Course Descriptions

Nursing Course Descriptions

MSN Core Courses
NURS 600 – Theoretical Foundations of Nursing Practice
A master’s-prepared nurse is expected to critique, evaluate and utilize appropriate theory within his/her
practice. This course focuses on the application of theoretical and conceptual frameworks to guide
decision making that enhances health for culturally diverse populations. A variety of theories, e.g.,
developmental, systems, psychodynamic, physiological, and nursing theories relevant to health and
illness care and organizations are explored. (3 credit hours)

NURS 601 – Evidence-Based Practice in Nursing

Evidence-based practice is the deliberate use of current best practice in making informed decisions
about patient care. This course emphasizes evidence-based practice as it relates to changing and
improving nursing practice. Students systematically explore and evaluate current nursing knowledge for
scientific and clinical merit. (3 credit hours)

NURS 602 – Health Care Policy

The advanced practice nurse needs to understand the complexities and functioning of health care
delivery systems, health care financing systems, and the development and implications of health care
policies that guide those systems. The philosophical and sociocultural underpinnings of health care
policy are examined. (3 credit hours)

NURS 603 – Professional Role Development

Advanced Practice Nurse This course provides a theoretical foundation for exploring, analyzing, and
evaluating the advance practice nursing roles within the health care system. The legal and ethical
context in which the advanced nurse practices is addressed. (3 credit hours)

NURS 610 – Health Promotion/Disease Prevention

The master’s-prepared nurse is in a key position to influence the health practices of individuals, groups
and communities. Health screening, risk assessment, targeted needs assessment, and health promotion
are emphasized. Health care goals at the local, regional, and national levels are implemented to direct
program planning, development, implementation, and evaluation. (3 credit hours)

NURS 611 – Advanced Pathophysiology

Provides the basis for understanding the pathophysiology of diseases and the changes in normal
function that result in manifestations indicative of illness. Emphasis is on correlating manifestations of
illness with pathophysiological processes in order to formulate diagnoses and health care goals. (3 credit
hours)

NURS 612 – Advanced Health Assessment

Advanced practice nurses perform comprehensive health assessments in a variety of settings. Advanced
health assessment integrates health history, physical and psychological changes and psychosocial
variations. The assessment is used to determine health and risk status, develop health promotion
strategies, and establish priorities of care. Differences between a complete health history and a history

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Course Descriptions

for an episodic event are examined. This course incorporates 80 hours of documented clinical
experience with a preceptor focusing on health history and physical assessment. The student will apply
concepts related to advanced health assessment and health promotion to problems of adults in rural
and/or urban health settings and will begin their clinical logs. (5 credit hours)

NURS 615 – Advanced Pharmacotherapeutics

Nurse practitioners diagnose and prescribe treatment regimens for persons with common acute and/or
chronic health problems. This course focuses on the pharmacological foundation for safely prescribing
medical regimens for illnesses that affect individuals. Also included are illness prevention and non-
pharmacological primary care for individuals and populations at risk. Selection of appropriate therapies,
patient education and evaluation parameters are stressed. (3 credit hours)

NURS 619 – Leadership and Quality

This course focuses on preparing the graduate nursing student to assume leadership roles on
interprofessional teams that effectively implement patient safety and quality improvement initiatives.
The course explores using a complexity science and systems theory approach to analyze organizations
and the provision of health care within those organizations, as well as plan change strategies to improve
the care environment. Budget and marketing principles will also be discussed. (3 credit hours)

Doctor of Nursing Practice Courses

NURS 700 – Principles of Epidemiology and Biostatistics
This course introduces students to the purpose, content, and methods of epidemiology and biostatistics.
The fundamental concepts and techniques of descriptive and inferential statistics are explored with
particular emphasis on applications in epidemiology, public health, global health, disease surveillance
and outbreak analysis, health care administration, and the social and biological sciences. Basic statistics,
including exploratory data analysis, descriptive statistics, hypothesis testing, correlation, regression, and
ANOVA methods are presented. Evaluating and using output from statistical computing software are
also addressed. (3 credit hours)

NURS 701 – Foundations of Clinical Scholarship

As the first course in the DNP program, this course is designed to refine students’ scholarly writing skills
through a variety of strategies. Along with important works in nursing, literature in other disciplines is
also explored. The process of concept analysis is emphasized. (3 credit hours)

