Nursing (NUR)

NUR 150:  Foundations of Caregiving    (6 credits)  

Students will develop the knowledge, skills, and attributes essential to support and provide various healthcare direct and indirect caregiving roles. Students learn the basics of medical terminology, anatomy and physiology, disease processes, and safe and effective patient care. This course offers online laboratory and hands-on experience in a range of healthcare, and patient care skills, including an introduction to healthcare/nursing careers.

NUR 600:  Advanced Pathophysiology and Genetics    (3 credits)  

This course presents the theoretical and clinical principles and an in-depth description of diseases most often encountered in the primary care setting. The student will explore the pathophysiology and disruptions in normal body functioning for individuals across the lifespan. Health disparities resulting from genetic, environmental and stress-related causes will be analyzed. Assessment findings, diagnostic testing and interventions specific to selected health problems will be explored. Application of the advanced practice role in the treatment and management of disease processes will be discussed.

NUR 610:  Utilization of Research in Evidence-Based Practice    (3 credits)  

This course provides an examination of the research process, statistical analysis, and evidence-based practice with applicability to advanced nursing practice. Attention is given to critical research methods, analysis, and ethical aspects of scholarly inquiry. Emphasis on how research contributes to the development of nursing knowledge, improves patient care, and enhances the education and professional accountability of nurse practitioners is presented.

NUR 620:  Advanced Pharmacology Across the Lifespan    (3 credits)  

This course will build upon basic pharmacologic principles developed in the professional DNP’s basic educational program. This course is designed to expand the graduate student’s knowledge of pharmacotherapeutics and pharmacokinetics of broad categories of pharmacologic agents. The purpose of the content is to provide the graduate the knowledge and skills to assess, diagnose, and manage a client’s common health problems in a safe, high quality, and cost-effective manner.

NUR 625:  Prof. Dev: Advocacy, Cultural Comp. Ethics, and Legislative Issues    (3 credits)  

Inter-professional course introducing students to theories of healthcare ethics, ethical decision-making, legal and professional standards, institutional policies, and major ethical dilemmas facing today's practitioners.

NUR 630:  Adv. Health Assessment through Diag Rsn. and Clinical Dec. Making    (3 credits)  

Apply theoretical foundations and clinical skills in comprehensive health assessment across the lifespan. This course will also focus on the foundations and principles of differential diagnosis, diagnostic reasoning, clinical decision making as well as bio-psycho-socio-cultural/spiritual considerations in advanced assessment across the lifespan.

NUR 631:  Business Skills for the Nurse Administrator    (3 credits)  

This course will introduce business skills essential for the nurse administrator, including basic healthcare economics, financial/accounting management, human resource management, strategic management, and information management/technology. Programming, budgeting, and controlling processes in healthcare organizations will be discussed within the nurse administrator/manager’s role. The course will include practice hours (56) to apply the essential business skills.

NUR 632:  Leadership and Management for the Nurse Administrator    (3 credits)  

This course will provide an introduction to leadership and management skills essential for the nurse administrator in day to day operations management within a health care system. Students will gain an understanding of how to manage in a healthcare setting. Application of competencies including: communication, relationship management, influencing behaviors, DEI-B, community partnerships/involvement, medical staff relationships, academic partnership relationships, foundational thinking, personal journey, systems thinking, succession planning, change management will be demonstrated. Knowledge of the health care environment, clinical practice, delivery models/work designs, governance, EBP, patient safety, risk, and performance improvement/metrics will be introduced. The course will include practice hours (56) to apply the essential business skills.

NUR 633:  Curriculum Development and Program Evaluation    (3 credits)  

This course will introduce curriculum development and program evaluation in nursing education. A focus will be on facilitating learner development & socialization (classroom/clinical), use of assessment and evaluation strategies, participation in curriculum development and evaluation of program outcomes, functioning as a change agent/leader, engagement in continuous quality improvement (CQI), & engagement in scholarship while functioning in the nurse educator (didactic/clinical) role.

NUR 634:  Teaching Strategies in Nursing Education    (3 credits)  

This theory course focuses on the development and implementation of teaching-learning strategies that engage students in the classroom, clinical and skills lab. The theoretical foundations of teaching and learning, methods for instructional planning, sequencing and organizing instruction, and utilization of evolving technological strategies are emphasized based on best practices. Evidence-based teaching strategies for educators are examined that promote student engagement to provide safe, patient/client-centered care. The course will include practice hours (56) to apply the essential teaching/learning strategies in the educational environment.

NUR 635:  Nursing Administration Residency    (3 credits)  

In this residency practice course, you will synthesize the concepts learned in the Masters of Science in Nursing business skills and leadership/management courses. The focus for this residency will be within the health care environment to synthesize all knowledge, skills, and attitudes acquired during the program by direct application of the role of the nurse administrator/manager in a health care organization. The course will include practice hours (168) to apply the essential nurse administrator competencies.

NUR 636:  Nursing Education Residency    (3 credits)  

In this residency course, you will synthesize all concepts learned in the Masters of Science in Nursing education courses. The focus for this residency will be within the education or health care environment to synthesize all knowledge, skills, and attitudes acquired during the program by direct application of the role of the nurse educator role in the education practice environment. The course will include practice hours (168) to apply the essential nurse educator competencies.

