CURRICULA SECTION 7
SCHOOL OF NURSING
 
Back | Next | Index | Table

Phyllis Horns, Dean, 133 Rivers Building
Phyllis Turner, Associate Dean for Academic Affairs, 132 Rivers Building
Dixie Koldjeski, Associate Dean for Research and Evaluation, 107 Rivers Building
Nancy Moss, Interim Chairperson, Department of Adult Health Nursing, 247 Rivers Building
Alta Andrews, Chairperson, Department of Community Nursing Systems, 239 Rivers Building
Alta Andrews, Interim Chairperson, Department of Parent-Child Nursing, 243 Rivers Building

MASTER OF SCIENCE IN NURSING

The master of science in nursing program prepares graduates for advanced practice in community health or as adult health clinical specialists, family nurse practitioners, neonatal nurse practitioners, nurse midwives who provide comprehensive nursing care to diverse populations, particularly in or from rural communities.  The program also prepares nurses for leadership roles in the administration of clinical services or community health initiatives in a variety of community-based or acute care provider agencies.  Certificate programs are available for post-master’s study in selected areas. 

Clinical concentrations are available in adult health nursing, nurse midwifery, family nurse practitioner, neonatal nurse practitioner, and community health nursing.  A concentration in the administration of clinical services is also offered.  Enrollment in fall semester is recommended.  Part-time study is available.  The program is accredited by the National League for Nursing Accrediting Commission, 61 Broadway, New York, NY 10006; 212-363-5555.  The nurse midwifery program is also accredited by the American College of Nurse-Midwives, Division of Accreditation, 818 Connecticut Avenue, NW, Suite 900, Washington, DC  20006; telephone 202-728-9860.

Admission

Admission to the master of science in nursing degree program requires the student to meet the minimum admission requirements for graduate study as established by the university and the following requirements established by the School of Nursing.

Applicants for the nurse-midwifery program, in addition to the usual admission criteria, must have two to three years prior clinical experience in maternal-infant care and demonstrate a commitment to practice with under served populations.  Preference will be given to candidates who have already negotiated midwifery practices in a rural area.

Applicants for the family nurse practitioner concentration, in addition to the usual admission criteria, must have two years experience as an RN and provide the names of three references who are knowledgeable about their nursing practice.

Applicants for admission to the RN/MSN option will be evaluated using the following criteria.

Program Prerequisites

A course in statistics within the last five years is a prerequisite for all concentrations and a course in basic accounting is a prerequisite for the clinical services administration concentration.  Basic computer skills are prerequisite for all concentrations.

Students in the RN/MSN option must complete all general education and cognate requirements prior to beginning undergraduate nursing courses.  Separate application is made to the graduate program in the first or second semester of study in the RN/MSN option.  Students enrolled in the RN/MSN option must maintain a 3.0 GPA in the 14 s.h. of undergraduate nursing courses to be eligible to continue in this option.  Admission to the RN/MSN option does not guarantee entry into the graduate concentration.

Degree Requirements

All candidates must complete the following required common core courses: NURS 6020, 6025, 6045, 6994, 6998.  Students in the clinical sequence must also complete clinical core courses: NURS 6050, 6208, 6610, 6611.  Students in the adult health clinical concentration must complete the common and clinical core courses and the required sequence of NURS 6209, 6214, 6215, 6224, 6225, and 9 s.h. of electives.  A minimum of 46 s.h. is required. Students in the midwifery concentration must complete core courses and the required sequence of NURS 6050 or 6110; 6112, 6113, 6114, 6115, 6116, 6117, 6118, 6610, 6611.  A minimum of 47 s.h. is required to complete the concentration in nurse-midwifery.

Students in the family nurse practitioner concentration must complete the common and clinical core courses and the required sequence of NURS 6035, 6612, 6613, 6614, 6615, 6616, 6617, 6618, 6619, 6620.  A minimum of 58 s.h. is required to complete the concentration in advanced primary care family nurse practitioner.

Students in the neonatal nurse practitioner concentration must complete the common core courses and the required sequence of NURS 6110, 6208, 6610, 6611, 6420, 6421, 6422, 6423, 6424. 6425, and an elective.  A minimum of 51 s.h. is required to complete the concentration in neonatal nurse practitioner.