NURS 702 – Integrating and Synthesizing Research

This course emphasizes an objective approach to the integration and synthesis of knowledge according
to scientific principles and rules. The conceptual consequences imposed by science on philosophies of
knowledge are also discussed. Manuscript preparation and practical use of evidence are incorporated in
an effort to prepare students for the design of research proposals. (3 credit hours)

NURS 703 – Ethics For Advanced Nursing Practice

This course is designed to present ethical principles and decision-making models for the highest level of
nursing practice. Evidence-based nursing and interprofessional literature are used to analyze ethical
dilemmas that arise in professional practice. (3 credit hours)

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Course Descriptions

NURS 704 Quality and Patient Safety in Advanced Nursing Practice

This course is designed to provide students with the foundation of process improvement (PI) and quality
improvement (QI) concepts. Theoretical perspectives of quality and patient safety factors and the use of
selected process improvement tools will be examined. Evidence-based practice and change
management will be integrated with concepts of PI and QI. Systems thinking will be emphasized. (3
credit hours)

NURS 708 – Organizations Theory and Systems Leadership

Organizational, management and social science theories are analyzed in the context of organizational
leadership and change management. Systems thinking is emphasized. (3 credit hours)

NURS 709 – Advanced Health Care Policy

In this course knowledge of the American healthcare system is used to identify economically and
politically feasible and viable policy changes that would improve the efficiency and effectiveness of the
system’s delivery of health care. The policy-making process is examined to prepare students to be
effective advocates for health policy change. (3 credit hours)

NURS 710 – Graduate Statistics

Understanding the measurement of phenomena is a critical component of the research process.
Procedures for selecting, applying and interpreting the correct statistical application to a research
problem will be presented with students processing the results. (3 credit hours)

NURS 705 – Clinical Inquiry I

In this course, students design an evidence-based research study that will guide clinical practice. The
feasibility of conducting this research initiative is explored. Potential funding sources and budget issues
will be examined. Students complete the human subjects training and write a proposal. (3 credit hours)

NURS 706 – Clinical Inquiry II

In this course, students implement their clinical project and complete data collection. Students apply
integrated research concepts as they pertain to their clinical project. Utilization of various methods of
data analysis and data management systems will be explored. (3 credit hours)

NURS 707 – Clinical Inquiry III

In this course, students complete data analysis of the clinical project. Based upon the results of data
analysis, students disseminate their evidence-based research through written and oral delivery. (3 credit
hours)

Post-Master’s NP Certificate Core Courses

See MSN Core Courses:
NURS 603, NURS 610, NURS 611, NURS 612, NURS 615

BSN to DNP Core Courses

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Course Descriptions

See MSN Core Courses:

NURS 600, NURS 601, NURS 602, NURS 603, NURS 610, NURS 611, NURS 612, NURS 615

See DNP Core Courses:

NURS 700, NURS 701, NURS 702, NURS 703, NURS 704, NURS 708, NURS 709, NURS 710

Concentration Courses
Adult-Gerontology Acute Care Nurse Practitioner Core Courses
NURS 640 Adult-Gerontology Acute Care Diagnosis and Management I
First didactic management course in the Adult Gerontology Acute Care Nurse Practitioner program.
Focus is on evidence based theory and research in individuals experiencing acute illness with common
problems seen in the acute care setting. Students will analyze practice guidelines and learn to develop
differential diagnoses implementing clinical judgment and decision-making as it relates to
pathophysiology, pharmacology and evidence based management. (3 credit hours)

NURS 641 Adult-Gerontology Acute Care Diagnosis and Management Practicum I

First practicum course in the Adult Gerontology Acute Care Nurse Practitioner (AGACNP) program.
Application and integration of concepts presented in the NURS 640 with focus on applying knowledge
and skills in acute care practice settings. This course will examine common acute care presentations. The
practicum requires 250 clinical practice hours. (3 credit hours)

NURS 642 – Adult-Gerontology Acute Care Diagnosis and Management II

Second didactic management course in the Adult Gerontology Acute Care Nurse Practitioner program.
Students will continue to expand on knowledge, decision making and management of acute and
emergent physiological alterations in cardiovascular, pulmonary, renal, genitourinary, gastrointestinal,
endocrine, infectious disease, OB-GYN and Hematology-Oncology disorders, while implementing critical
thinking of pathophysiology, pharmacology and evidence-based management of complex
symptomatology. (3 credit hours)

