Nursing (NURS)

NURS 103. Culture, Diversity and Communication in Health Care Settings. 3 Hours.

Semester course; 3 lecture hours. 3 credits. This course challenges individuals to recognize how and to what extent diversity affects the interactions that occur within the health care system and to explore communication skills through a more holistic and inclusive framework. Effective communication across diverse groups of people is a necessary skill in today’s society, but it is especially important in health care interactions. Most individuals will interact with the health care system in the U.S. at several points in their lives as patients and, for some, in a practitioner or policy-maker role. Interactions with the health care system are often brief, fragmented and sometimes involve multiple people for the care of one patient. It is critical to develop one’s awareness for how identity, culture and group membership influence health behaviors and decisions to appropriately advocate for oneself and others.

NURS 104. Conceptualizing Mental Illness in Modern Culture. 3 Hours.

Semester course; 3 lecture hours. 3 credits. This course explores the conceptualization of mental illness and psychiatric disorders in modern culture. The course covers content related to the history of psychiatry and psychiatric treatment, nosology of psychiatric diagnosis, lived experience of persons with mental illness, societal stigma and beliefs about mental illness, and the concept of recovery and peer-support programs. The course will also highlight the experience of mental illness in persons from marginalized groups. Students will be asked to explore their beliefs, experiences and implicit bias related to mental health and mental illness.

NURS 201. Concepts of Professional Nursing. 2 Hours.

Semester course; 2 lecture hours. 2 credits ( 2 credits lecture). Prerequisite: admission to the School of Nursing. Provides a foundation for all clinical nursing courses. Content focuses on professionalism, professional nursing values and health care delivery The core competencies identified by the Institute of Medicine for health care professionals are introduced as critical components of professional nursing practice, and selected concepts related to these core competencies are emphasized. Course activities are structured to establish effective professional behaviors and learning strategies useful across one's professional career.

NURS 202. Technologies of Nursing Practice. 6 Hours.

Semester course; 3 lecture and 90 clinical/laboratory hours. (3 credits lecture and 3 credits clinical/laboratory). 6 credits. Prerequisite: admission to the School of Nursing. This course introduces the student to the study and application of skills and interventions basic to nursing practice. Content focuses on the development of cognitive, psychomotor, affective, interpersonal and communication skills to become effective members of the collaborative health care team. Students will learn how the concepts of nursing process and evidence-based clinical decision-making are integrated into practice. Opportunities are provided for practice and demonstration of selected skills in the laboratory and in clinical settings. This course emphasizes techniques for the safe acquisition and management of patient information.

NURS 261. Health Assessment for Nursing Practice. 3 Hours.

Semester course; 2 lecture and 30 clinical/lab hours. 3 credits (2 credits lecture and 1 credit clinical/lab). Prerequisite: PHIS 206. Pre- or corequisite: NURS 201. Enrollment requires admission to the School of Nursing. This course builds on the biopsychosocial sciences and focuses on development of knowledge, skills and techniques necessary for history-taking and physical examination in adults. Students are introduced to the nursing process and diagnostic reasoning skills are developed through analysis and documentation of assessment data. A laboratory experience provides opportunities for students to integrate communication and problem-solving skills with the health assessment process. The course focuses on the healthy adult patient and emphasizes the diversity of patient populations in health care settings.

NURS 296. History and Health: Concepts in Health Equity. 1 Hour.

Semester course; 1 lecture hour. 1 credit. This innovative course introduces students to concepts in health equity while facilitating an immersive experience with community agencies. Students will explore VCU and Richmond’s history and the resulting health inequities. Graded as pass/fail.

NURS 301. Nursing Informatics. 3 Hours.

Semester course; 3 lecture hours. 3 credits. Prerequisite: admission to the School of Nursing. This course focuses on data management and use of information and technology to communicate effectively, provide safe and effective patient care and use research and clinical evidence to inform nursing practice decisions. The course emphasizes information literacy and its application to nursing practice and effective health care delivery. Course delivered online.

NURS 307. Foundations of Professional Nursing I. 3 Hours.

Semester course; 3 lecture hours (delivered online). 3 credits. Enrollment is restricted to students admitted to the School of Nursing. This course explores historical and contemporary trends influencing professional nursing practice within the U.S. health care system. The course focuses on research within the context of nursing’s development as a profession and discipline and within the context of evidence-based practice. The research process and analysis of research studies are emphasized.

NURS 308. Foundation of Professional Nursing II. 3 Hours.

Semester course; 3 lecture hours. 3 credits. Prerequisite: NURS 307 with a minimum grade of C. This course focuses on the impact of regulation and accreditation on safe patient care delivery. The course emphasizes concepts related to professional nursing practice and explores selected internal and external forces that influence health care delivery. Students will evaluate current nursing practice within the context of previous nursing education and professional nursing standards. Upon successful completion of this course, proficiency credits for prior nursing education will be conferred. Course delivered online.

NURS 309. Population Health. 3 Hours.

Semester course; 3 credits lecture. 3 credits. Enrollment is restricted to students admitted to the School of Nursing. This course focuses on core concepts of population health. Socioeconomic, lifestyle, environmental, genetic and other major determinants of population health are examined. The nurse’s role in health promotion, disease and injury prevention across the lifespan are emphasized. The importance of collaboration with populations and other health care professionals is highlighted. Course delivered online.

NURS 325. Nursing of Adults I. 6 Hours.

Semester course; 3 lecture and 90 clinical hours. 6 credits (3 credits lecture and 3 credits clinical/laboratory). Prerequisites: NURS 201, NURS 202, NURS 261 and PSYC 304. All prerequisites must be completed with a minimum grade of C. Focuses on adult and geriatric patients with acute and chronic physical illnesses that have relatively stable trajectories. Provides theoretical and evidence-based foundations for nursing management and related therapeutic regimens. Emphasizes clinical decision-making and technical skills in the provision of care to adult and geriatric patients in a variety of health care settings.

NURS 335. Nursing of Women. 5 Hours.

Semester course; 3 lecture and 60 clinical/laboratory hours. 5 credits (3 credits lecture and 2 credits clinical/laboratory). Prerequisites: NURS 201, NURS 202 and NURS 261. All prerequisites must be completed with a minimum grade of C. Examines the health needs of women across the life span with an emphasis on the health needs of the childbearing family. Applies nursing process, theory and research with an emphasis on the development of critical thinking skills in the diagnosis and treatment of human responses to health needs of women, neonates and families. Practices clinical skills and applies theoretical knowledge in selected ambulatory care settings for women's health and post-discharge care, and hospital settings for antenatal, intrapartum, post-partum and neonatal experiences.

NURS 345. Nursing of Children. 5 Hours.

Semester course; 3 lecture and 60 clinical/laboratory hours. 5 credits (3 credits lecture and 2 credits clinical/laboratory). Prerequisites: NURS 201, NURS 202, NURS 261 and PSYC 304, all completed with a minimum grade of C. Examines health care needs of children within the context of the family system. Focuses on application of evidence, nursing process, communication skills and critical thinking when providing nursing to children. Applies current theory and evidence related to the child and family environment, developmental capacity, stress, adaptation and resilience. Incorporates standards of care for both well and ill children in the provision of care.

NURS 350. Introduction to Professional Nursing. 2 Hours.

Semester course; 2 lecture hours. 2 credits (2 credits lecture). Enrollment is restricted to students admitted to the School of Nursing. This course provides an overview of the history and contemporary trends influencing the nursing profession including regulatory, licensing and professional standards. Emphasis is on understanding the nurse's contribution to safe patient care delivery and the importance of self-care.

NURS 355. Psychiatric-Mental Health Nursing. 5 Hours.

Semester course; 3 lecture and 60 clinical hours. 5 credits (3 credits lecture and 2 credits clinical laboratory). Prerequisites: NURS 201, NURS 202 and NURS 261. All prerequisites must be completed with a minimum grade of C. Examines theoretical, empirical and practical knowledge applied to the prevention and treatment of common psychiatric and mental health conditions encountered in basic nursing practice. Provides students with an integrative perspective from which to incorporate various frameworks of knowledge into practice. Provides didactic knowledge and clinical learning experiences to facilitate students' understanding of actual and potential psychiatric illnesses and mental health problems in individuals, families and communities.

NURS 365. Pathophysiology and Pharmacology I. 3 Hours.

Semester course; 3 lecture hours (delivered online). 3 credits (3 credits lecture). Prerequisites: anatomy, physiology and microbiology; BIOL 205, PHIS 206; and BIOL 209 or BIOL 303. Enrollment is restricted to students admitted to the School of Nursing. Introduces general and foundational principles in pathophysiology and pharmacology. Examines pathophysiological mechanisms selected diseases, syndromes and/or conditions and integrates related pharmacotherapeutics. Establishes a biophysiological basis for understanding relevant clinical assessments, clinical manifestations and disease trajectories. Provides a foundation for establishing physiological priorities for nursing care.

NURS 366. Pathophysiology and Pharmacology II. 3 Hours.

Semester course; 3 lecture hours (delivered online). 3 credits (3 lecture credits). Prerequisite: NURS 365 completed with a minimum grade of C. Examines pathophysiological mechanisms in selected human systems diseases, syndromes and/or conditions and integrates related pharmacotherapeutics. Establishes a biophysiological basis for understanding relevant clinical assessments, clinical manifestations and disease trajectories. Provides a foundation for establishing physiological priorities for nursing care.

NURS 380. Applied Health Assessment Across the Lifespan. 3 Hours.

Semester course; 3 lecture hours. 3 credits (3 credits lecture). Enrollment is restricted to students admitted to the School of Nursing. This course focuses on development of nursing knowledge, skills and techniques necessary for history-taking, physical examination and interpretation of data across the lifespan. Application of these techniques in the delivery of nursing care is emphasized. Students will also be taught the application of these techniques to patient care situations.

NURS 396. VCU Health Nursing Internship. 1 Hour.

Semester course; 1 clinical/lab hour (120 hours in clinic/lab). 1 credit (1 credit clinical/lab). May be repeated. Prerequisites: NURS 201, NURS 202 and NURS 261, each with a minimum grade of C. VCU Health may require additional prerequisites. Provides supervised clinical experience in selected VCU Health clinical settings. Many of these settings are not available in traditional curriculum. Introduces students to the work life of a nurse.

NURS 397. International Comparison of Nursing Education and Clinical Care. 1 Hour.

Semester course; 30 clinical hours. 1 credit (1 credit clinical/lab). Enrollment restricted to students in the nursing program of the University of Cordoba or VCU. This course focuses on a comparison of the nature of nursing in two countries: the United States and Spain. Specifically, the course focuses on comparing and contrasting the health care systems and examining the nursing education systems and nursing student experiences in Spain and the U.S. Students from the University of Cordoba will engage in clinical simulations designed to expose them to the high fidelity simulators used in U.S. schools. Additionally, students from both schools will engage in guided observation of nursing care provided to patients in acute care settings and citizens within community-based settings.

NURS 403. Evidence-based Practice in Health Care. 3 Hours.

Semester course; 3 lecture hours (delivered online). 3 credits. Prerequisites: NURS 201; and STAT 208, STAT 210 or STAT 212, both with a minimum grade of C. This course formally introduces models for evidence-based practice, examines hierarchies of evidence, reviews change theories useful to initiate EBP and identifies individual and organizational resources needed for EBP. Emphasis is on developing skills in retrieving and appraising literature relevant to clinical problems, understanding the research process and critiquing evidence from research publications and other sources to inform evidence-based nursing practice.

NURS 406. Interprofessional Collaborative Practice. 2 Hours.

