Family Nurse Practitioner (DNP), 2-Year

This course explores the epidemiology of health literacy and its influence on the delivery of health care services. Individuals with low health literacy are afflicted with a higher number of chronic diseases, have worse health outcomes and generate higher health care costs when compared with their literate cohorts. Students will be introduced to the social, economic, legal, political and education-based policies that contribute to health literacy problems. Health system barriers encountered by low literate individuals who seek care will be explored. Students will work in groups to develop creative, community based solutions to identified health literacy barriers.

Prerequisites: None

This course examines the use of evidence based practice (EBP) and information technology (IT) in healthcare delivery. Using advanced Internet and database search skills, the student will learn how to critically appraise the literature and apply evidence based findings in a clinical, administrative, research, or educational health care setting.

Prerequisites: NUR-703

This course prepares the advance practice-nursing student to apply the tools and methods of biostatistics to clinical practice. Clinical epidemiology and evidence-based medicine applications are an integral component of clinical decision-making about individual patients. Advance practice nurses need to utilize biostatistics principles to provide best practice outcomes for patients.

Prerequisites: NUR-702

This course was developed for the advanced practice-nursing student preparing to work with older adults. Traditional assessment and treatment plans are often ineffective in meeting the needs of community dwelling elders. Multiply-complex health, social, personal, economic, spiritual and legal issues, not encountered by younger adults contributes to increased morbidity and mortality for the elderly. Students will work in groups to develop effective community based solutions in cases involving older adults. Future nurse leaders will be integral to the development of interdisciplinary solutions to improve outcomes for older Americans.

Prerequisites: None

This course studies the ethical dilemmas encountered in Health Care Professions. There are concerns that challenge the value of being human underscored in end-of-life decisions as well as those that span the bioethical literature. Analysis of a collective ethic of organizations will also be conducted.

Prerequisites: None

This course will explore a variety of issues that affect advanced practice nursing, with specific content pertinent to family nurse practitioners. The legal and ethical underpinnings of advanced practice will be explored. Students will explore the interaction of social, cultural, political, regulatory and institutional polices that influence practice. New practice roles such as entrepreneurship will be discussed. Identifying leadership opportunities for doctoral students will be stressed.

Prerequisites: None

This initial capstone residency experience is designed to provide the student with an intensive immersion opportunity in which they apply their foundational preparation and identify a focus for their capstone project. The student will select a mentor to work with who is an expert in their field of interest and associated with a community site or organization. During the residency, a problem that is amendable to an evidence-based solution will be identified within the clinical site.

Prerequisites: None

The student will work with a mentor and project chair to design and pilot the translation project in Capstone II. The project committee, which is mutually agreed upon by the student and advisor, will be providing feedback and critique during this process. The project chair and second committee member will be responsible for communicating with the mentor when needed to enhance the design of the project. The student will develop a theoretically and evidence-based program to address the problem identified in Capstone I. The student will be responsible for presenting the proposed design in writing and defending orally to committee members.

Prerequisites: NUR-711

In Capstone III, the student will work with a mentor to actualize the problem defined in Capstone I and designed in Capstone II. This experience allows the student to translate evidence-based findings into practice, to evaluate program development projects, and to participate in collaborative, inter-professional approaches to health care problems. The student will implement and evaluate a theoretically and evidence-based approach to address the identified problem. The student will be responsible for completing the project, presenting it in writing and defending orally to their committee.

Prerequisites: NUR-711 NUR-712

This course addresses legal and ethical issues frequently encountered by health care managers. Topics include the constitutional basis for government support of health care services and constraints that law and regulation impose on the health care industry. Bioethical theory, policy formulation and decision making in the professional setting are also included. Specific problems discussed include such issues as the right to health care, allocation of scarce resources, human experimentation, choices regarding death, liability of health care providers and governing board and medical and health care staff responsibilities.

Prerequisites: HSA-615