MSN and DNP Courses

General Core Courses

NURS 500: Scholarly Writing

This course develops effective written communication skills necessary for knowledge dissemination related to health care delivery and leadership. Students will incorporate information technology for scholarship, select appropriate sources, critically appraise existing literature, and create original scholarly works on a topic of interest using appropriate citations and references, which may be expressed in a variety of formats. Three graduate credits. (Post-Masters Doctor of Nursing Practice students register for NURS 800).

NURS 502: Epidemiology and Bioinformatics

This is an epidemiology methods course designed with the broad perspective required for the determination of the distribution and determinants of health and illness in diverse population groups. Students will focus on the information systems, data sets, and algorithms used in solving health problems and finding solutions needed for evidence-based practice. Students will perform a critical evaluation of research reports in professional literature. Students will design health promotion and disease prevention programs for important local, regional, and global health problems. Three graduate credits. (Graduate Business students register for MGMT 502).

NURS 504: Policy, Quality, and Safety in Health Care

This course provides an overview of how policies affect the quality, safety, and cost-effectiveness of health care. Students analyze the effects that values, special interests, and economics have on the delivery and financing of health care, which may or may not improve the health of the public and specific subsets of patients. Three graduate credits. (Graduate Business students register for MGMT 504).

NURS 506: Nursing Role Theory & Evidence-Based Practice

This course provides students a framework to guide advanced clinical inquiry. Students learn how to formulate researchable and clinically relevant evidence-based practice (EBP) questions, perform advanced literature searches, and critique the strength of current evidence. Students identify and propose EBP projects that are relevant to their specialty areas and present project findings upon completion. Three graduate credits.

NURS 536: Law, Regulations, and Ethics in the Health Care Environment

This course provides an overview of legal issues associated with healthcare, including HIPAA and Medicare fraud and abuse, and the regulatory and accreditation environments of Medicare, Medicaid, JCAHO, and OSHA. Ethical issues associated with the practice of medicine and decision-making in the healthcare environment are also examined. Three graduate credits. (Graduate Business students register for MGMT 536).

Direct Care Core

NURS 530 Advanced Pathophysiology

This course introduces advanced models of mechanisms that result in disease, with an emphasis on dysfunction at the genetic, cellular, tissue, and organ levels. Students are provided foundational concepts in pathophysiological processes that may be applied to advanced specialty areas.

NURS 532 Advanced Pharmacology

This course provides students an overview of advanced pharmacological concepts including pharmacokinetics, pharmacodynamics, and prototype drugs. Students learn major drug categories and concepts important to assure the safe prescription and use of drugs in a case study-based format. Three graduate credits.

NURS 534: Advanced Health and Physical Assessment

This course prepares students for performing the components of a comprehensive health history and physical examination on patients across the lifespan with a variety of health concerns. It builds upon prior assessment knowledge. Students learn advanced techniques and apply findings that may lead to the formulation of differential diagnoses. Includes 30 laboratory practice hours. Prerequisite: Completion of a baccalaureate course in health assessment with a C grade or higher or equivalent course content. Includes 30 laboratory practice hours. Prerequisite: NURS 530. Three graduate credits.

Nurse Practitioner Core

NURS 507: Nurse Practitioner Roles and Responsibilities

This course introduces students to the multiple roles and responsibilities of the Advanced Practice Registered Nurse in a hybrid model. Students apply prior knowledge and experience of professional nursing in appraising advanced practice nursing roles. Students develop personal philosophies of practice that are consistent with nurse practitioner competency standards as set forth by the National Organization of Nurse Practitioner Faculties (NONPF) and the American Association of Colleges of Nurses (AACN). Students will review the licensure and scope of practice requirements as set forth by the Pennsylvania State Board of Nursing. Note: This course is taken in the spring semester, prior to the start of the clinical year.

