Curriculum

3 Credits

The impact of nursing’s role in health care is described through both nursing research and nursing leaders. The scope of professional nursing practice is explored from an evolutionary perspective. The mission and philosophy of the College of Nursing and the Baccalaureate Essentials are discussed and applied to nursing practice. Emphasis is on the role and impact of the baccalaureate prepared Registered Nurse within the inter-professional health care team and the development of effective critical thinking and communication skills. Principles of clinical judgment and reflection will be introduced. Professional growth and lifelong learning are highlighted as essential attributes of a registered nurse.

4 Credits

This course is aimed at broadening the student’s knowledge in health assessment and health promotion of the individual across the lifespan. Family, cultural and sociological aspects that influence an individual’s health are explored. Communication techniques for obtaining a comprehensive health history are practiced. Risk factors are identified based on a comprehensive health history, including environmental and genomic influences on health, to develop patient specific risk reduction strategies. Focus is on the performance of a systematic, comprehensive health assessment, the critical analysis of assessment data, and health promotion. Health promotion and disease prevention, risk reduction, and strategies are integrated into assessment and discussion with patient and family. Students will explore models of health promotion and challenges to creating a healthy society. Strategies incorporating principles of clinical judgement to assist in achieving and maintaining wellness and optimal quality of life are emphasized.

3 Credits

The focus of this course is on the role of the professional nurse as a participant in the political process in the practice setting and in the broader public sector. Particular attention is given to the development of public policy related to health care. Consideration is given to historic, sociologic, technologic, economic, legal, and political factors which influence health care delivery. Attention also is given to the local, state, and federal systems for financing and delivering health care with consideration of the issues of access and distribution of services. Analysis of the political action process is used to operationalize the concept of the nurse as an agent of change, client advocate, and participant in decision-making related to health policy. Opportunity is provided for the student to study a political issue and to contact appropriate legislative representatives to discuss his/her position on current legislation related to the issue.

Pre/corequisites: none.

3 Credits

This course introduces the student to the symbiotic components of nursing management and leadership. An overview of management and leadership theories are examined reflecting the interdependent relationship between the two. Emphasis is placed on the functions of the management process, planning, organizing, staffing, directing, and controlling, as it relates to the role of a nurse manager. Effective communication skills are discussed to facilitate group cohesion and team building.

4 Credits

Using an open systems framework, this course focuses on the theory and practice of community health nursing. Community health nursing is a blend of two components: public health science with its roots in epidemiology, and the art and science of nursing. While students may work with individuals and families, emphasis is on population-focused nursing with application to Healthy People to promote healthy communities. Students assess a community to identify a priority health need or risk and apply evidence-based interventions at the three levels of prevention. Application of the nursing process to address the specific needs identified in aggregates in the community. Using available community resources, students develop advanced communication skills in collaborating with the healthcare team to plan, implement, and evaluate interventions to improve the overall health of communities.

3 Credits

This course focuses on the skills and knowledge needed to promote quality, maintain patient safety, and information across healthcare settings. The course combines evidence-based concepts from technology, information science, communication studies, patient safety, organizational quality, and health care science to prepare nurses to participate in the process of improving health care quality and safety. Content explores current and potential uses for technology in transforming health care. Emphasis is on retrieving and interpreting information to promote positive patient outcomes.

3 Credits

This course focuses on the baccalaureate nurse as an educator of patients, families, and patient populations.  Theories, teaching strategies, and development of teaching plans and their evaluation of their efficacy will be examined.  Cultural competence, health literacy, and health promotion will be integrated into the course. Students will assess learner characteristics and readiness for learning and evaluate application.  The evaluation of electronic websites will be addressed and also, technology as a tool for learning and teaching. The course provides the framework to utilize research theory and evidence-based practice in teaching and learning. The ethical, economic, social and political impact on the professional nurse’s role of educating their patients, families, and patient populations will be covered.

3 Credits

Research in Nursing addresses critical inquiry in the development of nursing science. This course is an introduction to the principles of scientific inquiry, including identification of forms of analytical thinking common to problem-solving in nursing. Students are guided in the development of critical appraisal skills in the evaluation of both quantitative and qualitative research methodologies and in examining the role of the professional nurse as data collector, designer, producer, replicator, and consumer of research.

5 Credits

This capstone course focuses on the role of the professional nurse within the changing healthcare delivery system, and demonstrates achievement of the Baccalaureate Essentials. It provides an opportunity for the students to apply and synthesize learning gained in previous course work and experience the care of patients in a variety of settings. There is an emphasis on clinical judgment, reflection on practice, and lifelong learning. Each student will participate in a precepted capstone experience where a clinical project will be completed. Student led seminars and capstone presentations will facilitate the sharing of knowledge obtained from literature and the clinical.

Prerequisite: NURS 326
Pre/Corequisite: NURS 481

3 Credits

This course presents epidemiological principle and methods with emphasis on the health status and health needs of a population, on levels of prevention, and on promotion of health strategies.

3 Credits

This course is founded on the premise that knowing how to use language in various oral and written forms builds skill in research, in reasoning, and in problem solving. Topics include how to create professional written documents such as: memoranda, reports, abstracts, reviews of professional texts, business letters, and résumés. Emphasis is placed on student ability to produce coherent texts, demonstrate the ability to revise and improve such texts, and write a formal proposal.

3 Credits

This course is focused on pathophysiology related to human illness within a systems framework. Factors that contribute to altered physiologic functioning of each body system and the interrelationships among selected pathophysiological processes are explored. Topics will include principles of homeostasis related to human body systems. Select pathophysiological concepts are related to diverse populations across the lifespan. 

3 Credits

This course focuses on the integration of the principles and application of ethical decision making in professional practice within healthcare and the communities served by nursing and other health care professionals. Areas of study will include: a working knowledge of the philosophical principles guiding ethics and codes of ethical practice; the knowledge and skill development needed in identifying the morals, values and beliefs of the individual patient/client and family/community; integration of tools and processes essential for providing culturally competent and ethically based reflective health care. There is a specific emphasis on current ethical dilemmas, bioethics, legal issues and responsibilities in health care, and the inter-professional collaboration of the health care team.

3 Credits

This course provides an introduction to the basic foundation of evidence-based practice through an understanding of systematic inquiry, methods and statistical analysis. The purpose of this course is to understand the process of identifying a research problem or question, choosing relevant variables of interest and using the appropriate statistical method to answer the research question. Because the choice of a particular statistical method depends on the type of research question asked, the variables selected, the measurement of the variables, and the degree of certainty that is required, the course will start with a review of basic research methods and design.

After a review of research methods, the course will progress to descriptive and inferential statistics. Complex mathematical skills are not required for this course but you will need a basic calculator. Throughout the course, you will use the StatCrunch statistical package that accompanies your text and is available online. The StatCrunch statistical software will be used for most calculations, however, students need to understand the process involved in performing the various calculations and the rationale for choosing specific statistical methods. At the conclusion of the course, students will be expected to critique the research design and statistical analysis from research articles in the nursing and allied health professions.