Semester course; 2 lecture hours (delivered online). 2 credits. Prerequisite: NURS 307 with a minimum grade of C. Explores the necessity for interprofessionalism in the contemporary health care environment. Core competencies and best practices for interprofessional collaborative practice are emphasized. Participation in virtual team activities provides students with opportunities to apply interprofessional knowledge, skills and attitudes that improve practice and impact patient care outcomes.

NURS 408. Ethics, Law and Public Policy: Application to Nursing Practice. 3 Hours.

Semester course; 3 lecture hours. 3 credits. Prerequisite: NURS 307 with a minimum grade of C. This course examines ethics, law and public policy that influence nursing practice and the nature and function of the health care system. The emphasis of the course will be on the role of the professional nurse as advocate for patients, families, communities and the nursing profession, as well as an advocate for changes in the health care system as needed. Course delivered online.

NURS 409. Population Health: Application to Nursing Practice. 2 Hours.

Semester course; 2 clinic hours (60 clinical contact hours, delivered online). 2 credits (2 credits clinical/lab). Prerequisite: NURS 309 with a minimum grade of C. This course provides opportunity to apply core concepts of population health in a community within the framework of the nursing process. Epidemiological and population-level data will be used to develop and/or guide interventions in the management of care. The course emphasizes evidence-based approaches to achieving sustainable population health outcomes.

NURS 416. Community Health Nursing. 5 Hours.

Semester course; 3 lecture and 60 clinical hours. 5 credits (3 credits lecture and 2 credits clinical laboratory). Prerequisites: NURS 325, NURS 335, NURS 345, NURS 355, NURS 365, NURS 366 and NURS 403, all completed with a minimum grade of C. Focuses on development of knowledge and skills essential for care of communities and populations. Explores theory and evidence relevant to the assessment, planning, implementation and evaluation of communities and populations. Incorporates epidemiological principles to population-focused nursing and emphasizes the study and application of community health nursing roles for health promotion and disease prevention. Evaluates the impact of health policy on the public’s health. Designs an evidence-based service-learning project to address the health care needs of at-risk populations.

NURS 425. Nursing of Adults II. 6 Hours.

Semester course; 3 lecture and 90 clinical hours. 6 credits (3 credits lecture and 3 credits clinical laboratory). Prerequisites: NURS 325, NURS 335, NURS 345, NURS 355, NURS 365 and NURS 366, all completed with a minimum grade of C. Focuses on the patient in acute phases of physical illnesses and with complicated multisystem health problems. Provides theoretical and evidence-based foundations for nursing management and related therapeutic regimens. Focuses on the development and application of clinical decision-making and an evidence-based model in the provision of care to acutely ill adults in a variety of settings.

NURS 450. Pathophysiology and Pharmacology I. 4 Hours.

Semester course; 4 lecture hours. 4 credits (4 credits lecture). Enrollment is restricted to students admitted to the School of Nursing. This course introduces pathophysiological foundations of disorders and pharmacological concepts. Connections among underlying pathophysiology, clinical manifestations and pharmacological treatments are emphasized for selected concepts.

NURS 451. Pathophysiology and Pharmacology II. 4 Hours.

Semester course; 4 lecture hours. 4 credits (4 credits lecture). Prerequisite: NURS 450 or permission of the course faculty. Enrollment is restricted to students admitted to the School of Nursing. This course builds on pathophysiological foundations of disorders and pharmacological concepts. It emphasizes the connections among underlying pathophysiology, clinical manifestations, pharmacological treatments and nursing care for selected concepts.

NURS 462. Advanced Pathophysiological Concepts: Application to Patient Care. 3 Hours.

Semester course; 3 lecture hours (delivered online). 3 credits. Enrollment is restricted to students admitted to the School of Nursing. This course expands on basic knowledge of normal physiology and common pathophysiologic conditions across the lifespan. The course focuses on advanced knowledge of pathophysiology in relation to complex health care conditions. Integration of appropriate assessment skills and evidence-based pharmacologic and non-pharmacologic interventions are highlighted. The nurse’s role in anticipating complications and evaluating clinical outcomes is emphasized.

NURS 477. Leadership and Management in Health Care. 4 Hours.

Semester course; 4 lecture hours (delivered online). 4 credits: Prerequisite: NURS 308 with a minimum grade of C. This course examines principles of leadership and management that facilitate coordination and implementation of safe, quality-oriented and ethical patient care. The course emphasizes development of leadership competencies within contexts of the nursing community and interprofessional team in a variety of settings within the contemporary health care delivery system.

NURS 478. Leadership and Management in Health Care: Theory and Application. 3 Hours.

Semester course; 3 lecture hours (3 credits lecture). 3 credits. Prerequisites: NURS 325, NURS 335, NURS 345, NURS 355, NURS 365 and NURS 366, all completed with a minimum grade of C. Integrates principles of leadership and management to prepare students for management, coordination and implementation of safe and ethical patient care in contemporary health care delivery systems. Based on an understanding of nursing's development as a profession, advances enactment of professionalism.

NURS 484. Entry Into the Nursing Profession. 3 Hours.

Semester course; 3 lecture hours. 3 credits (3 credits lecture). Prerequisites: NURS 550 and NURS 551 or permission of the course faculty. This course integrates and synthesizes the skills, knowledge and perspectives gained throughout the program of study. Students will prepare for licensure and transition to practice as novice nurse generalists.

NURS 488. Clinical and Management Decision-making. 3 Hours.

Semester course; 1 lecture and 2 laboratory hours (60 clinical/lab contact hours; delivered online). 3 credits (1 credit lecture, 2 credits clinical/lab). Prerequisites: NURS 308 and NURS 406, both with a minimum grade of C. This course is designed as the culminating or capstone experience for the R.N.-B.S. completion program. The course provides opportunities to evaluate outcomes of baccalaureate education within the context of the clinical practice setting, to apply leadership principles and change theories to clinical and management decision-making, to employ concepts of quality and safety, and to use quality improvement processes in the health care setting.

NURS 491. Special Topics Course. 1-6 Hours.

Semester course; 1-6 lecture hours. 1-6 credits (1-6 credits lecture). Prerequisites: admission to the School of Nursing and permission of instructor. An in-depth exploration of specific topics in nursing theory and practice.

NURS 492. Elective Study. 1-5 Hours.

1-5 credits. Prerequisite: admission to the School of Nursing. Independent study projects planned to meet the learning objectives of the student.

NURS 494. Senior Synthesis. 5 Hours.

Semester course; 225 clinical hours. 5 credits (5 credits clinical). Prerequisites: NURS 550 and NURS 551 or permission of the course faculty. This clinical intensive course builds on the nursing knowledge and skills gained throughout the program to prepare the student nurse to transition to practice as a novice nurse generalist.

NURS 496. Senior Synthesis. 6 Hours.

Semester course; 2 lecture and 120 clinical/lab hours. Honors section only: 2 lecture, 1 seminar and 120 clinical/lab hours. 6 credits (2 credits lecture and 4 credits clinical/lab). Honors section: 7 credits (2 credits lecture, 1 credit seminar [2 contact hours] and 4 credits clinical/lab). Prerequisites: NURS 325, NURS 335, NURS 345, NURS 355, NURS 365, NURS 366, NURS 371, NURS 425, IPEC 501 and IPEC 502. Honors section prerequisite: NURS 512. All prerequisites must be completed with a minimum grade of C. This course is designed as a culminating experience that meets the criteria of the third tier of the VCU Core Curriculum. It prepares students for successful transition into professional practice; thus it requires higher-level cognitive processes that include synthesis of knowledge, evidence and skills from all previous course work and clinical experiences. The course requires that the student consistently enact professional practice, demonstrate competency in standards of care, application of evidence, professionalism and safe and legal practice. This course is taken during the last semester of the nursing program.

NURS 498. Senior Synthesis. 8 Hours.

Semester course; 2 lecture and 6 clinical/lab hours (180 hours in clinic/lab). 8 credits (2 credits lecture and 6 credits clinical/laboratory). Prerequisites: NURS 325, NURS 335, NURS 345, NURS 355, NURS 365, NURS 366, NURS 403, NURS 425, IPEC 501 and IPEC 502, all with a minimum grade of C. This course prepares students for successful transition into professional practice; thus it requires higher-level cognitive processes that include synthesis of knowledge, evidence and skills from all previous course work and clinical experiences. The course requires that the student consistently enact professional practice, demonstrate competency in standards of care, application of evidence, professionalism and safe and legal practice.

NURS 501. Advanced Professionalization I. 1 Hour.

Semester course delivered online; 1 lecture hour. 1 credit. Prerequisite: admission to the graduate program in nursing. Focuses on socialization to the roles and responsibilities related to advanced nursing preparation. Introduces the history, competencies and roles of advanced practice nursing with an emphasis on role acquisition. Addresses trends and issues which shape advanced practice nursing.

NURS 502. Advanced Pharmacology. 3 Hours.

Semester course; 3 lecture hours. 3 credits (3 credits lecture). Enrollment is restricted to students admitted to a graduate program in nursing. Students will develop the requisite knowledge of pharmacotherapeutics necessary for the safe pharmacological management of common patient problems across the lifespan experienced by the advanced practice nurse.

NURS 503. Ethics, Advanced Nursing Practice and the Health Care Environment. 3 Hours.

Semester course; 3 lecture hours. 3 credits. Prerequisite: NURS 501. Grounded in the disciplinary perspective and heritage of nursing, emphasizes analysis of ethical concepts foundational to advanced nursing practice while considering diverse perspectives of the patient, family, health care team and organizational system. Focuses on applying ethical decision-making frameworks to analyze ethical dilemmas and negotiating individual and team-based values. Addresses development of effective communication and leadership strategies for promoting ethical health care delivery and managing ethical conflicts.

NURS 504. Advanced Pathophysiology. 3 Hours.

Semester course; 3 lecture hours. 3 credits (3 credits lecture). Enrollment is restricted to students admitted to a graduate program in nursing. This course focuses on the biological and pathophysiological foundations of health problems across the lifespan. Uses biologic changes underlying selected health risks and health problems as a framework for critically appraising health assessment data and for understanding advanced nursing therapeutic strategies.

NURS 507. Health Promotion and Disease Prevention Across the Lifespan. 4 Hours.

Semester course; 4 lecture hours. 4 credits. Pre- or corequisite: NURS 504. Focuses on advanced nursing assessment and the design and delivery of evidence-based, culturally relevant health promotion and disease prevention strategies for individuals across the lifespan. Applies theories, concepts and research findings related to health promotion, health protection and disease prevention as a basis for clinical decision-making with child, adolescent and adult patients and their families within a variety of care settings.

NURS 508. Policy, Processes and Systems for Advanced Nursing Practice. 3 Hours.

Semester course; 3 lecture hours. 3 credits. Prerequisite: admission to the nursing program. Explores various influences on the structure and financing of health care, advanced nursing practice and health outcomes from a macro and micro perspective of the current health care system. Addresses the policy-making process at various levels of government and within institutions, policies affecting current and future nursing care delivery systems and nursing’s role in policy advocacy to improve the quality of health care delivery. Using policy, processes and systems-level strategies, including quality improvement and high reliability organizational theory, students will be able to articulate the methods, performance measures, culture of safety principles and quality standards necessary for effective leadership as a change agent in the current health care system.

NURS 511. Advanced Health Assessment. 3 Hours.

Semester course; 2 lecture and 1 laboratory hours (40 laboratory contact hours). 3 credits (2 credits lecture and 1 credit laboratory). Enrollment is restricted to students admitted to a graduate program in nursing. Provides a framework for conducting a comprehensive and systematic assessment of individuals across the lifespan. Focuses on advancing students’ knowledge and assessment techniques in collecting and interpreting data from the health history and physical examination. Emphasizes the identification of deviations from normal in assessment data, including laboratory and diagnostic studies, and application of diagnostic reasoning skills to develop a prioritized differential diagnosis list.

