Graduate Programs Course Descriptions

Designed to meet special needs and interests of a student who proposes a specific plan of study. Course varies from 1-6 semester hours and course may be repeated as topic and/or objective of study changes.

This course is designed for the student who has completed an MSN or DNP in a non APRN role. Content focuses on nurse practitioner competencies and role development including scope of practice, legal and ethical considerations, quality improvement and financial considerations.

Prerequisite NURS 6321. This examines the midwifery management of newborn care from birth through the first month of life, ensuring the stabilization and ongoing transition of the neonate, according to standards of care. Continued surveillance and a plan of care with the appropriate use of resources is stressed. Topics include the influences of perinatal history, newborn transition, the physical exam, nutrition, development, complications, discharge processes, and health maintenance visits. Population health and national quality guidelines are interwoven. Simulated clinical skills are practiced on campus.

This course introduces theoretical and research-based knowledge of assessment, diagnosis, and treatment of pediatric patients with acute and chronic health problems. Emphasis is on the Pediatric Acute Care Nurse Practitioner (PNP-AC) role and scope of practice caring for acutely, chronically, and complexly ill patients across the pediatric continuum. Students develop entry level competency in procedural skill and paradigms of discovery specific to pediatric acute care practice management of the chronic/acutely ill child while acquiring health promotions and disease prevention knowledge

This course provides the foundation for establishing a telemental health practice to improve access for individuals in rural and underserved communities. Technology requirements along with ethical and legal standards will be addressed. Business principles, cost containment, coding, reimbursement and outcome measurement will be covered. The nurse practitioner as leader and patient advocate in analyzing the effect of health care policy on accessibility, accountability, and affordability will be emphasized.

(Prerequisites: Admission to TTUHSC advanced practice nursing track) This course introduces students to the theory and practice of psychotherapeutic modalities as interventions in promoting mental health with individuals, couples, families and groups. The selection of evidence-based psychotherapeutic modalities and cultural considerations will be addressed to provide value-based, patient-centered care.

(Prerequisite: NURS 5345) This course presents the latest developments in neuroscience and epigenetics as they relate to psychiatric symptom expression and symptom management throughout the lifespan. Emphasis is placed on neuroanatomical, neurophysiological and epigenetic mechanisms that impact mental health.

Prerequisites: NURS 5343 Pharmacotherapeutics for Nurses in Advanced Practice & NURS 5345 Advanced Practice Nursing: Application of Pathophysiology. This course builds on the student's knowledge of pharmacokinetics, pharmacodynamics, pharmocotherapeutics and neuroscience in the use of pharmacological and complementary therapies in the targeted management of psychiatric symptoms across the lifespan. Monitoring physiologic and psychiatric treatment response, the use of genetic testing and prevention of comorbid health conditions will be addressed.

Prerequisite: NURS 5308. This examines the midwifery management of well-woman and gynecologic care, building on a foundation in the health sciences, best practices, national quality guidelines, standards of care, and the Hallmarks of Midwifery. Using the midwifery management process, the course focuses on the history and physical exam, selected diagnostics, therapeutics and follow-up strategies. Research skills will be sharpened in course forums. Financial acumen and information technology skills will be enhanced through course assignments. Clinical skills will be practiced during a week in the campus simulation center.

This graduate course provides the advanced practice nurse with the knowledge needed to select and prescribe pharmacological interventions with a focus on acute and critical health conditions across the lifespan. Building on the student’s previous knowledge of pharmacodynamics and pharmacokinetics, students will utilize evidence-based research to guide safe prescribing practices for patients managed in a variety of acute care settings.

(Prerequisite: Enrollment in MSN Nursing Informatics Specialty track and previous or concurrent enrollment in NURS 5322) This course explores the intersection of computer science and nursing science by focusing on the role in functional areas of essential nursing informatics, interdisciplinary teams, evidence-based practice, patient-centered care, quality improvement, population health, and regulatory compliance.

Prerequisite NURS 5308. This examines the midwifery management of comprehensive preconception, prenatal, and late postpartum care, with a focus on normal childbearing. It emphasizes the assessment for maternal/fetal well-being and late postpartum, with screening for deviations from normal that require consultation, collaboration, or referral. Management strategies include diagnostics, therapeutics, and interprofessional relationships, including educational and social/cultural contexts of care. Clinical skills will be practiced during a week at the on campus simulation center.

(Prerequisite: NURS 5312, 5320, 5342, 5343, 5345, EFM and Neonatal Resuscitation Protocol; Corequisite NURS 5470) Examines selected primary care, well-woman, and gynecologic issues/topics of nurse-midwifery practice. Clinical experiences are planned for family planning, contraceptive management, gynecologic visits - including peri/postmenopausal visits and primary care.