NURS 643 – Adult-Gerontology Acute Care Diagnosis and Management Practicum II

Second practicum course in the Adult Gerontology Acute Care Nurse Practitioner (AGACNP) program.
Application and integration of concepts presented in the NURS 642 with focus on comprehensive health
care to complex, acute and critically ill patients in a clinical, preceptored practicum experience. The
practicum requires 250 clinical practice hours. (3 credit hours)

NURS 644 – Adult-Gerontology Acute Care Diagnosis and Management III

Final didactic management course in the Adult Gerontology Acute Care Nurse Practitioner (AGACNP)
program. Students will continue to refine knowledge, decision making and management of acute and
emergent physiological alterations in neurological, traumatic, toxicology/ingestions, psychiatric, burns,
shock states, failures states, sepsis, and multisystem disorders, as well as intensive life support and end
of life, while implementing critical thinking of pathophysiology, pharmacology and evidence based
management of complex symptomatology. (3 credit hours)

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Course Descriptions

NURS 645 – Adult-Gerontology Acute Care Diagnosis and Management Practicum III
Final practicum course in the Adult Gerontology Acute Care Nurse Practitioner (AGACNP) program.
Application and integration of concepts presented in the NURS 644 with focus on comprehensive health
care to complex, acute and critically ill patients in a clinical, preceptored practicum experience. The
practicum requires 250 clinical practice hours. (3 credit hours)

Adult-Gerontology Primary Care Nurse Practitioner Core Courses

NURS 620 – Adult-Gerontology Health Care I
Care of adults experiencing selected common acute and chronic health problems as well as those
experiencing complex and multiple health problems are studied in this course. Emphasis is placed on
detailed history taking, differential diagnosis, management of health care problems, and documentation
of findings. Strategies to manage health problems of adults in urban and rural primary care settings are
explored with an emphasis on evidence-based research guidelines. Nursing care to support positive life-
style behaviors, primary prevention, and support of functional ability is discussed. (3 credit hours)

NURS 621 – Adult-Gerontology Nurse Practitioner Practicum I

The theoretical, clinical, and role components of care are implemented in a supervised clinical practicum
with a board certified nurse practitioner or physician preceptor. Opportunity is provided for the
assessment, management, and evaluation of young, middle, and older aged adults with common and
complex health problems in a primary care setting. Emphasis is on independence in decision making
within a multidisciplinary context. The practicum requires 215-250 clinical practice hours. (3 credit
hours)

NURS 623 – Adult-Gerontology Health Care II

Care of adults experiencing selected common acute and chronic health problems as well as those
experiencing complex and multiple health problems is studied in this course. Emphasis is placed on
detailed history taking, differential diagnosis, management of health care problems, and documentation
of findings. Strategies to manage health problems of adults in urban and rural primary care settings are
explored with an emphasis on evidence-based research guidelines. Nursing care to support positive life-
style behaviors, primary prevention, and support of functional ability is discussed. (3 credit hours)

NURSE 624 – Adult-Gerontology Nurse Practitioner Practicum II

The theoretical, clinical, and role components of care are implemented in a supervised clinical practicum
with a board certified nurse practitioner or physician preceptor. Opportunity is provided for the
assessment, management, and evaluation of young, middle, and older-aged adults with common and
complex health problems in a primary care setting. Emphasis is on independence in decision making
within a multidisciplinary context. The practicum requires 215-250 clinical practice hours. (3 credit
hours)

FAMILY NURSE PRACTITIONER CORE COURSES

NURS 620 – Adult-Gerontology Health Care I
Care of adults experiencing selected common acute and chronic health problems as well as those
experiencing complex and multiple health problems are studied in this course. Emphasis is placed on

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Course Descriptions

detailed history taking, differential diagnosis, management of health care problems, and documentation
of findings. Strategies to manage health problems of adults in urban and rural primary care settings are
explored with an emphasis on evidence-based research guidelines. Nursing care to support positive life-
style behaviors, primary prevention, and support of functional ability is discussed. (3 credit hours)