NURS 512. Foundations for Evidence-based Advanced Practice. 3 Hours.

Semester course; 3 lecture hours (delivered online). 3 credits. Enrollment is restricted to students admitted to a graduate program in nursing. This course assists with the identification and use of evidence to identify and address problems faced in the health care setting. Emphasizes appraisal and synthesis of scientific literature to design evidence-based practice strategies and outcome measures in the context of a selected clinical problem, population health risk or organizational issue.

NURS 515. Holistic Leadership in Health Care Delivery. 3 Hours.

Semester course; 3 lecture hours (delivered online). 3 credits. Leadership concepts are advanced from a self- to organizational and societal perspective. How leaders evolve and maintain critical perspectives based on organizational mission, purpose and goals are critically analyzed. Political, legal, ethical, diversity and cultural perspectives are explored as a basis for leadership expression. Emphasis will be placed on communication and decision-making skills.

NURS 516. Health Care Information Technology. 3 Hours.

Semester course; 3 lecture hours (delivered online). 3 credits. The course gives students a broad overview of health information technology in the context of the health care organization; discusses principles of informatics and information flows in nursing and health care using systems analysis techniques; and emphasizes understanding of how health care leaders implement, manage and evaluate health care technology and informatics projects. Information and communication technology system integration and data security, as well as ethical and regulatory issues, will be reviewed. Current topics and issues related to the use, retrieval, evaluation and dissemination of health care information will be discussed, as well as the role of informatics and analytics in decision-making.

NURS 517. Organizational Science Implications for Human and Material Resource Management. 3 Hours.

Semester course; 3 lecture hours (delivered online). 3 credits. Classical, modern and postmodern theories of organizations are examined as the scientific foundation for leadership and administration in health care organizations. Human capital is presented as a foundation for examining individual and group thinking and decision-making. How groups and organizations form and evolve is explored through classic and current research. Foundations in human resource management and law, evaluating performance, job analysis and design, managing conflict, and influencing a culture of diversity and inclusion will be applied to current practice issues. Supply chain logistics and management, including product evaluation and decision-making related to sustainability, are studied.

NURS 518. Mindfulness Practices for Health Care Professionals: Clinical Applications. 1 Hour.

Semester course; 1 lecture hour. 1 credit. This course will provide health care professional students with an interprofessional curriculum in mindfulness practices, with a focus on clinical applications for health care providers. The didactic component of the course will focus on subjects such as research on the physiological and psychological effects of stress; methods to integrate mindful practices into daily life; the use of mindfulness when facing difficult clinical situations; balancing life with clinical workload; mindful leadership and interpersonal strategies; and compassionate self-care and care for others. Didactic content will be combined with experiential modules during which students will be guided through gentle mindfulness-based yoga and meditative practices. Students will participate in discussions related to the integration of mindfulness into clinical and personal life. The course will have relevance for the student who is interested in stress management and gaining a comfort with mindfulness-based practices for personal application and for integration into clinical practice. Graded as pass/fail.

NURS 520. Professional Transitions for the Advanced Practice Nurse. 2 Hours.

Semester course; 2 lecture hours. 2 credits (2 credits lecture). This course emphasizes the transition to the advanced practice nursing role. The course focuses on synthesizing the knowledge, skills and abilities that will allow students to transition successfully into the advanced practice nursing role.

NURS 521. Psychiatric Disorders Across the Lifespan. 4 Hours.

Semester course; 3.5 lecture and 20 laboratory hours. 4 credits (3.5 credits lecture and .5 credits laboratory). Prerequisites: NURS 504, NURS 512, NURS 623 or permission of instructor. This course explores the role and scope of the advanced practice psychiatric mental health nurse, the psychiatric diagnostic reasoning process, psychiatric case formulation and treatment planning. Laboratory experiences will accompany didactic content.

NURS 522. Psychopharmacology for Advanced Practice. 3 Hours.

Semester course; 2.5 lecture and .5 laboratory hours (20 laboratory contact hours). 3 credits (2.5 credits lecture and .5 credits laboratory). Prerequisites: NURS 521, NURS 502 or permission of instructor. This course examines the psychopharmacological treatment of psychiatric disorders. The course will cover pharmacodynamics and pharmacokinetics of psychotropic medications in detail and will explore major psychopharmacological drug classes and specific medications, indications, dosing and side effects. Students will be exposed to content related to the interaction between prescription medications and nonprescription substances. Laboratory experiences will accompany didactic content.

NURS 523. Fundamental Nursing Concepts. 3 Hours.

Semester course; 3 lecture hours. 3 credits (3 credits lecture). Enrollment is restricted to students admitted to the School of Nursing. This course provides an overview of the foundations of nursing practice and person-centered care across the lifespan. Students are introduced to the nursing process, clinical reasoning and decision-making in various settings. The course highlights the role of a nurse as a collaborative team member and underscores the importance of professional accountability in providing safe, quality care.

NURS 524. Applied Practice: Health Assessment Across the Lifespan and Fundamental Nursing Concepts. 3 Hours.

Semester course; 45 clinical and 60 laboratory hours. 3 credits (1 credit clinical and 2 credits laboratory). Enrollment is restricted to students admitted to the School of Nursing. This course provides opportunities to demonstrate foundational nursing knowledge, assessment techniques and introductory skills across the lifespan in clinical settings. Emphasis will be placed on fostering a culture of safety, effective communication and collaboration in the health care environment.

NURS 530. U.S. Health Care and Care Coordination. 2 Hours.

Semester course; 2 lecture hours (delivered online). 2 credits. Partial semester course which will be delivered in the first seven weeks of the semester. Explores the overall infrastructure of the health care system and care delivery models. Introduces concepts of regulation. Examines how the effect of different settings and levels of care impact care transitions. Explores effective use of the electronic health record. Identifies the patient-centered care model as integral to improving outcomes. Describes the best ways to share information across health care settings during care transitions.

NURS 531. Health Care Payment Models and Care Coordination. 2 Hours.

Semester course; 2 lecture hours (delivered online). 2 credits. Partial semester course which will be delivered in the second seven weeks of the semester. Examines aspects of health care financing that affect the type of services the care coordinator can provide. Provides an overview of key points related to insurance coverage, including managed care, Medicare, Medicaid, the utilization review process and compliance. Discusses an overview of current U.S. health policy with a special focus on vulnerable patients.

NURS 532. Ethical and Legal Considerations in Care Coordination. 2 Hours.

Semester course; 2 lecture hours (delivered online). 2 credits. Partial semester online course which will be delivered in the first six weeks of the semester. Focuses on applying ethical decision-making frameworks to analyze ethical dilemmas that occur with patient care and between members of the interprofessional team. Examines care coordinator role conflict between patient advocacy and health system advocacy. Provides a framework for identifying potential liabilities while working in the care coordinator role. Explores legal responsibilities of the care coordinator.

NURS 533. Transitional Care. 3 Hours.

Semester course; 3 lecture hours (delivered online). 3 credits. Partial semester course which will be delivered in the second nine weeks of the semester. Explores care coordination in the hospital setting with a focus on discharge planning, medication reconciliation and effective care transitions out of the hospital. Addresses how to identify those patients who have high risk for excess utilization of hospital resources due to limited financial means, lack of insurance, chronic illness and/or catastrophic injury. Addresses national recommendations for effective care coordination strategies to improve patient outcomes.

NURS 534. Community-based Care Coordination. 3 Hours.

Semester course; 3 lecture hours (delivered online). 3 credits. Prerequisites: NURS 530, NURS 531, NURS 532 and NURS 533, or permission of instructor. Focuses on the development of knowledge and skills essential to provide care coordination in community-based settings. Emphasizes the value of maintaining a primary care provider and connecting the patient with appropriate community resources. Examines concepts of advanced care planning, medication management and patient engagement from the outpatient perspective. Identifies high-risk patient populations and how to best provide effective transitions of care within community settings. Designs an evidence-based capstone project which is used to identify care coordination challenges and propose solutions.

NURS 535. Population Health, Prevention, and Wellness Concepts Across the Lifespan. 4 Hours.

Semester course; 4 lecture hours. 4 credits (4 credits lecture). Prerequisites: NURS 523, NURS 524, NURS 624, NURS 625 and NURS 633; or NURS 350, NURS 380, NURS 450, NURS 523 and NURS 524; or permission of the course faculty. This course provides an overview of the principles of health and wellness across populations and the lifespan. Students will be introduced to the role of the nurse in improving the health of populations through health promotion and disease prevention.

NURS 536. Applied Practice: Population Health, Prevention, and Wellness Across the Lifespan. 2 Hours.

Semester course; 45 clinical and 30 laboratory hours. 2 credits (1 credit clinical and 1 credit laboratory). Prerequisites: NURS 523, NURS 524, NURS 624, NURS 625 and NURS 633; or NURS 350, NURS 380, NURS 450, NURS 523 and NURS 524; or permission of the course faculty. This course provides opportunities to demonstrate nursing competencies related to health promotion and disease prevention to improve the health of populations. Emphasis will be placed on using a holistic approach to address health and wellness needs for patients across the lifespan.

NURS 547. Chronic Care Concepts Across the Lifespan. 4 Hours.

Semester course; 4 lecture hours. 4 credits (4 credits lecture). Prerequisites: NURS 523, NURS 524, NURS 624, NURS 625, and NURS 633; or NURS 350, NURS 380, and NURS 450, NURS 523 and NURS 524; or permission of the course faculty. This course focuses on chronic disease management including self-management, care coordination and support during transitions in care for patients and caregivers across the lifespan. Content will emphasize effective communication and collaboration skills and strategies to promote patient empowerment.

NURS 548. Applied Practice: Chronic Care Concepts Across the Lifespan. 3 Hours.

Semester course; 90 clinical and 30 laboratory hours. 3 credits (2 credits clinical and 1 credit laboratory). Prerequisites: NURS 523, NURS 524, NURS 624, NURS 625, and NURS 633; or NURS 350, NURS 380, and NURS 450, NURS 523 and NURS 524; or permission of the course faculty. This course provides opportunities for students to provide care for patients with chronic disease in a variety of clinical settings and at various points along the disease trajectory across the lifespan. Emphasis will be placed on demonstrating techniques for ongoing patient assessment and engagement in chronic disease management across the lifespan.

NURS 550. Acute Care Concepts Across the Lifespan. 4 Hours.

Semester course; 4 lecture hours. 4 credits lecture. Prerequisites: NURS 535, NURS 536, NURS 547 and NURS 548; and NURS 451 or NURS 626; or permission of the course faculty. This course introduces students to the nursing management of disease states, critical conditions and health events commonly seen in acute care across the lifespan.

NURS 551. Applied Practice: Acute Care Concepts Across the Lifespan. 3 Hours.

Semester course; 135 clinical hours. 3 credits (3 credits clinical). Prerequisites: NURS 535, NURS 536, NURS 547 and NURS 548; and NURS 451 or NURS 626; or permission of the course faculty. This course provides opportunities to demonstrate nursing care in a variety of acute care settings across the lifespan. Students will build upon previously learned skills to develop, implement and evaluate a plan of care as part of an interprofessional team.

NURS 580. Primary Care of the Adult-Gerontology Population. 4 Hours.

Semester course; 3.5 lecture and .5 laboratory hours (20 laboratory contact hours). 4 credits (3.5 credits lecture and .5 credits laboratory). Prerequisites: NURS 504 and NURS 623. This course provides content on the primary care management of adolescents through geriatrics. It focuses on building a foundation of knowledge and clinical decision-making skills related to normal development, health promotion and disease prevention, and the diagnosis and management of common health conditions across the adult lifespan. Laboratory experiences will accompany didactic content.

