Nursing Practice

The course emphasizes leadership development for complex organizations and systems through a process of self-inquiry. The developmental needs of the student are identified. Unique leadership characteristics are examined and enhanced under the lens of transformational change. Course content focuses on synthesis of theoretical leadership concepts with personal and professional values. The learner will incorporate the five pillars of the conceptual framework into administrative experiences. Topics are rooted in teaching solutions to real problems facing contemporary business leaders. The content emphasizes leadership development, core business skills, ethical comportment and social responsibility. The outcome of the course is a deeper knowledge of leadership, greater confidence, and a keen awareness of the values that guide executive decisions. A grade of B or better is necessary to successfully complete this course.

This course provides students with conceptual frameworks for advanced public health nursing practice, as well as exploring the contributions of population science to the health of the public. Analysis of population-focused nursing research and public health nursing management strategies is explicitly incorporated. Nursing models, theories, and evidence for critiquing and designing population-focused interventions form the basis for this course. Students apply principles, theory, and research about epidemiology/public health/public health nursing interventions in resolution of population-focused health issues. Collaborating with community-based partners to achieve public health objectives is expected. A grade of B or better is necessary to successfully complete this course.

This course advances students' abilities to analyze the politics, institutions, norms, and key stakeholders involved in agenda-setting, legitimating, and decision-making of health policy in the United States. Students learn to utilize analytical frameworks to explain how the policymaking process works, relates to the substance of policy, and applies to contemporary healthcare and nursing issues. Specific methods and strategies which healthcare providers use to influence health policy are explored with respect to grassroots organizing, advocacy, building coalitions among stakeholders, lobbying, working with media, developing and sustaining relationships with legislators and providing expert professional testimony as part of the policy-making process. The focus of dialogue includes ethical principles, as well as legal and regulatory issues that impact the health of the public. The preferences of individuals (politics), economic, psychological, social and technological determinants will be examined. The course also examines the impact of policy on the healthcare workforce, especially on nursing deployment and utilization. A grade of B or better is necessary to successfully complete this course.

This course focuses on complex variables that influence financial management and resource utilization in nursing and healthcare. The conceptual basis and methods of financial analysis and decision making pertinent to healthcare delivery systems are examined. Healthcare economics, marketing principles, human resource management, and the influence of health policy and Healthy People 2020 objectives that impact current healthcare environments are explored. A grade of B or better is necessary to successfully complete this course.

The goal of this course is to provide students with the knowledge and skills necessary to assume a leadership role in transforming care in complex organizations and environments. This course provides the metrics for assessment, use, and evaluation of scientific data into evidence-based nursing practice. The steps in translating evidence into practice are explored. Knowledge assessment, clinical effectiveness, and tools for applying evidence to practice are emphasized. Strategies for creating a culture of evidence-based practice are embedded in course requirements. Barriers to evidence-based practice are identified. A grade of B or better is needed in order to successfully pass this course.

This course is a study of epidemiological methods to evaluate the patterns and determinants of health and diseases in populations.

This course provides a problem-based understanding and application of parametric statistical assessments in the area of public health practice, as well as exposure to more advanced methodologies such as ANOVA, linear and multiple regression methods, and categorical response variable analysis. Students will utilize statistical software to perform basic and advanced analyses.

Theory, evidence, and the systematic translation of nursing science into practice provide the basis for DNP practica experiences across the program of study. Students investigate clinical problems and refine their clinical translational capabilities within the context of the broader health care system. Clinical learning is directed toward systematic application of knowledge and scientific discovery in resolving new or persistent problems affecting the safety and quality of patient care. Mentored clinical application of evidence-based knowledge and skills, as well as independent investigation and evaluation of outcomes, support knowledge acquisition, as well as integration of the DNP role into the complex circumstances of contemporary nursing practice. Leadership, consultation, advocacy, fiscal accountability and interdisciplinary collaboration serve as core competencies to effect organizational change. A grade of B or better is necessary to successfully complete this course. A minimum of 30 clinical hours for each enrolled credit is required.

Theory, evidence, and the systematic translation of nursing science into practice provide the basis for DNP practica experiences across the program of study. Students investigate clinical problems and refine their clinical translational capabilities within the context of the broader health care system. Clinical learning is directed toward systematic application of knowledge and scientific discovery in resolving new or persistent problems affecting the safety and quality of patient care. Mentored clinical application of evidence-based knowledge and skills, as well as independent investigation and evaluation of outcomes, support knowledge acquisition, as well as integration of the DNP role into the complex circumstances of contemporary nursing practice. Leadership, consultation, advocacy, fiscal accountability and interdisciplinary collaboration serve as core competencies to effect organizational change. A grade of B or better is necessary to successfully complete this course. A minimum of 30 clinical hours for each enrolled credit is required.

