Nursing - Graduate (MSN)

Introduces competencies and other foundational components of advanced nursing practices such as history, roles, options and choices that are associated with career development and professional practice. Aspects of advanced practice include the impact upon various roles of uses of technology, evidence-based decision making, organizational leadership, systems change, collaboration and outcomes evaluation.

Offered Fall, Spring, Summer

Prerequisite: MSN 502 is recommended. Online course exploring Healthcare Policy/Economics and public policy making at the state, national and international levels as it relates to the current healthcare and economic environment. Evidence-based strategies and policy models will be introduced to apply the policy making process.

Offered Fall, Spring, Summer

Prerequisite: MSN 502 is recommended. Examines traditional and alternative theoretical and conceptual bases of wellness from the perspective of nursing and health. Focuses on assessment, diagnosis, intervention and outcome evaluation of wellness and disease prevention needs and issues encountered in advanced nursing roles.

Offered Fall, Spring, Summer

Prerequisite: MSN 502 is recommended. Co-requisite: MSN 522 is required. Examines theoretical knowledge to perform a comprehensive health history and advanced health assessment. Analysis and synthesis of subjective and objective data to identify health problems an develop management plans. Health promotion risk factor identification and recognition of common abnormalities explored.

Offered All terms, Fall, Spring, Summer

Prerequisite: MSN 502 is recommended. Co-requisite: MSN 521 is required. Application of advanced physical assessment skills and knowledge necessary to perform a comprehensive health assessment. Hands-on supervised skills workshop integrates systematic assessment principles, appropriate health assessment techniques, guidelines and considerations for patients across the lifespan.

Offered All terms, Fall, Spring, Summer

Prerequisites: MSN core courses; MSN 526, 527 and 528 can be taken concurrently with instructor permission; Corequisite: MSN 541 for PC Role Option Students only. Focuses on the theoretical underpinnings specific to the biopsychosocial and developmental aspects of the family during the childbearing and child rearing years. Examines the conceptual basis of advanced practice nursing within the context of family assessment, interventions and strategies. Places emphasis on the family unit within a culturally diverse environment.

Offered Fall

Prerequisites: MSN 502 is recommended or permission of Director. Examines theoretical basis for pharmacological treatment of common health problems. Discusses selected classification of drugs with emphasis on pharmacokinetic principles, pathophysiological basis for therapeutic use, adverse effects, drug interactions, contraindications for use, patient education and issue of compliance.

Offered Fall, Spring, Summer

Prerequisite: Upper-division undergraduate Pathophysiology course. Focuses on application of advanced knowledge of the complex physiological functions and pathophysiological processes related to the care of individuals with health care problems. Discusses alterations in function, and adaptive, integrative and regulatory mechanisms at the molecular, cellular, organ and system levels.

Offered Fall, Spring, Summer

Prerequisite: MSN 502; Corequisite: MSN 559 is recommended. Prepares the student for the nursing role of educator in a variety of academic and community settings. Analyzes and synthesizes curriculum development and teaching/learning strategies. Develops curriculum and teaching strategies using current nursing and education theory and research designed to meet the needs of diverse learners.

Offered Infrequent

Prerequisite: MSN 502 is recommended. Prepares the nurse to critique and apply research findings in nursing practice. Critical thinking is related to problem identification, assessment of data, and outcome evaluation. Research methodologies, including qualitative and quantitative approaches, are examined and related to nursing informatics.

Offered Fall, Spring

Prerequisite: MSN 502 is recommended. Examines the theoretical and conceptual bases of ethics from a nursing perspective, including the moral development of nurses. Focuses on analysis, synthesis and resolution of ethical issues encountered in advanced practice nursing. Uses critical thinking to explore ethical relationships involved in delivering health care to diverse populations.

Offered Fall, Spring, Summer

Prerequisite: MSN 502; Corequisite: MSN 560 is recommended. Examines the advanced role of the nurse administrator within the context of health care organizations, scientific enterprises, government and industry. Investigates current developments in the health care delivery system, including system management. Emphasizes the nurse administrator's leadership in providing health care to diverse populations by diverse providers within multi-level care settings.

Offered Infrequent

Prerequisites: MSN 502 is required. Corequisite: MSN 549 is required for for CNS Adult-Gerontology Role Option students only. Provides comprehensive information on the aging population. Covers normal and abnormal aging changes. The components of Geriatric Syndromes are identified. Learners explore clinical assessment tools, standards of care and client outcomes, including palliative and end-of-life care.

Offered Spring

Prerequisites: MSN 550 and MSN 547 are required. Co-requisite: MSN 548 is required. Focuses on clinical decision making in advance practice nursing. Students will learn the application of critical thinking and clinical judgment to differentiate diagnosis and management of common acute care problems in the acute and critically ill adult patient.