NURS 600: Diagnostic Reasoning

This course builds upon advanced pharmacology, advanced pathophysiology, and advanced health and physical assessment to further develop the diagnostic reasoning necessary for advanced practice. Students will use a systematic approach to the collection of subjective and objective information, development of differential diagnoses, and prioritization of diagnoses and other problems for specific patients and diverse populations. Critical analysis of information will be practiced in both individual and group work. Two graduate credits. Prerequisite: NURS 534: Advanced Health and Physical Assessment

Clinical Nurse Leader

NURS 610: CNL Roles and Responsibilities

This course introduces students to the multiple roles and responsibilities of the clinical nurse leader (CNL), which include advocate, member of the profession, team manager, information manager, systems analyst/risk anticipator, clinician, outcomes manager, and educator. Exemplars and case studies of role integration will provide a basis for student learning. Three graduate credits.

NURS 750: CNL Capstone Seminar and Internship I

This course is the first of two CNL Capstone courses that provide students with seminar and precepted clinical opportunities to engage in self and peer review to facilitate successful implementation of a beginning clinical nurse leader (CNL) role, synthesizing advanced concepts learned during the program of study. Students set professional development goals and present weekly case studies for individual and group analysis and evaluation. Prerequisites: General and Direct Care Core Courses and NURS 610. Five graduate credits. Includes 200 internship hours.

NURS 755: CNL Capstone Seminar and Internship II

This course is the second of two CNL Capstone courses that provide students with seminar and precepted clinical opportunities to engage in self and peer review to facilitate successful implementation of a beginning clinical nurse leader (CNL) role, synthesizing advanced concepts learned during the program of study. Students set professional development goals and present weekly case studies for individual and group analysis and evaluation. Prerequisites: General and Direct Care Core Courses, NURS 610, and CNL Capstone 1. *The CNL’s Professional Portfolio will be completed during this semester. Six graduate credits. Includes 200 internship hours.

NURS 751: CNL Seminar and Internship I

This course is the first of two CNL Capstone courses that provide students with seminar and precepted clinical opportunities to engage in self and peer review to facilitate successful implementation of the clinical nurse leader (CNL) role, synthesizing advanced concepts learned during the program of study. Students set professional development goals and present weekly case studies for individual and group analysis and evaluation. Prerequisites: General and Direct Care Core Courses and NURS 610. Includes 250 hours of clinical immersion. Five graduate credits.

NURS 756: CNL Seminar and Internship 2

This course is the second of two CNL Capstone courses that provide students with seminar and precepted clinical opportunities to engage in self and peer review to facilitate the successful implementation of a beginning clinical nurse leader (CNL) role, synthesizing advanced concepts learned during the program of study. Students set professional development goals and present weekly case studies for individual and group analysis and evaluation. Prerequisites: General and Direct Care Core Courses, NURS 610, and CNL Capstone 1. Prerequisites: General and Direct Care Core Courses and NURS 610. Includes 250 hours of clinical immersion. Six graduate credits. *The CNL’s Professional Portfolio will be completed during this semester.

Nurse Educator

NURS 613: Assessment and Evaluation Methods

This course provides a framework for assessing and evaluating learning in academic and clinical settings, preparing the student for the role of the novice educator. Students will learn to prepare and evaluate educational programs and student, staff, and patient learning. Various assessment and measurement instruments will be identified and utilized in relation to projects geared toward their target population. Three graduate credits.

NURS 614: Theory and Practice for Nurse Educators

This course critiques existing models and theories of nursing science and their application to healthcare, nursing, and nursing education. Students analyze multiple roles of the nurse educator, including responsibilities of teaching, scholarship, community service, and learner engagement. Students have opportunities to explore foundational concepts essential for role integration in academic and staff development settings. Exemplars and case studies of role integration will provide a basis for student learning. Three graduate credits.

NURS 765: Nurse Educator Seminar and Internship

This course provides students opportunities to engage in self and peer review to facilitate successful implementation of the nurse educator role, synthesizing advanced concepts learned during the program of study. Students engage in precepted direct care and education practicum experiences based on professional development goals.

*The Nurse Educator’s Professional Portfolio will be completed during this semester.

Prerequisite: Must be taken during the last semester of study. Includes 100 practicum hours. Four graduate credits.

Nurse Administrator

NURS 511: Developing Leadership Competencies

Managerial competencies, such as communicating, analyzing, reflecting, strategic thinking, time management, managing information, stress management, and career management, contribute significantly to an individual’s effectiveness as a leader. Using a variety of tools and techniques, participants in this course will assess and develop their managerial competencies, emotional intelligence, capacity to make judgments, and relationship management skills through reflective practice to align their theoretical knowledge with their workplace experience. Emphasis is placed on problem-solving styles, building global and cultural awareness, ethical decision making, and developing knowledge management skills. Three graduate credits. (Graduate Business students register for MGMT 511).

