Curriculum for the Master of Science in Nursing

All professional track laboratory courses are 2 full days (or their equivalents) each week. Hours are individually arranged to meet the needs of students and preceptors.

Curriculum for the Master of Science in Nursing for Nursing Administration

GRADUATE NURSING CORE

NU508 Factors Affecting Health Care I 3 cr.

NU515 Factors Affecting Health Care II 3 cr.

NU510 History and Development of Nursing Theory 3 cr.

NU520: Nursing Research for Advanced Practice Nursing 3 cr.

NU530: Data Management for Advanced Practice Nursing 3 cr.

NU550: Education and Motivation of Nursing Clients 3 cr.
Total 18 credits

NURSING ADMINISTRATION CONCENTRATION

BE501: Economics of Management 3 cr.
or
BE572: Health Care Economics* 3 cr.

BM502: Management and Organization Behavior 3cr.

BA503: Financial Accounting 3 cr.
Total 9 credits

* If students have undergraduate economic courses sufficient to waive BE 501

FUNCTIONAL SPECIALTY

NU661 Nursing Administration Lecture 3 cr.

NU662 Nursing Administration Practica and Seminar 3 cr.

NU 663 Case Management Lecture 3 cr.

NU 664 Case Management Practica and Seminar 3 cr.
Total 12 credits

Total Program = 39 credits

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Course Descriptions

Focuses on pathogenesis of selected diseases leading to alterations of body structure and functions across the life span. Emphasizes the laboratory definition of vertebrate tissue.

NU 508 Factors Affecting Health Care I 3 credits

Examine models and contexts for health promotion and disease prevention; examine the influence of culture on health beliefs and practices; ethical dilemmas. Investigate factors such as access to care, health and social policy, health care finance and economics, and legislative influences on health.

NU 510 History and Development of Nursing Theory 3 credits

History and philosophy of science and nursing science; techniques for concept analysis and theory development; examination of nursing conceptual models used to develop nursing theory, research and practice; review and analysis of concepts in nursing and related fields for nursing theory development.

NU 515 Factors Affecting Health Care II 3 credits

Professionalism and roles of the advanced practice nurse, certification issues, legal and ethical components, client advocacy, case management. Examination of factors affecting health care today, access to care, health policy, organizational issues, social problems, legislative influences, epidemiology, community involvement, client payment issues.

NU 520 Nursing Research for Advanced Practice Nursing 3 credits

Critical appraisal of the role of nursing research and methods of inquiry in the development of nursing theory and practice. Qualitative and quantitative research design; measurement theory and strategies; methods of data analysis; reading and writing research reports; ethical considerations; application of research techniques for outcome evaluation.
Prerequisite or Corequisite: NU510.

NU 530 Data Management for Advanced Practice Nursing 3 credits

Planning for and collection of outcome data; preparation of data for hypothesis testing; use of the SPSS statistical computer package for data management and analysis; selection and interpretation of appropriate parametric and nonparametric descriptive and inferential statistics for outcome evaluation.
Prerequisite: NU520

NU 540 Pharmacology for Advanced Practice Nursing 3 credits

Historical perspective, legal regulations and standards, the Controlled Substances Act; pharmacokinetics; pharmacodynamics, choice and use of pharmacotherapeutics; nursing responsibilities in drug prescription; client education with respect to drug desired effects, side effects, interactions, toxicity, dependence, and addiction.

NU 550 Education and Motivation of Nursing Clients 3 credits

Role of the advanced practice nurse in fostering health promotion via education of clients, families, and professional colleagues. Essential factors for successful teaching and learning. Motivating the client to make behavioral changes to promote health and development. Development, presentation and evaluation of a formal teaching plan.

