Core Courses

Please note, the DNP programs are transitioning to a new core curriculum for students admitted fall 2021. To avoid confusion during this time, carefully review and follow the plan of study provided by your specialty/program director upon program admission.

ADHA 5107 Advanced Health Assessment (3) Building upon basic health assessment skills, this course is designed to provide a core of physical assessment competencies necessary for the nurse in advanced practice. An advanced health assessment includes a comprehensive health history and physical examination related to current health patterns across the life span of the patient within the context of the family. The purpose of an advanced health assessment is to provide an opportunity for the student to develop a comprehensive understanding of the patient to determine appropriate and effective health care. It is intended that the knowledge and skills will be reinforced throughout the curriculum as the student prepares for a direct patient care role. Prerequisite: NURS 5104.

NURS 5104 Advanced Pathophysiology (3) This course focuses on the pathophysiology of common disease conditions affecting human beings across the life span. Content builds on basic anatomy and physiology, microbiology, and chemistry. The pathophysiologic bases of common human health alterations and associated clinical manifestations are discussed.

NURS 5105 Advanced Clinical Pharmacology (3) This course builds upon the student's knowledge of clinical pharmacology and is designed to meet the needs of nurses in advanced practice who are eligible for prescriptive privileges. Pharmacodynamics, pharmacokinetics, and pharmacotherapeutics of drug classes based on human body systems are explored and content will focus on the pharmacological management of self-limited, episodic complaints, and stable chronic disease states across the life span that are commonly managed by advanced practice nurses. This course will examine patterns within which collaborative and autonomous roles and responsibilities of the advanced practice nurse will be performed. Prerequisite: NURS 5104.

NURS 6010 Clinical Scholarship (2) This course develops the analytical writing and critical thinking skills of students to enable effective communication for knowledge dissemination in health care leadership and delivery. The course explores the scholarly writing process and general principles of effective clinical scholarship. Students are provided with an opportunity to utilize informational technology for clinical scholarship, critically appraise scholarly writing, and compose an original scholarly work.

NURS 6020 Management and Analysis of Health Data for the Doctor of Nursing Practice (3) This course provides students the opportunity to manage a variety of data sets to answer quantitative, qualitative, and economic questions at the clinical and population levels. The course applies different approaches to data analysis including descriptive and inferential statistics, theme and content analysis, cost effectiveness, and utility analysis. Students will learn how to use a statistical software package to organize and clean data, create and transform variables, and analyze quantitative and economic data using appropriate statistical tests. The interpretation and reporting of results will be emphasized.

NURS 6030 D.N.P. Project Planning and Proposal Development (3) This course focuses on the development of the DNP Project. The project is based upon selection and implementation of evidence-based interventions supported through informatics and technological advances and measurement of outcomes in a selected project site(s). The goal of the project is to change practice and develop health care policies that result in improvement in practice/systems outcomes and/or cost savings. The course discusses the steps in the program planning process, and the project proposal will be written. Students will apply scientific inquiry, critical thinking, and strategic planning skills as related to project management in the development of the proposal. Final approval of the project proposal by the DNP team is required for completion of the course. Upon final approval of the proposal, the project will move to the IRB phase. Prerequisites: NURS 6010, NURS 6060, NURS 6940, NURS 6930, NURS 6980, NURS 6030 (or Leadership or Anesthesia Quality and Safety courses), NURS 6020. Pre-Assignment: Completion, submission, and approval of the following by the specialty director for DNP Projects (or designee): 1) DNP Team Signature Page, 2) Site Agreement, and 3) Project Question Development Tool prior to enrollment.

NURS 6040 Determinants of Health (3) This course focuses on analyzing determinants of health and their effects on population and individual health outcomes through the complex interactions between the biological, physical, and social environments, using the highest level of scientific evidence. The course will use evidence-based knowledge to provide foundational content to optimize advanced nursing practice including leadership and service with diverse populations within global, national, state, and local contexts. Students will examine ethical implications as well as social and economic influences in key populations in geographically diverse communities. The range of personal, social, economic, and environmental factors that influence health status are known as determinants of health.

NURS 6060 Clinical Inquiry for Evidence-Based Practice (3) In this course, students are introduced to the process of clinical inquiry that informs evidence-based nursing practice, quality improvement, and research. The course provides an overview of practice-focused inquiry including approaches to nursing research and methods of knowledge generation and synthesis. Students will critically appraise scientific literature within the health sciences in relation to research design, methods, and clinical application. Students will build foundational skills to conduct a scholarly inquiry in an area of clinical interest.

NURS 6600 Health Care Financing, Budgeting, and Economics (3) This course will examine both health care economics and the business of practice. The relationship of economic issues, health policy, and clinical practice will be explored. Economic concepts and tools will be used to examine issues and solve problems/issues pertaining to health care and the delivery of health care services. Approaches to economic evaluations will be explored and students will use findings from economic evaluations to inform policy makers about the costs and effects of medical interventions to support their decisions on the allocation of health care resources. Evidence-based critique skills will be expanded to include critical appraisal of economic evaluation studies, and Actuari software will be used to conduct an economic systematic review. Relevant finance concepts will be explored to develop skills in assessing the practice/organization financial condition, budgeting, and profit analysis. Please note, this course is for Post-Master's DNP students only.