Prerequisites NURS 5343 & 5345; NURS 5342 may be a Prerequisite or Corequisite. N-M I expands on professional responsibilities of nurse-midwives and explores theoretical knowledge of midwifery management of primary health screening, promotion, and care of women through the lifespan, based on professional philosophy, hallmarks, and standards. Building on a health sciences foundation, the student will learn diagnostics and therapeutics for common health problems and deviations from normal. Cost and quality will be interwoven throughout. Guided skills practice will occur during a week at the campus simulation center.

Prerequisites: N5342, N5345, and N5343. Prerequisite or Corequisite: N5320. This course provides an overview of major concepts, theories, and research related to human development from birth to young adulthood as a foundation for APRN practice. The course will focus on age specific milestones and implications for counseling, disease prevention, and health promotion based on national guidelines. Significant attention will be placed on the exploration of growth and development, nutrition, genetic/genomics, psychosocial, socioeconomic, cultural and spiritual influences.

This didactic course explores the Advanced Practice Registered Nurse (APRN) role, including the evolution of the role, current and continuing issues relevant to advanced practice nursing and clinical practice.

The course focuses on the nurse educator role in multiple settings through the foundational components of learning principles, pedagogical approaches, scholarship and legal and ethical issues in education.

(Prerequisite or concurrent enrollment: 5314) This course focuses on concepts and components of course development, implementation, evaluation, and revision in academic, continuing nursing education, or staff development settings will be emphasized as critical elements of the nurse educator role.

(Prerequisite or concurrent enrollment in NURS 5315) This course focuses on measurement theory and its practical application in assessment of learning outcomes. Didactic, clinical and simulation learning environments are evaluated.

(Prerequisite: MSN student enrolled in the Nursing Education track) Utilizing knowledge and skills from the core curriculum, this course builds on the opportunity for the nurse educator to employ the skills of risk analysis, complex care planning with multiple disciplines, skillful use of technology for care coordination as well as efficient use of resources for quality patient care, staff and student development.

This course encompasses the use of simulation, clinical skills, and clinical teaching in nursing education, professional development, and continuing education. The course will cover the development of simulation activities, debriefing, and hands on experience conducting simulation exercises. Evidence and theoretical based methods of teaching in the simulation and clinical setting will be explored in this course.

Prerequisite NURS 5309.This didactic course focuses on the care of the sick child across the pediatric age spectrum. Necessary content expands primary health care, health promotion, and disease prevention, for assessment and management of common problems. The APRN role emphasizes the family-centered and development perspective.

This course focuses on clinical diagnostic reasoning and procedural skills for the Advanced Practice Registered Nurse (APRN). Students will use evidence-based research to appropriately gather, differentiate and manage clinical data for various health problems across the lifespan. Requires an on-campus skills lab.

This course addresses the theoretical basis for population and environmental health, the principles of epidemiology, models/frameworks of health and health management systems and major population health concepts foundational to advanced nursing practice.

(Pre or Corequisites: NURS 5322, 5231) This course establishes the major concepts with foundational emphasis on understanding nomenclature and vocabularies. Students will understand data transformation, beginning with raw sources and generating information, knowledge, and wisdom. This will be a practically oriented course with opportunity for hands on data analysis using healthcare data from the clinical setting, work with clinical decision support and analytic toolsets, and EHRs.

(Pre or Corequisites: NURS 5322, 5231) This course addresses the nursing informaticist’s role in computer science and in supporting hardware, software, communication, and network technologies. Human-computer interaction and related concepts are addressed. Practical hands-on experiences in programming and managing technical aspects of the healthcare information technology support systems will reinforce the nursing informaticist’s role.

(Prerequisite MSN student enrolled in the Nursing Administration or Nursing Informatics Specialty Track or Corequisites: NURS 5231, 5333) This course emphasizes the role of the nursing informaticist in system development life cycle (SDLC), mastering skills necessary for the role in all phases of the development life cycle of health information technology. The SDLC concepts covered include system planning, analysis, implementation, and testing. Competencies related to project management, system selection and deployment, as well as developing and deploying system requirements documentation, RFIs and RFPs will be covered.

(Pre or Corequisites: NURS 5333, 5334) This course will focus on the nursing informaticist’s leadership role in organizations, as well as local, state and national policy agendas addressing an evolving utilization of health information technology and health information exchange within the industry. Additionally, the course will cover business management concepts necessary for nursing informaticists within the healthcare setting further emphasizing project management, strategic planning, budget planning and business planning processes. Quality improvement methods will be emphasized to enhance information systems through leading teams to achieve quality.

