Master of Science in Nursing: Nurse Educator 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.

This course examines pathophysiological processes integral to the understanding of human health conditions and disorders across the lifespan. Objective and subjective manifestations of common health problems resulting from environmental, genetic, and stress-related maladaptation are assessed and analyzed. Assessment findings, diagnostic testing, and interventions for specific health problems are discussed. The etiology, epidemiology, and pathophysiology of disorders are reviewed within the context of age, gender, lifestyle and sociocultural determinants.

Builds the understanding of fundamental pharmacological principles, including pharmacokinetics, pharmacodynamics, drug metabolism, and dose-response relationships and includes the study of major pharmacological classes related to common disease processes. The course explores the major pharmacological drug classes and their application to the principles of therapeutic decision-making, including legal and ethical implications.

This course builds upon basic health assessment and guides the student to obtain a complete and accurate health assessment, including history, physical examination, and commonly used screening tools, as a foundation for advanced nursing practice with clients across the lifespan. The course emphasizes critical analysis and synthesis of physical exam data, relevant health history data, critical risk appraisal of the physical and mental status, assessment of nutrition, and anticipatory guidance relevant to health promotion and disease prevention. At the conclusion of the course, the student will utilize distance learning technology to demonstrate a comprehensive physical health assessment. Prerequisites: NR 548, NR 552. Concurrently with NR 590 or NR 591 or NR 592.

In this course the student focuses on the relationship between institutional vision, mission and values on curriculum design, development and revision within the context of a curriculum that is relevant, evidence-based and unified. The theoretical foundations, essential components and accreditation standards for curriculum development for a pre-licensure program are examined. The role of outcome competencies is addressed in the development and evaluation of an educational program to meet contemporary healthcare needs. Models of systematic program evaluation or other outcome standards will be analyzed. Offered: Fall, Winter, Spring, Summer.

This course prepares the student to apply theoretical concepts related to how adults learn and how teachers teach to prepare students with highly developed critical thinking skills to meet the demands of complex nursing practice in the contemporary healthcare environment. The course includes emphasis on adult learners, the self as the teacher and the teacher and learner characteristics that support successful learning. Principles of teach and learning, critical thinking applied to the variety of learning environments including simulation, distance learning and the clinical setting and the use of technology are explored as well as teaching methods in the cognitive, Affective and psychomotor domains of learning. Prerequisite: NR 559. Offered: Fall, Winter, Spring, Summer.

Course focuses on the assessment, measurement and evaluation of learning outcomes as measures of learner progress and program quality. Content includes foundations of educational measurement and evaluation, development of learner performance outcomes for clinical practice, test construction and clinical performance evaluation tools, critical thinking, values and ethics related to educator role. The student examines continuous quality improvement of education programs using standards from external professional bodies and accreditation agencies. Prerequisite: NR 564.

This course focuses on preparing the student to expand on the baccalaureate nursing foundation and advance knowledge to gain expertise in a specific nursing practice. The student will complete a mentored clinical practicum to achieve professional, specialty and course-related objectives. This direct care practicum experience will provide the student an opportunity to synthesize learned concepts to apply the nursing process to improve patient outcomes. Additionally, students establish nurse education practicum goals and objectives and are required to obtain a nurse educator mentor. The practicum involves application of previously learned concepts through teaching in both the clinical and classroom environments. Restriction: Open to graduate students in the nursing education track of the MSN Program.