NURS - Nursing

This course examines healthcare systems at the global, national, state, and organizational levels. It provides a systems and complexity science theoretical framework for evaluating the impact of policy, politics, finance, economics, and other influences on healthcare delivery. Students discuss strategies that inform and influence healthcare policy decision making.

The course examines the nature of knowledge acquisition, process of concept analysis, and development of models and theories relevant to advanced nursing practice. The relationship between theory, research, evidence, and clinical judgment in advanced nursing practice is explored. This course also provides the opportunity to identify appropriate research studies, utilizing the library databases, and critically appraise the studies for use in evidence-based practice.

This course addresses the essential concepts and skills required for reading, communicating, interpreting, and applying statistical methods in healthcare.  Various methods are reviewed with emphasis on statistical application for the critical assessment of data.  The use of statistics and the associated values of meaning and significance for appropriate and informed decision making are major underpinnings for the course.  Ethical issues that may arise in the application of statistical techniques are explored.

This course focuses on the development of a research proposal for evidence-based practice in healthcare settings.  This process includes: retrieval and critical appraisal of evidence and development of a research proposal for improving healthcare outcomes.  Content also includes the Institutional Review Board process and the ethical principles for conducting research.

This course provides students with an advanced nursing perspective in the provision of population based care.  Consideration is given to an evaluation of human and cultural diversity across the health-illness continuum.  Emphasis is placed on utilizing evidence-based strategies to provide health promotion, disease prevention, health maintenance, and disease management for diverse populations.  Databases related to population health are evaluated.

This course addresses the advanced study of technology and informatics relevant to nurse leaders.  The course includes the management and transformation of health data into information and knowledge to improve health outcomes such as safety, quality, and cost.  The focus is on healthcare information systems that assist healthcare providers to process, manage, and analyze data for decision-making and outcome measurement.  Key informatics concepts and models as well as current legal and policy issues are discussed.  Current research and applications of informatics and technology as fundamental tools for evidence-based practice, education, and quality improvement are emphasized.

This course builds on the student's knowledge of pathophysiology, pharmacology, and physical assessment in preparation for the role of nurse educator and school nurse. Content focuses on a systems approach to holistic nursing practice through integrated conceptual learning.  Students must demonstrate advanced competencies in physical assessment.

This course introduces the student to the field of educational theory in a nursing and health education environment. The scholarship of teaching model provides a framework for exploring theories of learning, motivation, instruction, and teaching. Selected theoretical perspectives are explored to facilitate development of a philosophy of nursing education to serve as a base for the emerging expertise of the future nurse educator.

This course facilitates a comprehensive exploration of the principles of nursing curriculum development and evaluation in both academic and clinical settings. Current issues related to the nursing education programs are emphasized. Students engage in analysis and comparison of a broad spectrum of nursing education programs and the governing organizations that provide structure to curriculum design. Critical review of nursing education mission and philosophy statements, program outcomes, and course paradigms provide a framework for groups to design a sample academic nursing curriculum and continuing education activity. The importance of faculty development as a core process of curriculum development, implementation, and evaluation is examined. This course provides a foundation for the Nurse Educator skills necessary in the Role Transition (NURS 54700) and Scholarly Practicum courses (NURS 57600 and NURS 57700).

This course explores, analyzes and evaluates teaching strategies as applied to various populations, with emphasis on diversity in learning styles and the adult learner. Students select appropriate teaching strategies for traditional, online, and clinical instruction. Evaluation models related to the measurement of outcomes in classroom and clinical instruction are examined. Multimedia resources and distance learning techniques are integrated into micro teaching opportunities to assist the student to develop and refine personal teaching techniques.

This course provides role transition experiences for the nurse educator student. Emphasis is on immersion into the multidimensional role of the nurse educator in the clinical community or the academic role setting (75 clock hours) and advanced direct care clinical practice to integrate new learning and expand clinical expertise (75 clock hours).

This course focuses upon leadership strategies for administration and nursing practice in healthcare systems. Emphasis is placed upon professional nurse leader development, application of critical knowledge of healthcare leadership principles, strategic human resource management, strategic planning and management. Knowledge from nursing administration, leadership, human resource management, strategic management, legal, ethical, fiscal integrity, and safety principles are integrated into the learning resources and assignments for this course.