NURS 581. Adult-Gerontology Acute Care Practicum I. 2 Hours.

Semester course; 2 clinical hours (120 clinical contact hours). 2 credits (2 credits clinical). Prerequisites: NURS 502 and NURS 580. This course focuses on management of adolescent through geriatric patients with complex health care conditions through precepted experiences. Students have opportunities to focus on the provision of a spectrum of care ranging from disease prevention to acute care management. Graded as Satisfactory/Unsatisfactory.

NURS 589. Maternal and Child Health in Primary Care. 3 Hours.

Semester course; 2.5 lecture and .5 laboratory hours (20 laboratory contact hours). 3 credits (2.5 credits lecture and .5 credits laboratory). Prerequisite: NURS 580. The course provides content on the management of the primary care health needs of pregnant women, as well as children from birth to adolescence. This course explores how family theory and health promotion of families provides the basis for both patient- and family-centered approaches to providing evidence-based quality health care.

NURS 590. Complex Problems in Family Primary Care. 4 Hours.

Semester course; 3.5 lecture and .5 laboratory hours (20 laboratory contact hours). 4 credits (3.5 credits lecture and .5 credits laboratory). Prerequisite: NURS 632. This course builds upon knowledge and skills from prior courses and clinical practicum experiences. The course provides content on the management of complex health issues across the lifespan. Students will increase knowledge and decision-making skills in the primary care treatment of vulnerable populations and patients with multiple comorbidities, as well as selecting appropriate pharmacotherapeutics.

NURS 591. Special Topics. 1-3 Hours.

Semester course; 1-3 credits. Prerequisite: admission to the graduate program in nursing. Explores specific topics in nursing theory and practice.

NURS 592. Directed Study in Nursing. 1-3 Hours.

Semester course; variable hours. 1-3 credits. Prerequisite: admission to the graduate program in nursing. Independent study in a specific area of nursing developed under the supervision of a member of the graduate faculty.

NURS 593. Project and Planned Change Management. 3 Hours.

Semester course; 3 lecture hours (delivered online). 3 credits. Models for leading change through project management are examined using linear and nonlinear change dynamics. Skills in problem analysis, change agent-client system capacity for change and standard setting are acquired in this course. The impact of nonlinear social change on organizations is introduced. Project management and tools to evaluate the impact of change are examined.

NURS 594. Directed Study: Nursing Clinical Practicum. 1-6 Hours.

Semester course; 1-6 clinical hours (60-360 clinical/lab hours). 1-6 credits (1-6 clinical/lab credits). Enrollment requires permission of the instructor. Independent study in specific practicum area of nursing developed under the supervision of a faculty member. Graded as pass/fail.

NURS 595. Family Primary Care Practicum I. 2 Hours.

Semester course; 2 clinical hours (120 clinical contact hours). 2 credits (2 credits clinical). Prerequisites: NURS 502 and NURS 580. This course provides opportunities for students to develop beginning competencies as a family nurse practitioner through precepted practicum experiences. Advanced health assessment skills and knowledge of management of common health problems are applied in the clinical setting to improve critical thinking and diagnostic reasoning. Graded as Satisfactory/Unsatisfactory.

NURS 596. Adult-Gerontology Primary Care Practicum I. 2 Hours.

Semester course; 2 clinical hours (120 clinical contact hours). 2 credits (2 credits clinical). Prerequisites: NURS 511 and NURS 580. This course focuses on providing primary care management of adolescent through geriatric patients across the wellness-illness continuum through precepted clinical experiences. Provides opportunities to focus on the differing and unique developmental life-stage needs that impact a patient’s care across the adult age spectrum and application of evidence-based strategies in directing health promotion, health protection, disease prevention and primary care management of injuries and disease. Graded as pass/fail.

NURS 597. Psychiatric Mental Health Practicum I. 2 Hours.

Semester course; 2 clinical hours (120 clinical contact hours). 2 credits (2 credits clinical). Prerequisites: NURS 502 and NURS 521 or permission of instructor. This course focuses on the diagnosis and management of individuals with psychiatric disorders across the lifespan through faculty-supervised clinical experiences with a preceptor. The course provides opportunities to perform comprehensive psychiatric evaluations and ongoing psychiatric care. Graded as Satisfactory/Unsatisfactory.

NURS 598. Managing Psychiatric Disorders in Special and Vulnerable Populations. 2 Hours.

Semester course; 2 lecture hours. 2 credits (2 credits lecture). Prerequisite: NURS 597, NURS 622 or permission of instructor. This course deepens students’ knowledge of the diagnosis and treatment of psychiatric disorders in special and vulnerable patient populations, such as children and adolescents; older adults; individuals with chronic illness, substance use disorders and/or personality disorders; individuals within the criminal justice system; refugees; LGBT+ populations; and military populations. Students will be challenged to confront their own biases and values as related to psychiatric practice.

NURS 601. Advanced Professionalization II. 1 Hour.

Semester course; 1 lecture hour. 1 credit. Prerequisite: NURS 501. Designed to prepare students to assume an advanced practice nursing role after graduation. Focuses on role development in advanced practice nursing, marketing oneself as an advanced practice nurse, and regulatory and economic policies that affect advanced practice nursing in today’s health care system. Presents strategies to evaluate outcomes attributable to APN practice.

NURS 602. Psychotherapy: Theory and Practice. 2 Hours.

Semester course; 1.5 lecture and .5 laboratory hours (20 laboratory contact hours). 2 credits (1.5 credits lecture and .5 credits laboratory). Prerequisite: NURS 597, NURS 622 or permission of instructor. Corequisite: NURS 598, NURS 641 or permission of instructor. This course addresses the theoretical foundations and application of psychotherapy in advanced practice psychiatric mental health nursing. The course will explore major psychotherapy approaches. Students will apply principles of reflective practice relevant to their future practice as psychiatric mental health nurse practitioners. Laboratory experiences will accompany didactic content.

NURS 603. Improvement Science and Outcomes Management. 3 Hours.

Semester course; 3 lecture hours (delivered online). 3 credits. With an emphasis on the foundations of quality and safety science, the techniques and tools for analyzing organizational and clinical processes for efficacy, root cause analysis when examining medical errors, and developing or using valid and reliable metrics to measure outcomes are presented. The importance of building a culture of quality and safety is reinforced, along with the role of regulators and regulations to monitor safety.

NURS 604. Applied Budgeting and Finance. 3 Hours.

Semester course; 3 lecture hours (delivered online). 3 credits. Fiscal analysis and application to unit, program and service-line management are presented using finance language to advance human resource, supplies and capital budgeting. Specific topics include price-setting, cost-benefit/break-even analysis, contract development and financial ratio analysis. Clinical operations, grant budgets and start-up fund acquisition skills are acquired. The cost analysis and clinical benefit of current staffing models will be justified from a fiscal/clinical perspective. Requires competency in Excel.

NURS 605. Statistical Methods for Quality Improvement. 3 Hours.

Semester course; 3 lecture hours (delivered online). 3 credits (3 credits lecture). Enrollment restricted to students admitted to a graduate program. This course focuses on common analytic approaches in practice change projects, including correlation, chi-square analysis, independent and paired t tests, analysis of variance, and logistic and multiple regression. Selection of the most relevant analytic strategy to determine clinical significance of a quality improvement initiative will be emphasized. The application of statistical process control methods to health care quality improvement projects will be emphasized. The student will apply principles of statistical analysis to a dataset using statistical software to identify characteristics of participants and outcomes.

NURS 606. Evaluating Evidence to Improve Health Outcomes. 3 Hours.

Semester course; 3 lecture hours (delivered online). 3 credits. Provides essential skills for using research evidence to support and promote practice change. Collaboration between nursing and other disciplines in problem identification will be explored. Ethical dimensions of quality improvement research and research evidence will be reviewed. Students will formulate a clinical question, search for supporting evidence, apply appraisal principles to evaluate the evidence and derive practice-specific recommendations for implementation.

NURS 607. Epidemiology and Population Health. 3 Hours.

Semester course; 3 lecture hours (delivered online). 3 credits. Enrollment is restricted to students admitted to a graduate program. Integrates principles of epidemiology, evidence-based clinical prevention, health screening, behavioral modification, disease modification, disease management of populations and quality metrics. Students will assess population health models and frameworks to address a multilevel perspective of the health status of vulnerable populations and sources of health inequalities. Cultural perspectives will be emphasized at a regional, national and global level.

NURS 608. Quality Improvement in Practice. 3 Hours.

Semester course; 3 lecture hours (delivered online). 3 credits (3 credits lecture). Enrollment restricted to students admitted to a graduate program. This course prepares the student for proficiency in the development of quality improvement initiatives for sustainable practice change. The student will assess evidence as it relates to cost, quality and health outcomes (individual and aggregate) within the context of current regional and national health care trends and emerging issues. Emphasis will be on the methods and tools utilized in performance improvement and patient safety. The student will develop a quality or safety initiative using a systems approach.

NURS 609. Health Care Delivery and Reimbursement Systems for Nurse Leaders. 3 Hours.

Semester course; 3 lecture hours. 3 credits. This course summarizes contemporary issues in health care delivery, evolving models of health care delivery systems and reimbursement. The focus is on current policies and systemic factors that affect the delivery of health care to the U.S. population and their potential impact on future health care delivery. The course presents factors affecting the evolution of the U.S. health care system and health care provider roles with a focus on the nurse and advanced practice. Issues are presented in context of patient-centered care and population-level aims for quality outcomes.

NURS 610. Health Information and Emerging Health Care Technologies. 3 Hours.

Semester course; 3 lecture hours (delivered online). 3 credits. Enrollment is restricted to students admitted to a graduate program. Health informatics will be explored as an integral component of health care delivery. Focuses on building understanding of effective use and evaluation of health information technologies. Particular emphasis will be on informatics’ role in health care decision-making, access to care, patient safety and quality of care. Also emphasizes the use of health informatics as a component of patient care and for the improvement of quality and safety outcomes over time, leading to sustainable change. Additional focus on current and emerging technologies.

NURS 611. Primary Care Advanced Practice Clinical Procedures. 1 Hour.

Semester course; 7.5 lecture and 22.5 laboratory (contact) hours. 1 credit. Prerequisites: NURS 504 and 511. Provides the foundation for acquiring a beginning level of competency in a variety of common primary care advanced clinical practice skills and procedures. Emphasizes correct technique and includes supervised experiences.

NURS 612. Acute Care Advanced Practice Clinical Procedures. 1 Hour.

Semester course; 7.5 lectureand 22.5 laboratory (contact) hours. 1 credit. Prerequisites: NURS 504 and 511. Provides the foundation for acquiring a beginning level of competency in a variety of common acute care advanced clinical practice skills and procedures. Emphasizes correct technique and includes supervised experiences.

NURS 613. Organizational Behavior and Leadership for Nurse Leaders. 3 Hours.

Semester course; 3 lecture hours. 3 credits. Corequisite: NURS 668. This course introduces students to organizational behavior as it relates to leadership theory based on classic and contemporary readings in organizational behavior. Students will engage in self-evaluative processes to assess and enhance their leadership capabilities in relation to elements of sound leadership principles. The course will examine topics in organizational behavior that relate to the nurse leader role in health care delivery. Management principles are outlined, discussed and put in context to give a realistic focus to issues in leadership and organizational behavior. The course uses case method, simulation, discussion, self-assessment instruments, written exercises and audiovisual aids to illuminate leadership and managerial practices in relation to organizational behavior.

NURS 614. Organizational Systems and Leadership for Nurse Leaders. 3 Hours.

