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MSN Courses

Nursing students in lab

MSN Courses



NURS 502:  Epidemiology and Bioinformatics

This is an epidemiology methods course designed with the broad perspective required for determination of the distribution and determinants of health and illness in human population groups.  One focus is on the information systems, data sets and algorithms used in solving health problems and finding solutions needed for evidence-based practice.  Knowledge required for being a critical consumer of research reports in professional literature is an additional focus.  Designing health promotion and disease prevention programs for important global and local health problems is also stressed. Three graduate credits. (Graduate Business students register for MGMT 502).

NURS 504:  Policy, Quality, and Safety in Health Care

This course provides an overview of policies that affect the quality, safety, and cost-effectiveness of health care. Students analyze the effects that paradigms, values, special interests, and economics have in the delivery and financing of health care that may or may not result in the improvement of health of the public and of specific subsets of patients. Three graduate credits.  (Graduate Business students register for MGMT 504).

NURS 506:  Nursing Role Theory & Evidence-Based Practice

This course provides students a framework to guide advanced clinical inquiry.  Students learn how to formulate researchable and clinically relevant evidence-based practice (EBP) questions, perform advanced literature searches, and critique the strength of current evidence. Students identify and propose EBP projects that are relevant to their specialty areas and present project findings upon completion. Three graduate credits.

NURS 507:  Nurse Practitioner Roles and Responsibilities

This course introduces students to the multiple roles and responsibilities of the Certified Registered Nurse Practitioner through seminar on campus, readings and discussions via Canvas.  Students apply prior knowledge and experience of professional nursing in appraising advanced practice nursing roles. Students develop personal philosophies of practice that are consistent with adult-gerontology nurse practitioner competency standards as set forth by the National Organization of Nurse Practitioner Faculties and the American Association of Colleges of Nurses. The framework of the course is based upon the 2010 Institute of Medicine (IOM) report: “The Future of Nursing: Leading Change, Advancing Health.” This is a course requirement for all students in the nurse practitioner track. Prerequisites: NURS 530 and 534; Corequisite: NURS 532. Two graduate credits.

NURS 511:  Developing Leadership Competencies

Managerial competencies, such as communicating, analyzing, reflecting, strategic thinking, time management, managing information, stress management, and career management, contribute significantly to an individual’s effectiveness as a leader. Using a variety of tools and techniques, participants in this course will assess and develop their managerial competencies, emotional intelligence, capacity to make judgments, and relationship management skills through reflective practice to align their theoretical knowledge with their workplace experience. Emphasis is placed on problem-solving styles, building global and cultural awareness, ethical decision making, and developing knowledge management skills. Three graduate credits.  (Graduate Business students register for MGMT 511).

NURS 513:  Leading People in Organizations

Leaders and managers achieve goals working with and through others. To lead, managers must have skills in teaching, mentoring, and coaching. They must be skilled in developing individuals to work in teams, in facilitating teams, and in managing conflict. Leaders and managers must understand organizational and national cultures and how they affect the achievement of goals. Leaders and managers must not only hold strong ethical values, but also model them. This course examines the role of managers as leaders in organizations and develops knowledge and skills needed by managers in today’s business environment to successfully achieve organizational goals. Three graduate credits.  (Graduate Business students register for MGMT 513).

NURS 520:  Financial Management in Health Care Organizations

This course focuses on the synthesis of theoretical and practical principles of financial and investment decisions within health care organizations. Students utilize accounting and financial information to execute effective decisions that enhance organizational objectives and patient outcomes.  Three graduate credits.  (Graduate Business students register for MGMT 520).

NURS 522:  Project Management in Health Care

This course focuses on defining projects and identifying how to manage them within health care organizations.  Students learn to identify project management process groups, methods to formulate and execute goals, break project components into work breakdown structure, and critique project case studies to assure performance improvement. Three graduate credits.  (Graduate Business students register for MGMT 522).

NURS 524:  Strategic Planning in Health Care

This course examines models of change within health care organizations and identify strategic and leadership decisions necessary to effect positive organizational outcomes. Factors that assure short-term and long-term success in a competitive health care environment, including developing partnerships and cultivating human and other resources are analyzed. Students utilize case studies to critique the strategic decision-making process and make recommendations for effective strategic change.  Three graduate credits.  (Graduate Business students register for MGMT 524).

NURS 530 Advanced Pathophysiology

This course introduces advanced models of mechanisms that result in disease, with an emphasis on dysfunction at the genetic, cellular, tissue, and organ levels. Students are provided foundational concepts in pathophysiological processes that may be applied to advanced specialty areas.

NURS 532 Advanced Pharmacology

This course provides students an overview of advanced pharmacological concepts including pharmacokinetics, pharmacodynamics, and prototype drugs.  Students learn major drug categories and concepts important to assure the safe prescription and use of drugs in a case study-based format. Three graduate credits.

NURS 533:  Managing Health Care Organizations

This course examines the unique environment of health care and the challenges confronting managers in that environment. Topics examined include marketing health care services, recruiting and retaining staff necessary for meeting mission, the strategy of health care services delivery, health care informatics, and decision making in the health care market place. Three graduate credits.  (Graduate Business students register for MGMT 532).

