Accelerated Direct-Entry Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) Degree

NU 619 Pharmacology for Clinical Practice (3 credit hours)

This course integrates pathophysiologic and pharmacologic concepts as they relate to disease process and health conditions. It incorporates the concepts of pharmacology essential for basic nursing practice including pharmacokinetics, pharmacodynamics, and phamacotherapeutics. Drug classifications in conjunction with clinical manifestations are considered alongside the pharmacologic approaches to treatment. Emphasis is placed on evidence-based practice across the lifespan in treating patients including those with comorbidities. Prerequisite: admission to nursing program.

NU 624 Professional Nursing (8 credit hours)

This course provides the foundation upon which the learner will develop the knowledge, values, and skills for becoming a competent, caring professional generalist who assumes an integral role in the changing health care system. It focuses on the acquisition of both art and science components of nursing and the development of critical thinking by including laboratory and clinical practice as well as classroom content.

NU 304 Health Assessment with Lab (3 credit hours)

This course teaches the student to assess the health status of clients of any age in any setting. Students incorporate knowledge attained in the prerequisite courses, Introductory and Developmental Psychology, Sociology, Anatomy and Physiology, Chemistry, and Microbiology. The student learns verbal and non-verbal communication techniques used in obtaining a health history and the written communication techniques used in documenting the health assessment. Students acquire the basic psychomotor skills of inspection, palpation, percussion and auscultation necessary when performing a physical examination. The effects of age, gender, culture, religion, socioeconomic status, lifestyle, and adaptation are identified.

Note: Class plus lab three hours per week.

NU 606 Advanced Pathophysiology (3 credit hours)

This course will provide an in-depth study of the concepts of the science of pathology for graduate nursing students. It will cover the physiological causes and development of diseases; functional and secondary changes they cause; and their course, complications, and appropriate treatments. Specific examples of disease states throughout the lifespan will be evaluated. The course will treat all levels of pathology from molecular to cellular, tissue, organ, and organ systems, emphasizing the role of homeostasis and the ensuing disturbances, which lead to disease conditions.

NU 625 Acute Care Nursing (8 credit hours)

This course focuses on the secondary level of health care, specifically analyzing the cultural, spiritual, and biopsychosocial needs of clients with acute health problems and their families. Using a systems approach, the student examines the complex interrelationships between the client/family, the health care system and nursing. Emphasis is placed on client/family adaptation and the professional nursing role in an acute/critical care setting.

NU 633 Psychiatric Mental Health Nursing (5 credit hours)

This course focuses on the role of the professional nurse in the transcultural care of individuals with psychiatric/mental health problems and their families. The student examines major mental health problems across the lifespan, multiple treatment modalities, and specific intervention strategies. Selected clinical experiences in a variety of health care settings facilitate the development of knowledge and skill.

Note: Class three hours per week and clinicals 7.5 hours per week.

NU 621 Nursing Care of Aging Adult (3 credit hours)

Misperceptions and lack of education about the aging process influence both the quality and outcomes of the nursing care being provided to our aging population. This course will examine the complexities and realities of caring for well and frail elders. Emphasis is focused on the multidimensional aspects of the aging process and the specialized nursing education required in caring for this population.

NU 647 Maternal Child Health/Family Nursing (8 credit hours)

This course focuses on the adaptation and health promotion of families including childbearing women, infants, children, and adolescents. It builds on previously acquired knowledge and skills and examines physiological, psychological, social, cultural, spiritual, ethical, legal, and professional issues of care. It helps the student develop a lifespan perspective while allowing an exploration of the special needs and problems of the childbearing women, infants, children, and adolescents. Selected clinical experiences in maternal-newborn settings, acute pediatric settings, and community-based schools help the learner begin to develop critical thinking skills and competence in family health nursing.

NU 601 Nursing Theory (3 credit hours)

This course focuses on the historical development of theory from the perspective of nursing science. Nursing theory and its relationship to research and evidenced-based nursing practice, as well as approaches to theory construction are explored. Students will analyze selected concepts, the building blocks of theories. Students will critique specific nursing theories in relation to their own belief systems, examining the concepts of the major paradigms within the discipline of nursing as well as other human science disciplines. Early "grand nursing theories" and "mid-range nursing theories" more recently developed will be evaluated. Emphasis will be on understanding individual nursing theories and borrowed theories from other disciplines and their application to nursing practice, nursing research, nursing leadership, and nursing education.

NU 605 Nursing Leadership (3 credit hours)

This course focuses on issues of leadership role development in professional nursing. Using role theory, students will explore concepts of role mastery, congruence and conflict as well as the role of nursing leadership in the broader organizational context. Emphasis in NU 605 is on the analysis of leadership and related theories as these apply to the individual practice of the nurse leader.

NU 640A Community Health Nursing (5 credit hours)

The role of the professional nurse in the primary level of health care is explored. Using client models, the nursing process, and adaptation models, students will help to plan therapeutic nursing interventions for individuals, families, and groups in a variety of community settings. In addition, the course will focus on community and family assessment, adaptation, communication, critical thinking and decision-making skills, epidemiology, research utilization, group process, and other strategies used in community health. Students will develop competence in a clinical practice setting.

Note: Class three hours per week and clinical 7.5 hours per week.

