Curriculum

This course has dual foci. The first is to provide an opportunity to analyze theoretical concepts, principles and processes from nursing and related disciplines to guide advanced clinical practice and role development. These theories reflect important contributions from both the nursing profession and non-nursing disciplines. The course provides a historical perspective and analysis of nursing theorists from Nightingale to emerging theorists and includes an introduction to theories fundamental to advanced practice nursing, such as role theory and family nursing theory. The second course emphasis is an exposure to relevant historic, current and future practice issues inherent in the varied roles of the advanced practice nurse. Both state and national legislation, issues and trends are addressed as they relate to the effective and appropriate role of advanced practice nurses within the rapidly changing healthcare system.

Class - 2.5 Hours/Week, Clinical - 3 Hours/Week = 3 Cr. Hr. The focus of this course is the assessment of total health status of clients throughout the lifespan. It is designed to enable the student to refine and further develop diagnostic reasoning skills and utilize a regional approach to physical exams in the delivery of primary health care. The course builds on undergraduate health assessment skills and includes a clinical practicum which provides the student the opportunity to apply advanced nursing knowledge and practice in the areas of physical and psychosocial assessment of clients. Students will perform complete health assessments on selected clients, obtaining an in-depth health history, performing a comprehensive physical examination, recording findings and developing a problem list and treatment plan. 42 Hours of Clinical/Semester

This course examines the reaction of the body to disease throughout the lifespan. Using a conceptual approach that is designed to integrate knowledge from basic and clinical sciences, it focuses on alterations in biological processes which affect the body's dynamic equilibrium. Alterations at the cellular and organ level are presented and include genetic, metabolic, infectious, immunologic, degenerative, and neoplastic processes. Clinical problems will be developed and explored to facilitate the acquisition of critical thinking, problem-solving and evaluation skills needed by practitioners in the management of clients with chronic and acute health problems.

This course explores the principles and uses of the research process in nursing. It is designed to provide the advanced practice nursing student with the knowledge to be an active participant in the research experience and prepare the student to write and present orally a research proposal. Content will focus on evidence based practice, understanding the role of an advanced practice nurse as a researcher and fostering skills to develop a research proposal that will be the foundation and beginning process of each student's "capstone" project.

The focus of this course is to critically explore theory and interprofessional practice issues related to rural community life. Through readings, fieldwork, films, guest speakers, and discussions, we will explore the complex relationships between the health and lives of diverse rural community populations, and the larger socioeconomic, physical and cultural environments of society. Fundamental ideas about the nature and scope of community, how it is defined, and by whom are addressed, as is the concept of “culture” and the ways in which systems of belief shape policy and services, the clinical decisions of practitioners, perceptions of illness and health, and ultimately, the lived human experience of rural life. The activities students will engage in throughout the course are designed to use a population perspective as a conceptual lens in which to understand rural community health and will help you appreciate how individual experience differs according to race, gender, age and class. The outcome of the course is a case study of a rural community and a critical appraisal of the aspects of rural life that contribute to health concerns and everyday challenges as well as the benefits of life in rural communities.

This course is designed to provide the graduate student with an opportunity to explore and evaluate the political process, fiscal policies, and their impact on public health and the health care system. The use of sociopolitical and ethical frameworks are interwoven with policy development. Opportunities are provided for students to critique public policy and determine how the behavior of health professional's impact governmental decisions and regulatory processes. Students will explore legislative processes, state/federal policies, and analyze current legislative and policy issues.

This is the culminating scholarly experience in the master's program. Graduate nursing students will demonstrate mastery of one particular subject area in their specialty track by developing a scholarly project including an evidence based review of that topic. The Department of Nursing uses the definition of scholarly work provided in the American Association of Colleges of Nursing's Position Statement on Defining Scholarship for the Discipline of Nursing (1999). This states scholarship in nursing can be defined as those activities that systematically advance the teaching, research, and practice of nursing through rigorous inquiry that 1.) is significant to the profession, 2.) is creative, 3.) can be documented, 4.) can be replicated or elaborated, and 5.) can be peer-reviewed through various methods. The course will allow students who are nearing completion of their program of study to develop such a project in close advisement with a faculty mentor, and present that scholarship through either a formal presentation or a manuscript.

This course focuses on the theoretical foundations and strategies of teaching and learning in nursing education. The graduate nursing student will explore learning theories and pedagogical frameworks that guide the selection of faculty-centered instructional strategies and student-centered learning activities. Additionally, the student will identify the differences and similarities in the learning theories specific to (a) the basic procedures of learning, (b) the assumptions made about the learning, (c) the role of the educator, (d) the sources of motivation, and (e) the way in which the transfer of learning is facilitated.

This course focuses on curriculum development that reflects contemporary health care trends and prepares graduates to function effectively within the context of continuously evolving nursing, health care and educational systems. In this course the graduate nursing student will design a curriculum that reflects institutional philosophy and mission, current nursing and health care trends, and community and societal needs so as to prepare nurses for practice in a complex, dynamic, multicultural health care environment.

This course is designed to introduce learning evaluation concepts, including test and measurement, at the didactic, clinical, and programmatic levels. Course content will include strategies to assess and evaluate learning in the cognitive, psychomotor, and affective domains. Quality improvement, as well as legal and ethical considerations is explored within these concepts.

This course examines a variety of innovative computer technologies that support the teaching-learning process in the classroom and clinical settings. Course content includes application of information technology in nursing practice and education. Principles of distance learning, use of the internet and the integration of computer technologies to create new, innovative models of teaching will be explored. Course requirements include access to a computer and personal digital assistant (PDA).

This is the capstone clinical course in the nurse educator track. It involves the synthesis, refinement, and application of nursing, education, and evaluation theory in a variety of educational settings and integrated seminars. The bi-weekly seminars are framed within the context of established nurse educator scope of practice (NLN, 2005) and competencies (Council on Collegiate Education for Nursing, 2002; NLN, 2005) and students apply these in a variety of diverse academic and clinical settings under expert preceptor guidance. Graduate nursing students will create and share comprehensive portfolios demonstrating their ability to plan, deliver, assess and refine effective professional education offerings in varied settings with diverse learners.