Students in the clinical services administration concentration must complete common core courses and the required sequence of NURS 6971, 6973, 6974, 6977, 6978, 6979; 9-15 s.h. of electives.  A minimum of 44 s.h. is required to complete the concentration in clinical services administration.

Students in advanced community health nursing-direct care role must complete common and clinical core courses and the required sequence of NURS 6310, 6311, 6330, 6331, and 6 s.h. of cognates or electives.  A minimum of 45 s.h. is required to complete the concentration in advanced community health nursing-direct care role.

Students in advanced community health nursing-school health nursing must complete common and clinical core courses and the required sequence of NURS 6310, 6311, 6330, 6331, 6320, 6321.  A minimum of 45 s.h. is required to complete the concentration in advanced community health nursing-school health nursing.

Students in advanced community health nursing, leadership role must complete common core courses; clinical services administration courses: NURS 6971, 6973, 6974; the required sequence of NURS 6310, 6311, 6330, 6331, and 6 s.h. of cognates or electives.  A minimum of 41 s.h. is required to complete the concentration in advanced community health nursing, leadership role.

Enrollment is necessary for continued research advisement. A comprehensive examination is required for graduation.

Students in the RN/MSN option must complete the following undergraduate courses prior to enrolling in any graduate nursing courses - NURS 3900, 3901, 4000, 4001, 4360.

CERTIFICATE PROGRAMS

Three post-MSN certificate options offer registered nurses advanced practice education, qualifying them to take national certification exams.  Students complete course work in the neonatal nurse practitioner concentration, the nurse-midwifery concentration, or the family nurse practitioner concentration.

NURSING: NURS

5000. Nursing Care for Families: A Systems Perspective (3) Prerequisite: Graduate status or consent of instructor.  Provides a context for interpreting family responses useful in formulating nursing assessments and diagnoses and for defining basic nursing therapeutic interventions for families in a variety of health care settings.  Nursing process is used to explore state of the art concept of family nursing science.  Also considers how current and predicted changes in health care delivery may affect the family.

5011. Perspectives on Death and Dying (3) Same as GERO 5011, SOCW 5011.  Designed to assist the student in understanding the conditions and problems facing death, dying, and survivorship and to affect awareness, values, and attitudes as they relate to professional practice.

5025. Computer Applications in Nursing (2) Prerequisites: Graduate student status; undergraduate seniors by consent of instructor.  Exploration of computer applications in nursing service, education, research, and clinical practice.

5327. Women’s Health (3) A study of women’s health: health care issues and changes affecting the delivery of care. 

5500. Independent Study (3) May be repeated for credit at discretion of faculty.  Prerequisite: Consent of instructor.  Individualized indepth study in specific nursing learning area, including content and/or activity designed to meet the individual student interest.

5501. Independent Study (2) Prerequisite: Consent of instructor.  Individualized indepth study in specific nursing learning area, including content and/or activity designed to meet individual student interest.

5620. International Health Care (3) Prerequisite: Graduate status or senior by consent of instructor.  Considers the issues, philosophy, and cultural differences in health care from an international perspective.  Compares health care in the United States with that of other nations.

6006. Selected Topics (1-3) Prerequisite: Consent of instructor.  Selected topics in current issues and trends in nursing and health care.

6020. Theoretical Foundations for Advanced Nursing (3) An introduction to the meaning and significance of nursing theories.  Offers an opportunity to analyze existing nursing theories and critique their relevance for advanced nursing. 

6025. Issues in Advanced Nursing Practice (3) Explores the emerging roles of advanced practice nursing in a dynamic health care environment.  Ethical, legal, financial, political, human diversity, and other social issues related to role implementation are explored.

6035. Rural Health Nursing (2) Prerequisite: Admission to the nursing graduate program or consent of instructor.  Provides a contextual background and a theoretical base for advanced nursing practice in rural health settings.

6045. Data Management for Advanced Nursing Practice (3) Prerequisite: Admission to the nursing graduate program or consent of instructor.  Utilizes a computer-based approach to teach application and interpretation of data analysis procedures used in nursing and health care.

6050. Human Physiology for Advanced Nursing Practice (3) Same as PHLY 6050.  Prerequisites: Admission to the nursing graduate program or consent of instructor.  Indepth analysis of normal physiological processes across the life span.  Allows students to focus on pathophysiology and critical analysis for their area of study, with emphasis placed on the correlation of the concepts with clinical manifestations.

