Master of Science in Nursing: Healthcare Systems Leadership Curriculum

This course provides a foundation of key concepts essential to population-focused healthcare professionals, the aggregate, community or population as the unit of care. The focus of the course is on health promotion/disease prevention with emphasis on the advanced role of healthcare professionals in clinical prevention of disease and care of populations. Applying concepts of primary, secondary, and tertiary health promotion across the lifespan, the student relates the basic concepts of epidemiology to multiple domains of population health, using epidemiology to better understand, characterize and promote health at a population level. Disease prevention and health promotion of populations are examined through the study of the occurrence and distribution of health-related states or events, including the study of social determinants of health.

This course examines the healthcare system and guides students to assess and analyze the healthcare system in the context of advanced practice healthcare professional and the role of advanced practice healthcare professionals. The student explores organizational and system science, change theories and social change theories in its application to healthcare. Healthcare leadership including theory and styles as well as contemporary approaches, ethical practice and leadership strategies are examined. Inter/intra professional communication, teamwork, consultation, diversity and collaboration are discussed as cornerstones for patient safety, optimal health outcomes and accountability in health care. The student analyzes and evaluates the intersection of current and emerging healthcare system challenges and advanced practice role dimensions.

This course examines healthcare delivery in the United States, to include the role of public policy, advocacy, and industry regulation. Health policy perspectives and the analytical tools to understand the national policy-making environment are integrated throughout the course. Key policy issues and core constructs for analysis include national health expenditures and cost containment strategies, patient access and health disparities, health care quality and performance improvement, and workforce policy. Health care reform, future directions and trends, and policy innovations are examined for their impact on advanced nursing practice, service delivery, and health outcomes. Health systems of other developed and developing countries are examined to gain a global perspective and appreciation for a variety of health system attributes.

This course provides students with an overview of the fundamentals of quality improvement and a foundation in healthcare quality. Students are first introduced to the course content through a historical perspective on quality improvement and the current quality landscape. The methods and tools for quality improvement, measurement in healthcare quality and safety, culture of safety principles, and standards related to quality are then examined. As nurse leaders, it is important we understand culture and leadership, and how to create an environment conducive to healthcare quality and patient safety. In this part of the course, we examine human factors, high reliability organizations and principles of a just culture of safety. To complete the course content, we explore emerging trends and innovations to improve quality and patient safety.

This course reviews concepts important to implementing and sustaining effective use of technology in the clinical environment. Security and privacy for the protection of privileged information, effective policy development, testing and implementation are examined. Concepts of change management as well as informatics role in community/population health monitoring and management are explored. The student studies the use of technology to generate new evidence, the potential influence of emerging technologies on clinical practice and the importance of developing a caring practice in a high technology environment.

This course focuses on the use of the research process in developing new healthcare professional knowledge and applying that to an evidence-based practice. The student examines and develops research questions, considers theoretical frameworks, methods of data collection and analysis, and the interpretation and use of study findings in providing evidence-based care of individuals, families, and communities. The importance of scientific integrity and ethical standards are emphasized and ethical issues in the conduct of research are explored. The student is prepared to critically appraise and utilize research and identify researchable problems within the context of his/her own practice.

Students explore organizational science and its application to healthcare and analyze the principles of leadership and leadership science including theory, styles as well as contemporary approaches and strategies. The course emphasizes system science and integration, change theory and social change theories, and healthcare systems and organizational relationships. The student has the opportunity to address an organization's challenges specific to healthcare delivery within the contemporary financial and social environment. Offered: Fall, Winter, Spring, Summer.

Students examine the critical aspects of human resource management in the context of healthcare systems. Human resource management includes confronting the nursing shortage through recruitment and retention, staffing management, performance appraisal and marketing. Prevention of workplace violence and disaster preparedness are also explored as opportunities and challenges for nurse leaders in managing the healthcare workforce. Students additionally explore aspects of finance in managing healthcare systems budgets related managing the healthcare workforce. Calculation of revenue, expenses, direct and indirect costs as well as cost benefit calculations are considered. Offered: Fall, Winter, Spring, Summer.

This course emphasizes strategic planning in healthcare, business planning and conceptual analysis of role. Discussion focuses on the acquisition of knowledge, skills and abilities for strategic planning and for practice as a nurse leader across traditional and non-traditional healthcare settings. Prerequisite: NR 582.

This practicum experience expands and refines the leadership and management skills related to the administrative nurse leader role. Working with a nurse leader acting as a manager/administrator in a selected care environment, the student focuses their chosen leadership role with a focus on quality, risk management and processes of managing health care delivery. The student attends agency organization and management meetings and works collaboratively to design and create a health care project appropriate to the student's practice setting. Prerequisite: NR 582.