Semester course; 3 lecture hours. 3 credits. Enrollment restricted to students admitted to the graduate program in nursing. This course introduces a systems approach to health care organizational operations leadership and management. Students will gain an understanding of how nurse leaders working with the health care team organize and use structures and analytical approaches to assess and report on the efficiency and effectiveness of work processes that affect patient care, satisfaction and health outcomes. Students will gain skills in operations management by analyzing work processes, patient flow, project management, and the supply chain and customer service.

NURS 615. Diagnosis and Management in Adult-Gerontology Primary Care I. 3 Hours.

Semester course; 3 lecture hours. 3 credits. Pre- or corequisites: NURS 501, NURS 504, NURS 507, NURS 511. Provides content on the primary care management of health and illness changes throughout the adult lifespan. This course focuses on increasing the nurse practitioner student's knowledge and clinical decision-making skills in order to provide health screening, identify health promotion needs, and accurately diagnose and manage common health conditions across the adult lifespan. Emphasis is placed on developmental, prevention, pathophysiological, pharmacological and critical-thinking skills in the management of common complex and multisystem disorders.

NURS 616. Diagnosis and Management in Adult-Gerontology Primary Care II. 3 Hours.

Semester course; 3 lecture hours. 3 credits. Prerequisite: NURS 615. This course is a continuation of NURS 615. The course includes prevention, pathophysiological, pharmacological and critical-thinking skills in maximizing health with common and complex health problems. Emphasis is placed on increasing the nurse practitioner student's knowledge and clinical decision-making skills in order to provide health screening, identify health promotion needs, accurately diagnose and provide women’s-and adult-specific care and psychobehavioral care across the adult lifespan, particularly in the context of common complex and multisystem disorders.

NURS 617. Advanced Gerontology Primary Care Across the Care Continuum. 4 Hours.

Semester course; 3.5 lecture and .5 laboratory hours (20 laboratory contact hours). 4 credits (3.5 credits lecture and .5 credits laboratory). Prerequisites: NURS 580 and NURS 619. In this course students will further examine and integrate physiological, psychological and sociocultural processes associated with normal aging. Students will refine knowledge of pharmacotherapeutics needed by the advanced practice nurse for the safe pharmacological management of common patient problems in older adults. Relevant theories, concepts and research findings from the behavioral, social and biological sciences are analyzed as a basis for advanced nursing practice with older adults and their families. Emphasis is placed on enhancing the individual’s health within the context of their functional capabilities, social support networks and environment. Important geriatric care models for effective practice with older adults across the care continuum, coordinated care across the interprofessional team including families and caregivers, transitions of care, and complex care management are reviewed.

NURS 618. Diagnosis and Management in Adult-Gerontology Acute Care I. 3 Hours.

Semester course; 3 lecture hours. 3 credits. Pre- or corequisites: NURS 501, NURS 504, NURS 507, NURS 511. Provides content on the management of adult and geriatric patients and populations who are physiologically unstable, technologically dependent and/or highly vulnerable to complications. The focus of this course is on increasing students' acute care knowledge and decision-making skills in order to accurately assess, diagnose and manage complex acute, critical, and chronically ill or injured adult and geriatric patients.

NURS 619. Acute and Complex Health Conditions of the Adult-Gerontology Population. 3 Hours.

Semester course; 2.5 lecture and .5 laboratory hours (20 laboratory contact hours). 3 credits (2.5 credits lecture and .5 credits laboratory). Prerequisite: NURS 580. This course builds upon knowledge and skills from prior courses and provides content on the management of acute and complex health issues in the adolescent, adult and geriatric population. Students will increase knowledge and decision-making skills in the management of physiologically unstable patients, multiple comorbidities and appropriate prescribing practices. Laboratory experiences will accompany didactic content.

NURS 620. Gero-pharmacology. 1 Hour.

Semester course; 1 lecture hour. 1 credit. Prerequisite: NURS 502. This course refines knowledge of pharmacotherapeutics needed by the advanced practice nurse for the safe pharmacological management of common patient problems in older adults. Emphasis is placed on the interprofessional team, including families and caregivers, as an essential component of care for older adults.

NURS 621. Leadership and Organizational Systems. 3 Hours.

Semester course; 3 lecture hours (delivered online). 3 credits. Examines system leadership and change within the context of organizational culture. Models and strategies related to leadership, effective organizational processes, organizational change, strategic planning and intraprofessional teamwork will be evaluated. Emphasizes development of skills in system assessment and system intervention design.

NURS 622. Psychopharmacology for Advanced Practice. 3 Hours.

Semester course; 2.5 lecture and .5 laboratory hours (20 laboratory contact hours). 3 credits (2.5 credits lecture and .5 credits laboratory). Prerequisite: NURS 521, NURS 502 or permission of instructor. This course examines the psychopharmacological treatment of psychiatric disorders. The course will cover pharmacodynamics and pharmacokinetics of psychotropic medications in detail and will explore major psychopharmacological drug classes and specific medications, indications, dosing and side effects. Students will be exposed to content related to the interaction between prescription medications and nonprescription substances. Laboratory experiences will accompany didactic content.

NURS 623. Advanced Health Assessment. 3 Hours.

Semester course; 2 lecture and 1 laboratory hours (40 laboratory contact hours). 3 credits (2 credits lecture and 1 credit laboratory). Enrollment is restricted to students admitted to a graduate program in nursing. This course assists with the identification and use of evidence to identify and address problems faced in the health care setting. Emphasizes appraisal and synthesis of scientific literature to design evidence-based practice strategies and outcome measures in the context of a selected clinical problem, population health risk or organizational issue.

NURS 624. Roles and Responsibilities of the Professional Nurse. 2 Hours.

Semester course; 2 lecture hours. 2 credits lecture. Enrollment is restricted to students admitted to the master's program in the School of Nursing. This course provides an overview of the history and current state of the nursing profession including regulatory, licensing and professional standards. Emphasis is on the professional nurse's role in the health care environment as well as the impact of self-care for career longevity.

NURS 625. Integration of Pathophysiology and Pharmacology for Nursing Practice I. 4 Hours.

Semester course; 4 lecture hours. 4 credits (4 credits lecture). Enrollment is restricted to students admitted to the master's program in the School of Nursing. This course introduces pathophysiological foundations of disorders and pharmacological concepts. Emphasizes the connection among underlying pathophysiology, clinical manifestations, pharmacological treatments and nursing care for selected concepts.

NURS 626. Integration of Pathophysiology and Pharmacology for Nursing Practice II. 4 Hours.

Semester course; 4 lecture hours. 4 credits (4 credits lecture). Prerequisite: NURS 625 or permission of the course faculty. This course builds on pathophysiological foundations of disorders and pharmacological concepts. It emphasizes the connections among underlying pathophysiology, clinical manifestations, pharmacological treatments and nursing care for selected concepts.

NURS 627. Foundational Perspectives of Family-centered Care. 2 Hours.

Semester course; 2 lecture hours. 2 credits. Prerequisite: admission to the graduate program in nursing. This course is foundational to the family nurse practitioner curriculum and provides the theoretical foundation and context for the FNP's role in the care of families. The course will emphasize analysis of theories and research concerning families. The effects of psychosocial, cultural, socioeconomic and spiritual variables on families at risk will be discussed. The effects of transitions and crises on the health/illness status of patients in the context of family will be explored. Culturally appropriate communication skills to facilitate family decision-making and foster positive behavioral change in the patient and caregiver will be analyzed. Students will examine their personal beliefs and family life experiences to inform their developing advanced practice role.

NURS 628. Practicum in Nursing Leadership and Organizational Science. 5 Hours.

Semester course; 5 clinical hours (300 clinical contact hours). 5 credits (5 credits clinical). Prerequisites: NURS 515, NURS 517, NURS 603 and NURS 604. A field-based course project is the centerpiece of the practicum, where the learner advances leadership skills through decision-making, human and capital resource management, communication and change management. Knowledge is synthesized and applied in this practicum experience. Graded as Satisfactory/Unsatisfactory.

NURS 629. Diagnosis and Management in Family Primary Care I. 4 Hours.

Semester course; 4 lecture hours. 4 credits. Enrollment restricted to students admitted to a graduate program in nursing. This course is designed to introduce the student to the role of the nurse practitioner as a provider of primary care across the lifespan. Concepts of advanced health assessment, pharmacology and pathophysiology are synthesized with a focus on diagnostic decision-making and interdisciplinary management of common acute and chronic health problems. Emphasis is placed on facilitating optimal health and function of patients from newborn through senescence. Strategies to enhance, maintain and restore health are emphasized, while promoting health-seeking behaviors and the impact on family-centered care.

NURS 630. Diagnosis And Management In Family Primary Care II. 4 Hours.

Semester course; 4 lecture hours. 4 credits. Prerequisite: NURS 629. This course is a continuation of NURS 629. Concepts of health promotion and disease prevention, advanced health assessment, pharmacology, and pathophysiology are incorporated into the diagnosis and interdisciplinary management of common acute and chronic health problems. Emphasis is placed on the formation and evaluation of comprehensive evidence-based care with regard to the care of common complex and multisystem disorders. Strategies to enhance, maintain and restore health are emphasized. Health-seeking behaviors and the impact on family are stressed.

NURS 631. Primary Care of Select Populations. 2 Hours.

Semester course; 1 lecture and 45 clinical/lab hours. 2 credits (1 credit lecture and 1 credit clinical/lab). Prerequisites: NURS 629 and NURS 630. This course addresses the diagnosis and management of select primary care topics in women’s health, pediatrics, gerontology and psychiatric-mental health. Laboratory experiences including simulation, standardized patients and objective structured clinical examinations will accompany didactic content delivery. Graded P/F.

NURS 632. Maternal and Child Health in Primary Care. 3 Hours.

Semester course; 2.5 lecture and .5 laboratory hours (20 laboratory contact hours). 3 credits (2.5 credits lecture and .5 credits laboratory). Prerequisite: NURS 580. Corequisite: NURS 595. The course provides content on the management of the primary care health needs of pregnant women, as well as children from birth to adolescence. This course explores how family theory and health promotion of families provides the basis for both patient- and family-centered approaches to providing evidence-based quality health care.

NURS 633. Integration of Applied Health Assessment Across the Lifespan. 3 Hours.

Semester course; 3 lecture hours. 3 credits (3 credits lecture). Enrollment is restricted to students admitted to the master's program in the School of Nursing. This course focuses on development of nursing knowledge, skills and techniques necessary for history-taking, physical examination and interpretation of data across the lifespan. Emphasizes the integration of these skills and techniques into the role of the professional nurse.

NURS 634. Application of Evidence-based Practice in Health Care. 3 Hours.

Semester course; 3 lecture hours. 3 credits (3 credits lecture). Enrollment is restricted to students admitted to the master's program in the School of Nursing. This course introduces the basic principles of the research process, evidence-based practice and quality improvement in health care.

NURS 635. Advanced Practice Psychiatric Mental Health Nursing Practicum I. 6 Hours.

Semester course; 270 clinical/lab hours. 6 credits (6 credits clinical/lab). Prerequisites: NURS 502, NURS 503, NURS 511 and NURS 657; corequisite: NURS 636. Focuses on the diagnosis and management of mental health problems and psychiatric disorders for individuals, families and groups across the lifespan through faculty supervised clinical experiences with a preceptor. Demonstrates ability to perform a comprehensive psychiatric evaluation while incorporating therapeutic communication skills. Provides opportunities to apply knowledge of standardized taxonomy systems and evidence-based screening guidelines to formulate a differential diagnosis. Requires students to develop plans of care incorporating evidence-based practice guidelines. Performance of clinical skills at a basic level is expected. Graded Pass/Fail.

NURS 636. Advanced Practice Psychiatric Mental Health Nursing Seminar. 3 Hours.