NURS 6780 Health Care Economics and Business Practices for Advanced Practice Nurses (3) This course explores economic and business practices. The course examines the impact of economic principles on health care including application to the advanced nursing practice role. Students will be equipped with a general understanding of economics and business management linking them to cost, quality, and outcomes. Topics may include, but are not limited to, health care reform, cost effectiveness analysis, fair market value, general budgeting concepts, business planning, and Return on Investment (ROI).

NURS 6880 Leadership for the Doctor of Nursing Practice (3) This course synthesizes leadership theories and concepts. Emphasis will be placed on the leadership role and its value proposition. The course explores barriers and facilitators that influence effective integration into the interdisciplinary team. Students will evaluate strategies for leading and influencing change across diverse cultures using innovation, credibility, and evidence to influence practice. Health care policy, power, and politics, and the role of the leader will be analyzed through a social justice lens.

NURS 6930 Information Technology for Evidence-Based Practice (3) This course explores information technology, data management, and other health care technology to support evidence-based decisions in nursing and health care. The course emphasizes critical appraisal of standards for documentation, modeling, and transmission of high-quality, reliable data for use in clinical care, health care administration, and quality improvement.

NURS 6940 Evidence Translation and Implementation Science (3) This course focuses on critiquing the theoretical development of knowledge translation and the science of evidence implementation. The course highlights the integration of systems, innovation, and other relevant theories used to support the application of knowledge translation. Linear vs. nonlinear models and frameworks will be contrasted. Students will apply knowledge translation theories to real-world clinical problems. Prerequisites: NURS 6010, NURS 6060.

NURS 6960 D.N.P. Project Implementation I (3) Using online discussion, seminars, and a project-focused practicum, this course will provide students with the support and direction needed to implement and evaluate an evidence-based project plan under the guidance of a clinical mentor and sponsoring faculty. Students will assess implementation issues and utilize skills in leadership, communication, and collaboration to implement the project plan. This course includes 250 hours in a setting approved for the project and is the first of two culminating courses. Prerequisites: Completion of all required DNP courses including NURS 6030. Please note, this course is for Post-Master DNP students only.

NURS 6970 D.N.P. Project Implementation 2 (3) Using online discussion, seminars, and a project-focused practicum, this course continues to provide students with the support and direction needed to implement and evaluate an evidence-based project plan in collaboration with an approved facility and sponsoring faculty. This course also provides the opportunity for intensive reflection on the best practice approaches associated with the project plan and the influences of fiscal, quality improvement, informatics, and policy concepts on the environment of care and advanced practice role. Included in this course are methods for dissemination of findings from the project and development of an electronic DNP portfolio. This includes a mentored experience of a minimum of 500 hours dedicated to the Project and completed throughout 3 (three) courses (Project Planning and Proposal Development, Project Implementation 1, and Project Implementation 2). Prerequisites: NURS 6960 DNP Project Implementation 1 and all Institutional Review Board (IRB) approvals. Please note, this course if for Post-Master DNP students only.

NURS 6980 Epidemiology and Population Health (3) This course introduces the principles and methods of epidemiology including patterns of illness in populations and research designs for investigating the etiology of disease and their application in advanced nursing practice. The course focuses on understanding the burden of disease as a global health problem, methods of control and prevention, ethical issues, and the development and evaluation of health programs and their relationship to policy, planning, practice, and leadership in advanced nursing practice. Students are introduced to quantitative measures to determine risk, association, and procedures for standardization of rates.

NURS 6982 D.N.P. Project Impmlementation (3) This hybrid course provides DNP students with the direction needed to implement, evaluate, and plan to disseminate an evidence-based DNP project plan in collaboration with an approved facility and sponsoring faculty. This course provides the opportunity for reflection on project impact in the areas of economics, quality improvement, informatics, policy, and the advanced practice role. Included in this course are methods for dissemination of findings from the project. Project hours in an approved site will be applied to the total 500 hours required for the DNP degree. Institutional Review Board (IRB) approval must be in place prior to the beginning of this course. Prerequisites: NURS 6960 DNP Project Implementation 1 and all Institutional Review Board (IRB) approvals.

NURS 6031 D.N.P. Project Implementation (2) This course contributes to the mentored experience dedicated to the DNP project. The course provides students the opportunity to reflect on best practices associated with leading the implementation of a project, including engagement of key stakeholders, addressing barriers, and use of rapid-cycle quality improvement strategies to achieve project outcomes. Students will implement an evidence-based project in collaboration with an approved facility and DNP team members. Students will have the opportunity to reflect on the influence of the project on clinical practice, policy, economics, systems of care, safety, culture, and future research. Prerequisites: NURS 6030 and all site/IRB approvals.

NURS 6032 D.N.P. Project Evaluation and Dissemination (2) This course continues to provide students with the support and direction needed to evaluate and disseminate an evidence-based project in collaboration with an approved facility and DNP team members. The course reviews dissemination of findings from the project in a variety of methods including poster presentations, oral presentations, and publications. Students will have the opportunity to disseminate the findings from their project. Prerequisite: NURS 6031.