Science and Research in Nursing
NURS 300 | 3 Credits
Course Desc: (Open only to students majoring in nursing for registered nurses.) An overview of the basic concepts of nursing research. The aim is to examine the contribution of research to nursing knowledge and practice, demonstrate skill in conducting research using available scientific literature, critically appraise current evidence-based research, and apply the findings to promote clinical best practices in nursing. Evidence-based research is evaluated from a legal and ethical perspective in the protection of human subjects. Topics include scientific process, research methods, experimental protocols, informed consent, evaluation of research literature, and ethical issues in research.
Transition to Professional Nursing Practice
NURS 302 | 3 Credits
Course Desc: (Open only to students majoring in Nursing for Registered Nurses.) An exploration of the diverse roles, responsibilities, ethics, core values, and identity of the professional registered nurse, designed to enhance knowledge, skills, and attitudes. The objective is to develop personal well-being and a spirit of inquiry, as well as skills in emotional intelligence, critical thinking, clinical judgment, interprofessional communication, professional development, and the use of scholarly resources. Nursing and other healthcare theories are applied to the clinical practice of nursing. Topics include healthcare literacy, quality improvement, health equity, and patient safety. Students may receive credit for only one of the following courses: NURS 302 or NURS 300.
Informatics and Technology in Nursing Practice
NURS 305 | 3 Credits
Course Desc: (Open only to students majoring in nursing for registered nurses.) Prerequisite or corequisite: NURS 300. An overview of the role of informatics and technology used in nursing practice. The aim is to demonstrate how informatics and technology are used to improve safety and outcomes for patients and healthcare organizations and analyze how informatics used in nursing practice is a combination of knowledge and skills from nursing science, computer science, information science, and cognitive science. Topics include health literacy, regulation, standardization and security of patient data, implementation of health information systems, nursing ethics and informatics, and the role of nursing informatics in disaster preparedness.
Health Assessment and Wellness Promotion
NURS 322 | 4 Credits
Course Desc: (Open only to students majoring in Nursing for Registered Nurses.) Prerequisite or corequisite: NURS 302. An examination of how to use the findings from a comprehensive, holistic health assessment to develop a plan of care for wellness promotion and chronic disease management. The objective is to demonstrate professional communication, collaboration strategies, cultural sensitivity, and compassionate care in performing health assessments for culturally diverse patients and families across the lifespan. The principles of person-centered and humanistic care, critical thinking, and clinical judgment are integrated with performing, documenting, and communicating the assessment of patients. Students may receive credit for only one of the following courses: NURS 322 or NURS 362.
Global Health Issues
NURS 350 | 3 Credits
Course Desc: (Open only to students majoring in nursing for registered nurses.) Prerequisite: NURS 300. An exploration of global health issues and strategies that promote the health of nations. The aim is to explore global perspectives on health issues and policies and analyze how disparities in health and access to healthcare can influence the burden of disease. Discussion covers the global burden of disease, determinants of health, and factors that affect the health of countries. Topics include nutrition, maternal and child health, mental health, environmental health, communicable and noncommunicable diseases, and disaster/emergency preparedness and response.
Introduction to Nursing Scholarship
NURS 352 | 3 Credits
Course Desc: (Open only to students majoring in Nursing for Registered Nurses.) Prerequisite or corequisite: NURS 322. A study of various approaches to scholarly practice, focusing on qualitative and quantitative research methods to advance nursing knowledge and practice. The goal is to critically appraise current evidence-based research findings as they apply to nursing practice. Discussion covers appraising research reports, legal and ethical conduct in protecting human subjects, and the impact of clinical research on health equity in clinical research studies. Activities include generating a clinical search strategy, and practicing scholarly inquiry questions that address a current nursing practice issue and incorporates quality improvement principles to benefit nursing practice for individuals, communities, and populations. Students may receive credit for only one of the following courses: NURS 352 or NURS 410.
Health Assessment
NURS 360 | 3 Credits
Course Desc: (Open only to students majoring in nursing for registered nurses. Purchase of access to shadowhealth.com is required.) An overview of the role of the professional nurse in perform¬ing comprehensive health assessments. The aim is to conduct comprehensive and holistic health assessments, recognize health deviations, formulate thorough individualized plans of care, anticipate treatment outcomes, and demonstrate appropriate communication and interprofessional collaboration skills in promoting patient-centered care. Topics include diversity, special populations, care across the lifespan, recognizing deviations in health, health promotion, and disease prevention.Students may receive credit for only one of the following courses: NURS 360 or NURS 362.
