Master of Science in Nursing

NU 500 Nursing Theory and Research: 3 semester hours

This course will examine the theoretical and scientific foundations of nursing. A thorough understanding of these foundations will be the basis for further development of knowledge in evidence-based practice and research. The processes for evaluation, translating and utilizing research will be emphasized.

NU 501 Health Care Systems: Leadership and Organizations: 3 semester hours

In preparation for nursing leadership in rapidly changing, complex health care delivery systems, students will examine concepts that define organizations, influence policy, measure effectiveness of care and evaluate technology. A comparison of health care systems throughout the world will consider financial, technological and global issues.

NU 503 Health Promotion/Disease Prevention: 3 semester hours

This course establishes the foundation for the unique focus on Health Promotion and Disease Prevention in the master's degree curriculum. Students will focus on the concepts of health promotion and disease prevention that minimize the need for restoration of health. Through an understanding of clinical prevention and population health, students will examine the issues and interventions that promote health in individuals, families and communities.

NU 504 Professional Role and Skill Development: 3 semester hours

This course will examine the development of the professional role of the master's degree prepared nurse in a variety of practice settings focusing on ethical, evidence-based decision making; population health improvement; quality improvement and safety management; expert clinical practice; and intra-and inter-professional teamwork. Knowledge and skill development will include health assessment, ethical decision-making, evidence-based decision-making, population health management, quality and safety improvement, and teamwork.

NU 511 Advanced Integrated Physical Assessment, Pathophysiology, & Pharmacology: 3 semester hours

This course uses a systematic in-depth process to review physical assessment, pathophysiology, and pharmacology of human body systems. Students will explore and integrate knowledge of evidence based, collaborative prevention and condition management therapies to ensure safe, effective, quality patient-centered care. Students will develop and utilize best-evidence assessment and condition management information for teaching/learning practices used to care for and educate others.

NU 512 Epidemiology: 3 semester hours

This course will introduce the student to the basic concepts of epidemiology including the historical development of the study of disease in populations. The course will include the concepts and processes of epidemiology with attention to the biostatistics essential to the study and analysis of disease occurrences. Integration of the evidence-base of epidemiology will be essential to the learning experience.

NU 513 Environmental Health: 3 semester hours

This course will offer students the opportunity to study the influence of environmental forces on the health of individuals, populations and communities. Students will explore the impact of governmental controlling agencies, community services and individual responses to the environment on a local, national and international level. Specific environmental factors will be examined for their impact on specific diseases and conditions. The research evidence-base for studying the environment will be emphasized.

NU 514 Global/International Health: 3 semester hours

This course will examine the concepts and context of global/international health. An exploration of the historical development of international health will be included as will opportunities for students to study the problems that exist and the forces that influence healthcare in the international community. The collaboration of governmental and non-governmental organizations and populations will be studied as students examine specific health problems, systems and solutions.

NU 515 In Their Footsteps: Examining the History of Nursing: 3 semester hours

In this course students will examine the origins of nursing as a profession, will explore the early development of nursing education and critically analyze the development of the current image of nursing. Students will study the lives and influences of past and present leaders in the nursing profession as they define their own paths as "history makers" in nursing.

NU 611 Principles of Project Management: 3 semester hours

Effective management of a project is a skill many (if not all) MSN students will need to have at some time during their professional career. The goal of this course is to give students the effective tools and knowledge to accomplish this successfully. Students will learn how projects get started, how to successfully manage a project and its resources, and how organizations select the "right" project to work on. Cross-listed with BN 620.

NU 612 System Theory & Organizational Design Methodology: 3 semester hours

This course provides an introduction to social systems theory and its application to organizational leadership and practice. Emphasis is placed on the role of the manager/leader as designer, steward, teacher and participant in building and sustaining effective organizations. Cross-listed with BN 640.

NU 621 Nurse Educator: Roles and Responsibilities: 3 semester hours

This course assists the student to develop and use the skills and knowledge of the nurse educator. Focus will be on role development with attention to self-development and role responsibilities to oneself, the students, the institution, and the profession. The role of regulatory bodies and accreditation will be examined.

NU 622 Nurse Educator: Curriculum & Instructional Design: 3 semester hours

A variety of learning theories and conceptual frameworks relating to curriculum and instructional design will be explored. Students will investigate the process of curriculum development, program evaluation, regulatory and accreditation standards, and trends at the professional and community level.

NU 623 Nurse Educator: Teaching/Learning Strategies: 3 semester hours

This course assists student to develop strategies for teaching nursing in the classroom and clinical settings. In addition to learning to assess students' learning styles, content will include classroom assessment, planning, organizing, presenting and evaluating teaching/learning experiences. The focus is on best practices and evidence-based strategies to promote various learning styles and create an active learning environment for diverse student populations. Strategies will address basic and continuing nursing education.

