Course Information

for DOCTORATE IN NURSING PRACTICE Department

Healthcare Economics and Finance (B624)

Healthcare Economics and Finance provides an understanding of principles of business, finance, and economics to develop and implement effective plans for practice-level and system-wide practice initiatives. Students will develop budgets, and analyze the cost-effectiveness of practice initiatives. Sensitivity of diverse organizational cultures and populations, including patients and providers will be emphasized.

Quality & Safety w Information Technology (B682)

Quality and Safety with Information Technology will assist students in the development of the knowledge synthesis of standards, and principles for selecting and evaluating information systems, patient care technology, and related ethical, regulatory, legal issues, and the subsequent impact on quality and safety. Students will select and use information systems/technology to evaluate programs of care, outcomes of care, and care systems.

Healthcare Economics & Finance (B724)

Healthcare Economics and Finance provides an understanding of principles of business, finance and economics to develop and implement effective plans for practice-level and system-wide practice initiatives. Students will develop budgets, and analyze the cost-effectiveness of practice initiatives. Sensitivity of diverse organizational cultures and populations, including patients and providers will be emphasized.

Legal and Risk Management in Administrative Practice (B742)

This course examines legal issues and risks in healthcare administration. The course will address the broad and divergent elements of health care risk management in a variety of healthcare facilities and discuss administrators’ experience in the current health care environment.

DNP Project Planning II (EBP778)

The DNP/FNP student will continue in the development and implementation of a practice innovation project for a rural or underserved population, healthcare system, or community. Ongoing communication with stakeholders and inter-professional collaboration is expected. Students will continue writing their manuscript for publication on their project. This course will be guided by a project major advisor whose expertise matches the intent of the DNP project. Prerequisite: EBP777.

DNP Project Implementation (EBP779)

The DNP/FNP student will continue in the development and implementation of a practice innovation for a rural or underserved population, healthcare system, or community. Ongoing communication with stakeholders and inter-professional collaboration is expected. Students will continue writing their manuscript for publication on their project.

This course will be guided by a project major advisor whose expertise matches the intent of the DNP project. Prerequisites: completion of EBP777, EBP778

DNP Dissemination (EBP780)

The DNP/FNP student will evaluate and defend an intervention that improves health care practice and quality of care for a rural or underserved population served by a healthcare system. The student will develop a poster presentation of the completed project. Students will complete their manuscript on their project and submit for publication. This course will be guided by a project major advisor whose expertise matches the intent of the DNP project.  Prerequisites: completion of EBP 777, EBP778, EBP779.

Evidence-Based Practice Project (EBP781)

The evidence based practice project requires a minimum of five terms to complete. The series must be started immediately after completion of N732, enrollment must be uninterrupted, and sequential after it is started. The objectives of credits two and five necessitate completion during the Fall or Spring term when all faculty are on campus. Five credits are required and only one credit can be taken at a time.

If the objectives of a credits are not met, the student must enroll for another credit until objectives are met. Only five credits are eligible for financial aid. There are no incompletes. When 10 credits have been accrued and if the project is not complete, an F will be assigned and the evidence-based practice project cannot be completed.

The student will synthesize the literature and evidence to begin development and implementation of an evidence-based practice (EBP) project.

Communication with stakeholders and inter-professional collaboration is expected. During this first phase of development, the student will formalize the subject of study, obtain approval from the Project Advisor, and finalize a draft proposal.

During the second credit, research methodologies will be finalized including all tools, letters of support, and other approvals. The final proposal will be completed and approved by the Project Advisor, all committee members, and the Dean Graduate Affairs and Research. The proposal will be submitted to the Institutional Review Board.

During the third and fourth credit, the student will implement the project. Data will be compiled and qualitative and/or quantitative data will be evaluated and analyzed. Conclusions will be made.