Health Assessment for Registered Nurses
NURS 362 | 4 Credits
Course Desc: (Open only to students majoring in Nursing for Registered Nurses.) Prerequisite: NURS 300. An overview of the role of the professional nurse in performing comprehensive health assessments. The aim is to conduct comprehensive and holistic health assessments, recognize health deviations, formulate thorough individualized plans of care, and anticipate treatment outcomes. Focus is on demonstrating appropriate communication and interprofessional collaboration skills in promoting patient-centered care. Topics include diversity, special populations, care across the lifespan, recognizing deviations in health, health promotion and disease prevention. Students may receive credit for only one of the following courses: NURS 360 and NURS 362.
Introduction to Healthcare Informatics Technology in Nursing
NURS 372 | 3 Credits
Course Desc: (Open only to students majoring in Nursing for Registered Nurses.) Prerequisite or corequisite: NURS 352. A study of the various communication and information technologies utilized in patient-centered nursing practice settings at the healthcare systems, community, and population levels. Discussion covers complying with ethical, legal, and regulatory standards in healthcare information technologies to deliver safe, high-quality nursing care. Evidence related to healthcare information technology that may affect practice is summarized using clinical judgment and reasoning. The goal is to identify various types of information and communication technologies to gather data, generate knowledge, collaborate with other professionals, and promote accurate documentation of care within diverse populations in a variety of settings. Students may receive credit for only one of the following courses: NURS 372 or NURS 305.
Policy, Politics, and Economics in Healthcare
NURS 392 | 3 Credits
Course Desc: (Open only to students majoring in Nursing for Registered Nurses.) Prerequisite or corequisite: NURS 372. A study of the policies, politics, and economics of the nursing profession. Topics include advocacy strategies, professional organizations, and population health policy. Focus is on policies that affect health equity, health promotion, chronic diseases, nursing workforce, quality improvement and patient safety, access to care, social determinants of health, and cost factors. The impact of sociocultural, economic, and environmental factors on health policy legislation to support nurses in leading the change process is analyzed. Discussion also covers challenges related to diversity, equity, inclusion, access to care, affordability, and social justice at the local, state, and national levels within a variety of healthcare settings, as well as the legislative process, advocacy efforts of nursing professional organizations, and payment models. The aim is to practice effective oral and written communication and ethical advocacy skills to encourage policy change that will support the application of social justice principles in healthcare. Students may receive credit for only one of the following courses: NURS 392 or NURS 420.
Applying Evidence-Based Practice in Nursing
NURS 410 | 3 Credits
Course Desc: (Open only to students majoring in nursing for registered nurses.) Prerequisite: NURS 300. A study of the principles and models of evidence-based nursing practice. The objective is to demonstrate critical-thinking skills in applying the findings of evidence-based practice to the clinical environment. Focus is on evaluating patient outcomes data to identify clinical practice areas that are amenable to quality improvement projects. Assignments include selecting a problem area of clinical practice and developing a proposal for a solution.
Population, Global, and Community Health Issues
NURS 412 | 3 Credits
Course Desc: (Open only to students majoring in Nursing for Registered Nurses.) Prerequisite or corequisite: NURS 392. A study of the diverse roles of community/public/global health nurses in promoting population-focused care that supports diversity, equity, inclusion, cultural competence, social justice, and high-quality health outcomes. The goal is to integrate evidence, theory, professional standards, ethics, and knowledge from nursing, public health, and other health related disciplines to guide population-focused nursing practice. Topics include global health data, social determinants of health, disaster preparedness, health literacy, potential outcomes that influence the access and delivery of safe care, use of resources and technology, and development of equitable policies to promote population health and disease prevention. Discussion also covers ways to foster interprofessional communication and collaboration and develop leadership skills to engage in effective partnerships while advocating for the overall health of people. Students may receive credit for only one of the following courses: NURS 412 or NURS 350.
Advocacy and Politics in Nursing
NURS 420 | 3 Credits
Course Desc: (Open only to students majoring in nursing for registered nurses.) Prerequisite: HMGT 372. An overview of the basic principles involved with the legislative process and an examination of how nurses can use political advocacy strategies to influence healthcare policies. Focus is on applying interpersonal, communication, leadership, and advocacy skills to support the application of social justice principles in healthcare delivery practices to diverse populations and promote the nursing profession.
Leadership in Personal and Professional Nursing Practice
NURS 432 | 3 Credits
Course Desc: (Open only to students majoring in Nursing for Registered Nurses.) Prerequisite or corequisite: NURS 412. An examination of leadership principles, styles, and theories for diverse nursing leadership roles in a variety of healthcare settings. Topics include communication, inter-professionalism, budgeting, collaboration, and conflict management. The objective is to integrate a spirit of inquiry, clinical judgment, and innovative ideas, as well as principles of diversity, equity, and inclusion, while applying evidence-based practice to current issues facing nurse leaders today. Topics include personal biases, ethics, emotional intelligence, self-efficacy, teamwork, and compassionate care for all. Students may receive credit for only one of the following courses: NURS 432 or NURS 485.