Theory, evidence, and the systematic translation of nursing science into practice provide the basis for DNP practica experiences across the program of study. Students investigate clinical problems and refine their clinical translational capabilities within the context of the broader health care system. Clinical learning is directed toward systematic application of knowledge and scientific discovery in resolving new or persistent problems affecting the safety and quality of patient care. Mentored clinical application of evidence-based knowledge and skills, as well as independent investigation and evaluation of outcomes, support knowledge acquisition, as well as integration of the DNP role into the complex circumstances of contemporary nursing practice. Leadership, consultation, advocacy, fiscal accountability and interdisciplinary collaboration serve as core competencies to effect organizational change. A grade of B or better is necessary to successfully complete this course. 

This course allows students the opportunity to complete 180 practice hours of the required 1000 post-baccalaureate hours for completion of a Doctoral Nursing Program. Students complete post-baccalaureate practice experiences to enhance their skills as practitioners of nursing. Students work with an approved mentor to gather the experience required for a terminal degree in nursing. The course provides opportunities to help students assimilate knowledge for advanced specialty practice.

This course allows students the opportunity to complete 180 practice hours of the required 1000 post-baccalaureate hours for completion of a Doctoral Nursing Program. Students complete post-baccalaureate practice experiences to enhance their skills as practitioners of nursing. Students work with an approved mentor to gather the experience required for a terminal degree in nursing. The course provides opportunities to help students assimilate knowledge for advanced specialty practice.

This course allows students the opportunity to complete 120 practice hours of the required 1000 post-baccalaureate hours for completion of a Doctoral Nursing Program. Students complete practice post-baccalaureate experiences to enhance their skills as practitioners of nursing. Students work with an approved mentor to gather the experience required for a terminal degree in nursing. The course provides opportunities to help students assimilate knowledge for advanced specialty practice.

This integrated scholarly effort is presented in a series of four sequential one-credit offerings that provide the DNP student with substantive opportunities to engage in exploration of a critical clinical question. This comprehensive exploration is conducted as a mentored experience and includes identification, development, implementation, evaluation and dissemination of an independent scholarly project. This scholarly project focuses on problems of practice within a defined organization or within specific populations. Each course builds on the existing knowledge and practice expertise of the DNP student within the broader context of translating science into clinical practice or solving for intractable clinical problems in which outcomes management, including quality and safety, are essential. The range of projects varies according to the interest of the individual DNP student. A grade of B or better is necessary to successfully complete this course.

In this second of the four-course series, the DNP student works with a faculty mentor to refine the project design and apply contemporary investigative methods to structure data collection. Additionally, the DNP student will complete CITI/NIH training and submit an IRB application for Human subjects review where appropriate, prior to beginning data collection for this scholarly project. Students must successfully complete an oral defense of the project prior to implementation. Each student will be required to submit individual objectives at the beginning of the semester for each of the four courses. The objectives will be signed by the student and the mentor. The student will be evaluated according to the requirements of the course within the context of the agreed-upon objectives. A grade of B or better is necessary in order to successfully pass this course.

In this third course of a four-course series, the DNP student implements the evidence-based scholarly project specific to a population of interest within an identified clinical setting. Continued and ongoing interaction with the assigned mentor is expected and modifications of protocols are completed, where indicated, at this time. . Each student will be required to submit individual objectives at the beginning of the semester for each of the four courses. The objectives will be signed by the student and the mentor. The student will be evaluated according to the requirements of the course within the context of the agreed-upon objectives. A grade of B or better is needed in order to pass this course.

In this fourth and final course, the DNP student conducts the data analysis and writes the discussion section of the scholarly project. The discussion focuses on evaluation of the evidence generated in the scholarly project and the actual or potential impact of the project on identified health care outcomes. Students disseminate their findings through a final oral presentation (defense) and preparation of a manuscript suitable for a peer-reviewed publication. Each student will be required to submit individual objectives at the beginning of the semester for each of the four courses. The objectives will be signed by the student and the mentor. The student will be evaluated according to the requirements of the course within the context of the agreed-upon objectives. A B or better is necessary to successfully complete this course.