NU 624 Nurse Educator: Assessment and Evaluation: 3 semester hours

Recognizing that assessment and evaluation are essential to understanding the value and worth of teaching/learning in nursing education, faculty must be familiar with the foundations of evaluation. Evaluation of nursing education programs, courses and individual learner requires knowledge of the focus, design, tools and dissemination of outcome data. This course will examine the effectiveness of evaluation methods. Attention will be given to the systematic evaluation processes that lead to on-going program improvement.

NU 625 Nurse Educator: Clinical Specialty I: 3 semester hours

This course provides additional clinical specialty experiences for nurse educator students. Students in consultation with faculty will determine an area of clinical specialty practice (e.g.; pediatrics, mental health, public health) to complete a minimum of 100 hours of clinical experience. In the clinical setting, students will work collaboratively with the practicing nurse expert to gain knowledge and skills for nursing practice at the expert level. Prerequisite: NU 500, NU 501, NU 503, NU 504.

NU 626 Nurse Educator: Clinical Specialty II: 3 semester hours

This course provides additional clinical specialty experiences for nurse educator students after completion of Nurse Educator: Clinical Specialty I course. Students in consultation with faculty will determine an area of clinical specialty practice (e.g.; pediatrics, mental health, public health) to complete a minimum of 100 hours of clinical experience. In the clinical setting, students will work collaboratively with the practicing nurse expert to gain knowledge and skills for nursing practice at the expert level. Prerequisite: NU 500, NU 501, NU 503, NU 504.

NU 631 Health Advocate: Vulnerable Populations: 3 semester hours

This course will focus on developing competence in working with multicultural population in society. The overview of culturally diverse communities will give the student the foundation needed to develop health promotion program for specific populations. The influence of social, economic and political inequalities related to healthcare will be examined. An emphasis on community-based, participatory research methods will be included in this course.

NU 632 Health Advocate: Assessment, Policy Development & Assurance: 3 semester hours

The core functions of public health will be the focus of this course as students develop competencies in assessment, policy development and assurance. Student will further examine inter-professional collaborations, regulations and program assessment and effectiveness.

NU 633 Health Advocate: Community Program Planning and Design: 3 semester hours

The focus of this course is to explore the foundation of different frameworks for public health programs and designs. The four major functions of public health programming will address assessment, development, implementation and evaluation. Students will learn strategies for promoting social change through various methods including marketing techniques and health literacy. Students will develop plans for navigating the healthcare system for themselves as professionals and for clients, families and groups.

NU 634 Health Advocate: Leadership and Management: 3 semester hours

In this course students will examine current and emerging leadership and management issues in the role of an advocate for health care, and study strategies to communicate and collaborate with stakeholders in the health care arena. Recognizing that health care is a multifaceted, constantly-changing system, students will explore the role of the health advocacy leader in managing the development, implementation and evaluation of programs that assist populations and clients to promote health and prevent disease.

NU 641 Nurse Administrator: Leadership & Management in Nursing and Health Care: 3 semester hours

This course assists the student to develop and use the skills and knowledge of the nurse to lead and manage the care of patient populations. Focus is on role development necessary to meet responsibilities to patients, nursing staff and other healthcare personnel, the organization, and the profession. The transformation of data into information and evidence-based decision-making to develop and change processes to achieve quality patient care outcomes, organizational goals, and regulatory and accreditation standards will be stressed.

NU 642 Nurse Administrator: Financial & Human Resource Management in Nursing and Health Care: 3 semester hours

Managing people efficiently, effectively, and ethically is essential to the achievement of population-focused and patient centered, quality, safe, effective and efficient care regardless of the health care organization's size or purpose. Management of non-personnel resources (supplies, equipment, and infrastructure) is also essential to achieving quality and other organizational goals. The emphasis of this course includes: management of human and financial resources, intra- and interdisciplinary collaboration, teamwork, change management, development of employee capabilities, and financial concepts and tools necessary to make effective decisions and achieve organizational goals.

NU 643 Methods of Quality Management: 3 semester hours

This course will provide the historical context of quality management and introduce the student to a number of quality management systems including Total Quality Management (TQM), ISO, the National Baldrige Award, Lean and Six Sigma that are currently being implemented in today's organizations. The course will host several guest lecturers from the community who are specialists in quality management. Cross-listed with BN 630.

NU 644 Organizational Effectiveness: 3 semester hours

This course introduces students to the basic principles of human behavior and how these principles apply to the management of individuals and groups in organizations. Topics include: individual differences in abilities and attitudes, attribution motivation, group dynamics, power and politics, leadership, conflict resolution, organizational culture, and organizational structure and design. Cross listed with BN 500.

