Full Course Description List:

NURX Courses

3 credits

Students will receive a foundation for academic and professional success as scholar-practitioners and social change agents. Course assignments introduce students to resources that support success, development of graduate-level writing skills and use of APA Style, academic integrity, and the creation of a professional development plan based on each student’s chosen specialization. Additionally, information and requirements for the MSN Practicum are introduced.

3 credits

Students will receive a foundation for academic and professional success as scholar-practitioners and social change agents. Course assignments introduce students to resources that support success, development of graduate-level writing skills and use of APA Style, academic integrity, and the creation of a professional development plan based on each student’s chosen specialization. Additionally, information and requirements for the MSN Practicum are introduced.

5 credits

In today's rapidly changing healthcare delivery system, decisions made within the political arena impact the future of healthcare systems and the populations that healthcare professionals serve. In this course, students examine healthcare reform and its impact on healthcare delivery, population health, and nursing practice. They evaluate policies that influence the structure, financing, and quality in healthcare and examine healthcare delivery from a global perspective. Through discussions, case studies, and other activities, students examine the effects of legal and regulatory processes on nursing practice, healthcare delivery, and population health outcomes. Students also examine ways to advocate for promotion and preservation of population health and gain the necessary skills to influence policy and support changes effected by the passing of new healthcare reform legislation.

Prerequisites:

•  NURX 6002 or NURX 6003 (may be taken concurrently)

5 credits

Nursing informatics is essential to the provision of effective and efficient care. This course examines nursing informatics as a nursing competency and a nursing specialty. Students examine the role of the nurse informaticist in current practices related to the collection, access, and use of health information and knowledge, as well as the implementation of clinical systems. Through this course, students gain an understanding of how informatics is used to improve advanced nursing practice and healthcare outcomes across organizations, public health, and consumer health settings.

Prerequisites:

•  NURX 6002 or NURX 6003

5 credits

Nurses base practice on sound and tested evidence to ensure the safety, high quality, and cost-effectiveness of patient care. This course provides students the opportunity to gain a better understanding of the development and relationship of nursing theory, research, and practice. Through a variety of online activities and coursework, students explore the role of nursing theory in both research and practice. They examine research literature to differentiate and critique various research designs, including quantitative, qualitative, and mixed-method models; appraise statistical data; and analyze evidence. Acquired knowledge helps students to critically evaluate research to make decisions about use of findings to enhance practice.

Prerequisites:

•  NURX 6002 or NURX 6003

5 credits

Students in this course prepare to exercise leadership through which they can help to ensure their organization is able to adapt and flourish in the ever-changing world of healthcare. Students explore the impact of healthcare system changes on transforming the nursing profession. They examine and discuss theories related to leadership and management and learn about empowerment strategies that assist masters-prepared nurses to assume and succeed in leadership roles. Students engage in course assignments that focus on real-world nursing practice applications of theory.

Prerequisites:

•  NURX 6002 or NURX 6003

5 credits

Nurse administrators in healthcare organizations must be aware of and integrate strategic organizational goals. Students in this course use an interdisciplinary case study approach to examine nursing administrative practice issues as they relate to the strategic planning process. Students apply leadership and management principles, concepts, and theory to strategic issues within the case study format. Through these applications, students learn to use a variety of administrative strategies within the context of supportive and collaborative interdisciplinary relationships to achieve positive patient care delivery outcomes that effect positive social change in patient communities. 

5 credits

Nursing leadership is grounded firmly in managing our most important resource human capital. In this course, students address nurse administrators¿ role and responsibilities in human resource management. Students explore current legal, ethical, professional, and practice policies and standards, and they learn how to apply technology to human resource functions. Additionally, students learn strategies to support positive organizational and nursing service goals. They also have the opportunity to gain an understanding of the importance of staff satisfaction as well as creating collaborative and supportive partnerships within organizations.

2 practicum credits

Students in this course apply the MSN curriculum experience by translating knowledge into practice by designing, developing, and implementing a project in a professional healthcare setting. By using the culmination of learning, students gain the opportunity effect positive social change within the healthcare delivery environment in the roles of change agent and nurse. The result of the practicum experience provides students with an experience through which they develop their passion as a practitioner while enhancing the nurse role as an advocate for social change within the context of a scholarly presence. Note: This course requires a minimum of 144 practicum hours.

Prerequisites:

•  NURX 6241

5 credits

The development of leadership strategies and competencies that support the healthcare organizational delivery of quality care is imperative to quality outcomes within healthcare systems. In this course, students use a systems approach to explore structures, processes, and outcomes that impact healthcare quality and ultimately improve patient experience and outcomes. Students learn how interdisciplinary collaboration is important to the development of quality and safety. Engaging in conceptual and application-based assignments, students focus on clinical and service quality planning and improvement initiatives; models, tools, and innovations for process improvement; and the importance and use of metrics in daily operations.

5 credits

Nurse leaders in healthcare organizations must be aware of and integrate strategic organizational goals. Students in this course use an interdisciplinary case study approach to address unmet organizational and/or professional needs through strategic planning processes. Students apply organizational, behavioral, political, leadership, and management knowledge and theory to planning, implementing, and evaluating strategically planned change. Through these applications, students learn to use a variety of administrative strategies within the context of supportive and collaborative interdisciplinary relationships to achieve desired health care outcomes that effect positive social change in patient and professional communities.