Part Time (3 Years)
Year 1:
Fall
NURS6370 |
The relationships among nursing theory, research and practice will be examined. An emphasis will be placed on research competencies for advanced practice nurses (APNs), including understanding nursing research methods and strategies in order to evaluate research results for applicability to practice and to design projects for evaluating outcomes of practice. An understanding of statistical techniques will be integrated into the course and build on the required undergraduate statistics course. Published nursing research studies will be evaluated for scientific merit and clinical feasibility, with a focus on evidence-based practice. Please note, the online version of this course has a synchronous component (live online class sessions). See department for meeting days/times. Prerequisite: Undergraduate Statistics Class, Must hold an RN license. |
Spring
ELEC001 |
Students are encouraged to select courses that complement and enhance their program focus. Courses must be in the Nursing School, non-clinical courses, and at the 500 level or higher. |
Summer
NURS6070 |
This course will integrate advanced physiology with pathophysiology and clinical implications across the lifespan for advanced nursing practice. Organ systems function and dysfunction from the level of the cell through integrated organ levels will be presented, and the genetic basis of disease will be discussed. Recent scientific advances will be discussed with application to new approaches to disease and symptom management. The interrelationships between basic physiology, clinical pathophysiology, and genetics are emphasized through lecture and case studies. Registration is restricted to students enrolled in the MSN or DNP programs or by permission of instructor. |
Year 2:
Fall
NURS6700 |
This didactic course examines the epidemiologic, assessment, diagnostic, management and evaluation of acutely or critically ill adults across the adult-older adult age spectrum. Students explore the dynamic interplay between the pathophysiologic basis of disease and the psychosocial and socio-cultural responses to acute and critical illness and injury as they develop clinical decision-making skills. An evidence-based approach to nursing and medical management including pharmacologic and non-pharmacologic modalities is emphasized. Cardiovascular and pulmonary systems, infectious and prevention issues commonly encountered by adults are covered. Particular focus is placed on specific issues related to the older adult such as frailty, dehydration, loss of functional mobility, falls, and other geriatric syndromes. |
Spring
NURS6080 |
Advanced principles of clinical pharmacology and therapeutics are applied to the nursing care of individuals across the life-stage spectrum. It focuses on the content and knowledge employed by the advanced practice registered nurse in the management of various conditions and disease states. The course builds on the pharmacology knowledge base acquired in the baccalaureate nursing program. The advanced pharmacology and therapeutics of several common diseases or conditions found in the acute care and primary care setting is presented. This is supplemented with pharmacotherapy modules to meet program specific needs. |
NURS6710 |
In this didactic course, students learn to integrate their advanced pharmacology and pathophysiology background with their understanding of acute illness and injury. The focus is on the evidence-based management of patients with neurologic, gastrointestinal, renal, oncologic, and metabolic health problems. Students develop skills to create a differential diagnosis when an adult/older-adult presents with a constellation of symptoms. Common and atypical presentations of illness and disease are explored. Focus is placed on holistic care including the psychosocial, cultural, and spiritual aspects of patients’ response to their illness or injury. Epidemiology, assessment, diagnosis, management, and advanced clinical decision making based on current clinical research are emphasized. |
Summer
NURS6570 |
This laboratory/clinical course is designed to help future advanced practice nurses develop advanced clinical assessment skills. Provider-patient interaction, data collection, and hypothesis formulation are emphasized. All participants engage in actual practice with fellow students, and/or models, and consenting patients. This course is to be taken the semester before clinical begins. |
NURS6720 |
This didactic course examines issues related to the epidemiology, assessment, diagnosis, management and evaluation of acute, critical and complex chronically ill adults across the adult-older adult age continuum. Students explore the dynamic interplay between the pathophysiologic basis of disease and the psychosocial and socio-cultural responses to illness and injury across the adult age continuum as they develop clinical decision-making skills. An evidence-based approach to nursing and medical management including pharmacologic and non-pharmacologic modalities is emphasized. Content focuses on special adult and older adult patient populations with commonly encountered health problems. |
Year 3:
Fall
NURS6730 |
This didactic and fieldwork course focuses on development of a systematic approach to advanced physical assessment, the use and interpretation of diagnostic technologies and development of diagnostic reasoning as it applies to patient management of the adult-older adult acutely ill or injured patient. Emphasis is placed on development of competence to perform a comprehensive history and physical examination, incorporating the analysis of biotechnological data trends. Building fundamental skills in developing differential diagnoses and clinical decision making for acutely ill patients across the adult age continuum is a focus of this course. |
NURS7640 |
This fieldwork course focuses on development of a systematic approach to advanced physical assessment, the use of diagnostic technologies and the development of a diagnostic reasoning as it applies to patient management of the acutely ill and injured. Emphasis is placed on development of competence to perform a comprehensive history and decision making for the management of acutely ill patients. |
Spring
NURS6740 |
This didactic and clinical fieldwork course explores issues relevant to the role of the Adult Gerontology Acute Care Nurse Practitioner within the complex U.S. health care system. Role development, reimbursement issues, provision of quality and ethical care and evidence-based nursing and medical interventions are introduced and discussed in the classroom. Clinical fieldwork focuses on assessment of complex acute, critical and chronically-ill patients for urgent and emergent conditions, using both physiologically and technologically derived data, to evaluate for physiologic instability and potential life-threatening conditions, development of differential diagnoses, application of diagnostic reasoning and formulation, implementation, evaluation and modification of individualized plans of care including pharmacological and non-pharmacological modalities. Development of advanced clinical competencies and clinical decision making abilities about adults across the age continuum is emphasized. . |
Summer
NURS6750 |
This didactic and fieldwork course focuses on the role of the Adult Gerontology Acute Care Nurse Practitioner and the expansion of advanced clinical competencies and clinical decision making abilities. Clinical experiences in acute care settings provide the student with opportunities to refine history and physical examination techniques, diagnostic reasoning, formulation, implementation, evaluation and modification of individualized management plans. Specific attention is given to the unique presentation of syndromes and constellation of symptoms that may be typical or atypical presentation of complex acute, critical and chronic illness in adults and older adults. Facilitating transition of patients at varying life stages through the complex health care system is encouraged exploring the multiple governmental, social and personal resources available to acutely ill adults across the age continuum. The application of advanced nursing, medical and biopsychosocial knowledge in the management of patients and the collaboration between the nurse practitioner and the patient, family and interprofessional healthcare team are emphasized. |