NU 555 Advanced Health Assessment 2 credits

Theory and practice of health assessment skills, identification of deviations from the normal and documentation of findings are refined. Advanced level assessment includes the comprehensive history, physical and psychological variations of the client. The client is viewed holistically, incorporating cultural, nutritional, and developmental variations. Application of techniques are practiced in the college laboratory and with clients in outside agencies. Students translate assessment data into differential diagnoses and interpret laboratory and diagnostic data. Relationship of health assessment to the role and responsibilities of the nurse practitioner are examined.
Prerequisite or Corequisite: BY/NU501

NU621 Advanced Practice Nursing I: Adult 3 credits

Detailed case study analysis of health problems of the adult including pathophysiology, strengths and weaknesses of assessment data collection, diagnostic process, planning, intervention, and evaluation. Interview and physical examination techniques for collecting subjective and objective data from the adult client in the primary care setting; deriving nursing diagnoses; planning care for acute and chronic illness using community resources; use of communication for health teaching and counseling and to motivate adult clients for positive health-maintenance. Expansion of traditional nursing role to the advanced practice nurse (APN) role through the incorporation of the fundamental patterns of knowing: empirics, aesthetics, personal knowledge, and ethics. The course is process-driven and will require extensive reading in the student's specialty area.
Prerequisites: NU555; NU/BY501 or Corequesite: NU540; NU622.

NU 622 Advanced Practice Nursing: Laboratory I: Adult

4 credits, 240 hours laboratory practice

Delivery of primary health care to adults with common health problems including collection of subjective and objective data using the techniques of interview and physical examination; deriving nursing diagnoses; planning care for acute and chronic illness using community resources; use of communication for health teaching, counseling and motivating clients for positive health-maintenance. Establishment of collaborative role with other health care providers.
Corequisite: NU621.

NU 623 Advanced Practice Nursing II: Adult 3 credits

Detailed case study analysis of health problems of the adult including pathophysiology, strengths and weaknesses of assessment data collection, diagnostic process, planning, intervention, and evaluation. Interview and physical examination techniques for collecting subjective and objective data from the adult client in the primary care setting; deriving nursing diagnoses; planning care for acute and chronic illness using community resources; use of communication for health teaching, counseling and motivating adult clients for positive health-maintenance. Expansion of traditional nursing role to the advanced practice nurse (APN) through the incorporation of the fundamental patterns of knowing: empirics, aesthetics, personal knowledge, and ethics. The course is process-driven and will require extensive reading in the student's specialty area. This course is an extension of Advanced Practice Nursing I: Adult (NU621).
Prerequisite: NU621. Corequisite: NU624.

NU 624 Advanced Practice Nursing: Laboratory II: Adult

4 credits, 250 hours laboratory practice

Delivery of primary health care to adults with complex health problems including collection of subjective and objective data using the techniques of interview and physical examination; deriving nursing diagnoses; planning care for acute and chronic illness using community resources; use of communication for health teaching, counseling and motivating clients for positive health-maintenance. Establishment of collaborative role with other health care providers. This course is a continuation of Advanced Practice Nursing Laboratory I: Adult (NU622).
Prerequisite: NU622. Corequisite: NU623.

NU 631 Advanced Practice Nursing I: Family 3 credits

Detailed case study analysis of age related health problems in the child, pregnant couple, and adult, o including pathophysiology, strengths and weaknesses of assessment data collection, diagnostic process, planning, intervention, and evaluation. Age-related interview and physical examination techniques for collecting subjective and objective data in the primary care setting; deriving nursing diagnoses; planning care for acute and chronic illness using community resources; use of communication for health teaching, counseling and motivating clients for positive health-maintenance. Expansion of traditional nursing role to the advanced practice nurse (APN) role through the incorporation of the fundamental patterns of knowing: empirics, aesthetics, personal knowledge, and ethics. The course is process-driven and will require extensive reading in the student's specialty area.
Prerequisites: NU555; NU/BY501 or Corequisites: NU540; NU632.

NU 632 Advanced Practice Nursing: Laboratory I: Family

4 credits, 250 hours laboratory practice

Delivery of health care to the child, pregnant couple, and adults with complex health problems including collection of subjective and objective data using the techniques of interview and physical examination; deriving nursing diagnoses; planning care for acute and chronic illnesses using community resources; use of communication for health teaching, counseling and motivating clients for positive health-maintenance. Establishment of collaborative role with other health care providers.