6110. Reproductive Physiology (3) Prerequisite: Admission to the nursing graduate program or consent of instructor.  Exploration of the underlying biologic principles and concepts related to the human reproductive cycle, genetics, the maternal-fetal-placental unit, and the neonate.

6112. Nurse-Midwifery Management: Well Woman Health Care (3) Prerequisite: Admission to the nurse-midwifery program.  Introduction to the nurse-midwifery management process.  Development of competencies for promoting health for essentially well women.  Clinical nurse-midwifery management of essentially well women seeking gynecologic and contraceptive health services.

6113. Nurse-Midwifery Management: Antepartal Care (4) Prerequisites: NURS 6020, 6110, 6111, 6112.  Development of competencies for promoting health for essentially well women and their families during the antepartal period.  Clinical nurse-midwifery management of women and families during pregnancy.

6114. Complications of Pregnancy and the Puerperium (2) Prerequisite: NURS 6113.  Theoretical and clinical bases for management of clients with obstetrical and medical alterations during pregnancy, labor, and the puerperium.  Exploration of nurse-midwifery role functions in collaborative care and referral.  Examination of risk identification and reduction modalities.

6115. Nurse-Midwifery Management: Intrapartal Care (3) Prerequisite: NURS 6114; corequisite: NURS 6116.  Development of competencies for promoting health for essentially well women during labor and birth.  Clinical nurse-midwifery management of essentially well women during all stages of labor; development of theory and skill base for the management of intrapartal emergencies.

6116. Nurse-Midwifery Management: Postpartal Care and Neonatal Care (3) Corequisite: NURS 6115.  Development of competencies for promoting health for essentially well neonates and women during the puerperium.  Clinical nurse-midwifery management of essentially well neonates and women during the puerperium and health maintenance needs of infants through the first year of life.

6117. Nurse-Midwifery Integration Practicum (7) Prerequisites: NURS 6115, 6116; corequisite: NURS 6118.  Integration of theoretical and clinical practice bases from prior clinical courses into comprehensive nurse-midwifery management of women and families.  Exploration and implementation of alternatives in client care management and in health care settings.

6118. Nurse-Midwifery Professional Roles and Issues (2) Prerequisites: NURS 6115, 6116; corequisite: NURS 6117.  Historical development of nurse-midwifery and the current state of nurse-midwifery and women’s health services in the US.  Examination of essential documents of the ACNM.  Professional role functions, issues, and responsibilities of nurse-midwifery are explored.

6208. Concepts of Health Promotion and Disease Prevention for Advanced Nursing Practice (3) Prerequisite: Admission to nursing graduate program or consent of instructor.  Role of the advanced practice nurse in health promotion and primary prevention.

6209. Management of Health Promotion and Disease Prevention in Adult Health Nursing (2) Prerequisites: NURS 6050, 6208, 6994; or consent of instructor. Provides clinical experiences in health promotion, disease prevention, and maintenance of function across the health-illness continuum.

6214. Problems and issues of the Chronically Ill (2) Prerequisites: NURS 6208, 6209; or consent of instructor.  Focuses on the nursing management of clients and experiencing chronic illness from social, psychological, physical, spiritual, and economic perspectives.

6215. Management of Chronic Adult Health Problems (2) Prerequisite or corequisite: NURS 6214 or consent of instructor.  Provides clinical experiences in managing client care problems experienced by the chronically ill.

6224.  Problems and Issues of the Acutely Ill (2) Prerequisite: NURS 6215 or consent of instructor; corequisite: NURS 6225 or consent of the instructor. Focuses on the nursing management of the acutely ill client from social, psychological, physical, spiritual, and economic perspectives.

6225. Management of Acute Adult Health Problems (2) Prerequisite or corequisite: NURS 6224 or consent of instructor.  Provides clinical experiences in managing patient care problems experienced by the acutely ill.

6310. Advanced Community Health Nursing I (3) Prerequisites: NURS 6025, 6045, 6994; or consent of instructor.  Uses an epidemiological framework to examine characteristics of a health community.  Emphasis is on the assessment of risk factors, through the use of biostatistical data, for specific aggregates in the community and the role of the community health nurse specialist.

