student working with infants through adolescents with an expanded scientific knowledge base to manage health care situations, with a focus on health promotion and acute, episodic illness. A framework is provided for clinical decision making and clinical management in a variety of pediatric health care situations, building on the prerequisite courses. Clinical management is elaborated on for selected behavioral concerns and acute illness in the younger years. Nursing management, which includes assessment, diagnosis, laboratory testing, pharmacologic and othertherapeutic interventions, health education, counseling, referral, case coordination, and support, organizes the nurse practitioner student's approach to pediatric health care. The nurse practitioner student is provided the opportunity to conceptualize and develop a role as part of a collaborative interdisciplinary team. Prerequisites: NURS 6223 or 6227 and 6228, 7339.

This course focuses on providing the student nurse practitioner with the necessary knowledge and skills to formulate clinical judgments needed to initiate, manage and evaluate culturally competent health care regimens for adults. Content is built upon concepts of the biopsychosocial aspects taught in the required prerequisites. Emphasis is placed on commonly occurring health problems. The concepts of health promotion and health maintenance are integrated throughout this course. Prerequisites: Successful completion of core courses and NURS 7339. Corequisite: NURS 7343.

This course focuses on the synthesis of current nursing theory relevant to pediatric health care and special care management of the developing individual with a long-term health care deviation from birth through adolescence. The growing and developing client is viewed holisticaly and is considered within the context of the family and the community as the support system through which the plan of complex care is implemented. Using a systems framework, specific long term health care deviations are explored in depth. Planning and care management are approached on a collaborative basis between client/family, advanced practice nurse, and other health care professionals with goals of productive maturity by the client, stabilized health care needs and an informed and appropriate use of health care resources by the client. Prerequisite: NURS 7242.

This course builds on information taught in the required prerequisites and provides the student with the necessary knowledge and skill to formulate complex clinical judgments needed to initiate, manage, and evaluate culturally competent primary health care regimens for adults. The concepts of health promotion and health maintenance continue to be integrated throughout this course. Students will continue to synthesize and evaluate theoretical knowledge in primary health care of adults with increased independence and decision-making ability. Prerequisite: NURS 7243 and 7343. Corequisite: NURS 7356.

This course focuses on the diagnosis and management of the illness trajectory of patients with chronic conditions. Diagnosis and management of select chronic conditions will be discussed via case scenarios. Risk factor modification is included for leading causes of morbidity and mortality spanning ages from older adolescent to the elderly, including ethnic minorities. Prerequisite: NURS 7339.

This practicum course examines how integrated health care delivery systems are reimbursed for services. Types of managed care organizations and their organizational and operational structures are studied. The practicum format allows the student to examine and participate in financial management operations employed in an actual health care setting. Prerequisite: NURS 6305 or by permission.

The initial internship experience offers students the opportunity to develop midlevel leadership/management competencies within selected healthcare organizations. Course focus is on the assessment of integrated health care delivery systems and on the multicultural constituencies served by these systems. The roles and interrelationships of managers and administrators in organizational units are examined. Prerequisite: NURS 7307 or by permission.

Students spend 135 hours in a practice setting where they acquire mastery of advanced comprehensive and integrated assessment skills. These include bio-psycho-socio-economic, developmental and functional appraisals of all age groups, with a focus on cultural competence. Specialty assessments are incorporated. The student practices advaced assessment skills and begins role acculturation under close preceptorship supervision. Prerequisites: Matriculation for the Master of Science in Nursing Degree or acceptance for the Post-Master's Certificate. Basic Physical Assessment course completed within previous three years, NURS 6415. Corequisite: NURS 7370.

The focus of this course is on clinical practice with children, performing behavioral, developmental, functional, environmental and physical assessments. Emphasis is on the student's clinical judgment and decision-making during pediatric care and health supervision for children. Current best evidence for practice is applied in clinical encounters with children and families. The student develops an appreciation of the role of the advanced practice nurse in pediatric health care. Prerequisites: Matriculation for the Master of Science in Nursing Degree or acceptance for the Post-Master's Certificate. Basic Physical Assessment course completed within previous three years, NURS 6415. Corequisite: NURS 7370.

This course focuses on building the student¿s clinical appraisal, diagnostic decision-making, and management skills for health promotion, illness prevention or acute episodic illness in children. Students manage the care of children and their families from a variety of economic, cultural, and familial backgrounds. The advanced practice nursing role is analyzed.

Students will begin to function in the role of ACNP. Students will be involved in team rounds, working with health professionals. Desired experiences are settings where patients have chronic conditions or stabilizing acute conditions. Seminars will focus on case studies relevant to content in Acute Care Theory II. Case management is stressed. Seven clinical hours and 2 hours of seminar/week. Prerequisite: NURS 7339. Corequisite: NURS 7250.