NURS 513: Leading People in Organizations

Leaders and managers achieve goals working with and through others. To lead, managers must have skills in teaching, mentoring, and coaching. They must be skilled in developing individuals to work in teams, in facilitating teams, and in managing conflict. Leaders and managers must understand organizational and national cultures and how they affect the achievement of goals. Leaders and managers must not only hold strong ethical values, but also model them. This course examines the role of managers as leaders in organizations and develops knowledge and skills needed by managers in today’s business environment to successfully achieve organizational goals. Three graduate credits. (Graduate Business students register for MGMT 513).

NURS 520: Financial Management in Health Care Organizations

This course focuses on the synthesis of theoretical and practical principles of financial and investment decisions within health care organizations. Students utilize accounting and financial information to execute effective decisions that enhance organizational objectives and patient outcomes. Three graduate credits. (Graduate Business students register for MGMT 520).

NURS 522: Project Management in Health Care

This course focuses on defining projects and identifying how to manage them within health care organizations. Students learn to identify project management process groups, methods to formulate and execute goals, break project components into work breakdown structure, and critique project case studies to assure performance improvement. Three graduate credits. (Graduate Business students register for MGMT 522).

NURS 524: Strategic Planning in Health Care

This course examines models of change within healthcare organizations and identifies strategic and leadership decisions necessary to effect positive organizational outcomes. Factors that assure short-term and long-term success in a competitive healthcare environment, including developing partnerships and cultivating human and other resources are analyzed. Students utilize case studies to critique the strategic decision-making process and make recommendations for effective strategic change. Three graduate credits. (Graduate Business students register for MGMT 524).

NURS 533: Managing Health Care Organizations

This course examines the unique environment of health care and the challenges confronting managers in that environment. Topics examined include marketing health care services, recruiting and retaining staff necessary for meeting mission, the strategy of health care services delivery, health care informatics, and decision making in the health care market place. Three graduate credits. (Graduate Business students register for MGMT 532).

NURS 535: Health Economics

This course reviews the history of healthcare financing in the United States and financial issues in the present healthcare environment. Principles of financial management and insurance are integrated and applied to the healthcare environment. Topics include: healthcare capital and operating budgets; healthcare payment methods, including Medicare's payment systems for hospitals and physicians, and risk-adjusted capitation payment systems; population-based healthcare finance and managed care; and financing aspects of public health policy. Prerequisite: CCBU 517 (Corporate Financial Management) or instructor approval. Three graduate credits. (Graduate Business students register for MGMT 534).

NURS 760: Nurse Administrator Seminar and Internship

This course provides students seminar opportunities to engage in self and peer review to facilitate successful implementation of the nurse administrator role, synthesizing advanced concepts learned during the program of study. Students set professional development goals and present case studies for individual and group analysis and evaluation. Students explore options for collaborative health projects that enhance nursing engagement and leadership in the global community.

*The Nurse Administrator's Professional Portfolio will be completed during this semester.

Prerequisite: Must be taken in the last semester of study. Includes 150-hour practicum in a nurse administrator role. Five graduate credits.

Adult-Gerontology Acute Care Nurse Practitioner

NURS 701: Introduction to Acute Care Patient Evaluation and Management

This course is designed to provide students with theory to facilitate their preparation for advanced clinical practice and development as acute care providers. Common acute care conditions will be examined, including the essential comprehensive assessment skills, clinical diagnostic reasoning, and clinical decision-making inclusive of pathophysiologic and pharmacologic concepts that are essential in managing patient care in acute care settings. An assessment of clinical readiness will occur during this course to allow for any potential remediation deemed necessary prior to starting clinical rotations. Prerequisites: Nurse Practitioner Core: NURS 507, NURS 530, NURS 532, NURS 534, NURS 600. Two graduate credits