Project management is fundamental to the role of the nursing informaticist. This course will develop the students understanding of what a project is, and the role of the project manager, while building a solid foundation of the project management essentials. The student will gain a solid foundation in project management and a complete understanding of the multiple aspects of managing health information technology (IT) projects. The course will emphasize the role of the project manager, types of projects and organizations, stages of a project, terminology, and the process and interactive skills expected of a good project manager. There will be emphasis on the Systems Development Life Cycle framework and building competencies explicit to monitoring, tracking and managing a health IT project.

Building upon basic physical assessment and history taking knowledge and skills, this course focuses on advanced practice nursing concepts in assessment, evidence-based health promotion and clinical reasoning processes.Requires on-campus OSCE.

This graduate course focuses on application of pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic principles to medication regimens for patients, male and female, across the life span. Students will utilize assessment data and evidence-based protocols to guide safe prescriptive decision-making in a master's prepared nursing role.

Study of the physiologic basis of disease for advanced practice nursing. Emphasis is on application of pathophysiologic concepts to the recognition of pathologic conditions and the management of clients with a variety of health problems across the life span.

This course provides an overview of the current, major forces driving nursing services toward quality and nursing administrators toward competence. The focus is to develop an appreciation for the numerous quality initiatives that influence how nursing leaders lead their areas of accountability toward better patient care.

This course focuses on developing an understanding of research and evidence-based processes as a foundation for using evidence to support advanced nursing practice. Research critique relevant to advanced practice nursing including qualitative and quantitative approaches are applied to clinical practice problems. Examination of instrument design and evaluation is highlighted. Advanced skills for the systematic evaluation of evidence for advanced nursing practice are developed and refined. Practice problems form the basis for examining evidence application in nursing.

This course engages the student in an examination of leadership concepts and theories, with an emphasis on skills that are critical to understanding the role of the leader in political advocacy and impacting health care systems and policies. Key issues will be presented within the framework of health care delivery systems, organizations, and evaluation of the impact on health. Special emphasis will be placed on the role of advanced practice nursing and its impact on policy for all, and in particular vulnerable populations. Principles of leadership will provide the foundation for integrating concepts of systems thinking, ethical and critical decision-making, communication, collaboration, negotiation, change facilitation, transparency, political advocacy and economics in the advanced practice nursing role.

This course prepares the student with foundational informatics and quality improvement skills. Students are engaged in the use of patient care, communication and other technologies to deliver, improve and coordinate care. Fundamental quality improvement methods to monitor, analyze, and prioritize outcomes using techniques such as: root cause analysis, failure mode effect analysis, workflow redesign, and control charts are introduced. Students gain knowledge and skills in evidence-based practice, human factors science and basic safety design principles relevant to optimizing technology for safe and effective care, while fostering a culture of safety within high reliability organizations.

(Pre-Requisite: MSN student enrolled in Nursing Administration specialty track) Students will explore legal issues and government regulations impacting the health care arena and the delivery of care. Topics in the law and impinging ethical issues are explored using court cases and clinical case studies.

(Prerequisite: MSN student enrolled in the Nursing Administration or Nursing Informatics Specialty track) This course is designed to provide graduate students with information and skills for developing budgets and managing financial issues in health care facilities, clinics, independent practice or a nursing unit.

This course introduces theoretical and research-based knowledge of assessment, diagnosis, and treatment of adult and geriatric patients with acute and chronic health problems by the Adult-Gerontology Acute Care Nurse Practitioner (AGACNP). Emphasis is on AGACNP role and scope of practice caring for acutely, chronically, and complexity ill patients across the adult-geriatric continuum. Students develop entry level competency in procedural skill and paradigms of discovery specific adult gerontology acute care practice management of the chronic/acutely ill patient while acquiring health promotion and disease prevention knowledge.

(Prerequisites: NURS 5312, 5320, 5342, 5343, 5345, ACLS certification) This is a didactic and clinical course that builds upon concepts and skills derived from prerequisite courses. Advanced practice nursing (APRN) students will integrate theoretical and evidence-based knowledge of assessment, diagnosis, treatment, and evaluation of patients with acute and chronic health problems across the lifespan. The focus is on development of critical thinking and decision making skills necessary for the provision of safe and effective primary health care in the nurse practitioner role. Requires on-campus OSCE.

(Prerequisite: NURS 5346) The focus of this course is on creation of an effective workplace in which safe patient care can occur. The traditional elements of managing are the avenues through which learners gain insight into the effectiveness and influence of the administrative role.

(Prerequisite: NURS 5347) This course centers on interpreting the social and political impact on the organization and the issues that influence how the nurse administrator enacts the role of leader.

(Prerequisites: NURS 5312, 5320, 5342, 5343, 5345, ACLS certification) This course is designed to develop a beginning theoretical and research based knowledge of assessment diagnosis and treatment of adult and geriatric patients with acute and chronic health problems. Emphasis will be placed on applying this knowledge to the assessment and management of both health and illness states including disease prevention. Clinical activities focus on enhancing health assessment skills, delineating differential diagnoses, and learning initial clinical management of clients experiencing acute and chronic health problems. The role and competencies of the Adult-Gerontology Acute Care Nurse Practitioner will be examined.