Application of knowledge and skills synthesized from previous work in the nursing major and the supportive biopsychosocial sciences and humanities. Students, with faculty guidance and preceptor supervision, will actively focus on providing cost-effective care for clients with a long term health deviation. Students will develop a therapeutic regimen, in collaboration with the family and the interdisciplinary team, based upon analysis of findings from health history and physical and behavioral assessments. Placement will include clinics or agencies which provide the student with an opportunity to work with children with long term health care deviations. Students will be in the clinical area for 120 hours over teh semester and meet on-line in seminar each week. Prerequisites: NURS 7242, 7344. Corequisite: NURS 7244.

Students spend 180 hours in a clinical practice setting where they continue to develop skills needed to provide culturally competent primary health care to adults and the aged with increasingly complex health and illness issues. With faculty guidance and preceptor supervision, students manage the health and illness of clients. Prerequisite: NURS 7243, 7349. Corequisite: NURS 7246.

This practicum course emphasizes strategies for the ongoing assessment and management of clients. All settings are inner city with multicultural groups. Students will carry a case load of patients with both acute and chronic illnesses in the tertiary care setting, including the critical care areas. New procedures/tests will be performed as per the following approach: (1) observe and assist, (2) perform with assistance and (3) perform with supervision. Seven clinical hours and two hours of seminar per week. Prerequisites: NURS 7250, 7348. Corequisite: NURS 7252.

The focus of the course is on the continued application of knowledge and skills synthesized from previous work in nursing and the supportive biopsychosocial sciences and humanities. Interdisciplinary collaboration for effective, holistic primary health care is emphasized. Students explicate the role of the nurse practitioner in primary health care in their behavior and by interpreting nursing's real and potential contributions to primary health care to colleagues in nursing, other health care disciplines, and the public. The student is expected to be conversant with and responsive to the societal and politico-legal developments affecting acceptance and utilization of the nurse practitioner role. Prerequisites: NURS 7357, 7244.

Students send 180 hours in a clinical practice setting where they continue to integrate and synthesize data and demonstrate expert clinical judgment and decision making in the provisions of culturally competent care for adults and the aged. With faculty and preceptor consultation, students manage the health and illness of increasing numbers of clients with complex problems. Prerequisites: NURS 7359, 7246. Corequisite: NURS 7470

The focus of this clinical course is on the acute care nurse practitioner's management of critically ill adults and their families from critical illness onset through rehabilitation or resolution. Case management is holistic and incorporates the family, critical care and long term institutions and the community. The application of complex technologic care is emphasized and analyzed. This course affords the learner continued opportunity to collaborate with clinical nurse specialists in the care of critically ill adults and their families in healthcare institutions and the community. Prerequisites: NURS 7252, 7360.

This executive-level internship experience offers students the opportunity to demonstrate advanced leadership/management competencies in a selected healthcare organization. Students will have the opportunity to demonstrate synthesis and application of previously acquired knowledge and skill during their involvement and participation in organizational planning at executive levels in complex integrated health care organizations. The experience will promote the application and utilization of advanced theoretical knowledge in new and existing situations within the administrative practice setting. Course focus is on the depth and breadth of integrated delivery system components and on the multicultural constituencies served by these systems. Learning outcomes stress creative leadership behaviors and the development of a strategic business initiative for a product or service that serves organization's constituency.

A study of the normative and organizational dimensions of health care ethics. Emphasis on various traditional and contemporary approaches to normative ethics and on the way ethical decisions are shaped by culture and structure of organizations and professions. Philosophical ideas and social science theory and data will be brought to bear on professional dilemmas of nursing.

Doctoral students who are engaged in preparation for, or have passed Candidacy, but have not completed NURS 9902, must register for the one credit continuing Ph.D. advisement course each semester they are not registered for any other 3 credit course.

This course examines issues in higher education with a focus on curriculum development and teaching in nursing education. This course includes designing a nursing curriculum based on an organizational framework and identifying student outcomes and competencies. Learning experiences and teaching modalities are identified to achieve outcomes. The role of nursing faculty in higher education is included.

This course focuses on the development, evaluation, selection and use of tools that measure a variety of intended learning outcomes. The relationship between measurement and evaluation and teaching are discussed.

The focus of this course is the development of scholarly inquiry in nursing. Students engage in a systematic analysis and critical evaluation of current nursing theory. Emphasis is placed on the historical development of nursing theory from its inception to the present. The course highlights the relationship between scientific inquiry and the development of knowledge and the practice of nursing.