NURS 710: Care of Younger Adults, Acute Care Theory and Practicum

This course is designed to provide students with theory, seminar, and precepted practicum opportunities to facilitate their development as acute care providers for younger adults. Students apply and evaluate essential assessment, pathophysiologic, and pharmacologic concepts that are essential in managing care of younger adult clients in acute care settings. Clinical seminars held weekly focus on diagnostic and therapeutic aspects of managing and coordinating acute care of younger adults. The practicum provides 200 supervised clinical practice hours for the student to meet the clinical competencies of the acute care nurse practitioner role. Prerequisites: NURS 507. Seven graduate credits

NURS 711: Care of Older Adults, Acute Care Theory and Practicum

This course is designed to provide students with theory, seminar and precepted practicum opportunities to facilitate their development as acute care providers for older adults, including the frail elderly. Students apply and evaluate essential assessment, pathophysiologic, and pharmacologic concepts that are essential in managing the care of older adult clients in acute/critical healthcare settings. Clinical seminars held weekly focus on diagnostic and therapeutic aspects of managing and coordinating care of older adults in acute and critical care settings. The practicum provides 200 supervised clinical practice hours for the student to meet the clinical competencies of the acute care nurse practitioner role. Prerequisite: NURS 710. Seven graduate credits.

NURS 712: Adult-Gerontology Acute Care Nurse Practitioner Capstone, Seminar and Internship

This course is designed to provide students with theory, seminar and precepted practicum opportunities to facilitate their development as acute care providers for adults from adolescents to end of life. Students apply and evaluate essential assessment, pathophysiologic, and pharmacologic concepts that are essential in managing care of adult clients in acute care settings. The practicum provides 250 supervised clinical practice hours for the student to meet the clinical competencies of the acute gerontology acute care NP role. Prerequisite: NURS 711

*The Professional Portfolio will be completed during this semester.

Prerequisites: Must be taken in the last semester of study. Seven graduate credits.

NURS 713: Acute Care of Older Adults, Theory and Practicum

This course is designed to provide students with theory, seminar, and precepted practicum opportunities to facilitate their development as acute care providers for older adults, including the frail elderly. Students apply and evaluate essential assessment, pathophysiologic, and pharmacologic concepts that are essential in managing care of older adult clients in acute/critical health care settings. Clinical seminars held weekly focus on diagnostic and therapeutic aspects of managing and coordinating care of older adults in acute and critical care settings. The practicum requires 250 supervised clinical practice hours for the student to meet the clinical competencies of the acute care nurse practitioner role. Seven graduate credits.

NURS 714: Adult-Gerontology Acute Care, Seminar and Internship

This course is designed to provide students with theory, seminar, and precepted practicum opportunities to facilitate their development as acute care providers for adults from adolescence to end of life. Students apply and evaluate essential assessment, pathophysiologic, and pharmacologic concepts that are essential in managing care of adult clients in acute care settings. The practicum requires 300 supervised clinical practice hours for the student to meet the clinical competencies of the adult gerontology acute care NP role. In addition to clinical, there will be 30 hours of didactic work during this semester. Seven graduate credits.

*The Professional Portfolio will be completed during this semester.

Prerequisites: Must be taken in the last semester of study. Seven graduate credits.

Adult-Gerontology Primary Care Nurse Practitioner

NURS 700: Introduction to Primary Care Patient Evaluation and Management

This course is designed to provide students with theory to facilitate their preparation for advanced clinical practice and development as primary care providers. Common primary care conditions will be examined, including the essential comprehensive assessment skills, clinical diagnostic reasoning, and clinical decision-making inclusive of pathophysiologic and pharmacologic concepts that are essential in managing patient care in primary care settings. An assessment of clinical readiness will occur during this course to allow for any potential remediation deemed necessary prior to starting clinical rotations. Prerequisites: NURS 507, NURS 530, NURS 532, NURS 534, and NURS 600. Two graduate credits.

NURS 720: Primary Care of Younger Adults, Theory and Practicum

This course is designed to provide students with theory, seminar, and precepted practicum opportunities to facilitate their development as primary care providers for younger adults. Students apply and evaluate essential comprehensive assessment skills, clinical diagnostic reasoning, and clinical decision-making to include pathophysiologic and pharmacologic concepts that are essential in managing the care of younger adult clients in primary care settings. Clinical seminars held weekly focus on diagnostic and therapeutic aspects of managing and coordinating the primary care of younger adults. The practicum provides a minimum of 200 supervised clinical practice hours for the student to meet the clinical competencies of the primary care family nurse practitioner role. . Seven graduate credits.