This course provides an overview of the microsystem, mesosystem, and macrosystem levels of healthcare organizations from the perspectives of organization theory, organization development, and organization behavior. Modern and current organization theories, especially complex adaptive systems (CAS) and complexity/chaos theories are explored in relation to the issues facing healthcare organizations today. Information on organizational structure, design, culture and behavior, strategy and change, leadership, individual and group motivation, power and politics, impact of technology, and environmental influences are integrated to create a holistic understanding of what organizations currently face in the dynamic healthcare arena.

This course addresses the essential principles and practices necessary for managing quality and patient safety issues in healthcare organizations. Course content includes core quality improvement principles and methods, project management processes, development and use of measures for improvement, and patient safety management. Global and national approaches to quality and patient safety are explored in the context of quality management.

This course provides a business skills framework for analyzing financial processes within the healthcare system to inform ethical decisions about health care delivery. It builds on the basic principles of accounting and economics. This course will also examine how financial and economic issues impact the healthcare system and organization at all levels (micro, meso, and macro).

This course provides candidates with the theories and content of the specialty of school nursing and the safe, evidenced-based care of children in educational settings.  The focus is on the legal and organizational aspects of the public schools, the coordination of the school health program, the nurse’s role in the special education process, the role of the school nurse as an advocate for children, families, and members of the school community, and as a health educator.

This 16-week supervised intern experience provides opportunities to integrate and apply the theory from previous nursing and education courses to the practice of school nursing in public schools, community facilities, and clinics.  The school nurse intern will complete health assessment and medical review of students to identify how health impacts learning and academic success and will plan interventions and accommodations to promote optimal learning.  The school nurse intern will plan and prepare health education lessons for teaching in public school classrooms. This course will also allow opportunity to learn from a variety of school nurses as they implement the standards of school nursing. (300 clock hours of practicum)

A capstone course to integrate concepts and principles learned throughout the graduate curriculum and apply them to nursing practice in a school setting. Candidates design and implement a scholarly project to provide leadership in their school districts in the development, implementation, maintenance, and evaluation of high quality and workable policy recommendations or other school health areas as identified by assessment of the needs of the district. This course will assist the candidate in making a transition to the leadership role of the school nurse. (150 clock hours of practicum)

This course begins the process of project development for the Nursing Education Capstone Project.  Students synthesize knowledge from the MSN core courses and NE specialty track courses to plan and design a proposal for their capstone project, which will be implemented and evaluated in NURS 57700.  Students begin accumulating practicum hours in this course.

This course requires implementation and evaluation of the capstone project designed in NURS 59300 and culminates in professional project presentations to stakeholders and at the Lewis University colloquium. Students will continue to accrue hours for a total of a minimum of 250 practicum hours.

This course provides an overview of Advanced Practice Nursing (APN) roles including the historical and current practice issues relevant to APN practice.  There is an emphasis on understanding the leadership role, organization of health care delivery systems, and regulatory and reimbursement issues.

This course begins the process of developing projects for NURS 59600 Healthcare Systems Leadership Capstone Project. Students synthesize knowledge from MSN core courses and HSL specialty track courses to design the framework of a capstone project that is executed in the final course of the MSN HSL program.

The capstone project is a field experience that synthesizes and applies the essential knowledge for a Master of Science in Nursing. The project demonstrates the Lewis University MSN objectives and advances the mission of Lewis University by integrating thoughtfully organized service learning. (300 clock hours of practicum)

This course addresses the advanced study of the actions and effects of drugs on the human system throughout the life cycle. Focus is on pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic principles, therapeutic and adverse effects, drug interactions, cost, and evidence-based prescribing guidelines. Considerations related to gender, age, culture, and physiologic state are emphasized. The scope of ethical, legal, and professional responsibilities related to pharmacology in advanced nursing practice is addressed, including patient and family education.