Corequisite: NU631

NU 633 Advanced Practice Nursing II: Family 3 credits

Detailed case study analysis of health problems of the child, pregnant couple, and adult, including pathophysiology, strengths and weaknesses of assessment data collection, diagnostic process, planning, intervention, and evaluation. Age-related interview and physical examination techniques for collecting subjective and objective data in the primary care setting; deriving nursing diagnoses; planning care for acute and chronic illness using community resources; use of communication for health teaching, counseling and motivating clients for positive health-maintenance. Expansion of traditional nursing role to the advanced practice nurse (APN) through the incorporation of the fundamental patterns of knowing: empirics, aesthetics, personal knowledge, and ethics. The course is process-driven and will require extensive reading in the student's specialty area. This course is an extension of Advanced Practice Nursing I: Family (NU631).

Prerequisite: NU631. Corequesite: NU634.

NU 634 Advanced Practice Nursing: Laboratory II: Family

4 credits, 250 hours laboratory practice

Delivery of health care to the child, pregnant couple, and adults with complex health problems including collection of subjective and objective data using the techniques of interview and physical examination; deriving nursing diagnoses; planning care for acute and chronic illness using community resources; use of communication for health teaching, counseling and motivating clients for positive health-maintenance. Establishment of collaborative role with other health care providers. This course is a continuation of Advanced Practice Nursing Laboratory I: Family (NU632).

Prerequisite: NU632. Corequisite: NU633.

NU 661 Nursing Administration 3 credits

Students are socialized into the middle level management and administration roles by examination of the administrative process in a variety of health care organizations. Students are expected to assess, plan, develop, evaluate, and refine their effectiveness as leaders and managers of nursing and patient care services. By synthesizing information from previous course work, management theories, and relevant research, students will be able to apply themselves to the management/administration roles.

Corequisite: NU662.

NU 662 Nursing Administration Practica and Seminar

3 credits, 120 hours laboratory practice

Students analyze the middle level management/administrative process in a variety of health care organizations. For the required practicum, the student selects a nursing service compatible with the student's individual goals. Socialization into the the middle management/administrator role permits students to assess, plan, implement, and refine their skills as beginning practitioners as managers and leaders of nursing and patient care services.

Corequisite: NU661.

NU 663 Case Management

3 credits

Students are prepared to practice in the role of a case manager. As a case manager students learn how to provide quality health care along a continuum, decrease fragmentation of care across multiple settings, enhance the client's quality of life, and address issues concerning cost containment. Communication and collaboration techniques are utilized to assess, plan, implement, coordinate, monitor, and evaluate the options and services available to meet individual health needs.

Corequisite: NU 664.

NU 664 Case Management Practica and Seminar

3 credits, 120 hours laboratory practice

Practice in the case management role permits students to assess, plan, implement, and refine their effectiveness as beginning nurse case managers. For the required practicum, students select an agency compatible with the student's individual goals.

BE 501 Economics for Management 3 credits

Microeconomics and macroeconomic concepts and problems of the economic society and their relationship to the business sector; the forces which determine the composition and allocation of resources in the domestic as well as global economics.

BE 572 Economics and Healthcare Economics 3 credits

Analysis of the economic and financial environment of the U.S. healthcare delivery system. Examines the diverse range of financing mechanisms and the interactions with providers and consumers whihchave resulted in the creation of our unique healthcare system. Emphasizes financial management and cost issues as applied to healthcare organizations and systems. The cost constraints of the healthcare markets, capital markets, resource scarcity, and fee setting in a managed care environment are integral components.

Prerequisite: BE 501.

BM 502 Managment and Organizational Behavior 3 credits

Managerial functions, styles, techniques, and practices contingent on the internal and external global organizational environment; overview of diagnostic, behavioral, technical, and conceptual management skills and processes; comparative and applied study of organizational effectiveness with emphasis on group dynamics and team building.

BA 503 Financial Accounting 3 credits

Principles and application of current accounting theory; the development and use of financial statements; the influence of the various financial and accounting institutions.