NURS 534:  Advanced Health and Physical Assessment

This course prepares students for performing the components of a comprehensive health history and physical examination on patients across the lifespan with a variety of health concerns. This course builds upon prior assessment knowledge. Students learn advanced techniques and apply findings which may lead the formulation of differential diagnosis. Prerequisite: Completion of baccalaureate course in health assessment with C grade or higher or equivalent course content. Includes 30 laboratory practice hours. Three graduate credits.

NURS 535:  Health Economics

This course reviews the history of healthcare financing in the United States and financial issues in the present healthcare environment.  Principles of financial management and insurance are integrated and applied to the healthcare environment.  Topics include: healthcare capital and operating budgets; healthcare payment methods, including Medicare's payment systems for hospitals and physicians, and risk-adjusted capitation payment systems; population-based healthcare finance and managed care; and financing aspects of public health policy.  Prerequisite:  CCBU 517 (Corporate Financial Management) or instructor approval.  Three graduate credits.  (Graduate Business students register for MGMT 534).

NURS 536:  Law, Regulations and Ethics in the Health Care Environment

This course provides an overview of legal issues associated with healthcare, including HIPAA and Medicare fraud and abuse, and the regulatory and accreditation environments of Medicare, Medicaid, JCAHO, and OSHA.  Ethical issues associated with the practice of medicine and decision-making in the healthcare environment are also examined.  Three graduate credits.  (Graduate Business students register for MGMT 536).

NURS 610:  CNL Roles and Responsibilities

This course introduces students to the multiple roles and responsibilities of the clinical nurse leader (CNL), which include advocate, member of the profession, team manager, information manager, systems analyst/risk anticipator, clinician, outcomes manager, and educator.  Exemplars and case studies of role integration will provide a basis for student learning.  Three graduate credits.

NURS 613:  Assessment and Evaluation Methods

This course provides a framework to assess and evaluate learning in the academic and clinical settings preparing the student for the role of the novice educator. Students will learn to prepare and evaluate educational programs, as well as evaluate student, staff, and patient learning. Various assessment and measurement instruments will be identified and utilized in relation to projects geared toward their target population. Three graduate credits.

NURS 614:  Theory and Practice for Nurse Educators

This course critiques existing models and theories of nursing science and their application to healthcare, nursing, and nursing education.  Students analyze multiple roles of the nurse educator, including responsibilities of teaching, scholarship, community service, and learner engagement.  Students have opportunities to explore foundational concepts essential for role integration in academic and staff development settings.  Exemplars and case studies of role integration will provide a basis for student learning. Three graduate credits.

NURS 760:  Nurse Administrator Capstone, Seminar and Internship

This course provides students seminar opportunities to engage in self and peer review to facilitate successful implementation of the nurse administrator role, synthesizing advanced concepts learned during the program of study.  Students set professional development goals and present case studies for individual and group analysis and evaluation.  Students explore options for collaborative health projects that enhance nursing engagement and leadership in the global community.

*The Nurse Administrator's Professional Portfolio will be completed during this semester.

Prerequisite: Must be taken in last semester of study. Includes 150 hour practicum in nurse administrator role.  Five graduate credits.

NURS 765:  Nurse Educator Capstone, Seminar and Internship

This course provides students opportunities to engage in self and peer review to facilitate successful implementation of the nurse educator role, synthesizing advanced concepts learned during the program of study. Students engage in precepted direct care and education practicum experiences based on professional development goals.

*The Nurse Educator’s Professional Portfolio will be completed during this semester.

Prerequisite: Must be taken during last semester of study. Includes 100 practicum hours. Four graduate credits.


Adult-Gerontology Acute Care Nurse  Practitioner 

NURS 710:  Care of Younger Adults, Acute Care Theory and Practicum

This course is designed to provide students with theory, seminar, and precepted practicum opportunities to facilitate their development as acute care providers for younger adults. Students apply and evaluate essential assessment, pathophysiologic, and pharmacologic concepts that are essential in managing care of younger adult clients in acute care settings. Clinical seminars held weekly focus on diagnostic and therapeutic aspects of managing and coordinating acute care of younger adults. The practicum provides 200 supervised clinical practice hours for the student to meet the clinical competencies of the acute care nurse practitioner rolePrerequisites: NURS 507.1 and Direct Care Core Courses. Seven graduate credits

NURS 711: Care of Older Adults, Acute Care Theory and Practicum

This course is designed to provide students with theory, seminar and precepted practicum opportunities to facilitate their development as acute care providers for older adults, including the frail elderly.  Students apply and evaluate essential assessment, pathophysiologic, and pharmacologic concepts that are essential in managing care of older adult clients in acute/critical health care settings. Clinical seminars held weekly focus on diagnostic and therapeutic aspects of managing and coordinating care of older adults in acute and critical care settings. The practicum provides 200 supervised clinical practice hours for the student to meet the clinical competencies of the acute care nurse practitioner role. Prerequisites: NURS 507.1 and Direct Care Core Courses. Seven graduate credits.