This course addresses the advanced study of the physiologic and pathophysiologic principles relevant to clinical practice. Content areas include the physiology and pathophysiology at the cellular level, metabolism and temperature regulation, cardiac and pulmonary systems, acid-base balance, renal function, hematology and immune function, the nervous system, gastrointestinal system, genitourinary system, endocrinology, and reproduction. Building on the basic sciences and clinical nursing experience, the focus is on the interrelationships of systems regulation and dysregulation of cellular, organ, and system function. Current research and theories that deal with physiologic and pathophysiologic topics are included.

This course introduces students to principles of epidemiology applicable to infectious and non-infectious diseases, host-agent-environmental relationships, and concepts of disease causation. Students gain familiarity with epidemiologic measures such as incidence, prevalence, mortality, case fatality, relative risk and other rates and ratios. Topics include measures of health and risk, epidemiological study designs and considerations regarding issues of measurement that include assessments of internal and external validity, standardization, confounding, bias, interaction, causality and generalizability. Types and sources of public health data are reviewed.

This course addresses the advanced competencies needed to complete a comprehensive health assessment of patients across the lifespan. Levels of physical, cognitive, and social functioning are analyzed and interpreted. Special emphasis is placed on age, gender, and cultural variations. The course emphasizes diagnostic reasoning that guides the collection and interpretation of data to serve as a basis for advanced practice. Evidence-based strategies are used to assess the health of individuals within the context of family, community and culture. (2 onsite experiences required)

This course is the first in a series of courses addressing core nurse practitioner competencies focusing on the care of adults in the community / primary care setting. The foundation for this class is based on utilization and principles of evidence-based practice. Emphasis is placed on health promotion, health protection, disease prevention and management. This course enables the student to explore theories and models, while developing age, gender and ethnically appropriate health promotion and disease prevention programs. Critical thinking and diagnostic and interventional reasoning processes are addressed for select episodic and chronic illness in primary care.

This is the first of three supervised clinical experiences for nurse practitioner students. This course provides the opportunity to utilize core nurse practitioner skills in the community which include health promotion, health protection, and/or disease prevention programming. Students develop skills in evaluation, diagnosis, and management of common episodic and chronic health problems seen in primary care.  Emphasis is placed on obtaining a relevant health history, physical examination (complete, system, and symptom-specific), and relevant psychomotor skills. (180 clock hours of practicum)

One of three courses in a series of didactic courses addressing core and specialty nurse practitioner competencies in the care of adolescents and adults. Utilization of research and principles of evidence-based practice are foundational. Critical thinking, diagnostic, and interventional reasoning processes are addressed for select complex, multi-system illnesses.

This didactic course addresses core nurse practitioner competencies in the care of adults and geriatrics. Utilization of research and evidence-based practice are foundational. Critical thinking, diagnostic and interventional reasoning processes are addressed for complex, multi-system illnesses. Special emphasis is placed on the unique needs of special populations, including various ethnicities, the disadvantaged, women, and the elderly.

This course is one of three supervised clinical experiences for adult gerontology primary care practitioner students. The student refines and expands skills in evaluation, diagnosis, and management of complex, multi-system health problems in primary care. Application of models/theories of care for special populations is emphasized. Students transition toward more independent and comprehensive practice. (180 clock hours of practicum)

This course addresses core family nurse practitioner competencies in the care of women, infants, and children. Utilization of research and principles of evidence-based practice are foundational. Critical thinking and diagnostic and interventional reasoning processes are addressed for common primary care problems for women, infants and children.

This course is second in a series of supervised clinical experiences for family nurse practitioner students. Emphasis is on evaluation, diagnosis, and management of common primary care problems for women, infants, and children. Special emphasis is placed on obtaining a relevant health and developmental history, physical examination (complete, system, and symptom-specific), and relevant psychomotor skills. (270 clock hours of practicum)

This is one of three in a series of supervised clinical experiences for nurse practitioner students.  Emphasis is on evaluation, diagnosis, and management of patients with complex, multi-system health problems, and the integration of other factors (cultural, emotional, psychosocial, etc.) that impact health. (180 clock hours of practicum)

This didactic course addresses the core and specialty nurse practitioner competencies in the provision of care across the continuum of health care services to patients with complex acute, critical, and chronic health conditions for the full spectrum of adults. Using evidence-based practice, select complex multi-system illness will be discussed. There is emphasis on evaluation and management, including pharmacologic and non-pharmacologic treatments as well as pertinent education for patients and their families.