Semester course; 3 lecture hours. 3 credits (3 lecture credits). Corequisite: NURS 635. Prepares for and builds on practicum experience. Focuses on the management of both acute and chronic psychiatric disorders for individuals, families and groups across the lifespan. Examines the unique characteristics of selected populations diagnosed with mental health problems or psychiatric disorders and ways to address complex management needs through a case study approach. Provides opportunities for students to plan and discuss treatment plans while integrating health promotion and education strategies. Students are expected to apply knowledge of both psychotherapeutic and psychopharmacologic interventions. Focuses on synthesis of evidence to analyze clinical decision-making and formulate a patient-centered plan of care across the treatment trajectory.

NURS 637. Advanced Practice Psychiatric Mental Health Nursing Practicum II. 6 Hours.

Semester course; 270 clinical/lab hours. 6 credits (6 credits clinical/lab). Prerequisite: NURS 635. Builds on previous practicum experience. Focuses on the advanced management of mental health problems and psychiatric disorders for individuals, families and groups across the lifespan through faculty-supervised clinical experiences with a preceptor. Students will implement and evaluate the management of both common and complex mental health problems and psychiatric disorders. Provides opportunities for the synthesis, application and evaluation of knowledge needed to provide evidence-based psychiatric care. Focuses on strategies to lead the interprofessional health care team in quality improvement methods. Promotes the provision of high-quality, collaborative and ethical care. Performance of clinical skills at the advanced level is required. Graded as Pass/Fail.

NURS 638. Health Policy Leadership and Advocacy. 3 Hours.

Semester course; 3 lecture hours (delivered online). 3 credits. Enrollment is restricted to students admitted to a graduate program. Emphasizes critical analysis of the political, organizational, economic, ethical, quality and safety dimensions of health policy issues. Contextual factors such as social justice, health disparities, vulnerable populations, access to care, health care financing and the globalization of health care will be explored. Leadership skills in health policy advocacy will be refined throughout the course.

NURS 639. Health Informatics for Nurse Leaders. 3 Hours.

Semester course; 3 lecture hours. 3 credits. The course gives students a broad overview of health informatics in the context of the health care organization; discusses principles of informatics and information flows in nursing and health care using systems analysis techniques; and emphasizes understanding of how nurse leaders implement, manage and evaluate health care information and informatics projects. Information and communication technology system integration, data security, as well as ethical and regulatory issues, will be reviewed. Current topics and issues related to the use, retrieval, evaluation and dissemination of health care information will be discussed, as well as the role of informatics in decision-making.

NURS 640. Teamwork In Complex Clinical Situations. 3 Hours.

Semester course; 3 lecture hours (delivered online). 3 credits. Students collaborate with their peers to analyze complex clinical situations from individual- and system-level perspectives. Through teamwork, students apply critical decision-making skills to improve quality, safety and care coordination.

NURS 641. Psychiatric Mental Health Practicum II. 4 Hours.

Semester course; 4 clinical hours (240 clinical contact hours). 4 credits (4 credits clinical). Prerequisites: NURS 597 and NURS 622, or permission of instructor. This course provides opportunities for students to expand on their competencies as a psychiatric mental health nurse practitioner student through faculty supervised practicum experiences with a preceptor. Students will provide high quality, safe, collaborative and ethical care. Graded as Satisfactory/Unsatisfactory.

NURS 642. Family Primary Care Practicum II. 4 Hours.

Semester course; 4 clinical hours (240 clinical contact hours). 4 credits (4 credits clinical). Prerequisites: NURS 595 and NURS 632. The course provides opportunities for students to expand on their competencies as a family nurse practitioner through precepted practicum experiences. Critical thinking and diagnostic reasoning are applied in the management of common and complex health conditions across the lifespan. Students will develop, implement and evaluate treatment plans. Students will provide high quality, safe, collaborative and ethical care. Performance of clinical skills at an intermediate level is expected. Graded as Satisfactory/Unsatisfactory.

NURS 643. Family Primary Care Practicum I. 6 Hours.

Semester course; 270 clinical/lab hours. 6 credits (6 credits clinical/lab). Prerequisites: NURS 629 and NURS 630; corequisite: NURS 644. This precepted practicum course is designed to provide opportunities for students to develop beginning competencies as a family nurse practitioner. Critical-thinking and diagnostic-reasoning skills will be developed. Skills of advanced health assessment and knowledge of the management of common health problems will be applied in the clinical setting. Students will order, conduct and interpret appropriate screening and diagnostic tests, generate differential diagnoses and, in conjunction with the preceptor, determine diagnosis and management plan. Students will demonstrate effective case presentations to preceptor and document appropriately. A minimum of 45 practicum hours (135 hours total) in women’s health, geriatrics and pediatrics will be completed between the two practicum courses. Graded as pass/fail.

NURS 644. Family Primary Care Seminar. 1 Hour.

Semester course; 1 seminar hour (15 lecture hours). 1 credit. Corequisite: NURS 643. Seminars will emphasize skill development in the teaching-coaching function. A case-study approach will provide the basis for in-depth assessment and discussion of health and illness problems. Case analysis and discussion will enhance the student’s ability to manage the health and illness status of patients and families over time. Graded as pass/fail.

NURS 645. Family Primary Care Practicum II. 6 Hours.

Semester course; 270 clinical/lab hours. 6 credits (6 credits clinical/lab). Prerequisites: NURS 643, NURS 644; corequisite: NURS 646. This practicum course serves as the culminating experience in the family nurse practitioner concentration focused on skill refinement with increasing responsibility in the delivery of primary care to families. Students will work with clinical preceptors to assimilate practice management skills pertaining to economics, reimbursement for services and time management. Primary care skills including prioritization, management and coordination of both routine and complex episodic and chronic illness problems and technology utilization are refined. Interdisciplinary collaborative practice skills are emphasized. Configuration of practicum hours will be based on results of individualized assessment and evaluation performed in NURS 644. A minimum of 45 practicum hours (135 hours total) in women’s health, geriatrics and pediatrics will be completed between the two practicum courses. Graded P/F.

NURS 646. Family Primary Care Final Synthesis Seminar. 1 Hour.

Semester course; 1 seminar hour (15 lecture hours). 1 credit. Prerequisites: NURS 643, NURS 644; corequisite: NURS 645. This seminar is designed to facilitate the student’s ability to integrate theory, research and clinical practice. An in-depth analysis of the evaluative, consultative, systems leadership and advocacy functions of the nurse practitioner role within a professional, ethical and legal framework will be performed. Students will complete an evidence-based clinical project that demonstrates synthesis of knowledge, as well as written, oral and critical-thinking skills. Graded P/F.

NURS 647. Nursing Informatics and Data Utilization. 3 Hours.

Semester course; 3 lecture hours. 3 credits (3 credits lecture). Enrollment is restricted to students admitted to the master's program in the School of Nursing. This course focuses on the use of informatics in nursing practice. Students will explore the implications of legal, ethical, professional and regulatory standards for data utilization in health care settings.

NURS 648. Emerging Trends in Nursing Leadership. 3 Hours.

Semester course; 3 lecture hours. 3 credits (3 credits lecture). Enrollment is restricted to students admitted to the master's program in the School of Nursing. This course introduces nursing leadership and management principles and emerging trends. Emphasis is placed on the development of leadership skills and behaviors in the context of systems-based care in diverse settings.

NURS 649. Senior Synthesis for Direct Entry Students. 5 Hours.

Semester course; 225 clinical hours. 5 credits (5 credits clinical). Prerequisites: NURS 550 and NURS 551, or permission of the course faculty. This immersive clinical course builds on the knowledge and skills gained throughout the program to prepare the student to transition to practice as a novice nurse generalist.

NURS 650. Transition to the Nursing Profession. 3 Hours.

Semester course; 3 lecture hours. 3 credits (3 credits lecture). Prerequisites: NURS 550 and NURS 551, or permission of the course faculty. This course integrates and synthesizes the skills, knowledge and perspectives gained throughout the program of study. Students will prepare for licensure and transition to practice as novice nurse generalists.

NURS 651. Decision Analysis for Quality Outcomes Across Populations. 3 Hours.

Semester course; 3 lecture hours. 3 credits. This course focuses on managerial decision-making and planning. The main focus is to introduce widely used methods that aid in decision-making and planning, including intuitive approaches, quantitative methods (samples and probabilities, decision trees, tradeoff analysis) and applied approaches to evaluate problems as well as progress toward solutions (assessing risk, root cause analysis, gap analysis and benchmarking). Each method uses real-world illustrations. Students will have the opportunity to use applied approaches to pose solutions to problems faced by nurse managers and leaders.

NURS 652. Health Care Managerial Finance I: For Nurse Leaders. 3 Hours.

Semester course; 3 lecture hours. 3 credits. This course provides introductory business financial management training. The course describes opportunities for improving a health system’s fiscal efficiencies and delivery by providing practical approaches to budgeting, financial analysis and the management of financial resources. The course provides instruction on the development and analysis of financial spreadsheets. Financial accounting principles are reviewed. Conceptual and real-world issues will be addressed using tools to analyze nursing and health care organizational performance, costs, budgets and variance.

NURS 653. Health Care Managerial Finance II: Economic Evaluation and Analysis. 3 Hours.

Semester course; 3 lecture hours. 3 credits. Prerequisites: NURS 651 and NURS 652. This course presents an overview of the macro and micro economy as an influencing factor on health care delivery presented in the context of ethical considerations and techniques that enhance efficiency. The course covers various cost-effectiveness analysis tools that enhance the ability of decision-makers to assess efficiencies and effectiveness. The main goal for students is to understand the parameters for using these techniques and how they are applied in nursing as well as in interdisciplinary approaches in health care settings.

NURS 656. Diagnosis and Management of Psychiatric Disorders Across the Lifespan. 4 Hours.

Semester course; 4 lecture hours. 4 credits. Prerequisite: NURS 657. Students will develop advanced practice psychiatric-mental health nursing knowledge related to the psychodiagnostic, psychopharmacologic and psychotherapeutic evaluation/treatment of psychiatric disorders across the lifespan. This course focuses on the neurobiological basis of psychiatric disorders and associated evidence-based treatments. Addresses knowledge needed for comprehensive and collaborative management of culturally diverse clients with psychiatric disorders in both acute and primary health care settings.

NURS 657. Advanced Practice Psychiatric Mental Health Nursing: Theory and Practice Across the Lifespan. 4 Hours.

Semester course; 4 lecture hours. 4 credits. Prerequisite: NURS 504. Focuses on advanced psychiatric mental health nursing practice by integrating theoretical, clinical and research knowledge related to psychotherapeutic management of acute and chronic mental health problems and psychiatric disorders. Examines knowledge of theories and psychotherapeutic techniques for individuals, families and groups across the lifespan. Analyzes interprofessional practice as applicable to the psychiatric mental health setting.

NURS 658. Family Primary Care Practicum III. 4 Hours.

Semester course; 4 clinical hours (240 clinical contact hours). 4 credits (4 credits clinical). Prerequisites: NURS 590 and NURS 642. This course is the culminating experience for the family nurse practitioner student and focuses on skill refinement with increasing responsibility in the delivery of primary care to families. Students work with clinical preceptors to assimilate advanced clinical decision-making and knowledge of the health system. Primary care skills including prioritization, treatment and coordination of both routine and complex episodic and chronic illnesses. Interdisciplinary collaborative practice skills are emphasized. Technology utilization is refined. Graded as Satisfactory/Unsatisfactory.

NURS 659. Psychiatric Mental Health Practicum III. 4 Hours.

Semester course; 4 clinic hours (240 clinical contact hours). 4 credits (4 credits clinical). Prerequisites: NURS 598, NURS 602 and NURS 641, or permission of instructor. This course is the culminating experience for the psychiatric mental health nurse practitioner student and focuses on skill refinement with increasing responsibility in the delivery of psychiatric care across the lifespan through precepted practicum experiences. Graded as Satisfactory/Unsatisfactory.