The focus of this course is the critical evaluation of evidence derived from contemporary nursing research from a theoretical and methodological perspective. Selected studies that are representative of different methods of inquiry are carefully critiqued. Students are helped to interrelate findings, identify gaps in knowledge, and explore concepts of their own interest. Emphasizes the extent and nature of potential synthesis of knowledge across traditional boundaries. Prerequisite: NURS 8101.

The principles and methods employed in a variety of qualitative and quantitative research designs used for the development of nursing knowledge are presented and compared. Issues of clinical practice research are discussed. The importance of selecting an appropriate design for an identified research problem is emphasized. Prerequisites: NURS 8102, GMHS 7403. Corequisite: CPSY 7005.

The focus of this course is the use of qualitative methods to build knowledge. This is the first of two courses in the qualitative research sequence that are required for students who choose to do a qualitative dissertation. In this course the student develops a simple qualitative study (not the dissertation), and collects data. In the second course the student leaves the field and the focus is on rigorous analysis and writing up the results. In this course the students learn by doing. Students conduct interviews, engage in participant observation, develop field notes, and examine their personal beliefs. Students are guided with support from peers to develop codes, categories and themes. Trustworthiness guides the design, data collection, and analysis. Ethical issues related to qualitative research are discussed. Prerequisite: NURS 8701.

The focus of this course is the completion of the field study begun in NURS 8702 Qualitative Research Design. The student leaves the field and continues the work of deeper analysis. Work becomes increasingly focused and complex. Trustworthiness guides the work of analysis. Students are challenged to reflect and understand the influence of personal beliefs on their interpretations. Students have an opportunity to explore a wide range of ways of reporting findings and writing qualitative reports. At the completion of the course the student has the foundational skills required to do the qualitative dissertation. Prerequisite: NURS 8702.

This course consists of a seminar and discussion for doctoral candidates. Students develop the dissertation research proposal with guidance of faculty and input of fellow students. Emphasis is on the refinement of the problem statement, research question(s)/hypothesis, review of the literature and selection and application of appropriate methods. Prerequisite: Candidacy Status, Corequisite: NURS 9901 or NURS 9900.

This course consists of a seminar and discussion for doctoral candidates who are continuing to develop their dissertation proposal. The focus is on candidate discussion and presentation of topics related to issues dealing with the development of the dissertation proposal. Discussion of scholarly writing is included as well as opportunities for a ¿mock¿ oral defense of final dissertation proposal. Prerequisite: NURS 9902.

Doctoral students who have completed Dissertation Seminars I or II, with or without having successfully passed dissertation proposal review, must continuously register for dissertation advisement (NURS 9904-NURS 9912) any semester they are not registered for any other 3 credit course until the dissertation is completed and the final oral defense of dissertation is passed. Students must maintain contact with their dissertation chair and committee members and be involved in the research and writing process. Prerequisite: NURS 9902 or NURS 9903.

Doctoral students who have completed Dissertation Seminars I or II, with or without having successfully passed dissertation proposal review, must continuously register for dissertation advisement (NURS 9904-NURS 9912) any semester they are not registered for any other 3 credit course until the dissertation is completed and the final oral defense of dissertation is passed. Students must maintain contact with their dissertation chair and committee members and be involved in the research and writing process. Prerequisite: NURS 9902 or NURS 9903.

Doctoral students who have completed Dissertation Seminars I or II, with or without having successfully passed dissertation proposal review, must continuously register for dissertation advisement (NURS 9904-NURS 9923) any semester they are not registered for any other 3 credit course until the dissertation is completed and the final oral defense of dissertation is passed. Students must maintain contact with their dissertation chair and committee members and be involved in the research and writing process. Prerequisite

D.N.P. students who have completed Scholarly Project I and II must continuously register for advisement (NURS 9924-9935) any semester they are not registered for any other 3 credit course until the project is completed and the final presentation is passed. Students must maintain contact with their Scholarly Project chair and committee members and be involved in the project implementation and evaluation.

This course addresses the intersection of clinical integrity and clinical leadership in the context of advanced nursing practice. Using a case-based approach, nursing and biomedical ethical norms are integrated with leadership theory in the analysis of problems encountered bu nurses in advanced roles. Contemporary leadership theories, foundational and advanced principles of ethical leadership , and dilemmas in the delivery of healthcare are examined in depth.

This course examines health care economics and the business of clinical practice as it relates to the delivery of quality health care services. The course will analyze the dynamic interplay between the driving forces of economics, heath policy, quality improvement, and standards of care in the delivery of health care services to maximize health outcomes. Students will explore economic concepts and measurement tools to critically appraise a health care issue, design strategies to improve clinical outcomes and evaluate the achievement of the improvement goals including outcomes related to safety, fiscal principles, efficiency, and quality.