This clinical course addresses the core and specialty nurse practitioner competencies in the provision of care across the continuum of health care services to patients with complex acute, critical, and chronic health conditions for the full spectrum of adults. Application of evidence-based practice in complex multi-system illness with competent demonstration of critical thinking and clinical skills is expected. (360 total clock hours of practicum; 180 clock hours for every two credit hours)

This second didactic acute care course builds upon prior knowledge to address the core and specialty nurse practitioner competencies in the provision of care across the continuum of health care services to patients with complex acute, critical, and chronic health conditions for the full spectrum of adults. Using evidence-based practice, select complex multi-system illness will be discussed. There is included the evaluation and management, including pharmacologic and non-pharmacologic treatments as well as pertinent education for patients and their families. Emphasis is placed on sub-specialty care to gain experiences with special populations and commonly used devices and technology in acute care.

This second acute care clinical practicum course builds upon prior knowledge to address the core and specialty nurse practitioner competencies in the provision of care across the continuum of health care services to patients with complex acute, critical, and chronic health conditions for the full spectrum of adults. Emphasis is placed on sub-specialty care to gain experiences with special populations and commonly used devices and technology in acute care. Application of evidence-based practice in complex multi-system illness with competent demonstration of critical thinking and clinical skills is expected.

This course is designed to develop student competency in selecting, prescribing and monitoring medication response for patients with psychiatric and behavioral/mental health disorders across the lifespan.  Students will be provided with a neurobiological science based overview of the pharmacological treatment of psychiatric disorders. Pharmacological agents and strategies for evidence-based treatment of acute and chronic behavioral and psychiatric disorders are examined. Prescribing and medication management roles and responsibilities of psychiatric nurse practitioners are emphasized. The course uses an evidence-based, integrative approach to the combined use of medication and psychological therapies, the identification of drug interactions, and evaluation of the effectiveness of medication management in populations with specific psychiatric disorders.

This course focuses on the screening, assessment and diagnosis of psychiatric disorders and behavioural/mental health problems.  Emphasis is placed on early diagnosis leading to appropriate treatment of “at risk populations” through education, psychotherapy and psychopharmacotherapeutics.  Current research and epidemiological trends in psychiatric mental health care are utilized for the screening, assessment, diagnosis and treatment of psychopathology across the lifespan. This didactic course is coupled with the clinical course providing laboratory and clinical settings which allow students to apply assessment and intervention strategies to assist individuals with restoration and maintenance of their highest level of mental health.

This course is the corresponding practice setting for NURS 63200 PMHNP 1: Psychiatric Assessment and Diagnosis Across the Lifespan. This course focuses on the screening, assessment and diagnosis of psychiatric disorders and behavioural/mental health problems.  This practicum course is coupled with the didactic course providing laboratory and clinical settings which allow students to apply assessment and intervention strategies to assist individuals with restoration and maintenance of their highest level of mental health.  (180 clock hours of practicum)

This course focuses on psychotherapeutic management of psychiatric disorders and behavioral/mental health problems, with an emphasis on early diagnosis and the appropriate treatment of “at risk” populations, and the use of psychopharmacotherapeutics across the lifespan.  Current research and epidemiological trends in psychiatric mental health care are utilized for the selection of relevant constructs to be addressed and therapies to be explored.  This didactic course is coupled with the clinical course providing laboratory and clinical settings allowing students the opportunity to provide examination and application of individual, family and group therapies across the lifespan.