6311. Advanced Community Health Nursing II (3) Prerequisite: NURS 6310 or consent of instructor.  Critically examines the role of the community health nurse specialist in planning and evaluating community-based programs which address the health care needs of population groups.

6320. Promoting the Health of Special Populations in the School Setting (3) Prerequisites: NURS 6025, 6045, 6994.  Examines the developmental, physical, psychosocial, and environmental dimensions which affect the learning process for children with special needs in the school setting.

6321. School Health Nursing: Principles and Practice (3) Prerequisites: NURS 6025, 6045, 6994.  Examines the concepts, theories, processes, and practices of promoting and providing health care to aggregates within the school setting using a primary, secondary, and tertiary prevention model.

6330. Advanced Community Health Nursing Practicum I (3) Nine laboratory hours per week.  Prerequisite or corequisite: NURS 6310 or consent of instructor.  Provides an opportunity for students to apply community health nursing concepts as well as clinical and/or leadership skills in community settings.  Practicum is individualized based on the student's learning needs and career goals.

6331. Advanced Community Health Nursing Practicum II (3) Nine laboratory hours per week.  Prerequisite or corequisite: NURS 6311. Community health theory courses and NURS 6025, 6045, 6330, 6994.  Provides an opportunity for students to apply community health nursing concepts as well as clinical and/or leadership skills in community settings.  Content is individualized based on the student’s learning needs and career goals.

6380. Interdisciplinary Practice: Services for Children with Serious Emotional Disturbances and Their Families (3) Same as CDFR 6380, PSYC 6380, SOCW 6380.  Overview of a system of care model to be used across disciplines in mental health services for children with serious emotional disturbances and their families. Prepares professionals to participate in holistic, interdisciplinary team practice in a variety of settings.

6400. Nursing Curriculum Issues (3) Prerequisite: NURS 6020 or consent of instructor. Explores theoretical and practical aspects of curriculum process in nursing education.

6405. Seminars in Issues in Nursing Education (2) Prerequisite: NURS 6400.  Current and practical issues in nursing education.

6417. Development Physiology for Advanced Neonatal and Pediatric (3) Prerequiste: Admission to nursing graduate program or consent of instructor. Explores developmental changes in morphological processes and normal and abnormal physiology in humans from conception through adolescence.

6418. Health Assessment for Advanced Nursing Practice of Neonatal and Pediatric Patients (3) Prerequisite: Admission to nursing graduate program or consent of instructor.  Prepares the advanced practice nurse to comprehensively assess neonatal and pediatric clients using a diagnostic reasoning process.

6419. Clinical Pharmacology for Advanced Neonatal and Pediatric Nursing Practice (3) Prerequisite: Admission to nursing graduate program or consent of instructor. Pharmacological knowledge basic to assessment and management skills for advanced clinical nursing practice related to newborns and pediatric patients with common acute and chronic health problems.

6420. Advanced Neonatal Nursing: Research and Theory (3) Prerequisites: NURS 6110, 6208, 6994 or consent of instructor.  Addresses problems of systems immaturity, infections, developmental needs, parental attachment, and environmental management of stimuli that threaten survival and thriving of low birth weight infants.

6421. Advanced Neonatal Nursing Practicum (4) Prerequisite or corequisite: NURS 6420.  Provides theoretical framework guiding the perinatal assessment, environmental management of stimuli, special communications, and touch as part of the daily care of the neonate in an intermediate care nursery.

6422. Advanced Nursing of the High Risk Neonate (3) Prerequisite or corequisite: NURS 6421.  Studies physiological effects of severe systems immaturity, interrelated health problems, medical actions and treatments, use of pharmacological interventions, and technological supports essential for survival.

6423. High Risk Neonatal Nursing Practicum (5) Prerequisite or corequisite: NURS 6422 or consent of instructor.  Utilizes knowledge and research from anatomy and physiology applied in animal labs and simulated experiences and clinical situations to gain competency in advanced practice nursing, medical, and pharmacological interventions.

6424. Family-Based Neonatal Care (3) Prerequisite: NURS 6423 or consent of instructor.  Emphasizes restructuring of family routines and resources to include daily care needs of infant, education of members on monitoring infant’s basic health indicators, coping with new member, and establishing family cohesion.

