Nursing

This course orients the student to the resources, procedures, online management systems and expectations of the MSN Family Nurse Practitioner Program. Designed to promote the success of the advanced practice nurse student transition into online graduate level learning, clinical rotations, and residential labs.

This course orients the student to the resources, procedures, electronic operations and expectations of the MSN Leadership and Education Program. Designed to enhance the transition into online graduate level learning for the nurse and promote the success of the student.

Examines the process of advancing professionally in nursing, which includes life-long learning, modeling professionalism, and promoting advancement of the profession. Articulates the value and leadership role of the professional nurse in interdisciplinary healthcare teams. Focuses on personal professional development, including a formal plan for leadership. A professional e-portfolio and leadership inventory are required.

Examines the process of advancing professionally in nursing, which includes life-long learning, modeling professionalism, and promoting advancement of the profession. Articulates the value and leadership role of the professional nurse in interdisciplinary healthcare teams. Focuses on personal professional development, including a formal plan for leadership. A professional e-portfolio and leadership inventory are required. Practicum Hours - 25  Fee: Additional fee required.

Examines the concept of population health in terms of health outcomes of a group of individuals, families or communities. Explores patterns of health determinants, and policies and interventions that link them together. The management of population health and outcomes will be explored using an interdisciplinary framework designed to build a variety of skills for effective interdisciplinary team leadership and management. Practicum Hours - 50

Emphasizes the organization, financing and policies of national and international healthcare systems. Analysis of the determinants of health issues and trends from a global perspective will be explored. Ethical and value frameworks that guide policy making in healthcare are examined. Experiential learning activity required. Practicum Hours - 25

Prepares the nurse leader/advanced practice nurse in developing critical thinking and diagnostic reasoning skills needed in caring for the primary care patient. Focuses on motivational interviewing, interpretation of common screening, and diagnostic laboratory tests using professional guidelines, communication and documentation of information, and consideration of the patient as a partner in planning and delivery of care. Clinical experience included. Practicum Hours - 25 Fee: Additional fee required.

Develops an evaluation plan for nursing curriculum based on accreditation and professional nursing standards. Diverse assessment and evaluation methodologies and strategies are explored. Experiential learning activity required.

Prepares the graduate student to analyze scientific evidence and to utilize the findings in providing quality patient care or improving nursing and education practice. Focus is on establishing evidence-based practice by weighing scientific evidence, expert opinion and patient preferences. Experiential learning activity required. Practicum Hours - 50 Fee: Additional fee required.

Emphasis is on the role of the nurse educator in diverse settings. Engages the student in major aspects of the nurse educator role. Includes a specific focus on leadership including completion of internship hours in leadership within either nursing education leadership or nursing practice leadership. This internship utilizes the preceptor model. Practicum Hours - 100 Fee: Additional fee required.

The principles of adult education and learning styles are examined as foundational to curriculum design and development. Philosophical and contemporary curriculum designs are explored. Development of an education portfolio is required. Experiential learning activity required. Practicum Hours - 25

Provides a foundation in facilitating and leading change through the measurement, evaluation and improvement of care delivery. Emphasis is on analyzing legal, regulatory, ethical and current issues, and integrating management and administrative skills into the professional nursing leadership role. Students are required to apply knowledge of evidence-based leadership and management practice to improve outcomes at the microsystem level. Experiential learning activity is required. Fee: Additional fee required.

Pharmacotherapeutics and pharmacokinetics of broad categories of pharmacologic agents are reviewed and examined with a focus on clinical implications and client education. Roles and responsibilities in utilizing pharmacotherapeutics will be explored including educating patients about medications and exploring innovative ways to teach pharmacology.

Focuses on an understanding of normal physiologic and pathologic mechanisms of disease that serves as one primary component of the foundation for clinical assessment, decision making, and management. Interpretation of changes in normal function, application and the development of appropriate advanced nursing care is the focus of this course. Educating patients about disease process and exploring innovative ways to teach pathophysiology are integral components of the course. Fee - Additional Fee Required

Uses critical appraisal skills to develop an evidence-based practice proposal for advanced practice nurses. Develops skills to create an individual practice question, integrate critically appraised existing knowledge and design a project to improve nursing practice and client outcomes. Includes experiential learning activity.

Prepares the nurse leader or advanced practice nurse in developing critical thinking and diagnostic reasoning skills needed in caring for the primary care patient. Focuses include motivational interviewing, interpretation of common screening and diagnostic laboratory tests using professional guidelines, communication and documentation of information, and consideration of the patient as a partner in planning and delivery of care. Residential lab hours – 50.  Fee - Additional Fee Required 

This course focuses on advanced roles for professional nursing practice. Emphasis is on independent and collaborative practice, management, and the development of leadership skills for working with individuals and groups in advanced nursing practice. Specific leadership theories will be explored.

The first primary care course focuses on analysis of family health. Students explore family concepts and theories for their relevance to nursing practice and research. Emphasis is placed on utilizing and application of advanced health assessment skills, preventive health care practices, and health promotion throughout the lifespan. The concepts of family systems, development, culture, environment, learning, and the objectives of Healthy People 2020, are integrated into the principles and practices of primary and secondary prevention. Experiences are provided in clinical decision-making and the implementation of scientifically based therapeutic regimens. Structured clinical laboratories and clinical projects will assist students to synthesize knowledge gained. Clinical hours - 200.  Fee - Additional Fee Required

The second course in primary care of the family focuses on the theoretical and clinical basis for the advanced nursing management of health care problems common to families and family members of all ages. Emphasis is placed on the diagnosis and management of acute episodic conditions of families in the context of the primary/acute care setting and the community. The student’s collaborative role with other health care providers is promoted. Clinical experiences include a variety of primary and acute care settings under the supervision of preceptors. Structured clinical laboratories and clinical projects will assist students to synthesize knowledge gained. Clinical hours - 200, Residential Lab component - 32 hours. Fee - Additional Fee Required

This course will focus on advanced practice issues specific to the FNP role. Legal and ethical topics and their relationship to the advanced practice FNP role will be addressed. Prescriptive authority will also be examined. There will be integration of professional role and practice issues, and updates on legislation and health policy affecting nurse practitioners.

This nursing practicum provides the opportunity to integrate knowledge and skill in developing advanced competency as a family nurse practitioner. Emphasis is placed on the diagnosis and management of chronic conditions of families in the context of the primary care setting and the community. The prevention, diagnosis and management of psychological and behavioral problems within the family will be explored. Student clinical experiences will be in a variety of settings with emphasis on interdisciplinary collaboration. Structured clinical laboratories and clinical projects will assist students to synthesize knowledge gained in core, specialty, and elective courses. Clinical hours - 200, Residential Lab component - 32 hours. Fee - Additional Fee Required

This course is the final integration and synthesis of advanced practice in primary care of the family. There will be integration of professional role and practice issues, and updates on legislation and health policy affecting nurse practitioners. All necessary clinical experiences specified for Family Nurse Practitioner certification are completed. Individualized and selected family-centered practice settings are identified according to student needs. Faculty and preceptors provide guidance for this experience. Case presentation with evidence of role transition required. Clinical hours - 200, Residential hours – 45. Fee - Additional Fee Required