Complex Healthcare Systems: Quality Improvement and Patient Safety
NURS 452 | 3 Credits
Course Desc: (Open only to students majoring in Nursing for Registered Nurses.) Prerequisite or corequisite: NURS 432. An exploration of the relationships among theories, frameworks, concepts, models of leadership, patient safety, and quality improvement within today¿s fast-paced, dynamic healthcare systems. The objective is to develop innovative solutions to address complex healthcare issues utilizing evidence-based practice across the continuum of care. Topics include financial management principles, cost-effectiveness of care, and payment models. Nursing knowledge is applied to a systems-based framework, including policy, regulatory, and ethical standards, with a focus on diversity, equity and inclusion, health disparities, racism, and social determinants of health.
Family and Community Health Nursing
NURS 460 | 3 Credits
Course Desc: (Open only to students majoring in nursing for registered nurses.) Prerequisite: NURS 360. An overview of the role of the professional nurse in the care of the family and community. Focus is on applying the nursing process to the care of families and communities. The goal is to identify health risks within a family and design a plan of care using evidence-based prac¬tices, obtain information about family and community health systems using systematic research practices, and develop a health promotion education plan for the community. Practice experiences include conducting a windshield survey, communicating, and collaborating with community health care professionals in the planning and implementation of a health promotion project that addresses a community health care need. Topics include diversity, community as a patient, environmental influences, families at risk, health promotion, risk reduction, vulnerable populations, disaster preparedness, and coalition building. Students may receive credit for only one of the following courses: NURS 460 or NURS 462.
Nursing Care of the Family and Community
NURS 462 | 4 Credits
Course Desc: (Open only to students majoring in nursing for registered nurses.) Prerequisite: NURS 360 or NURS 362. An overview of the role of the professional nurse in the care of the family and community. Focus is on applying the nursing process to the care of families and communities. The goal is to identify health risks within a family and design a plan of care using evidence-based practices, obtain information about family and community health systems using systematic research practices, and develop a health promotion education plan for the community. Direct patient-care practice experiences include conducting a windshield survey and communicating and collaborating with community healthcare professionals in planning and implementing health promotion activities that address a community healthcare need. Topics include diversity, the community as a patient, environmental influences, families at risk, health promotion, risk reduction, vulnerable populations, disaster preparedness, and coalition building. Students may receive credit for only one of the following courses: NURS 460 or NURS 462.
Nursing Practice Experience
NURS 472 | 2 Credits
Course Desc: (Open only to students majoring in Nursing for Registered Nurses.) Prerequisite NURS 412; prerequisite or corequisite: NURS 452. A nursing experience designed to synthesize knowledge derived from nursing theory, leadership, scholarship, and practice experiences. The aim is to incorporate the essential concepts of high-quality care, patient safety, interprofessional partnerships, systems-based practice, and healthcare informatics to improve healthcare outcomes along a continuum of care. Activities include collecting data and information about regional community-based organizations to develop a project to improve the health and well-being of individuals, families, communities, and populations. Focus is on building skills in critical thinking, clinical reasoning, compassionate care, communication, ethics, and professionalism. Topics include aging and end-of-life care, chronic disease management, health promotion, and regenerative-restorative nursing care.
Leadership and Management in Professional Nursing Practice
NURS 485 | 4 Credits
Course Desc: (Open only to students majoring in nursing for registered nurses. Intended as a final, capstone course to be taken in student's last 9 credits.) Prerequisite: NURS 410. A study of leadership concepts, theories, and techniques used in the nursing profession to promote high-quality patient care in a variety of settings. The aim is to integrate nursing leadership concepts and theories into the various roles of the professional nurse, promote professional development for self and others, and apply business principles in the management of patients in complex and diverse healthcare environments. Students may receive credit for only one of the following courses: NURS 485 or NURS 495.
Leadership and Management in Nursing
NURS 495 | 3 Credits
Course Desc: (Open only to students majoring in nursing for registered nurses. Intended as a final, capstone course to be taken in the student's last 9 credits). Prerequisite: NURS 410. A study of leadership concepts, theories, and techniques used in the nursing profession to promote high-quality patient care in a variety of settings. The aim is to integrate nursing leadership concepts and theories into the various roles of the professional nurse, promote professional development for self and others, and apply business principles in the management of patient care in complex and diverse healthcare environments. Assignments include interviewing a nurse manager/leader and developing a business proposal to address a quality care or patient safety issue. Students may receive credit for only one of the following courses: NURS 485 or NURS 495.
Nursing Capstone
NURS 496 | 3 Credits
Course Desc: (Open only to students majoring in Nursing for Registered Nurses.) Prerequisite: 24 credits of major coursework, including NURS 432; prerequisite or corequisite: NURS 472. A writing-intensive study of nursing designed to synthesize and demonstrate skills and competencies gained throughout previous study. Activities include designing a quality improvement patient safety project related to a current nursing practice issue utilizing evidence-based practice.