6425. Family-Based Neonatal Nursing Practicum (4) Prerequisite or corequisite: NURS 6424 or consent of instructor. Discusses collaboration of health care teams and families to plan, guide, and monitor the health of the infant.

6500, 6501. Independent Study in Nursing (3,3) Prerequisite: Consent of adviser.  Nontraditional projects relating to clinical and functional areas of study. Approval of project by faculty required.

6521, 6522. Readings and Research in Nursing (2,2) Prerequisite: Completion of core nursing courses or consent of instructor.  Exploration of research and concepts in nursing practice, education, and management.  Areas to be explored are based on area of specialization, interests, and needs of students.

6610. Health Assessment for Advanced Nursing Practice (3) Prerequisite: Admission to the nursing graduate program or consent of instructor.  Advanced assessment, critical thinking, and decision-making skills essential to the evaluation of health status, health risks, illnesses, and functional/dysfunctional health patterns of individuals and family members throughout the life span.

6611. Clinical Pharmacology for Advanced Nursing Practice (3) Prerequisite: Admission to the nursing graduate program or consent of instructor.  Indepth presentation of pharmacologic principles to manage pharmacologic agents safely and effectively.  Specialty labs will address specific applications.

6612. Advanced Nursing Practice with Families in Primary Health Care (3) Prerequisite: Admission to the FNP concentration.  Advanced practice psycho social/cultural context for interpretation of family patterns and processes.  Emphasizes utilization and application of family systems theory and techniques within the nurse practitioner’s scope of practice.

6613. Advanced Nurse Practitioner Role Development (2) Prerequisite: Admission to the FNP concentration.  Emphasizes the leadership role of the nurse practitioner within the context of the health care delivery system, the profession of nursing, and society.

6614. Primary Health Care of the Young and Middle-Aged Adult Client (3) Prerequisite: Admission to the FNP concentration.  Advanced theory and management related to health promotion, prevention of illness, and common acute episodic and stable chronic illnesses of culturally diverse young and middle-aged adults.

6615. Primary Health Care of the Older Adult Client (3) Prerequisite: Admission to the FNP concentration.  Advanced theory and management related to health promotion, prevention of illness, and common acute episodic and stable chronic illnesses of culturally diverse older adults.

6616. Primary Health Care for Sexuality and Reproduction Across the Life Span (4) Prerequisite: Admission to the FNP concentration.  Advanced theory and management related to health promotion, prevention of illness, and common acute episodic and stable chronic illnesses involving sexuality and reproduction across the life span of culturally diverse clients.

6617. Primary Health Care of the Young Client, Infancy Through Adolescence (4) Prerequisite: Admission to the FNP concentration.  Advanced theory and management related to health promotion, prevention of illness, and common acute episodic and stable chronic illnesses of culturally diverse clients, infancy through adolescence.

6618. Primary Health Care: Clinical Practicum I (2) Prerequisite: Admission to the FNP concentration.  Intensive clinical experiences and indepth study of theory and research related to clinical practice for family nurse practitioner students under the direct supervision of on-site clinical preceptors.

6619. Primary Health Care: Clinical Practicum II (3) Prerequisite: Admission to the FNP concentration.  Continued intensive clinical experiences and indepth study of theory and research related to clinical practice for family nurse practitioner students with increasing independence under the supervision of on-site clinical preceptors.

6620. Primary Health Care: Clinical Practicum III (5) Prerequisite: Admission to the FNP concentration.  Third and final intensive clinical experiences and indepth study of theory and research related to clinical practice for family nurse practitioner students in consultation and collaboration with on-site clinical preceptors.

6904. Concepts and Theories in Teaching for Nurses (3) Prerequisite: NURS 6400 or consent of instructor. Explores concepts and issues in nursing and client education.

6905. Practicum in Teaching of Nursing (3) 9 clinical hours per week. Prerequisite or corequisite: NURS 6904 or consent of instructor.  Tests new theoretical models related to teaching.

6960. Clinical Nurse Specialist Practicum I (3) Prerequisites: NURS 6020, 6025; 6224, 6225 or 6226, 6227 or 6228, 6229; 6994; NURS 6050 or PHLY 6050; or consent of instructor.  Role development of clinical nurse specialist with emphasis on application and evaluation of theory and research in clinical practice.

