NURS - Nursing

Course Descriptions

 

NURS 3010 Concepts of Professional Nursing (3)

This course focuses on caring and professionalism in nursing practice. Core values and principles foundational to the profession are explored. Accountability for providing safe, effective care and advocacy for diverse individuals and families are addressed. Students discuss historical, legal, and ethical perspectives of nursing and examine contemporary practice issues.

NURS 3020 Lifespan Health Assessment for RNs (3)

Students focus on the acquisition, documentation, and interpretation of findings of a holistic nursing assessment (psychosocial, cognitive, emotional, physical, cultural, and spiritual). Assessment of variations across the lifespan is emphasized. Prerequisite: Admission to the BSN program.

NURS 3270 Evidence-based Practice for Nurses (3)

This course examines the relationships of theory, research and evidence-based practice. Students utilize the skills of questioning, searching, retrieving, appraising and synthesizing to support evidence based practice and innovation of practice. Barriers to evidence based practice, including challenges in dissemination, and the role of the nurse in addressing barriers and change will be emphasized. Also, ethical considerations in research and evidence-based practice will be explored.

NURS 3410 Health Promotion and Education (3)

This course focuses on theories and strategies relevant to health promotion and health education throughout the lifespan. Emphasis is on the role of the nurse in health promotion and the teaching process. Students plan, implement, and evaluate a health promotion plan for an individual based on assessment of needs.

NURS 3500 Issues in Women's Health (3)

Presents an overview of society's impact on women's health with discussion of how the women's health movement has introduced alternatives to medical control.

NURS 3600 Topics in Nursing (1-3)

Elective course focusing on a specific area or issue in nursing. May be repeated if content differs.

NURS 4060 Gerontology (3)

Explores topics pertinent to health care of well older adults and those with chronic health problems. Develops and strengthens the knowledge, skills, and attitudes of nurses caring for the older adult. Theories of aging, health promotion and preventive care, mental health issues in older adults, as well as palliative and end-of-life care are included.

NURS 4110 Interprofessional Collaboration (3)

This course focuses on effective collaboration skills needed for interprofessional practice. Roles and perspectives of the nurse and other health care professionals are explored. Students practice relationship building strategies, effective communication techniques, and group processing skills to provide high quality, safe, evidence-based patient-centered care.

NURS 4240 Organizational and Systems Leadership (3)

This course introduces the leadership skills of ethical and critical decision making, effective relationship building, skilled and mutually respectful communication, and interprofessional collaboration. Recognizing that high quality and safe patient care depends upon skilled organizational and systems leadership, quality improvement and patient safety concepts, students will gain understanding of and learn to use these skills in the complex healthcare setting.

NURS 4250 Population Health: Clinical Prevention with Families and Communities (3)

This course focuses on care of families and communities as the client. Students examine variables that influence the health of families and communities focusing on health promotion, health education, and disease reduction interventions. Current public health problems, epidemiology, trends in health care delivery, and community resources are examined. Students analyze the sociocultural, political, economic, ethical, and environmental factors that influence family, community and global health. A visit to a local agency serving vulnerable populations will be completed.

NURS 4410 Health Care Policy, Finance, and Regulatory Environments (3)

This course explores healthcare, financial and regulatory policies and how these influence nursing practice. Policy influences and shapes issues in healthcare such as: equity, access, affordability, and social justice. A broader perspective of healthcare is examined including how services are organized and financed. The role of advocacy in making policy change is explored specifically focused on vulnerable populations.

NURS 4460 Disaster Management: A Global Perspective (2-3)

This course introduces students to the unique challenges in preparing for, mitigating and responding to natural, technological, and human-made disasters. The consequences of disastrous events are considered as well as strategies for decreasing vulnerabilities and increasing resilience at all phases of a disaster. 

NURS 4600 Advanced Seminar in Nursing (2-3)

Elective course designed for in-depth study of a specific area or issue in nursing. May be repeated for credit if content differs.

NURS 4610 Advanced Readings in Nursing (1-3)

Individual student exploration of a specific area of interest in nursing. May be repeated for credit if content differs. Prerequisites: NURS 3010, permission of the department chair and filing of official form. 

NURS 4800 Capstone Portfolio (1)

Students critically reflect on learning and professional growth throughout the program through development of a portfolio of academic work. Reflection on coursework, including practice experiences, at the end of the program facilitates professional development and demonstrates achievement of end-of-program outcomes.