NURS 661. DNP Residency I: Mentored Practicum. 6 Hours.

Semester course; 6 clinical/lab hours (270 clinical hours). 6 credits. Prerequisites: NURS 603 or NURS 608; and NURS 665. Enrollment is restricted to students in the D.N.P. program. This practicum provides the opportunity for students to lead change; refine their use of evidence to inform practice; and influence clinical and organizational outcomes that advance the well-being of populations. Students refine their competencies to prepare for practice roles commensurate with health system needs. Graded as Satisfactory/Unsatisfactory.

NURS 662. Care of the Adult-Gerontology Population in the Critical Care Setting. 4 Hours.

Semester course; 3.5 lecture and .5 laboratory hours (20 laboratory contact hours). 4 credits (3.5 credits lecture and .5 credits laboratory). Prerequisites: NURS 580 and NURS 619. This course addresses the diagnosis and management of selected common health and illness changes encountered in the adolescent through geriatric population in critical care settings. Students will increase their knowledge about the management of common critical illnesses encountered in the adult critical care environment.

NURS 663. DNP Residency II: Mentored Practicum. 6 Hours.

Semester course; 6 clinical/lab hours (270 clinical hours). 6 credits. Prerequisite: NURS 661. Enrollment is restricted to students in the D.N.P. program. This practicum provides the opportunity for students to lead change, translate evidence into practice, and influence clinical and organizational outcomes that advance the well-being of populations. Students refine their competencies to prepare for practice roles commensurate with health system needs. The capstone of the experience is for students to complete a scholarly project that culminates in meeting program objectives. Graded as Satisfactory/Unsatisfactory.

NURS 664. DNP Residency: Mentored Practicum. 1-6 Hours.

Semester course; 1-6 clinical/lab hours (45-270 clinical hours; delivered online). 1-6 credits. May be repeated for a maximum total of 18 credits. Prerequisites: NURS 605 and NURS 608; 500 clinical practice hours. Mentored study that facilitates student demonstration of DNP competencies through documented learning experiences and implementation of the DNP project. Practice setting and focus of residency hours are individualized to student’s specific area of interest. Residency activities will be mutually developed by the student and faculty adviser, culminating in a professional portfolio that demonstrates achievement of all course objectives by the completion of the 12 required residency credits. Graded as Satisfactory/Unsatisfactory.

NURS 665. DNP Project I: Proposal Development. 3 Hours.

Semester course; 3 lecture/seminar hours (delivered online). 3 credits. Prerequisites: NURS 605, NURS 606, NURS 607 and NURS 608. Provides the student with the support and direction needed to develop a comprehensive DNP project proposal. The DNP project is designed to improve quality and/or safety patient outcomes. Students use evidence-based practice to design the DNP project that is focused in a specialized clinical area. Students work in collaboration with their faculty adviser and DNP project team.

NURS 666. Strategic and Change Management for Quality Outcomes for Nurse Leaders. 2 Hours.

Semester course; 2 lecture hours. 2 credits. Prerequisite: NURS 613. This course introduces strategic management principles, models and tools useful for implementing sustainable organizational change. Students will be able to align organizational and nursing-specific mission, vision and goals setting a strategic direction. Students gain applied practice in select strategic and change-management processes in real-world nursing contexts and discuss how these processes optimize or hinder quality patient care outcomes. Finally the course explores factors that facilitate sustaining a strategic direction and how sustainability builds markers of superior performance and quality.

NURS 668. Human Resource and Customer Relationship Management for Nurse Leaders. 3 Hours.

Semester course; 3 lecture hours. 3 credits. Prerequisites: NURS 508 and NURS 609. Corequisite: NURS 613. This course examines the role of human resource management in health care and nursing organizations in meeting the challenge of continually improving patient care services. Students will gain an understanding about strategies useful to empower, motivate, hire and retain nursing talent. The course discusses topics in HR management appropriate for nurse leaders and frontline managers such as nursing workforce training, competencies, performance appraisals, recruitment and retention, and progressive disciplinary approaches. HR concepts about workforce capabilities and employee satisfaction will be discussed in relation to their association with patient satisfaction and health care delivery outcomes.

NURS 669. Adult-Gerontology Acute Care Practicum II. 4 Hours.

Semester course; 4 clinical hours (240 clinical contact hours). 4 credits (4 credits clinical). Prerequisite: NURS 581. This course focuses on acute care management of adolescents through geriatric population with complex acute, critical and chronic health conditions with particular emphasis on integrating health promotion, disease prevention and risk-reduction strategies through precepted clinical experiences. Graded as Satisfactory/Unsatisfactory.

NURS 675. Adult-Gerontology Primary Care Practicum II. 4 Hours.

Semester course; 4 clinical hours (240 clinical contact hours). 4 credits (4 credits clinical). Prerequisite: NURS 596. Focuses on primary care management of the adolescent through geriatric population throughout the wellness-illness spectrum with particular attention on integrating health maintenance and risk-reduction interventions for patients with comorbidities. Building on previous practicum experience, students implement health screening, health promotion and risk-reduction strategies for this population within the context of their current health issues and comorbidities. Provides opportunities to develop and carry out the plan of care incorporating evidence-based practice guidelines to improve patient outcomes. Graded pass/fail.

NURS 676. Adult-Gerontology Primary Care Practicum I. 1-3 Hours.

Semester course; 45-135 clinical hours. 1-3 credits (1-3 credits clinical practicum). Prerequisite: NURS 511. Focuses on providing primary care management of adolescent-older adults across the wellness-illness continuum through faculty-supervised clinical experiences with a preceptor. Provides opportunities to focus on the differing and unique developmental, life stage needs that impact a patient’s care across the adult age spectrum and application of evidence-based strategies in directing health promotion, health protection, disease prevention and primary care management of injuries and disease. Students must demonstrate ability to synthesize theoretical, scientific and contemporary clinical knowledge for the assessment and management of both health and illness states and apply knowledge within the framework of different practice models and populations. Performance at a basic level is expected. Graded as pass/fail.

NURS 677. Adult-Gerontology Primary Care Practicum III. 5 Hours.

Semester course; 255 clinical hours. 5 credits (5 credits clinical practicum). Prerequisite: NURS 675. Focuses on advanced primary care management of adolescent-older adults with complex health issues and comorbidities through faculty-supervised clinical experiences with a preceptor. Building on previous practicum experience, students implement and evaluate health screening, health promotion, health protection, disease prevention, risk-reduction strategies and systems-based coordination in the management of adults-older adults with complex health conditions. Provides opportunities for leadership within the interprofessional health care team to direct quality improvement methods, implementation of evidence-based practice guidelines to address a clinical problem and evaluation of patient and systems-based outcomes. As the final practica course, performance at the advanced level is expected. Graded as pass/fail.

NURS 678. Adult-Gerontology Acute Care Practicum I. 1-3 Hours.

Semester course; 45-135 clinical hours. 1-3 credits (1-3 credits clinical practicum). Prerequisite: NURS 511. Focuses on providing acute care management of adolescent-older adults who are physiologically unstable, technologically dependent and highly vulnerable to complications through faculty-supervised clinical experiences with a preceptor. Provides opportunities to focus on the provision of a spectrum of care ranging from disease prevention to acute and critical care management. Students must synthesize theoretical, scientific and contemporary clinical knowledge for the assessment and management of both health and illness states and apply knowledge within the framework of different practice models and differing populations. Performance at a basic level is expected. Graded as pass/fail.

NURS 679. Adult-Gerontology Acute Care Practicum III. 5 Hours.

Semester course; 225 clinical hours. 5 credits (5 credits clinical practicum). Prerequisite: NURS 669. Focuses on advanced acute, critical and chronic management of adolescent-older adults who are physiologically unstable, technologically dependent and highly vulnerable to complications through faculty-supervised clinical experiences with a preceptor. Building on previous practicum experience, students integrate health screening, promotion, protection and disease-prevention interventions; safety principles; risk-reduction strategies; and systems-based coordination in the management of adults-older adults with complex acute, critical and chronic injuries and illnesses throughout the trajectory of resuscitation, stabilization and rehabilitation. Provides opportunities for leadership within the interprofessional health care team to direct quality improvement methods, implementation of evidence-based practice guidelines to address a clinical problem and evaluation of patient and systems-based outcomes. As the final practica course, performance at the advanced level is expected. Graded as pass/fail.

NURS 688. Adult-Gerontology Primary Care Practicum III. 4 Hours.

Semester course; 4 clinical hours (240 clinical contact hours). 4 credits (4 credits clinical). Prerequisite: NURS 675. Focuses on advanced primary care management of adolescent, adult and geriatric individuals with complex health issues and comorbidities through supervised clinical experiences. As the final practicum course, students implement and evaluate health screening, health promotion, health protection, disease prevention, risk-reduction strategies and systems-based coordination in care management. Provides opportunities to lead within the interprofessional health care team, direct quality improvement methods, implement evidence-based strategies to address clinical problems and evaluate patient and systems-based outcomes. Graded as pass/fail.

NURS 689. Adult-Gerontology Acute Care Practicum III. 4 Hours.

Semester course; 4 clinical hours (240 clinical contact hours). 4 credits (4 credits clinical). Prerequisite: NURS 669. This course focuses on advanced management of the adolescent through geriatric population with acute, critical or chronic conditions. Students work with clinical preceptors to assimilate advanced clinical decision-making and knowledge of the health system. Acute care skills including prioritization, treatment and coordination of both acute complex episodic and chronic illnesses. Interdisciplinary collaborative practice skills are emphasized. Technology utilization is refined. Graded as Satisfactory/Unsatisfactory.

NURS 695. Managing for Performance and Health Care Outcomes. 3 Hours.

Semester course; 3 lecture hours. 3 credits. Prerequisites: NURS 508 and NURS 512. This course synthesizes organizational systems approaches to design, identify, analyze and benchmark quality and safety initiatives in health care settings across the continuum. Students will gain an overview of how evidence drives decisions about and implementation of processes in organization performance improvement. Students will also apply principles in quality and safety project design to address a specific issue affecting patient care outcomes.

NURS 696. Practicum I: Comparative Health Care Delivery Systems for Nurse Leaders. 2 Hours.

Semester course; 90 clinical/lab hours. 2 credits. Prerequisites: NURS 609, NURS 613 and NURS 614. This practicum experience is designed to integrate theory with the reality of various organizational contexts impacting health care delivery systems, nursing systems and leadership. The overall purpose is to provide students with opportunities to compare how different systems influence nursing practice and nursing leadership. The practicum is designed with three separate units to give students opportunities to compare different health care settings, which may include local, regional, national and international contexts. Graded Pass/Fail.

NURS 697. Practicum II: Comparative Interdisciplinary Health Care Leadership Roles. 1 Hour.

Semester course; 45 clinical/lab hours. 1 credit. Prerequisite: NURS 696. In this course the student applies principles of professional inquiry and discovery to engage in dialogue with nurse leaders as well as interdisciplinary professional managers and leaders in ambulatory care settings. Students will also gain applied experience in ancillary department settings central to health care delivery that are important in maintaining organizational system efficiency and effectiveness but generally are outside the domain of nursing-directed patient care. Ancillary department experiences may take place in ambulatory or inpatient settings. Graded Pass/Fail.

NURS 698. Practicum III: Applied Integrative Health Care Delivery Leadership. 3 Hours.

Semester course; 135 clinical/lab hours. 3 credits. Prerequisite: NURS 697. In this course the student applies a broad range of managerial knowledge, skills and multidisciplinary theoretical constructs, e.g., nursing, business, organizational systems, organizational behavior, strategy and change management. Students will complete a formal organizational-level gap analysis and communicate formally and informally to others in the organization about a strategic and change-management plan to address the nursing issue(s) examined in the gap analysis. Students will gain guided experience from a nurse leader about management roles, the organizational perspective on strategic and change initiatives and implementation techniques. Graded Pass/Fail.