This course is the corresponding practice setting for NURS 63400 PMHNP 2: Introduction to Psychotherapy for Advanced Psychiatric Mental Health Nursing. This course focuses on psychotherapeutic management of psychiatric disorders and behavioral/mental health problems, with an emphasis on early diagnosis and the appropriate treatment of “at risk” populations, and the use of psychopharmacotherapeutics across the lifespan.  This practicum course is coupled with the didactic course providing laboratory and clinical settings allowing students the opportunity to provide examination and application of individual, family and group therapies across the lifespan. (180 clock hours of practicum)

This course focuses on the culmination of skill sets allowing for the comprehensive management of psychiatric disorders and behavior/mental health problems in patient populations across the lifespan.  Current research and epidemiological trends in psychiatric mental health care are utilized in the screening, assessment, diagnosis, and treatment including psychotherapy and medication management of various patient populations across the lifespan. This didactic course is coupled with the clinical course providing laboratory and clinical settings allowing students the opportunity to collaborate with the various disciplines while applying assessment and intervention strategies to assist patients with the maintenance and restoration of their highest level of mental health.  The students will practice appropriate personal and professional boundaries, and recognize their limitations while working with patients, preceptors, and the interdisciplinary healthcare team.

This course is the corresponding practice setting for NURS 63600 PMHNP 3: Implementation of Pharmacotherapy for Advanced Psychiatric Mental Health Nursing g. This course focuses on the culmination of skill sets allowing for the comprehensive management of psychiatric disorders and behavior/mental health problems in patient populations across the lifespan.  This practicum course is coupled with the didactic course providing laboratory and clinical settings allowing students the opportunity to collaborate with the various disciplines while applying assessment and intervention strategies to assist patients with the maintenance and restoration of their highest level of mental health.  The students will practice appropriate personal and professional boundaries, and recognize their limitations while working with patients, preceptors and the interdisciplinary healthcare team. (180 clock hours of practicum)

This course addresses research design and measurement principles for the integration of research into evidence-based practice. Students critically appraise literature related to the planning and measuring of outcomes for a Scholarly Project.

This course explores ethical issues inherent in organizations, nursing practice, leadership, and clinical research. Strategies will be identified to lead the healthcare team through complex ethical and legal issues related to professional practice responsibilities and emerging research and technology advances. Students will analyze the relationships among ethical, legal, regulatory issues, and leadership in order to advocate for social justice, equality, and the development of ethical polices at the organizational and systems levels.

This course is designed to develop skills, techniques, and approaches for the critical analysis of health policy proposals, health policies implementation, and related issues with the intent to prepare the DNP students to engage in creating more effective policy development strategies and solutions. Health policy and political frameworks are analyzed through organizational, institutional, governmental, and/or international perspectives. Current health policy is addressed from the perspective of available evidence and economic impact within a socio-political context. Policy contribution, innovative problem solving, and strategies from the DNP leadership perspective are emphasized.

This course examines the financial and strategic management principles and tools the nurse leader utilizes in order to influence evolving care delivery systems. Students utilize economic principles, financial analysis, and business skills as a foundation in strategic planning and decision making for healthcare initiatives.

This course addresses the principles of quality and safety science and their application to clinical practice development and organizational leadership.  Students formulate, implement and evaluate healthcare performance goals and measure outcomes. The course examines the relationship between policy development and performance management.

Students produce available evidence to demonstrate the need for a project, design a doctoral practice proposal related to a selected population of interest for this project, and create a detailed project plan for implementation and evaluation.  A three-member faculty advisory committee is selected at this time.  Students are required to defend their DNP proposal.

Students implement a doctoral nursing practice project related to an aggregate of individuals/selected population of interest. This course entails a total of 168 clock hours of practicum time.

Students analyze and disseminate findings from the doctoral nursing practice project. Students are required to successfully defend their project.

The DNP residency is an individualized collaborative experience with a preceptor, the student, and the faculty member which takes into account the student's professional goals, area of specialization, and expected leadership competencies of the DNP graduate. The experience is guided by an individualized learning contract which is implemented within the context of the student’s area of specialization. This course provides the student with the opportunity to design and deliver evidence-based care, to demonstrate leadership in supporting evidence-based practice, and to function as a consultant. This course is taken in 3 semester hour (SH) blocks of credit to meet hour requirements. 1SH = 56 clock hours.
Minimum of 6 credits equivalent to 336 clock hours repeatable. (Each DNP student must complete a minimum of 1000 hours for DNP residency minus up to 496 for residency hours acquired in their MSN degree and 168 hours from the DNP Scholarly Project Implementation.)