NURS 621 – Adult-Gerontology Nurse Practitioner Practicum I

The theoretical, clinical, and role components of care are implemented in a supervised clinical practicum
with a board certified nurse practitioner or physician preceptor. Opportunity is provided for the
assessment, management, and evaluation of young, middle, and older aged adults with common and
complex health problems in a primary care setting. Emphasis is on independence in decision making
within a multidisciplinary context. The practicum requires 215-250 clinical practice hours. (3 credit
hours)

NURS 623 – Adult-Gerontology Health Care II

Care of adults experiencing selected common acute and chronic health problems as well as those
experiencing complex and multiple health problems is studied in this course. Emphasis is placed on
detailed history taking, differential diagnosis, management of health care problems, and documentation
of findings. Strategies to manage health problems of adults in urban and rural primary care settings are
explored with an emphasis on evidence-based research guidelines. Nursing care to support positive life-
style behaviors, primary prevention, and support of functional ability is discussed. (3 credit hours)

NURSE 624 – Adult-Gerontology Nurse Practitioner Practicum II

The theoretical, clinical, and role components of care are implemented in a supervised clinical practicum
with a board certified nurse practitioner or physician preceptor. Opportunity is provided for the
assessment, management, and evaluation of young, middle, and older-aged adults with common and
complex health problems in a primary care setting. Emphasis is on independence in decision making
within a multidisciplinary context. The practicum requires 215-250 clinical practice hours. (3 credit
hours)

NURS 629 – Pediatric/Family Health Care III

Care of childbearing women, pediatric clients, and their families experiencing complex and multiple
health problems is studied in this course. This course prepares Family Nurse Practitioners to develop
expertise and assume responsibility for health promotion, maintenance, and management of children
and women in their reproductive years. Emphasis is placed on the child within the framework of the
family. Stages of development are explored from biophysiological, cognitive, emotional, and
sociocultural perspectives. (3 credit hours)

NUR 630 – Family Nurse Practitioner Practicum III

The nurse practitioner practicum experience provides the student with an opportunity to assume
responsibility for the primary health care services of individuals and families under the supervision of an
established nurse practitioner and/or physician preceptor. The student is expected to assume increasing
responsibility for planning and implementing therapeutic processes and for documenting and evaluating
outcomes of care. The role of the FNP in health problem management, family involvement, health
promotion and teaching, health maintenance, and continued collaboration with health professionals is
emphasized. This practicum requires 225 clinical practice hours with a board certified Nurse Practitioner
preceptor or MD, reflecting approximately 70 hours in Women’s Health and 155 hours in Pediatrics. (3
credit hours)

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Course Descriptions

PEDIATRIC (PRIMARY CARE) NURSE PRACTITIONER CORE COURSES

NURS 650 – Health Promotion of the Pediatric Population
Focus on growth and development for stages of pediatric development using theory and evidence based
practice; learn anticipatory guidance techniques. Understand appropriate health promotion and illness
prevention within the pediatric population incorporating individual, cultural, ethnic, and spiritual
preferences into health care. (3 credit hours)

NURS 651 – Pediatric Assessment and Diagnosis I

This course introduces pediatric nurse practitioner students to advanced nursing management of the
pediatric population in a primary care setting. Content on how to perform comprehensive history and
physical examination and use diagnostic testing and screening tools for the pediatric population in
addition to interpretation of data and understanding differential diagnosis for common pediatric
illnesses. (3 credit hours)

NURS 652 – Pediatric Assessment and Diagnosis Practicum I

Under the supervision of clinical preceptors, working with the pediatric population in primary care and
other settings begin to develop the competences needed for a nurse practitioner. Develop an
understanding of pathophysiology concepts in the pediatric population. Understand case management,
collaboration and referral for specialist for evaluation and community resources. The practicum requires
250 clinical practice hours. (3 credit hours)

NURS 653 – Pediatric Assessment and Diagnosis II

This course broadens the pediatric nurse practitioner student’s primary care role and expands the
interprofessional team involvement. Course content focuses on advanced nursing management of the
pediatric population who present with disease processes seen in a primary care setting along with
continued development of health promotion and disease prevention competencies. (3 credit hours)