During the final credit, the student will complete a scholarly paper and submit it for approval of the Project Advisor, all committee members, and the Dean of Graduate Affairs and Research. The format and content of presentations will be approved by the Project Advisor, all committee members and the Dean of Graduate Affairs and Research prior to the event. The student will complete and present the study at one internal and one external venue. At least one of the presentations will be a poster. At least one will be an oral PowerPoint presentation or a podium presentation.

Adult & Aging I (DNP) (N620D)

For DNP students only.

Adult and Aging II (N622D)

Family Nurse Practitioner – Maternal/Newborn/Child DNP (N624D)

For DNP students only

Adult-Gerontology Primary Care (N628D)

Project Management (N715)

This course is designed to help the DNP leadership students learn the process for developing, implementing, and evaluation projects within the work place setting. Over the course of the semester, students will develop a proposal for a project or program in their specific area of interest. There are three phases: 1. Project planning and outcome metrics 2. Project management and implementation 3. Project monitoring and evaluation All components of project development will be covered in this course with a focus on quality improvement, working with interdisciplinary teams, using information technology, and disseminating project outcomes. Prerequisite: completion of MSN Core Courses.

Clinical Leader DNP Immersion I (N718)

This course is designed for the DNP Clinical Leaders student to practice in a leadership role within an identified area of specialty. Prerequisite – Completion of the Clinical Leader core courses, or by permission of the Dean. 3 credit hours.

Clinical Leader DNP Immersion II (N719)

Adult-Gerontology Primary Care Nurse Practitioner DNP - Immersion I (N726)

Adult-Gerontology Primary Care Nurse Practitioner DNP Immersion I offers the AG-PCNP student opportunities to practice the AG-PCNP role with emphasis on adult and aging primary and preventative advanced practice nursing care. Clinical placement will be based on the student’s clinical interest and will include a requirement of 200 clinical (clock) hours. Prerequisite: Completion  of Adult-Gero practicum core clinical courses or by permission of the Dean.

Family Nurse Practitioner DNP - Immersion I (N727)

Family Nurse Practitioner DNP Immersion I offers the FNP student the opportunity to practice the family nurse practitioner role with emphasis on life-span primary and preventative advanced nursing practice care. Clinical placement will be based on the student’s clinical interest and will include a requirement of 200 clinical (clock) hours. Prerequisite: Completion of FNP practicum core clinical courses or by permission of the Dean.

Adult-Gerontology Primary Care Nurse Practitioner DNP – Immersion II (N728)

Adult-Gerontology Primary Care Nurse Practitioner DNP Immersion II offers the AG-PCNP student the opportunity to further synthesize and apply theoretical concepts delivered from nursing and other health-related disciplines to the clinical practice settings. Clinical placement will be based on the student’s clinical interest and will include a requirement of 200 clinical (clock) hours. Prerequisite: N726.

Family Nurse Practitioner DNP - Immersion II (N729)

Family Nurse Practitioner DNP Immersion II offers the FNP student the opportunity to further synthesize and apply theoretical concepts derived from nursing and other health-related disciplines to the clinical practice settings for the provision of primary care to clients across the lifespan. Independent and interdependent clinical decision making is expected and interdisciplinary collaboration and referral are emphasized. This course will complete the clinical experience sequence. Clinical placement will be based on the student’s clinical interest and will include a requirement of 200 clinical (clock) hours. Prerequisite: N727 or by permission of the Dean.

Adult-Gerontology Acute Care Nursing Practitioner DNP Practicum Immersion I (N730)

This immersion course is the first of two that provides DNP students the opportunity to develop as AGACNP students.

Adult-Gerontology Acute Care Nursing Practitioner DNP Immersion II (N731)

This final immersion course provides the AGACNP student further develop as an AGACNP student.

Evidence-Based Nursing Practice & Translational Research in Healthcare (N732)

Evidence-Based Practice and Translational Research in Healthcare develops students’ analytic methods to critically appraise existing literature and other evidence to translate research into practice, thus implementing the best evidence for practice. Students will begin the design of a process to evaluate outcomes of practice, practice patterns, or systems of care within a practice setting, healthcare organization, or community against national benchmarks to determine the variances in practice outcomes and population trends. The student will formulate a PICO question for their DNP project.