(Prerequisite: NURS 5342, 5343, 5345, EFM and Neonatal Resuscitation Protocol; Corequisite: NURS 5304) Utilizes the Nurse Midwifery management process in provision of comprehensive preconception, prenatal, and ambulatory postpartum care. Emphasis is placed on the assessment for maternal and fetal well-being with screening for deviations from normal that would require consultation/collaboration and/or referral. Educational needs and social/cultural contexts are included. The practicum includes nurse-midwifery management of women during the preconception, prenatal, and ambulatory postpartum periods.

Prerequisites: NURS 5205 and NURS 5270. In this precepted clinical course, the student applies the cognitive and clinical skills learned in N-M I, II, and III in the clinic setting, as well as participating in the professional organization. In addition to manual clinical skills, the student will apply professional communication skills through documentation exercises and a case review that includes a literature review of peer-reviewed sources. The student will also expand use of evidence-based mobile clinical apps. Further skills learning and a clinical examination (OSCE) will be conducted at the SimLife Center on campus. “Although semester clinical hrs. equate to 210 hrs, you are evaluated on practice competency. Achieving competency may require more than the listed number of hours.”

(Prerequisite: NURS 5100, 5312, 5320, 5342, 4343, 5345, PALS certification) This course focuses on care of children with acute, complex acute, and chronic, illness across the entire pediatric age spectrum, from birth to young adult. Students will develop advanced practice skills in comprehensive assessment, diagnosis, and management strategies that reflect current evidence based practice. Students will have opportunities to implement the role of the acute care pediatric nurse practitioner across the continuum of care settings.

(Prerequisite: NURS 5440, ACLS certification) This course is a didactic and clinical course that builds upon the study of advanced practice nursing (APRN) concepts and skills derived in Primary Care I (NURS 5440). APRN students will integrate theoretical and evidence-based knowledge of assessment, diagnosis, management, and evaluation of patients with acute and chronic health problems across the lifespan. The course focuses on APRN role development and synthesis of data from a variety of sources to make clinical decisions regarding appropriate management, consultation, or referral necessary for the provision of safe and effective care. Requires on-campus OSCE.

(Prerequisite: NURS 5460) This course is designed to build on major components critical to the knowledge of diagnosis, treatment, and evaluation of adult and geriatric patients with acute and chronic health problems. Clinical experiences include a spectrum of care ranging from disease prevention to acute and critical care management. Clinical practice focuses on research-based clinical decision-making process in close collaboration with preceptors.

(Prerequisite: NURS 5470) In this course the student studies, analyzes, and applies the concepts of the nurse-midwifery management process to the intrapartum/immediate postpartum care of women and their newborns. Clinical experiences include skills of managing and assuming responsibility of normal intrapartum/breastfeeding/immediate postpartum women with continuity of care during the neonatal period. Management of common emergencies and deviations from normal are also introduced.

(Prerequisites: NURS 5100, 5312, 5320, 5342, 5343, 5345, PALS certification) This didactic and clinical course builds upon concepts and skills derived from prerequisite courses. Pediatric Nurse Practitioner Primary Care (PNP-PC) students will develop advanced practice skills in caring for children from birth through young adult including well child assessment and prevention/management of common pediatric acute illnesses and chronic conditions. Students will develop advanced practice skills in comprehensive assessment, diagnosis, and management strategies that reflect current evidence based practice. The focus is on development of critical thinking and decision-making skills necessary for the provision of safe and effective care of children.

(Prerequisite: NURS 5480, 5100, PALS certification) This course emphasizes the role of the Primary Care Pediatric Nurse Practitioner (PC-PNP) in managing acute and chronic health conditions across the entire pediatric age spectrum from birth to young adult. The student will assimilate and apply knowledge from prerequisite courses. The focus on this course is to formulate diagnoses, develop family centered treatment and evaluation plans and use evidence to provide expert pediatric care.

(Prerequisite: NURS 5500, 5100 PALS certification) This course emphasizes the role of the Acute Care Pediatric Nurse Practitioner (AC-PNP) as a member of an interprofessional team managing complex acute, critical and chronic, illness across the entire pediatric age spectrum, from birth to young adult. The student will assimilate knowledge from prerequisite courses. Emphasis is placed on formulating diagnoses, treatment plans, and use of evidence to provide expert pediatric clinical care. The student will perform consultations and make referrals in a variety of setting.