NURS 654 – Pediatric Assessment and Diagnosis Practicum II

Under the supervision of clinical preceptors, students will work to assume a more autonomous role in
initiating physical assessments, determining pathophysiological processes, interpreting diagnostic
findings, initiating pharmacologic and non- pharmacologic therapies, providing patient education, and
developing disease management and health promotion strategies for the pediatric population. The
practicum requires 250 clinical practice hours. (3 credit hours)

Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner Core Courses

NURS 660 – Psychopharmacology and Mental Health Assessment
This course will examine the advanced concepts of assessment, psychopathology, and differential
diagnosis in advanced practice psychiatric-mental health nursing, as well as the study and use of
psychotropic drugs used in the holistic treatment of acute and chronic psychiatric-mental health
disorders, including pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics. A strong emphasis is placed on proper
assessment and identification of discrete aspects of cognition, affect and behavior in the diagnosis and
treatment planning of psychiatric illness across the life span. (3 credit hours)

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Course Descriptions

NURS 661 – Psychiatric-Mental Health Diagnosis and Management I

This course will focus on synthesized advanced practice knowledge relevant to the multidimensional
assessment and interventions processes of the adult and older adult and their family. A variety of
theories and models will be used to develop an understanding of the etiologies of acute and chronic
mental health disorders among adults and older adults. Neuroscience principles and family-centered
theories will be addressed. Selection of appropriate treatment strategies including individual and group
psychotherapies will be emphasized. (3 credit hours)

NURS 662 – Psychiatric-Mental Health Diagnosis and Management Practicum I

This practicum is designed to synthesize advanced practice knowledge relevant to persons with
psychiatric illness and their families. Students will integrate relevant theories into the clinical
management of targeted acute and chronic psychiatric symptoms and disorders. A variety of
psychotherapeutic strategies will be explored. Evidence-based practice and research-based clinical
decision making will be emphasized in the assessment, diagnosis, and treatment of a variety of DMS-5
diagnoses among adult and older adult clients. (3 credit hours)

NURS 663 – Psychiatric-Mental Health Diagnosis and Management II

This course will provide the student with an opportunity to evaluate and apply evidenced-based
approaches of health promotion, diagnosis and management of psychiatric illness in the care of children
and adolescents and their families. An expansion of knowledge in a variety of theories and models will
be used to develop an understanding of the etiologies of complex mental health disorders in order to
diagnose, treat, and evaluate a variety of DSM-5 diagnoses among children and adolescent clients and
their families. Students will continue to develop more in-depth knowledge of various
psychopharmacological and non-pharmacological interventions including crisis intervention, as well as
individual and group psychotherapies. (3 credit hours)

NURS 664 – Psychiatric-Mental Health Diagnosis and Management Practicum II

This practicum is designed to synthesize advanced practice knowledge relevant to children and
adolescents and their families with psychiatric illness. Students will integrate relevant theories into the
clinical management of targeted across the life span with complex psychiatric symptoms and a variety of
DSM-5 disorders. A variety of treatment and management strategies will be explored. Evidence-based
practice and research-based clinical decision making will be emphasized in order to evaluate, diagnosis,
treat, and evaluate a variety of DSM-5 diagnoses across the life span. (3 credit hours)

NURS 665 – Psychiatric-Mental Health Diagnosis and Management III

This course is designed to synthesize theoretical knowledge and evidenced based research for
psychiatric-mental health specialty areas with a focus on life span issues. A continued expansion of
knowledge in a variety of theories and models will be used to further enhance an understanding of
complex mental health disorders in order to diagnose, treat, and evaluate a variety of specialty issues
among patients across the life span. Students will develop an advanced knowledge of various
psychopharmacological and non-pharmacological interventions including individual and group
psychotherapies to treat various complex DSM-5 disorders across the life span. (3 credit hours)

NURS 667 – Psychiatric-Mental Health Diagnosis and Management Practicum III

This practicum is designed to synthesize advanced practice knowledge relevant to psychiatric-mental
health specialty areas with a focus on life span issues. Students will show an advanced ability to

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Course Descriptions

integrate relevant theories into the clinical management of targeted across the life span with complex
psychiatric symptoms and a variety of DSM-5 disorders. A variety of treatment and management
strategies will be explored. Using advanced evidence-based practice knowledge and research-based
clinical decision-making students will evaluate, diagnosis, treat, and evaluate a variety of DSM-5
diagnoses across the life span working within a more advanced role. (3 credit hours)