NU 645 Complex Care Nursing (5 credit hours)

In this synthesis course, students analyze the cultural, spiritual, and bio-psychosocial needs of clients and their families who face complex multi-system health problems across the wellness-illness trajectory, with a focus on the transition from acute care to rehabilitation or long-term care in institutional settings. Using a case study approach, students examine the complex interrelationships between client/family, the health care system and nursing. Emphasis is placed on adaptation, nursing process, and the professional role. Students apply critical thinking, decision making, and communication skills in selected clinical settings that will enhance their ability to develop therapeutic nursing interventions.

NU 631 Scientific Inquiry for Evidence-Based Practice (3 credit hours)

The Scientific Inquiry for Evidence-Based Practice course will explore the conceptual, theoretical, and ethical foundations of nursing. The course will focus on the research process and application of evidence to nursing practice. During this course students identify a practice problem according to its relevance to the professional practice of nursing or advanced clinical practice. The primary focus of this course is on understanding research methods as they pertain to evidence-based practice. During the course students will complete an evidence-based practice proposal.

Prerequisite: Completion of NU 601.

NU 320 Clinical Pharmacology (3 credit hours)

This course integrates pathophysiologic and pharmacologic concepts as they relate to human health issues and the application of the nursing process across the lifespan. The parthenogenesis and clinical manifestations of organ and system disease processes are considered alongside the pharmacologic approaches used to treat them. Emphasis is placed on understanding how drugs work in the context of specific disease states, why a particular drug regimen is selected, and how to assess and monitor the patient receiving the drug.

NU 324 Professional Nursing (8 credit hours)

This course provides the foundation upon which the learner will develop the knowledge, values, and skills for becoming a competent, caring professional generalist who assumes an integral role in the changing health care system. It focuses on acquisition of both art and science components of nursing and the development of critical thinking by including laboratory and clinical practice, as well as classroom content.

Note: Class four hours per week, clinical eight hours per week, lab three hours per week, and math class one hour per week.

NU 325 Acute Care Nursing (8 credit hours)

This course focuses on the secondary level of health care, specifically analyzing the cultural, spiritual, and biopsychosocial needs of clients with acute health problems and their families. Using a systems approach, the student examines the complex interrelationships between the client/family, the health care system, and nursing. Emphasis is placed on client/family adaptation and the professional nursing role in an acute care setting.

Note: Class four hours per week, and clinical 12 hours per week.

BI 212 Pathophysiology or BI 612 Advanced Pathophysiology (3 credit hours)

This course is an introduction to the basic concepts of pathophysiology. Students will examine the phenomena that cause and produce alterations in human physiologic function and the resulting human response. Upon completion of the course, students will understand pathophysiological changes, including how pathological processes are manifested, progress in the body, and primary and secondary effects. The course is based on illness and disease within a systems framework across the lifespan.

Prerequisite: A minimum grade of C in BI 106 or permission of the instructor.

NU 321 Aging (3 credit hours)

Misperceptions and lack of education about the aging process influence both the quality and outcomes of the nursing care being provided to our aging population. This course will examine the complexities and realities of caring for well and frail elders. Emphasis is focused on the multidimensional aspects of the aging process and the specialized nursing education required in caring for this population.

NU 333 Psychiatric Mental Health Nursing (6 credit hours)

This course focuses on the role of the professional nurse in the transcultural care of individuals with psychiatric/mental health problems and their families. The student examines major mental health problems across the lifespan, multiple treatment modalities, and specific intervention strategies. Selected clinical experiences in a variety of health care settings facilitate the development of knowledge and skill.

Note: Class three hours per week and clinicals 7.5 hours per week.

NU 347 Maternal Child Health (8 credit hours)

This course focuses on the adaptation and health promotion of families including childbearing women, infants, children, and adolescents. It builds on previously acquired knowledge and skills and examines physiological, psychological, social, cultural, spiritual, ethical, legal, and professional issues of care. It helps the student develop a lifespan perspective while allowing an exploration of the special needs and problems of the childbearing women, infants, children, and adolescents. Selected clinical experiences in maternal-newborn settings, acute pediatric settings and community-based school help the learner begin to develop critical thinking skills and competence in family health nursing.

Note: Class four hours per week and clinical 12 hours per week.

NU 340 Community Health Nursing (6 credit hours)

The role of the professional nurse in the primary level of health care is explored. Using client models, the nursing process, and adaptation models, students will help to plan therapeutic nursing interventions for individuals, families, and groups in a variety of community settings. In addition, the course will focus on community and family assessment, adaptation, communication, critical thinking and decision-making skills, epidemiology, research utilization, group process, and other strategies used in community health. Students will develop competence in a clinical practice setting.

Note: Class three hours per week and clinical 7.5 hours per week.

NU 345 Complex Care Nursing (6 credit hours)

In this synthesis course, students analyze the cultural, spiritual, and biopsychosocial needs of clients and their families who face complex multisystem health problems across the wellness-illness trajectory, with a focus on the transition from acute care to rehabilitation or long-term care in institutional settings. Using a case study approach, students examine the complex interrelationships between client/family, the health care system, and nursing. Emphasis is placed on adaptation, nursing process, and the professional role. Students apply critical thinking, decision-making, and communication skills in selected clinical settings that will enhance their ability to develop therapeutic nursing interventions.

Note: Class three hours per week, seminar class one hour per week, and clinical 150 hours per semester.