(Prerequisites: NURS 5207, 5204, 5327. Pre or co-requisites: NURS 5202) This course provides the essential knowledge and theoretical foundations for assessing, diagnosing, and managing adult and geriatric clients who have dysfunctional coping patterns and psychiatric disorders. This course provides an integrated learning experience during which the student implements the role of the psychiatric-mental health nurse practitioner in the clinical setting utilizing current evidence-based practice guidelines along with targeted, individualized care management. Emphasis is given to mental health promotion and collaboration with clients, their support systems and the interprofessional team. (157.5 clinical hours)

(Pre-requisites: NURS 5207, 5204, 5327. Pre or corequisites: NURS 5202) This course provides the essential knowledge and theoretical foundations for assessing, diagnosing, and intervening in dysfunctional coping patterns and psychiatric disorders in children and adolescents. This course provides an integrated learning experience during which the student implements the role of the psychiatric-mental health nurse practitioner in the clinical setting utilizing current evidence-based practice guidelines along with targeted, individualized care management. Emphasis is given to mental health promotion and collaboration with the child and adolescent, their support system and interprofessional team. 157.5 clinical hours

Prerequisites: Student must be in their last semester of enrollment prior to graduation. Students are required to enroll in this course in the semester in which they are scheduled to graduate. The course serves as the vehicle for students to pay their graduation fee and complete the School of Nursing's Graduation Assessment. There is no tuition charged for this course, the student does not generate semester credit hours for the course, and the course is not graded.

(Prerequisites: Successful completion of the administrative course sequence; authorization from a clinical agency willing to support the practice experience) This course provides learners with the opportunity to implement ideas into a practice setting. It is designed to allow learners to use ideas from the literature, their peers, conferences and other approved sources to create an application project designed to change practice from a clinical or administrative perspective.

(Prerequisite: NURS 5313, 5315, 5316) Immersion in all leadership aspects of the faculty role in an academic, CE, or staff development setting with guidance of a preceptor.

(Prerequisite NURS 6520) In this course, the student prepares for practice as a master’s prepared nurse-midwife. All ACNM standard-setting documents are reviewed, as well as the legal basis of practice, current legislation, policies, and processes for entry into practice. The student is guided in the development of a professional resume’ and writes an “Entry Into Practice” paper in preparation for seeking or formalizing one’s first nurse-midwifery position.

Corequisite: NURS 6350. DNP Project Identification is the first course in a four course series that prepares students to conduct a final project in a focused area of practice inquiry. This course builds on the foundation laid in prerequisite coursework for students to identify their phenomenon of interest including key theories and concepts associated with their inquiry and development of a comprehensive systematic literature review strategy.

Prerequisite: DNP I: Project Identification. DNP Project Development is the second course in a four course series that prepares the student to conduct a scholarly DNP project in an area of practice inquiry for improving health outcomes. During this course students develop the written proposal for the full implementation of the project including project design and methods, any system change, outcomes measurement and dissemination of findings. The student will work collaboratively with an approved faculty, site or organization.

(Prerequisite: Doctorate of Nursing Practice student) The course is designed to provide students with the opportunity to engage in extensive self-assessment of leadership strengths and emotional intelligence and develop action plans for personal growth through self-directed learning. Self-knowing and reflective leadership are essential attributes of transformation leaders in complex health care systems.

(Prerequisites: NURS 6200, 6310, 6320, 6325, 6330, 6340, 6345, 6344) In this course, students focus on the transition to advanced nursing practice through continued integration of the competencies of a DNP prepared leader and development of a DNP Project Proposal based on a topic of phenomenon of interest.

Prerequisites: 5345, 5343, 5342. This course provides the foundation for advanced comprehensive mental health assessment, differential diagnosis and management of clients across the lifespan. Culturally sensitive approaches in the development of a therapeutic alliance are emphasized. The role of laboratory diagnostics and neuroimaging in mental health conditions will be critically analyzed.

This course focuses on differentiating pharmacological treatment options for selected disease processes in primary care. Building on previous knowledge of pharmacodynamics and pharmacokinetics, students adapt evidence-based research to the individuals’ unique characteristics to guide pharmacotherapy across the lifespan.

This course prepares the DNP student to gain a deeper understanding of emerging knowledge and issues in a distinct specialty area related to the Capstone Project topic. The student will have the opportunity to engage in collaboration with other experts and specialists in the topic area and to develop advanced reasoning skills. Students will determine with faculty guidance specific goals for individualized advanced practice experiences.

Prerequisites: enrollment as a BSN to DNP student. In this course, students examine the scientific and philosophical foundations of the discipline of nursing within the context of advanced nursing practice. Students develop skills in critical appraisal of studies grounded in research and quality improvement perspectives. Examination of the ethical conduct of research and quality improvement forms the foundation for students to develop skills in clinical inquiry and scholarship.