NU 651 Technology in Health Care Systems: 3 semester hours

In preparation for healthcare leadership in rapidly changing, complex health care delivery systems, students will examine patient-care technologies, clinical informatics models, electronic-based patient records, health information technology (HIT), health information exchange (HIE) clinical decision support systems, and evaluation of other technology that influences healthcare delivery models, practices, and patient outcomes. Students will identify how data sets and information systems are utilized for research, to predict health care risks, support quality improvement methods, and develop evidence for improved health care and outcomes.

NU 652 Nursing Informatics: Outreach Seminar I: 1 semester hour

This course connects various aspects of health informatics to the larger health care system. Seminar allows students to learn about and interaction with individuals in various informatics roles. Topics covered include interdisciplinary health informatics, health systems design & analysis, database design, knowledge representation, and clinical decision support systems.

NU 653 Nursing Informatics: Outreach Seminar II: 1 semester hour

This course connects various aspects of health informatics to the larger health care system. Seminar allows students to learn about and interaction with individuals in various informatics roles. Topics covered include population health informatics, consumer health informatics, and interdisciplinary health informatics.

NU 660 Professional Practicum: 3 semester hours

In collaboration with faculty, students will develop a practicum experience related to their chosen track. Completion of an individual project, relevant to the practice setting and role will be completed. Prerequisites: NU 500, NU 501, NU 503, NU 504. Cannot enroll if any courses have incomplete or unsatisfactory grades.

NU 671 Forensic Nursing: Leadership and Role Responsibilities: 3 semester hours

A forensic nurse provides specialized care for patients who are victims and/or perpetrators of trauma (both intentional and unintentional). However, the specialized role of forensic nurses goes far beyond medical care; forensic nurses also have a specialized knowledge of the legal system and skills in injury identification, evaluation and documentation. In addition to providing immediate medical needs, a forensic nurse often collects evidence, provides medical testimony in court, and consults with legal authorities. This course provides nurses with knowledge, skills, and resources in forensic nursing. Focus will be on leadership development with attention to self-development and role responsibilities in the justice, legal, and health care systems. This class will also include the role of regulatory bodies that influence forensic nursing. Prerequisites: NU500, NU501, NU503, NU504.

NU 672 Forensic Nursing: Theories of Crime and Justice: 3 semester hours

This course will intensively examine major criminological theories from sociological, psychological, and biological historical and modern perspectives. This course will also include an intensive examination of current policy and practice implications of these theoretical perspectives. It also includes an advanced analysis of models of crime and justice.

NU 673 Forensic Nursing: Special Topics: 3 semester hours

This course would consist of special topics within the issues of crime and justice. Topics may include: critical race theory, correctional education, criminal investigation, private security, emergency management, or other advanced studies in crime and justice. Students may complete more than one topics course for elective credit.

NU 674 Forensic Nursing: Administrative Justice: 3 semester hours

This course will examine the criminal justice system and contemporary issues confronting the system. The course will focus on the decision making process involved in the pursuit of crime prevention, crime control, and justice, including models of criminal justice and evidence based policy. In addition, the effectiveness of the system in accomplishing prevention, control, and justice will be examined along with the role of drug and guns in crime.

NU 675 Victimology: 3 semester hours

This course will primarily focus on criminal victimization, of the person, the neighbor, the greater community, and related issues. Students will examine the current state of Victimology and victims-related issues. Additionally, students will explore the history of the victims' rights movement how the victims' rights movement is shaped by, and also shapes social movements. Prerequisite: CJ 510.

NU 676 The Impact of Social Inequities & Human Rights: 3 semester hours

This course will primarily focus on Social Inequities & Human Rights Issues and their effect upon the person, the neighborhood, the greater community, and related issues. Students will examine the impact social inequities have on social justice, and community betterment issues that feed the criminal justice system. Additionally, students will explore the history and current status of the loss of human rights experienced by those formerly incarcerated and the subsequent effect on society. Students will explore how public policy has ignored social inequities and subsequently (by proxy) allowed policies to be shaped, and how this impacts social movements. Prerequisite: CJ 510.

NU 677 Special Needs and Treatment Within the Criminal Justice Population: 3 semester hours

This class will provide an introduction to treatment interventions utilized in the criminal justice system that target some of the special populations and/or special needs, these interventions include, but are not limited to mental health, substance abuse, sex offenders, and domestic violence. Some emphasis will be placed on looking at programs and how they relate to evidence based practices and successful program outcomes. In addition, this course will focus on identifying and discussing the ethical issues and concerns that arise when providing specialized services to this population, and working closely with other professionals. Prerequisite: CJ 510.

NU 699 Independent Study: 3 semester hours

If a student wishes to independently study or research a particular topic, he/she may propose to work with an appropriate faculty member within their discipline. No more than 2 courses may be taken as independent study by any student.