NURS 712: Adult-Gerontology Acute Care Nurse Practitioner Capstone, Seminar and Internship 

This course is designed to provide students with theory, seminar and precepted practicum opportunities to facilitate their development as acute care providers for adults from adolescents to end of life. Students apply and evaluate essential assessment, pathophysiologic, and pharmacologic concepts that are essential in managing care of adult clients in acute care settings. The practicum provides 250 supervised clinical practice hours for the student to meet the clinical competencies of the acute gerontology acute care NP role.

*The Professional Portfolio will be completed during this semester.

Prerequisites: Must be taken in last semester of study. Co-requisite: NURS 710 and NURS 711. Includes 250 practicum hours. Seven graduate credits.


Adult-Gerontology Primary Care Nurse Practitioner

NURS 720:  Care of Younger Adults, Primary Care Theory and Practicum

This course is designed to provide students with theory, seminar, and precepted practicum opportunities to facilitate their development as primary care providers for younger adults. Students apply and evaluate essential assessment, pathophysiologic, and pharmacologic concepts that are essential in managing care of younger adult clients in primary care settings. Clinical seminars held weekly focus on diagnostic and therapeutic aspects of managing and coordinating primary care of younger adults. The practicum provides 200 supervised clinical practice hours for the student to meet the clinical competencies of the primary care nurse practitioner rolePrerequisites: NURS 507.1 and Direct Care Core Courses; Seven graduate credits.

NURS 721: Care of Older Adults, Primary Care Theory and Practicum

This course is designed to provide students with theory, seminar and precepted practicum opportunities to facilitate their development as primary care providers for older adults, including the frail elderly.  Students apply and evaluate essential assessment, pathophysiologic, and pharmacologic concepts that are essential in managing care of older adult clients in primary health care settings. Clinical seminars held weekly focus on diagnostic and therapeutic aspects of managing and coordinating care of older adults in primary care settings. The practicum provides 200 supervised clinical practice hours for the student to meet the clinical competencies of the primary care nurse practitioner rolePrerequisites: NURS 507.1 and Direct Care Core Courses; Seven graduate credits.

NURS 722: Adult-Gerontology Primary Care Nurse Practitioner, Seminar and Internship  

This course is designed to provide students with theory, seminar and precepted practicum opportunities to facilitate their development as primary care providers for adults from adolescents to end of life. Students apply and evaluate essential assessment, pathophysiologic, and pharmacologic concepts that are essential in managing care of adult clients in primary care settings. The practicum provides 250 supervised clinical practice hours for the student to meet the clinical competencies of the adult gerontology primary care NP role.

*The Professional Portfolio will be completed during this semester.

Prerequisites: Must be taken in last semester of study.  Includes 250 practicum hours. Seven graduate credits.


Family Nurse Practitioner

NURS 732: Care of Women and Children in Primary Care, Theory and Practicum

This course will describe and analyze primary health care for women and children, emphasizing health promotion and disease prevention. Primary prevention, family theory, acute and chronic conditions, wellness, developmental stages, and cultural considerations will be examined during this course. In addition, managing primary care of women’s reproductive health will include essential aspects of sexual health and maternal care, as well as perimenopausal and postmenopausal concerns.

Prerequisites: Must be taken in last semester of study. Includes 150 practicum hours. Five graduate credits.

NURS 733: Family Nurse Practitioner Capstone, Seminar and Internship

This course is designed to provide students with precepted practicum opportunities to facilitate development as family nurse practitioners in primary care. Students apply and evaluate essential assessment, pathophysiologic, and pharmacologic concepts that are essential in managing the care of patients across the lifespan in primary care. The practicum provides 100 supervised clinical practice hours for the student to meet the clinical competencies of the family nurse practitioner role.

Prerequisites: Must be taken in last semester of study. Includes 100 practicum hours. Four graduate credits.


Clinical Nurse Leader

NURS 750: CNL Capstone Seminar and Internship I

This course is the first of two CNL Capstone courses that provides students with seminar and precepted clinical opportunities to engage in self and peer review to facilitate successful implementation of the clinical nurse leader (CNL) role, synthesizing advanced concepts learned during the program of study.  Students set professional development goals and present weekly case studies for individual and group analysis and evaluation. Prerequisites: General and Direct Care Core Courses and NURS 610. Includes 250 hours of clinical immersion. Five graduate credits.

NURS 751: CNL Capstone Seminar and Internship 2

This course is the second of two CNL Capstone courses that provide students with seminar and precepted clinical opportunities to engage in self and peer review to facilitate successful implementation of a beginning clinical nurse leader (CNL) role, synthesizing advanced concepts learned during the program of study.  Students set professional development goals and present weekly case studies for individual and group analysis and evaluation. Prerequisites: General and Direct Care Core Courses, NURS 610, and CNL Capstone 1.

*The CNL’s Professional Portfolio will be completed during this semester.

Prerequisites: General and Direct Care Core Courses and NURS 610. Includes 250 hours of clinical immersion. Six graduate credits.