Nursing

This course addresses three core components in healthcare education: teaching strategies, assessment, and curriculum. Teaching strategies includes designing, planning, implementing, and evaluating engaging learning experiences. Assessment and evaluation of course, curriculum, and program levels will be explored. In addition, students will address design of curricular elements and engagement of constituents into the curriculum development and revision process. Throughout the course emphasis will be placed on evidence based practice of each component.

Students will analyze policy and politics affecting healthcare and education at local, regional, and national levels. Relevant leadership principles will be applied in the work of advocating for professional disciplines, the well-being of the public, and the betterment of higher learning. Students will explore means for leaders to collaborate and build consensus to address complex issues in their respective healthcare fields.

This course examines the faculty role in higher education and variations based on institution type. Faculty rights and responsibilities associated with teaching, scholarship, and service will be explored. Challenges unique to the faculty role in healthcare will be evaluated.

This course synthesizes health promotion concepts in nursing care of diverse clients, families, and populations within the community. Students will engage in population-based assessment and care planning. Clinical experiences promote collaboration with vulnerable clients across the lifespan, including analysis of community systems, resources, and deficits. (Credits: 3 hr. theory, 2 hr. clinical)

The use of evidence, integration of computer systems, and nursing science in making nursing decisions is the framework of the course. Information systems to access data and process information related to practice decisions are explored. Experiences with selecting and evaluating evidence from multiple databases using properly formatted search strategies will be provided.

The focus of this course is technology applicable in advanced nursing roles. Students will examine use of technology to engage constituents and enhance effectiveness in their roles. The course is designed to provide working knowledge of a range of technological applications such as spreadsheets, presentation software, diagram tools, data sharing, and communications.

Evidence based strategies build a strong foundation for effective teaching and learning. This course delves into designing, planning, implementing, and evaluating engaging teaching strategies to facilitate learning in face-to-face and online classrooms. Students will study the role of current educational technology in enhancing learning. While the course emphasized evidence based strategies, it also presents a platform to evaluate need for further inquiry for evidence to guide educational practice.

The first of two required practica, this course involves fieldwork with a nurse educator. In collaboration with a preceptor, students will participate in designing, planning, implementing, and evaluating educational strategies. Opportunities to participate in multiple aspects of the nurse educator role are provided.

Students in this course will explore financial issues relevant to the management of healthcare units and organizations. The course will emphasize the interconnectedness between finance and the healthcare system and the importance of interdisciplinary collaboration to achieve organizational goals. Key concepts include financial viability, value-based service, budget principles, productivity management, and financial analysis. Students will also evaluate the legal, ethical, safety, quality, and strategic considerations necessary for making financial decisions.

The first of two required practica, this course involves fieldwork with a nurse leader. In collaboration with a preceptor, students will participate in designing, planning, implementing, and evaluating nursing practice/leadership strategies. Opportunities to participate in multiple aspects of the nurse leader's roles are provided.

This course focuses on the analysis of organizational culture, with the aim on the administrator's synergistic role in creating, enhancing, and sustaining interprofessional relationships. The course also explores leader communication and balancing roles in internal and external politics.

The focus of this course is designing, planning, implementing, and evaluating engaging teaching strategies to facilitate learning in clinical environments. The traditional, acute care, clinical model of learning will be explored, as well as more contemporary sites and settings for clinical learning. The expanding role of simulation in nursing education will be examined.

The second of two required practicum, this course involves fieldwork with a nurse educator. In collaboration with a preceptor, students will participate in designing, planning, implementing, and evaluating educational strategies. Opportunities to participate in multiple aspects of the nurse educator role are provided.

This course focuses on one of the most complex and consequential aspects of healthcare: managing people. Students can expect to investigate the course topics of: strategic human resource management and workforce planning, human resource development at all employment stages from entry to exit, conflict management, and equal opportunity employment law within the healthcare setting. By the end of the course, students will recognize the impact of these topics on high quality care delivery.

The first of two capstone courses in which students will conceptualize a quality improvement or evidence-based project with extensive literature review. Students will collaborate with key stakeholders to develop the capstone project proposal.

CO1: Design a capstone project that effectively addresses a relevant nursing practice issue.
CO2:  Utilize evidenced-based quality improvement and professional standards in the design of the project.
CO3: Analyze pertinent nursing and interdisciplinary research literature to inform project development.
CO4:  Integrate legal, ethical, and diversity considerations into the project proposal.

This course addresses the structural components and intricacies of healthcare curricula from statements of vision through instructional implementation. Students will explore both design of curricular elements and engagement of constituents into the curriculum development and revision process. Students will gain experience in program planning and implementation for continuing education or staff development.

This course explores assessment of student learning at course, curriculum and program levels. The course examines how data from assessment and evaluation influence decisions. The course includes introduction to systematic evaluation and accreditation.

This course addresses strategic planning as a cyclical, nonlinear process that builds upon past history and experiences, current conditions, and future opportunities. The course prepares the student to analyze situations and identify strategic direction; conduct gap analysis; and formulate objectives, goals, and specific strategies related to mission and vision. Students will explore challenges associated with multiple aspects of planning and implementation.

The second of two capstone courses in which students will develop, implement, analyze, and disseminate a quality-improvement or evidence-based project. Students will integrate and synthesize knowledge gained throughout the program into the project. 

CO1: Implement the capstone project utilizing evidence-based quality improvement standards.
CO2:  Demonstrate proficiency at analyzing and using evidence in nursing practice.
CO3:  Analyze ethical, legal, financial, and socio-political practices within organizational settings and inter-professional teams.
CO4:  Integrate the multiple roles of advanced nursing practice into the capstone project.
CO5: Disseminate results from project in a scholarly forum.

The second of two required practica, this course involves fieldwork with a nurse leader. In collaboration with a preceptor, students will participate in designing, planning, implementing, and evaluating leadership strategies. Opportunities to participate in multiple aspects of the nurse leader's roles are provided.