(Prerequisite: Doctorate of Nursing Practice student) The course will provide the basics of statistical analysis, measurement theory and data management. The course will focus on the application of statistics to health services research and to clinical healthcare settings. The students will have hands-on experience using SPSS statistical software in computer labs with data preparation, statistical analysis, and data display. Statistical tests covered in the course will range from simple T-test through multiple regressions with an introduction to statistical modeling.

This didactic course addresses the Advanced Practice Registered Nurse (APRN) role in assessment and management of individuals experiencing mental health disorders in the primary care setting. The role of the PRN will be considered in the context of family and community. Theoretical and evidence-based knowledge of assessment, diagnosis, and management of individuals at risk for and experiencing mental health disorders are investigated. The effective use of communication, critical thinking, and decision-making skills necessary for the provision of safe and effective mental health care across the lifespan will be explored.

(Prerequisite: Doctorate of Nursing Practice student) The course will explore the scientific underpinnings of leadership, organizational effectiveness and quality improvement. Students will be provided with strategies and tools for transformational leadership and systems thinking in complex adaptive systems including effective communication, process analysis, measuring and tracking quality and safety data, and facilitating change to improve health outcomes.

Prerequisites NURS 5270 & Electronic Fetal Monitoring certification.This applies the midwifery management process to intrapartum and immediate postpartum care. Using scientific fundamentals and the Hallmarks of Midwifery, the student examines diagnostics and therapeutics for triage, evaluation of maternal/fetal status, facilitation of physiologic labor and birth, birth attendance, postpartum healing, lactation, and emergency stabilization. Extra attention is placed on opioid prescribing. Health policy and fiscal implications are also analyzed. Clinical skills will be practiced during a week in the on campus simulation center.

(Prerequisite: Doctorate of Nursing Practice program student) The course will explore health care informatics and methods to apply information technology to clinical care for improving patient safety, quality and the health of the population. Students will learn information technology and research methods that collect appropriate and accurate data to generate evidence for practice and to inform and guide the design of databases to generate meaningful evidence for nursing practice.

(Prerequisite: Doctorate of Nursing Practice student) The course will prepare students to integrate evidence based practice in clinical settings after careful evaluation of best evidence. Emphasis will be placed on synthesizing and evaluating a specific body of evidence for merit and generalizability to the clinical setting and transforming practice problems into answerable questions. Students will begin developing their capstone project in this course.

(Prerequisite: Doctorate of Nursing Practice student) The course provides opportunities for nursing leaders to value the political processes that influence policy decisions through analyzing public policies, health policies, and legislation at the organizational, local, state, national, and international level. This course includes opportunities to advocate and participate in political and policy-making processes for a health issue in the student's area of interest and career trajectory.

(Prerequisite: Doctorate of Nursing Practice student) This course provides a comprehensive investigation into the application of public health and epidemiology principles. Emphasis will be placed on using technologically advanced clinical information systems that aggregate patient data so that group and/or population-based clinical profiles, practice patterns and variations, genetic problems, and health disparities can be identified, analyzed and compared to regional and national benchmark norms and data bases.

(Prerequisite: Doctorate of Nursing Practice student) The course is designed to increase the nurse leaders understanding of health care economics and financing mechanisms as well as to advance skills in managing financial issues, developing budgets, making sound financial decisions, and managing projects to achieve strategic goals in health care. Students will gain hands-on experience in analyzing financial statements, developing business plans, establishing procedures for accurate charging mechanisms, and educating patient care teams on financial implications of patient care decisions.

(Prerequisites: Successful completion of the administrative course sequence; authorization from a clinical agency willing to support the practice experience) This course provides learners with the opportunity to implement ideas into a practice setting. It is designed to allow learners to use ideas from the literature, their peers, conferences and other approved sources to create an application project designed to change practice from a clinical or administrative perspective.

This is a didactic and clinical course that builds upon concepts and skills derived from prerequisite courses. Advanced practice nursing (APRN) students will integrate theoretical and evidence-based knowledge of assessment, diagnosis, treatment, and evaluation of patients with acute and chronic health problems across the lifespan. The focus is on development of clinical reasoning and decision making skills necessary for the provision of safe and effective primary health care in the APRN role.Requires on-campus OSCE.

(Pre or Corequisites: NURS 5334, 5335) This practicum experience is designed to be a comprehensive and integrated application of the curriculum which will allow the students to demonstrate professional competency in nursing informatics in a clinical health information technology specialty area of interest. The clinical field experience will be focused on a Capstone major project deliverable involving practice oriented research, quality improvement, clinical decision support, analytics, programming or other major project in specialty area of interest approved by faculty.