Offered All terms, Spring

Prerequisites: MSN 521, MSN 522, MSN 526, and MSN 528 are required. Co-requisite: MSN 548 is recommended. Advanced nursing management of well and ill neonates focusing on health promotion and maintenance. Evidence-based strategies for anticipatory planning, screening, support of development, and family-cantered care will be explored. Covers symptom management and reviews common medications or the neonate.

Offered All terms, Spring

Prerequisites: MSN 521, MSN 522 MSN 526 and MSN 528 are required. Co-Requisite: MSN 548 is recommended. Advanced nursing management of well and ill neonates focusing on health promotion and maintenance. Evidence-based strategies for anticipatory planning, screening, support of development, and family-centered care will be explored. Covers symptom management and reviews common medications for the neonate.

Offered All terms, Fall

Prerequisite: MSN 502; Corequisite: MSN 570 is recommended. Examines the advanced role of the nurse administrator within the context of resource management. Investigates current developments in health care delivery, including financial management, labor relations, and human resource management. Emphasizes leadership development within multi-level care settings.

Offered Fall, Spring

Prerequisite: MSN 502; Corequisite: MSN 569 is recommended. Prepares the student for the nursing role of educator in a variety of academic and community settings. Analyzes and synthesizes testing and evaluation strategies. Examines current topics and issues related to student assessment and evaluation of learning outcomes using nursing and education theory and research designed to meet the needs of diverse learners.

Offered Fall, Spring

Prerequisite: MSN 550 Emphasis on advanced practice nurse clinical decision making for pediatric patients. Student will learn the application of critical thinking and clinical judgment to develop differential diagnoses and manage common problems in the acute and critically ill pediatric patient.

Offered Fall

Prerequisites: MSN 502, MSN 513, MSN 514, MSN 521, MSN 522, MSN 526, MSN 528, MSN 530 and MSN 531are required. 144 hour practicum to apply theories for execution of CNS role in clinical settings with a specialty/population focus. Under supervision, the student is provided opportunities for role socialization, exploration of CNS responsibilities, and development of novice competencies. CR/NC grading only.

Offered Fall

Prerequisites: MSN 550 and MSN 547 are required. MSN 513, MSN 514, MSN 526 and MSN 531 are recommended. Corequisites: MSN 523 or MSN 535 is required. This 144 Hour practicum requires the application of evidence based practice and education principles in the clinical setting. Students will focus on health problems commonly encountered in the population of focus. CR/NC grading only.

Offered Spring

Prerequisites: MSN 547, MSN 548, and MSN 550 are required. This 144 hour practicum focuses on the CNS role in managing clinical outcomes. Students will provide consultation and wellness services, explore clinical concerns at the organizational level, and prepare for professional practice as a CNS.

Offered Fall

Prerequisites: MSN 502, MSN 513, MSN 514, MSN 521, MSN 522, MSN 526, MSN 528, MSN 530, and MSN 531 are required. Co-requisite: MSN 547 is required. A conceptual basis of advanced nursing practice for the Clinical Nurse Specialist (CNS) role is established. Students will learn CNS practice models, family theories, leadership theories, decision-making models, organizational theories, change management, care coordination and management of transitions care.

Offered All terms, Fall

Co-requisite: MSN 553 is required. Focuses on providing evidence-based, culturally competent nursing care for children and their families. Requires 96 hours of supervised practice in skills lab, and pediatric and community clinical settings.

Offered Infrequent

Prerequisite: MSN 502 is recommended. Explores the historical evolution of quality initiatives in health care and defines current concepts in quality assessment and improvement. Emphasizes organizational performance, outcomes assessment, management and effectiveness, and the role of the advanced practice nurse.

Offered Fall, Spring

Prerequisite: MSN 526, MSN 527 or permission of Director. Concurrent enrollment in MSN 558 is recommended. Examines theoretical basis for pharmacological treatment of common health problems. Emphasis will be placed on comprehensive assessment and management of common acute health problems seen in the care of clients across the life span.

Offered Fall, Spring, Summer

Corequisite: MSN 556 is recommended. Emphasizes comprehensive assessment and management of common acute health problems seen in the primary care of clients across the life span. Focuses on the primary care of the individual as a member of the family within a culturally diverse environment. Requires 144 hours of clinical practice under supervision by a faculty instructor and an individual preceptor. CR/NC grading.

Offered Fall

Prerequisite: MSN 502. Corequisite: MSN 529 is recommended. Provides the opportunity for implementing the nurse educator role in an education or health care setting. Applies curriculum development and didactic and clinical teaching/learning concepts and strategies, under supervision by the instructor and a preceptor. Requires 144 hours of practice in teaching. CR/NC grading.