Transformational Leadership (N738)

Transformational Leadership will provide students with the opportunity to analyze effective and efficient methods of providing leadership and management for an education program, healthcare organization, administrative unit, or clinical area. Discussion of a variety of situations that leaders negotiate with regard to program and personnel development, strategic planning, budget preparation, and program evaluation.

Independent Study at Doctoral Level (N739)

Independent study courses permit graduate students to pursue previously studied topics in greater depth. A syllabus for each independent study course is developed through consultation between the student, faculty member, and program Dean. The course must align with the needs and interests of the student and the expected outcomes of the degree and track in which the student is enrolled. Permission to grant an independent study is by discretion of the graduate program Dean.

Population-Focused System Improvements & Design for Micro AND Macro Systems (N744)

Micro/Macro: Clinical practice course in which the student implements the role of the clinical systems leader under the supervision of a preceptor. Students will select a setting (hospital, long term or community health agency) where concepts, theories, and principles of administration and management can be applied. Clinical practice will also be focused on synthesis of the leadership role based on an evidence-based practice approach to healthcare systems. Clinical placement will be based on the student’s clinical interest and will include a requirement of 100 clinical (clock) hours.

Strategic Leadership (N746)

This course provides the DNP student with an opportunity to engage in a study of current and cutting edge leadership theories and apply them directly to the practice of professional nursing at the executive level. Strategies for incorporating change management theories will also be addressed through the perspective of emerging roles of the nurse as doctorally prepared nurse leader, advocate, manager of resources, and member of an interprofessional team. Students will have the opportunity to design and implement a business strategy for a healthcare practice, organization, or to start a new business.

Organizational Behavior (N748)

This course is designed to explore DNP leadership student key concepts in organizational
behavior. Important content will include components of organizational culture, the role of
attitudes and diversity, workplace communication, the force of power and influence, team
behavior, and motivation theory. Leadership theories will be applied to organizational culture
and change management.

Operations Management (N750)

This course is designed to facilitate DNP student learning in operations management in the
clinical setting. Management strategies covered will identify business strategies to promote
organizational efficiency in the delivery of high quality healthcare. Specific content will include
process improvement skills, principles of cost control, development of dashboards to monitor
key outcome measures, and methods of problem solving. Prerequisite: completion of MSN Core
Courses.

Principles of Human Resource Management (N752)

This course is designed to teach the DNP leadership student key concepts in human resource
management. Important content will include components of the employer-employee
relationship, including the legal foundation of human resource practice, employee benefits and
engagement, performance appraisals, employee discipline, and documentation techniques.
Special situations including civil service employment, labor relations, and arbitration will be
discussed. Prerequisite: completion of MSN Core Courses.

DNP Project Planning II (N778)

Nursing Leadership in Macro/Micro Systems DNP Immersion (N784)

Individualized immersion experience designed as a culminating experience for the Post-Master’s
DNP Nursing Leadership student. Focus is on operationalizing the role of the DNP student and
integrating evidence-based practice as relevant to patient outcomes across the practice
domains

Social Justice & Cultural Competence for Vunerable Populations (S684)

Social Justice and Cultural Competence for Vulnerable Populations will provide the foundation for managing dilemmas inherent in patient care and health care organizations. This course will increase the student’s awareness with resources used in caring for vulnerable populations; and, it will increase awareness when caring for clients from diverse culture backgrounds. Issues of social justice will be explored.

Healthcare Policy Legislation & Advocacy (S710)

Healthcare Policy Legislation and Advocacy prepares students to critically analyze health policy proposals, health polices, and related issues from the perspectives of consumers, nursing, other health professions, and other stakeholders in policy and public forums. Advocacy for nursing and consumers will be emphasized. Influence and the education of policy makers will be addressed.