NURS 721: Care of Older Adults, Primary Care Theory and Practicum

This course is designed to provide students with theory, seminars, and precepted practicum opportunities to facilitate their development as primary care providers for older adults, including the frail elderly. Students apply and evaluate essential assessment, pathophysiologic, and pharmacologic concepts that are essential in managing the care of older adult clients in primary healthcare settings. Clinical seminars held weekly focus on diagnostic and therapeutic aspects of managing and coordinating care of older adults in primary care settings. The practicum provides 200 supervised clinical practice hours for the student to meet the clinical competencies of the primary care nurse practitioner role. Seven graduate credits.

NURS 722: Adult-Gerontology Primary Care Nurse Practitioner, Seminar and Internship

This course is designed to provide students with theory, seminar and precepted practicum opportunities to facilitate their development as primary care providers for adults from adolescents to end of life. Students apply and evaluate essential assessment, pathophysiologic, and pharmacologic concepts that are essential in managing care of adult clients in primary care settings. The practicum provides 250 supervised clinical practice hours for the student to meet the clinical competencies of the adult gerontology primary care NP role.

*The Professional Portfolio will be completed during this semester.

Prerequisites: Must be taken in the last semester of study. Seven graduate credits.

NURS 723: Primary Care of Older Adults, Theory and Practicum

This course is designed to provide students with theory, seminar, and precepted practicum opportunities to facilitate their development as primary care providers for older adults, including the elderly with multiple morbidities. Students apply and evaluate essential assessment, pathophysiologic, and pharmacologic concepts that are essential in managing the care of older adult clients in primary healthcare settings. Clinical seminars held weekly focus on diagnostic and therapeutic aspects of managing and coordinating the care of older adults in primary care settings. The practicum requires a minimum of 250 supervised clinical practice hours for the student to meet the clinical competencies of the primary care family nurse practitioner role. Seven graduate credits.

NURS 724: Primary Care Seminar and Internship

*The Professional Portfolio will be completed during this semester.

Prerequisites: Must be taken in the last semester of study. Seven graduate credits.

Family Nurse Practitioner

NURS 700: Introduction to Primary Care Patient Evaluation and Management

NURS 720: Primary Care of Younger Adults, Theory and Practicum

NURS 721: Primary Care of Older Adults, Theory and Practicum

NURS 732: Care of Women and Children in Primary Care, Theory and Practicum

This course will describe and analyze primary health care for women and children, emphasizing health promotion and disease prevention. Primary prevention, family theory, acute and chronic conditions, wellness, developmental stages, and cultural considerations will be examined during this course. In addition, managing primary care of women’s reproductive health will include essential aspects of sexual health and maternal care, as well as perimenopausal and postmenopausal concerns.

Prerequisites: Must be taken in the last semester of study. Includes 150 practicum hours. Five graduate credits.

NURS 733: Family Nurse Practitioner Seminar and Internship

This course is designed to provide students with precepted practicum opportunities to facilitate development as family nurse practitioners in primary care. Students apply and evaluate essential assessment, pathophysiologic, and pharmacologic concepts that are essential in managing the care of patients across the lifespan in primary care. The practicum provides 100 supervised clinical practice hours for the student to meet the clinical competencies of the family nurse practitioner role.

Prerequisites: Must be taken in last semester of study. Includes 100 practicum hours. Four graduate credits.

NURS 735: Primary Care of Children and Childbearing Women Theory

This course will describe and analyze primary health care for children and childbearing women, emphasizing health promotion and disease prevention. Primary prevention, family theory, acute and chronic conditions, wellness, developmental stages, and cultural considerations will be examined during this course. In addition, managing primary care of childbearing women’s reproductive health will include essential aspects of sexual health and maternal care, as well as perimenopausal and postmenopausal concerns Three graduate credits.