Prerequisites: NURS 5603 & 5604; Pre or Co-requisite NURS 5201.This capstone course focuses on interprofessional collaboration in the management of clients with complex and comorbid mental health disorders including crisis interventions and stabilization. Additionally, the prevention and management of co-occurring chronic health conditions such as diabetes, heart disease and COPD will be addressed in optimizing the client's overall health. 157.5 clinical hours

Prerequisites: NURS 6321, 5471, NRP; Corequisite: NURS 5171. In this precepted clinical course, the student applies the knowledge learned in N-M I-IV, with a focus on care of the childbearing woman. Later in the semester, the student will also begin applying neonatal knowledge. The student will apply professional communication through documentation and verbal reporting exercises and a case study paper. Virtual faculty/student clinical rounds and professional service activities will also occur. Developing skill competency in evaluation of labor progress, therapeutics, and fetal well-being will be evaluated through a clinical examination (OSCE) on campus. "Although semester clinical hours equate to 262.5 hrs, you are evaluated on practice competency. Achieving competency may require more than the listed number of hours."

This course is a didactic and clinical course that builds upon the study of advanced practice nursing (APRN) concepts and skills derived in Primary Care I. APRN students will integrate theoretical and evidence-based knowledge of assessment, diagnosis, management, and evaluation of patients across the lifespan. The course focuses on APRN role attainment, reflecting challenges, barriers, and strategies for successful role implementation. Requires on-campus OSCE.

This course provides the essential knowledge and theoretical foundations for assessing, diagnosing, and managing adult and geriatric clients who have dysfunctional coping patterns and psychiatric disorders. This course provides an integrated learning experience for the student to implement the role of the psychiatric-mental health nurse practitioner in the clinical setting utilizing current evidence-based practice guidelines along with targeted, individualized care management. Emphasis is given to mental health promotion and collaboration with clients, their support systems and the interprofessional team.

This course provides the essential knowledge and theoretical foundations for assessing, diagnosing, and intervening in dysfunctional coping patterns and psychiatric disorders in children and adolescents. This course provides an integrated learning experience during which the student implements the role of the psychiatric-mental health nurse practitioner in the clinical setting utilizing current evidence-based practice guidelines along with targeted, individualized care management. Emphasis is given to mental health promotion and collaboration with clients, their support systems and the interprofessional team.

Prerequisites: NURS 6520. In this precepted clinical course the student synthesizes previously learned theory and clinical knowledge, providing comprehensive, full scope basic nurse-midwifery care according to the ACNM Standards of Practice and Code of Ethics. In addition to “hands-on” skills, professional presentations and peer reviews will be conducted. Review modules to prepare for national boards examination will be offered. Clinical examination (OSCE) and a proctored “Mock Board” examination will be administered on campus. "Although semester clinical hours equate to 315 hours, you are evaluated on practice competency. Achieving competency may require more than the listed number of hours."

(Prerequisite: NURS 5571) This course synthesizes previously learned theory and clinical knowledge. In the clinical setting, the learner is expected to provide comprehensive, full-scope, basic nurse-midwifery care according to the ACNM Standards of Practice & Code of Ethics. Emphasis is placed on the management of common deviations and collaborative management of selected complications. The professional surrounding transition to the professional practice role are explored, including practice requirements, contract negotiation, financial resources, quality systems, health policy, interprofessional communication, best practices, and evidence-based practice changes.

(Prerequisite: NURS 5561, 5460) This course emphasizes clinical practice and role development to prepare the graduate to implement the full scope of the adult-gerontology acute care NP role. Clinical activities allow for immersion in the advanced practice nursing role. Function and responsibility on selected topics of the advanced practice role are addressed.

(Prerequisites: NURS 5440, 5541, ACLS certification) This course provides a clinical immersion experience to integrate and synthesize the APRN role. APRN students will integrate theoretical and evidence-based knowledge of assessment, diagnosis, management, and evaluation of patients with increasingly complex acute and chronic health problems across the lifespan. Issues related to APRN responsibilities and competencies are addressed. Requires on-Campus OSCE.

(Prerequisites: NURS 5581, 5100, 5480, PALS certification) This course provides a clinical immersion experience to integrate and synthesize the Advanced Practice Registered Nurse (APRN) role for the Primary Care Pediatric Nurse Practitioner (PC-PNP). Issues related to APRN responsibilities, competencies and scope of practice for the PC-PNP are included.

(Prerequisites: NURS 5600, 5100, 5500, PALS certification) This course provides a clinical immersion experience to integrate and synthesize the Advanced Practice Registered Nurse (APRN) role for the Acute Care Pediatric Nurse Practitioner (AC-PNP). Issues related to APRN responsibilities, competencies, and scope of practice for the AC-PNP are included.

