Nursing Education - Courses

This course emphasizes the theoretical concepts relevant to research methods that are used by nurses and other health care providers engaged in research and health care services. The course will begin with a review of concepts important to all research. After a review of the research process, quantitative and qualitative research approaches will be reviewed including: problem statement, research question, literature review, ethical considerations, research methodology and data collection, and management of data. Emphasis is on understanding and using appropriate methods and procedures to address problems of interest to nurse leaders and nurse educators. The role of theory and ethical issues involved in the conduct of research is addressed. Prerequisite: Introduction to statistics

The course will focus on advanced critical analysis and utilization of nursing research via evidence-based nursing practice models and will include an emphasis on synthesizing evidence as a scholarly practice endeavor. The students’ understanding of qualitative and quantitative research methodology as well as examination of the role of the nurse leader and educator in relation to nursing research and evidence-based nursing practice continues to be developed. Translation of evidence into the practice setting is addressed in depth. The use of research and evidence-based nursing processes to improve decision-making in the health care setting will be explored in depth.

This course focuses on critical analyses of theory and its use for advanced nursing practice. Nursing’s scientific body of knowledge is examined through consideration of selected nursing models, theories, and constructs. Selected theories, models, and concepts from social and behavioral sciences, which enhance nursing as a scientific discipline, are also considered. Foundational to this course is the exploration of the ontological and epistemological issues central to theoretical thinking which include the art of critical thinking in nursing, the process of concept formulation and theory building. The inter-relationship between theory, practice and research is examined and various methods for developing scientific knowledge for practice are explored. Application of nursing theories to nursing practice is emphasized as the student’s chosen theoretical base for advanced practice is identified and developed.

Students will examine the multiple roles of the master’s prepared nurse leader and educator in today’s complex health care environment. The role of the educator and leader as change agent will be explored within the context of using the best evidence to inform the role of leader and educator and transform practice.

This graduate level course will integrate principles of advanced pathophysiology, physical assessment, and pharmacology as a foundation to support the role of the nurse educator and clinical nurse leader in clinical practice. The focus will be on the development of advanced knowledge of human pathophysiological functions and response to selected disease processes and the integration of this knowledge into evidenced-based nursing practice. The students will expand and refine skills related to health assessment essential for advanced nursing practice.
(3 credits per course for a total of 9 credits for Parts I-III)

In this course the significance of informatics as a part of effective practice and research in nursing is examined. Students examine emerging trends in information technology and acquire the knowledge to understand the modern healthcare IT environment. Students, applying knowledge from assigned readings, will be introduced to the theoretical underpinnings of nursing informatics, the practice of nursing informatics, and the ethical issues in nursing and health care informatics. The course includes email, electronic discussion forums, worldwide web, and internet assignments.

This course will explore the implementation of change at a microsystem level from a business perspective. Exploration of budgeting, cost-benefit analysis, utilization of variance data, and cost factors of care delivery will be the primary focus of the course. The Institute for Healthcare Improvement and Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality will be the primary resources in addition to the texts to illustrate ongoing data collection metrics to support change initiatives.

This course will provide an investigation of the clinical nurse leader role, its evolution as a response to changing healthcare paradigms, regulation, and performance based, quality assessment. National data sets will be explored as contributors to the measurement of outcomes. The impact of regulatory bodies will be utilized to understand and interpret the value of changing processes within a microsystem. The importance of collegial, interprofessional dynamics will be explored as the foundations for microsystem process change.

The purpose of the graduate project is to identify a clinical problem, analyze the problem, and propose an evidence-based change to address the problem. Students will choose problems within their area of clinical specialty, thoroughly review and analyze the available literature/information, identify the current best practices and, using a change theory/evidence-based practice model, propose a change that would lead to improved quality and safety for patients. The student will include measureable outcomes to evaluate the practice change in the proposal. The proposal will be developed as a substantive, formal paper in addition to a professional poster design and power point presentation, which prepares the student to deliver a professional presentation appropriate to a number of settings (e.g. academic, practice, continuing education).

This course focuses on population health and wellness, transitions of care across the health continuum, population healthcare quality and safety, and population healthcare models. The role of the Clinical Nurse Leader in the promotion of optimal levels of wellness across the lifespan and across diverse populations is examined as care management skills and principles supporting continuous care are explored, with the expectation that the CNL will be able to provide research-based care to populations, perform risk assessments, and design programs of care.

This 300-hour clinical immersion provides the learner with the opportunity to practice the CNL role under the guidance of a qualified advanced practice preceptor. During this immersion, the learner will be exposed to clinical opportunities for managing comprehensive client care across the lifespan and across a diversity of settings. The provision and management of care at the microsystems level point of care to individuals and cohorts of patients across transitions in care will be emphasized. This in-depth clinical immersion will focus on clinical experiences where the learner can participate in and examine the CNL role in relation to accountability for patient-care outcomes, the application of research and evidence-based practice, and the design, implementation, and evaluation of patient-care processes and models of care delivery.