NURS 736: Primary Care of Children and Childbearing Women Practicum

This practicum course allows for the application of theory to practice in the care of women and children. The practicum requires a minimum of 150 supervised clinical practice hours for the student to meet the clinical competencies of this course in a family nurse practitioner role. Three graduate credits

NURS 738: Family Primary Care Seminar and Internship

This course is designed to provide students with seminar and precepted practicum opportunities to facilitate development as family nurse practitioners in primary care. Students apply and evaluate essential assessment, pathophysiologic, and pharmacologic concepts that are essential in managing the care of patients across the lifespan in primary care. The practicum provides a minimum of 300 supervised clinical practice hours for the student to meet the clinical competencies of the family nurse practitioner role. Seven graduate credits.

Doctor of Nursing Practice

NURS 805: Information Technology and Biostatistics

This course focuses on the interrelationships of information systems, data management, and biostatistics in answering practice questions to improve population health. Students will evaluate informatics as it relates to communication, complex decision-making, patient safety, security, quality improvement, outcomes measurement, and ethical issues in the context of industry-specific requirements. Data collection, management, and statistical analysis techniques typically employed in process and quality improvement initiatives, including survey design, spreadsheets, Pivot tables, and data visualization, will be covered. Three graduate credits.

NURS 810: Foundations of Evidence-Based Practice

This course develops advanced skills in clinical inquiry and critical appraisal of literature with an emphasis on application of research evidence in clinical decision-making and healthcare leadership. Students will build upon prior learning and develop an approach to clinical questions related to an advanced practice role utilizing implementation science. Students will evaluate both evidence-based practice and practice-based evidence. Three graduate credits.

NURS 811: Evidence-Based Practice: Methods

This course will help the DNP student develop the skills to use implementation science in translating evidence into practice. Students will use evidence-based practice (EBP) appraisal frameworks to promote understanding of scientific information and support critical decision-making in healthcare delivery and policy in a healthcare setting. Different approaches to data management, including descriptive and inferential statistics, theme and content analysis, and cost effectiveness will be explored. Students will use information technology to organize and clean data, analyze quantitative and economic data using appropriate statistical tests. Emphasis will be placed on interpretation of data and reporting of results. Three graduate credits.

NURS 820: Population Health, Ethics, and Social Responsibility

This course develops a foundation for evidence-based advanced nursing practice for the examination of ethical implications, social, economic, and environmental influences on diverse populations, and the capacity of the health system to accommodate the needs of the population. Students will use theoretical foundations or frameworks in the evaluation of population health, including risk factors, primary and secondary prevention strategies, and social drivers of health, including the impact on health equity from the local to the global levels. Evaluation of appropriate communication methods of health promotion and prevention strategies will be completed for varied stakeholders in the context of the age, literacy and prioritized needs of the population. Three graduate credits.

NURS 901: Evidence-Based Project: Systems Thinking 1

This course is the first of three systems thinking courses and provides the tools for the doctorally prepared nurse to evaluate, translate, and integrate published research findings into clinical practice. Students will be introduced to the concepts and competencies related to translational research and systems thinking aiding their ability to transform clinical issues into answerable questions. Students will identify factors that contribute to outcomes and search the literature for evidence-based strategies and best practices to address system-based problems and improve outcomes. Students will identify an issue and plan an evidence-informed project which will be implemented in the second systems thinking course. Hours spent in the development, implementation, and evaluation of the DNP project will be applied to the hours necessary for degree completion. Project work is completed with the support of and feedback from a DNP Project Team. Three graduate credits.

NURS 902: Evidence-Based Project: Systems Thinking 2

This is the second of three systems thinking courses and builds upon the skills developed in prior courses. Students will obtain all necessary approvals for their projects and complete an IRB application. Application will be submitted for IRB review(s) as indicated for the individual project. After appropriate approvals of the project have been obtained, students will implement their quality or process improvement project. Students will incorporate information technology in the collection, analysis and management of data, ensuring that ethical practice standards are met. Three graduate credits.

NURS 903: Evidence-Based Project: Systems Thinking 3

This is the third and final systems thinking course. Students will evaluate and disseminate the results of their process or quality improvement project. As part of the evaluation, students will analyze the project findings and include recommendations for system impact including economic, financial and policy implications at the local, state and/or national levels. Through completion of the project, students will develop the skills to translate and disseminate evidence based practices for the purpose of improving system level care and the leadership to promote evidence based change.