6961. Clinical Nurse Specialist Practicum II (3) Prerequisites: NURS 6020, 6025; 6224, 6225 or 6226, 6227 or 6228, 6229; 6994; NURS 6050 or PHLY 6050; or consent of instructor; pre- or corequisite: NURS 6960.  Continuing role development of clinical nurse specialist with emphasis on application and evaluation of theory and research in clinical practice.

6970. Quality and Cost Management of Nursing (3) Prerequisites: NURS 6020, 6025; or consent of instructor.  Examines the relationship of cost and quality in the delivery of nursing care to clients in a variety of settings.  Concepts of managed care, critical path analysis and data base management are explored.

6971. Health Policy (3) Same as COHE 6971. Presents an overview of health policy and legal issues which relate to the delivery of health care.  Emphasis on action, theory, and roles; strategies of power politics; legal foundations; and trends in policy formation with implications for health care administrators. 

6973. Human Resource Management in Clinical Services Administration (2) Focuses on theoretical and pragmatic approaches to human resource management by nurses in health organizations.  Emphasis is on how nursing organizes its resources to achieve goals.

6974. Financial Management in Clinical Services Administration (3) Prerequisite: Accounting course or consent of instructor.  Provides a theoretical and practical framework for understanding the impact of cost and reimbursement mechanisms on the delivery of clinical services in health care organizations.  Emphasis is on analysis of cost, budgeting variance, and the role of the clinical services administrator.

6977. Clinical Services Administration I (4) Prerequisites: NURS 6970, 6973; or consent of instructor.  Study of clinical systems within health care organizations from individual, group, and organizational perspectives.  Experiential learning is provided to observe and analyze theories of administration within a health care organization preferably serving a rural population.

6978. Clinical Services Administration II (4) Prerequisite: NURS 6977 or consent of instructor.  Theories and concepts related to leadership and management are used to evaluate the role of the nurse executive within clinical and institutional administration.  Experiential learning allows the student to begin implementing specific aspects of the role of the clinical services administrator.

6979. Clinical Services Administration III (4) Prerequisites: NURS 6978; all electives or consent of instructor.  Provides the student with an opportunity to apply all theories and concepts studied to the actual role of the nurse executive in clinical services administration.  Student develops a plan of action to analyze, synthesize, and apply knowledge gained from course work to a real life work situation.

6981. Qualitative Methods and Data Analysis in Health Research (3) Open to graduate students in other disciplines. Prerequisite: NURS 6994 or equivalent research course.  Explores various data analysis techniques for qualitative research.  Experience will be provided in data collection, organization, and first-level analysis.

6994. Research Methods for Advanced Nursing (3) Prerequisite: NURS 6020; prerequisite or corequisite: NURS 6045.  Prepares students in research methods and design as a basis for clinical and organizational decision making and for scientific inquiry.  Provides an overview of quantitative and qualitative research methodology as well as the development of biopsychosocial approaches to the study of phenomena.

6998. Nursing Research Practicum (3) Prerequisite: NURS 6994.  Focuses on the student’s ability to participate in a research project, use scientific inquiry, and solve problems related to nursing practice.  With a faculty mentor, a student participates in a research endeavor consistent with the student’s career goals.

7000. Thesis (3) May be repeated. May count a maximum of 3 s.h. toward the degree.

NURS Banked Courses

5460, 5461. Patient Education for Interdisciplinary Health Care Providers (3,0)
6111. Health Assessment of the Adult Female (1)
6216. Clinical Nursing II: Parent-Child Nursing (2)
6410. Methods of Evaluation in Nursing (3)
6906. Nursing Management (3)
6907. Practicum in Nursing Management (3)
6972. Organizational Behavior in Nursing Administration (2)
6217. Clinical Nursing II Practicum: Parent-Child Nursing (2)
6218. Clinical Nursing II: Psychiatric/Mental Health Nursing (2)
6219. Clinical Nursing II Practicum: Psychiatric/Mental Health Nursing (2)
6226. Clinical Nursing III: Parent-Child Nursing (2)
6227. Clinical Nursing III Practicum: Parent-Child Nursing (2)
6228. Clinical Nursing III: Psychiatric/Mental Health Nursing (2)
6229. Clinical Nursing III Practicum: Psychiatric/Mental Health Nursing (2)


Back | Next | Index | Table