DNP Project Implementation is the third course in a four course series that prepares the student to conduct a scholarly DNP project in an area of practice inquiry for improving health outcomes. During this course, the DNP project will be implemented. Pre-requisite: DNP II: Project Planning and Development

DNP Project IV Evaluation and Dissemination is the fourth and final component of the DNP project culminating in the evaluation of project outcomes and a podium presentation to faculty and peers. Additionally the student will select one state, national or international conference for abstract submission for a poster or podium presentation and one journal for manuscript publication. Prerequisite: DNP III Project Implementation

This clinical course provides the student with an immersion experience in a focused area of clinical practice to enable the doctor of nursing practice student to move from competent to proficient within a specialty area.

This clinical course provides the student with an immersion experience in a focused area of clinical practice to enable the doctor of nursing practice student to move from competent to proficient within a specialty area.

This seminar course facilitates dialogue and collaborations among BSN to DNP nurse practitioner students in addressing management issues in complex patients from the micro-system through macro-system levels. Students will present complex patients from practice and facilitate an analysis of health care barriers and gaps including policies, health systems, health care financing and legal and ethical issues that impact outcomes.

(Prerequisites: Concurrent enrollment in or completion of DNP core leadership courses and DNP core evidence-based science courses) The course provides the opportunity for advanced exploration of theory and evidence-based research underlying the adoption of healthy lifestyle behaviors in the prevention, management and palliative care of chronic disease. Students will apply and evaluate theories and principles of healthy behavior change in individuals, families and/or communities in rural and urban settings.

(Prerequisites: Concurrent enrollment in or completion of DNP core leadership courses and DNP core evidence-based courses) Leading and managing interprofessional groups, as well as nursing groups, is a critical leadership skill. Numerous strategies exist to develop teams. This course focuses on knowing oneself as a leader, forecasting future needs, understanding the team, coaching others, balancing data driven decisions with innovation, and valuing the complexity of the evolving healthcare environment.

(Prerequisites: Concurrent enrollment in or completion of DNP core leadership courses and DNP core evidence-based courses) This course is designed to provide an in-depth look at the economics of U.S. health care and major issues that have prompted the current attempt at health care reform. Health care represents nearly fifteen percent of the U.S. Gross Domestic Product, and more importantly, has profound effect on almost all individuals. Resources in the health care industry are scarce and a source of conflict. This course will attempt to utilize many traditional tools of economics to illustrate how limited resources can be applied to the health care sector. Additionally, certain health care related topics pertaining to other industrialized and developed countries will be discussed. Students will be introduced to a variety of economic theories, models and tools that will facilitate the understanding of the breadth of subjects introduced during the semester.

The course prepares nurse leaders in the DNP role with the skills to evaluate care delivery, health promotion and disease prevention models and strategies related to community, environmental, occupational, cultural, and socioeconomic dimensions of health. Students will learn to access and analyze population-level health data, design evidence-based interventions at the organizational and public policy level and predict and analyze outcomes to improve population health.

(Prerequisite: NURS 6330) The course will build on Evidence Based Inquiry I, refining the student's ability to evaluate and synthesize evidence for integration into clinical practice. Emphasis will be placed on translating the evidence into actual clinical or management practice as well as creating an environment for the integration of evidence based practice within an organization. Students will further develop their capstone project in this course.

(Prerequisites: Concurrent enrollment in or completion of DNP core leadership courses and DNP core evidence-based courses) The course uses the field of integrative health care as a venue for developing the student's role to improve health care for rural and vulnerable populations who have limited access to conventional health services by introducing change within existing health care systems. Students are provided the opportunity to observe, analyze, and experience various culturally-based modalities and non-traditional health practices. Critical reviews of the application of evidenced based research approaches to examine the effectiveness and safety of CAM in advanced nursing practice will be synthesized within an analysis of health care systems.

(Prerequisites: Completion of advanced APN or executive leadership specialization courses) This seminar designed course focuses on the culmination of a DNP scholarly project and integration of the competencies of a DNP leader. Students complete 144 hours of clinical/practice immersion and engage in advanced nursing practice experiences to (a) complete and disseminate a DNP Project; (b) lead sustainable systems change that improves population health; and, (c) achieve competence in the eight American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN) (2006) DNP Essentials.

This didactic and clinical course allows students to care for patients within a population of interest in the primary care realm. Students will present complex patients from practice and facilitate an analysis of health care barriers including policies, health care financing and legal and ethical issues that impact outcomes.

This course focuses on interprofessional collaboration in the management of clients with complex and co-morbid mental health disorders across the lifespan including crisis interventions and stabilization. Additionally, the prevention and management of co-occurring chronic health conditions such as diabetes, heart disease and COPD will be addressed in optimizing the client's overall health.

This course provides a clinical immersion experience to integrate and synthesize the APRN role. APRN students will integrate theoretical and evidence-based knowledge of assessment, diagnosis, management, and evaluation of patients with increasingly complex acute and chronic health problems across the lifespan. Issues related to APRN responsibilities and competencies are addressed. Requires on-campus OSCE.