This course serves as a graduate exploration of the nature and purpose of meta-theoretical and philosophical/theoretical thinking relevant to advanced practice roles. The development and utilization of knowledge from theories, practice, research, and evidence are critically examined. Selected theories and frameworks from nursing and the field of ethics, as well as those from other related disciplines, are examined for their application in professional nursing practice including ethical decision-making in complex healthcare situations.

This course focuses on identifying, measuring, and seeking to improve safety, health, and nurse sensitive outcomes. Various models of process/quality improvement will be analyzed such that the nurse in advanced roles can be proactive as a change agent while using strong interprofessional communication skills.

This course examines topics relevant to expanding knowledge of organizational and systems leadership, and provides the knowledge and skills needed to develop competence in health policy. The impact of leadership and health science on the delivery of health care is explored. The examination of healthcare financing issues as they present at the systems and organizational level is incorporated. Health policy influences and triggers are emphasized, and the impact of historical, political, economic, global, and cultural influences is examined.

A course, on a special topic in the discipline at the post-master degree level, offered on the basis of need, interest, or time lines. May be repeated for credit. See registrars office current class schedules Web page for specific semester description.

This course provides independent reading and/or research, at the post-master degree level, under the direction of a faculty member. Refer to the academic policy section for independent study policy. May be repeated for credit.

This course focuses on developing and enhancing the students ability to be inquisitive scholars, engaged healthcare practitioners, and ethical leaders through the synthesis, integration, and evaluation of evidence to determine best practice that informs nursing practice at an advanced level. Students engage in meaningful and creative inquiry, critique health-related research, explore the ethical principles, and develop insights into the methodologic processes involved in conducting research and quality improvement activities.

This course analyzes leadership characteristics and their relationship with clinical excellence and data-driven, high-quality patient outcomes. Students interpret complex health issues, create evidence-informed interventions that aim to direct change and improve health outcomes and analyze the professional nurses roles and responsibilities in a rapidly-changing, complex healthcare system.

In this project-based learning course students integrate design-thinking principles and human factors to examine the quality improvement process. Integrating direct client care experiences into the design process, students analyze existing healthcare inefficiencies that lead to poor health outcomes and create a needs-based plan that aims to improve related health outcomes for a specific population. Prerequisite: 512, 560. Corequisite: 526.

This project-based course builds on the students previous quality improvement work. It emphasizes change management strategies and design-thinking principles to develop a quality improvement plan. Students develop the plan up to implementation, complete with a needs assessment, literature review, intervention, expected outcomes and process for evaluation. Prerequisite: 671.

This seminar serves as a clinical conference companion to the FNP practicum experience. Special topics and assignments focus on issues and learning needs presenting themselves in the clinical area. Procedural skills necessary for NP practice are introduced. Prerequisites: 540, 612.