NUR 702:  Biostatistics and Epidemiology    (3 credits)  

Students explore epidemiological investigation of diseases with special emphasis on the distribution and dynamic behavior of disease in a population. Topics to be covered include epidemics and the spread of infectious disease, epidemiological aspects of non-infectious disease; rates of morbidity and mortality, sensitivity, specificity, and predictive values' strategies used in epidemiological studies to include measures of disease effect, validity, reliability; sampling methods. Computer-based bio statistics which are commonly used in health care practice research are reviewed. Students are asked to relate the material to their own practice. The primary goal of the course is to prepare stuents to conduct statistical analyses for their Capstone project and other future research and scholarly projects.

NUR 705:  Nursing Theory and Health Promotion    (3 credits)  

Students analyze theories and research from nursing, health promotion, health protection and disease prevention. Family, human development, patient education and community are the foundation for exploring the phenomena of family focused care. Data grounded in epidemiological sources, health histories and family assessments are examined as the basis for identification of risk factors.

NUR 715:  Healthcare Informatics    (3 credits)  

This course focuses on the collection, organization, analysis, and dissemination of information in Nursing and health care. Students explore nursing informatics, the information system life-cycle, telemedicine, and the use of technology to enhance nursing care delivery and patient safety. Students learn how to design, use, and manipulate large and small patient databases for the analysis of patient outcomes.

NUR 735:  FNP Primary Care Adolescents and Adult Patients    (6 credits)  

The focus of this course is integration of the FNP core knowledge in health promotion and diagnosis and management in the care of the adolescent and adult patient and families in the primary health care setting. Emphasis is placed on the care of adolescent and adult patients and families with acute and chronic complex health problems. In addition, the family nurse practitioner as a collaborative member of the inter-professional team will be emphasized.

Prerequisite: NUR 600, NUR 620, and NUR 630  
NUR 740:  FNP Womens Health    (6 credits)  

The focus of this course is integration of the FNP core knowledge in health promotion and diagnosis and management in the care of the female patient and families in the primary health care setting. Emphasis is placed on the care of women patients and families with acute and chronic complex health problems. In addition, the family nurse practitioner as a collaborative member of the inter-professional team will be emphasized.

Prerequisite: NUR 600, NUR 620, and NUR 630  
NUR 745:  Population Health: Analysis and Evaluation    (3 credits)  

This course explores the reciprocity between health care policies and population health and emphasizes the relationship of behaviors as well as social and political structures to health outcomes. A variety of theories, concepts, and models from a range of social and behavioral disciplines will be utilized to examine influences at multiple levels (e.g., personal, community, institutional, and public policy).

NUR 750:  FNP Pediatrics    (5 credits)  

The focus of this course is integration of the FNP core knowledge in health promotion and diagnosis and management in the care of the pediatric patient and families in the primary health care setting. Emphasis is placed on the care of pediatric patients and families with acute and chronic complex health problems. In addition, the family nurse practitioner as a collaborative member of the inter-professional team will be emphasized.

Prerequisite: NUR 600, NUR 620, and NUR 630  
NUR 755:  FNP Mental Health    (5 credits)  

The focus of this course is integration of the FNP core knowledge in health promotion and diagnosis and management in the care of the psychiatric patient and families in the primary health care setting. Emphasis is placed on the care of psychiatric patients and families with acute and chronic complex health problems. In addition, the family nurse practitioner as a collaborative member of the inter-professional team will be emphasized.

Prerequisite: NUR 600, NUR 620, and NUR 630  
NUR 760:  FNP Geriatrics and Chronic Illness    (6 credits)  

The focus of this course is integration of the FNP core knowledge in health promotion and diagnosis and management in the care of the mature and aging patient and families in the primary health care setting. Emphasis is placed on the care of mature and aging patients and families with acute and chronic complex health problems. In addition, the family nurse practitioner as a collaborative member of the inter-professional team will be emphasized.

Prerequisite: NUR 600, NUR 620, and NUR 630  
NUR 765:  DNP Capstone I    (3 credits)  

DNP Capstone I is the first of two Capstone courses in which students complete an integrated evidence-based project that demonstrates a practice (as opposed to a research) focus. In Capstone I, students refine the project topic identified in NUR 610, and complete and defend a proposal which leads to a final application-oriented, scholarly work exemplifying the concept of the scholar-practitioner. Practice change initiatives, performance management projects, healthcare policy, and innovative uses of technology are some examples of projects within the scope of a DNP graduate.

Prerequisite: NUR 610  
NUR 770:  DNP Forum and Role Transformation    (3 credits)  

This seminar facilitates the transition of graduate nursing students to advanced clinical practice. It emphasizes the goals and tasks of the transformation of identity from student to independent professional.

NUR 775:  DNP Capstone II    (3 credits)  

In this course, students complete the evidence-based project started in Capstone I. In Capstone II, the emphasis is on evaluation and multiple modalities for dissemination of findings of the project for translating evidence into practice.

Prerequisite: NUR 765  
NUR 780:  DNP Leadership Practicum: Preparing for Doctoral Leadership    (3 credits)  

In this course, students implement and complete the evidence-based project proposal that has previously been planned, designed,and approved. Completion of the IRB application must be completed and approved prior to implementation of the project. The outcome of Capstone III is a presentation of the project with dissemination of findings for translating evidence into practice.

Prerequisite: NUR 765, NUR 775  
NUR 785:  DNP Advanced Leadership Residency    (9 credits)  

The DNP advanced leadership residency is designed to continue to develop the DNP student's understanding of leadership in an area of practice at the aggregate/systems/organization level. Students will enhance their existing advanced leadership skills in a leadership area of interest (e.g., organization/system healthcare outcomes; quality/performance improvement strategies; data metrics, analysis, & evaluation of practice outcomes; patient safety initiatives; health care and organizational policy; ethics related to healthcare organization/systems; information technology; data/knowledge management; or global/population health.