NURS 700. Scientific Integrity: Responsible Conduct of Research. 1 Hour.

Semester course; 1 lecture hour (delivered online). 1 credit. Enrollment is restricted to students admitted to a doctoral program. This course is intended for students to develop and refine their understanding of and skills in applying ethics and law of research, with a focus on the National Institute of Health’s Office for Human Research Protections’ responsible conduct of research topics.

NURS 701. Statistical Methods for Nursing Research. 3 Hours.

Semester course; 3 lecture hours (delivered online). 3 credits. Provides knowledge about data management, basic statistical tests, graphics and tables, and necessary software. Presents statistical tests: contingency table analysis, one- and two-sample t-tests, one- and two-factor analysis of variance, simple linear regression, multiple linear regression, and analysis of covariance. Defines selected statistical terminology and concepts. Uses data from relevant studies to illustrate various statistical tests and corresponding assumptions.

NURS 702. Advanced Statistical Concepts for Nursing Research. 3 Hours.

Semester course; 3 lecture hours (delivered online). 3 credits. Prerequisites: NURS 701. Presents advanced statistical methods and necessary statistical assumptions. Explains optimal modeling approaches for different data types and study designs. Data types: binary data, ordinal data, multinomial data, time-to-event data, longitudinal data, hierarchical data and multivariate data. Analytic methods discussed will include nominal, ordinal and multinomial logistic regression, Kaplin-Meier estimation, Cox proportional hazards model, mixed effects models, factor analysis, principal components, canonical correlation, classification and clustering.

NURS 703. Philosophy of Human Sciences. 3 Hours.

Semester course; 3 lecture hours (delivered online). 3 credits. Prerequisite: admission to the doctoral program in nursing. Critically analyzes philosophic perspectives and their relationship to human sciences; emphasizes analysis of the underlying epistemology and ontological assumptions of various philosophies. Explores philosophies of science and their influence on the emergence of knowledge in the human sciences, using nursing science as an example.

NURS 704. Analysis and Construction of Theory for Nursing Research. 3 Hours.

Semester course; 3 lecture hours (delivered online). 3 credits. Prerequisite: NURS 703. This course focuses on analysis and critique of theoretical and conceptual foundations of research and the development process associated with constructing nursing disciplinary knowledge. Emphasis is placed on the processes for concept and theory development within the context of a research trajectory relevant to the discipline.

NURS 706. Teaching in the Health Professions: Surviving and Thriving in Academia. 3 Hours.

Semester course; 3 lecture hours. 3 credits (3 credits lecture). This course examines the transition from health professions clinician to educator and introduces the multiple dimensions of the educator role. Practical information is presented for orienting to the academic environment and thriving in an academic career. Professional, legal and ethical principles associated with higher education are explored.

NURS 707. Scholarly Writing. 3 Hours.

Semester course; 3 lecture hours (delivered online). 3 credits. Enrollment is restricted to graduate students or by permission of the instructor. This foundational course is designed to strengthen the ability of health sciences scholars to engage in effective writing through an emphasis on logical thinking as a critical element in the development and dissemination of knowledge. Learning experiences using online technologies will facilitate scholarly learning.

NURS 711. Conducting Mixed Methods Research. 3 Hours.

Semester course; 3 lecture hours (delivered online). 3 credits (3 credits lecture). Prerequisites: NURS 770 and NURS 772. Enrollment is restricted to students admitted to a doctoral program or with permission of the instructor. This course will cover the use of mixed methods to address complex research questions in nursing and health care. This course focuses on foundational issues, including the history of mixed methods, variations in the definition of mixed methods research, mixed methods research designs and the different paradigmatic foundations of mixed methods research. Problems of trying to merge methods and practical strategies for accomplishing this successfully, as well as paradigmatic issues, will be discussed.

NURS 712. Conducting Rigorous Health-related Intervention Research. 3 Hours.

Semester course; 3 lecture hours. 3 credits (3 credits lecture). Enrollment is restricted to students admitted to a doctoral program or with permission of the instructor. This course provides an in-depth examination of theoretical and methodological issues in the conduct of rigorous intervention research (e.g., clinical trials with human subjects, systems-level interventions, complex interventions). It focuses on specific aspects of the design, development, implementation and evaluation of health-related interventions across the continuum of study designs/ phases. Students explore translational frameworks, hypothetical models and the state of the science to guide the rigorous design and testing of interventions in order to address specific research questions.

NURS 720. Foundations of Biobehavioral Research. 3 Hours.

Semester course; 3 lecture hours (delivered online). 3 credits. Prerequisite: NURS 704 or permission of instructor. This course provides a foundation for critically examining and developing research frameworks and models used to conduct biobehavioral research. The course explores assumptions about the dimensions, interactions and outcomes of biology and behavior from basic science through interventional approaches. This course discusses current applications of biobehavioral research including translational research to improve nursing practice and clinical outcomes.

NURS 721. Advanced Concepts in Biobehavioral Research. 3 Hours.

Semester course; 3 lecture hours (delivered online). 3 credits. Prerequisite: NURS 720 or permission of instructor. This course focuses on applying concepts and measures used in biobehavioral research. It also discusses biobehavioral research priority areas, current methods and data sources. In addition, students will evaluate the types of measures used in biobehavioral research and relate these to their own focus areas. Students will apply their knowledge from the prerequisite course to develop a research proposal incorporating a research framework, concepts and measures, and methods used in biobehavioral research.

NURS 725. Synthesis and Emerging Trends in Scientific Inquiry. 3 Hours.

Semester course; 3 lecture hours (delivered online). 3 credits. Prerequisite: NURS 720 and NURS 721, or NURS 731 and NURS 732, or permission of instructor. This course explores emerging trends in different areas of scientific inquiry to help students develop their understanding of the current and evolving research environment. Designed to synthesize the current state of the science and apply it to the student’s area of research. In addition, the student will apply approaches to incorporating emerging trends into an individualized research program and strategic career development.

NURS 731. Foundations in Health Care Quality Research. 3 Hours.

Semester course; 3 lecture hours (delivered online). 3 credits. Prerequisite: NURS 704 or permission of instructor. This course provides a foundation for critically examining and developing research frameworks and models used to conduct health care quality of research. The course explores assumptions about health care quality, its dimensions and outcomes at the individual, organizational and population levels. Different approaches to health care quality research will be discussed. Finally, current applications of quality research to policy, health system accountability and various levels of the provision of health care are reviewed.

NURS 732. Advanced Concepts in Health Care Quality Research. 3 Hours.

Semester course; 3 lecture hours (delivered online). 3 credits. Prerequisite: NURS 731 or permission of instructor. This course focuses on applying concepts and measures used in quality health services research. It also discusses health care quality research priority areas, current quality and safety measures, and data sources. In addition, students will evaluate the types of quality and safety measures used in health care quality research and relate these to their focus areas. Students will apply their knowledge from the prerequisite course to develop a research proposal incorporating a research framework, concepts and measures, and methods used in health care quality research.

NURS 768. Teaching and Learning in the Nursing Discipline. 3 Hours.

Semester course; 3 lecture hours (delivered online). 3 credits. Enrollment is restricted to students admitted to a nursing or health sciences doctoral program. An exploration of human learning and methods to support instruction and learning among nursing students. Examines the application of a variety of teaching strategies applied in didactic, laboratory and clinical settings, including competency-based approaches. Also provides a summary of course management (planning, implementation and delivery) in higher education settings.

NURS 770. Quantitative Research. 3 Hours.

Semester course; 3 lecture hours (delivered online). 3 credits. Prerequisites: NURS 701 or permission of instructor; corequisite: NURS 702. This course provides knowledge and skills for identifying and selecting appropriate designs for quantitative health care research. The course analyzes major groups of research designs for fit with various types of research questions. This course examines strengths and weaknesses of the groups of research designs. Focuses on elements of research design that enhance rigor.

NURS 772. Qualitative Research. 3 Hours.

Semester course; 3 lecture hours (delivered online). 3 credits. This course provides knowledge and skills for the design and implementation of qualitative health research and the management and analysis of qualitative data. The course analyzes various research designs for ability to generate scientifically rigorous findings related to nursing or health care. This course explores current challenges, debates and controversies in qualitative research.

NURS 787. Curriculum Development in Nursing Education. 3 Hours.

Semester course; 3 lecture hours (delivered online). 3 credits. Enrollment is restricted to students admitted to a nursing or health sciences doctoral program. Explores common curriculum frameworks and models used in nursing education. Examines the curriculum life cycle (design, evaluation and revision) with an awareness of internal and external forces -- including standards -- that influence the work. The role of faculty within the curriculum process is emphasized. Practical application is correlated with concepts presented.

NURS 789. Assessment and Evaluation of Learning: A Nursing Education Perspective. 3 Hours.

Semester course; 3 lecture hours (delivered online). 3 credits. Enrollment is restricted to students admitted to a nursing or health sciences doctoral program. Explores principles and methods used by nurse educators to assess and evaluate student learning. Use of established evaluation tools, such as rubrics and evaluation guides, is emphasized. The role of faculty in assessment and evaluation is highlighted, as well as the interconnection with the program development process.

NURS 791. Special Topics. 3-6 Hours.

Semester course; 3-6 lecture hours. 3-6 credits. May be repeated. Enrollment requires permission of the instructor. Explores specific topics related to the health sciences.

NURS 792. Directed Research Inquiry. 1-6 Hours.

Semester course; variable hours. 1-6 credits. Course may be repeated. A minimum of 3 credits is required as a substitute for a required focus of inquiry course. A maximum of 6 credits is allowed per semester. Prerequisite: admission to doctoral program in nursing and permission of the instructor. Provides a mentored independent study in a selected theoretical or conceptual area of inquiry within the context of a student’s research focus. The purpose of this course is to increase the student’s knowledge in a selected theoretical or conceptual area. This directed study will be developed under the supervision of a member of the graduate faculty. Graded as P/F.

NURS 796. Directed Research Experience. 1-9 Hours.

Semester course; variable hours. 1-9 credits. A minimum of 2 credits is required by the completion of course work. Prerequisite: admission to the doctoral program in nursing and permission of the instructor. Provides a mentored research experience in areas of faculty research expertise. The purpose of this course is to increase the student’s exposure to and involvement in research under the direction of a graduate faculty member who is actively engaged in a research project. This mentored research experience will be developed under the supervision of a member of the graduate faculty. May be taken in the semester(s) the student is preparing for the comprehensive exam and for dissertation preparation prior to admission to candidacy. Graded as P/F.

NURS 797. Practicum in Nursing Research. 1-3 Hours.

Semester course; 1-3 practicum hours (45-135 clinical/lab hours; delivered online). 1-3 credits (1-3 clinical lab credits). May be repeated. Prerequisite: NURS 700 or permission of instructor. Enrollment is restricted to students admitted to a doctoral program and by permission of instructor. This course focuses on the development of skills and techniques for the conduct of research through active participation in either an ongoing faculty research project or an element of the student’s research area. The practicum is structured individually through discussion with the supervising faculty member. Emphasis is on the practical application of research skills and growth in knowledge related to the conduct of research. Graded as Pass/Fail.

NURS 898. Dissertation. 1-13 Hours.

Semester course; 1-13 dissertation hours (delivered online). 1-13 credits. Enrollment restricted to students who have been admitted to candidacy. A minimum of 13 credits is required. Original research conducted under the supervision of an adviser and in conjunction with a dissertation committee. Graded as satisfactory/unsatisfactory.