Offered Infrequent

Prerequisite: MSN 502; Corequisite: MSN 532 is recommended. Provides the opportunity to implement the nurse administrator role in a selected health care setting by focusing on forces shaping the role of the departmental nurse leader and institutional governance. Applies valid and reliable measures of evaluation to organizational and nurse administrator performance, under supervision by the instructor and a preceptor. Requires 144 hours of practice in administration. CR/NC grading.

Offered Infrequent

Prerequisites: MSN 556 and MSN 558 are required. Co-requisites: MSN 568 or MSN 548 is required. Theoretical and conceptual basis for advanced practice nurses focusing on children, newborn through adolescence. Emphasis on assessment, diagnosis, and management of common age-related wellness and acute health conditions seen in pediatric settings. Culturally sensitive health promotion and maintenance of children.

Offered All terms, Spring

Prerequisites: MSN 556 and MSN 558 are required. Co-requisite: MSN 568 is required. Theoretical and conceptual basis for advanced practice nursing diagnosis and management of common and acute gender-related health conditions. Male and female reproductive health, pregnancy, contraception, infertility, menopause and sexuality will be explored, including culturally sensitive health promotion and maintenance.

Offered All terms, Spring

Integrates advanced pathophysiology with pharmacotherapeutics for nurse educators, enhancing knowledge and skills of pharmacodynamics and pharmacokinetics as they relate to pathophysiological processes in each body system.

Offered Fall

Prerequisites: MSN 556 and MSN 558. Corequisite: MSN 566 is recommended. Emphasizes comprehensive assessment and management of common acute health problems seen in women and children. Focuses on the primary care of the individual as a member of the family within a culturally diverse environment. Includes reproduction, pregnancy, contraception, growth and development, as well as health promotion and health maintenance for women and children. Requires 144 hours of clinical practice under supervision by a faculty instructor and individual preceptor. CR/NC grading.

Offered Spring

Prerequisite: MSN 502; Corequisite: MSN 539 is recommended. Provides the opportunity for implementing the nurse educator role in an education or health care setting. Applies assessment and evaluation concepts and strategies in didactic and clinical teaching/learning situations, under supervision by the instructor and a preceptor. Requires 144 hours of practice in teaching. CR/NC grading.

Offered Spring

Prerequisite: MSN 502; Corequisite: MSN 538 is recommended. Provides the opportunity to implement the nurse administrator role in a selected health care setting according to professional and regulatory requirements. Focuses on formulating a nursing service plan for integrating quality measures with cost control and case management practice, under supervision by the instructor and a preceptor. Requires 144 hours of practice in administration. CR/NC grading.

Offered Infrequent

Prerequisite: MSN 566, MSN 567 or permission of Director. Corequisite: MSN 578 is recommended. Examines theoretical and conceptual basis for advanced practice as Family Nurse Practitioner. Emphasis is on comprehensive assessment and management of increasingly complex acute and chronic health problems across the life span for culturally diverse individuals and families.

Offered Fall, Spring, Summer

Prerequisites: MSN 566 and MSN 568. Corequisite: MSN 576 is recommended. Emphasizes growth in independent practice in providing comprehensive assessment and management of common chronic health problems seen in the primary care of clients across the life span. Focuses on the primary care of the individual as a member of the family within a culturally diverse environment. Requires 144 hours of clinical practice under supervision by a faculty instructor and an individual preceptor. CR/NC grading.

Offered Infrequent

Prerequisite: MSN 580 and MSN 581 are required. Co-requisite: MSN 582 is required. Restricted to majors. Focuses on implementation of the CNL role in a selected healthcare microsystem. In this 150 hour clinical experience, the student will develop expertise in clinical leadership with a focus on aggregates. With guidance from a nurse preceptor, students will implement strategies to address identified problems requiring quality improvement, risk reduction and patient safety management. CR/NC grading.

Offered All terms, Summer

Prerequisites: MSN 576 and MSN 578. Provides an opportunity to integrate evidence based research into clinical evaluation and implementation of primary health care of clients across the life span. Emphasizes evaluation of the impact of community, cultural, socioeconomic, and psychosocial factors on the health care needs of individuals and families within a culturally diverse environment. Requires 144 hours of clinical practice under supervision by a faculty instructor and individual preceptor. CR/NC grading.

Offered Spring

A course of study designed cooperatively by student and instructor, and approved by the Director, to accomplish individualized learning objectives that are appropriate to the role of the professional nurse. (Students should contact their advisor prior to enrolling to determine the appropriateness of this course for degree completion.)

Offered As needed

This course offers student groups an opportunity to explore a topic of current interest to the nursing profession with colleagues, faculty and special guest speakers.

Offered As needed

Students who have not completed their culminating experience by the end of the term may enroll in the following term to maintain continuous enrollment.

Offered Fall, Spring