The curriculum in this three-course certificate program is designed for nurses interested in integrating holistic principles and evidence-based modalities in their professional practice. Students will learn about the state of the science in holistic care and the latest research on the efficacy and safety of a variety of complementary and alternative modalities (CAM). This course was developed around the five core values and scope and standards of holistic nursing and provides nurses with the educational foundation required to take the national board certification examination in holistic nursing. Teaching/learning interventions and CAM are selected as examples of nursing approaches to promote health and healing of patients. Every nurse who completes the three courses will receive a certificate.

The curriculum in this three-course certificate program is designed for nurses interested in gaining a holistic perspective in nursing practice and everyday life and provides nurses with the educational foundation required to take the national board certification examination in holistic nursing. This course introduces students to advanced concepts in holistic nursing. Major concepts of health and wellness, body-mind healing, spirituality and health, selected complementary and alternative modalities (CAM), and evidenced-based practice are highlighted. Participants engage in experiential activities that explore and analyze a range of practices that are applicable for providing holistic care in a variety of health care settings. Every nurse who completes the three courses will receive a certificate.

Provides students with an opportunity to apply theory from holistic nursing to individuals, families, and community groups in a variety of health care settings. Focus is on relationship-centered holistic care and selected CAM modalities applied across the wellness-illness continuum in collaboration with other members of the health care team. Selected readings, clinical experiences, and practicum project are determined in collaboration with faculty.

An historical, contemporary and futuristic exploration of the art and science of nursing praxis including patterns of knowing: empirical, ethical, aesthetic, existential and emancipatory. Theories and models derived from nursing and the social sciences are synthesized for their usefulness in advanced practice nursing care for individuals, families, and communities to promote health and manage a variety of problems such as health threats, acute and chronic illnesses, and transitions. Opportunities are provided for students to synthesize family health concepts for use in clinical practice, scholarship, and research.

Quantitative procedures including descriptive and inferential statistics, non-parametric approaches to data, and parametric analyses. Selected research designs are explored. Analytic techniques are applied for use in selected research designs in health sciences research.

This course focuses on the generation and dissemination of nursing knowledge to improve the health of individuals, address health inequities across populations, and transform health care. Within the evidence hierarchy, emphasis is placed on nurses’ identification of research questions and appropriate study designs using rigorous quantitative and qualitative methods, and dissemination of research findings through poster and podium presentations.

The focus of this course includes use of evidence-based practice (EBP) processes for individual patient management aligned with advanced nursing practice expectations and Standard of Care. Emphasis is on clinical problem identification, accessing, analyzing, and applying primary and select secondary source literature and clinical practice guideline findings to facilitate quality, safe, and individual patient care management.

This course is designed for nurses preparing for advanced nursing practice roles across varying population foci. Concepts will include advanced human physiology, pathophysiology, and common clinical manifestations. A body-systems framework will be used.

The purpose of this course is to provide students with an advanced level of skill in attaining the health history, physical examination and knowledge in critical thinking and diagnostic reasoning. The focus is on conducting comprehensive and problem focused health assessments and planning care for patients across the lifespan. The emphasis of this course is on the integration of critical thinking, scientific ethics, human diversity, as well as the recognition of social issues in the care of and presentation of patients.

Description will vary depending on the needs/goals for each occurrence.

An exploration of physiological processes involved in pain transmission as well as the psychological, emotional, and cognitive processes that modulate pain perception based on the current literature using both human and nonhuman animal pain models.

Review of leading edge methods used to quantify and study pain in both human and nonhuman animal pain models.

This course reviews processes underlying functional and pathological pain states, exploring the effects and limitations of pharmacotherapies currently used to treat pain. Particular emphases placed on the concept of individualized care and non-opioid pain interventions.

This seminar-based course is comprised of seminars by clinicians and pain scientists to evaluate, integrate, and translate findings from primary literature into evidence-based practice.

Introduction to the disease process of several types of Dementia. This will be the first in a series of three courses. The course will begin with an effort to describe the pathophysiology, diagnostic testing, current treatments, and current clinical trials of Alzheimer’s disease, Frontotemporal Lobe Dementia, Lewy Body/Parkinson’s Disease Dementia, Young Onset Dementia, Vascular Dementia, Down’s Syndrome and Dementia, Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease, Huntington’s Disease, Korsakoff Syndrome, Mixed Dementia, and Mild Cognitive Impairment. Students should be able to compare and contrast the pathophysiology, treatment, and symptom presentation of each dementia type as well as a public health approach to dementia.

This course will follow the Alzheimer’s and Dementia course. In this course, students will learn how to use the principles of the first course to identify opportunities to guide caregivers and families of persons with dementia using family centered care. This course will emphasize the critical thinking and problem solving needed to assess caregiver needs at each stage of the disease process, education needed by caregivers, legal and ethical issues, as well as palliative and end of life care.

Introduction to common behaviors seen in dementias and will include designing activities for dementia patients, alternative therapies. Students will participate in virtual simulations, and case studies around effective communication, effective communication as it relates to challenging behaviors, as well as pain assessment. Through this course, students will learn the importance of quality care in decreasing anxiety in persons with dementia that may lead to challenging behaviors.

This course will address two common types of dementia (Mild Cognitive Impairment and Alzheimer's Disease) and prepare nurses and other healthcare professionals on essential knowledge to assess, treat and care for patients with these diseases, as well as expand knowledge of the public health crisis dementia is in America.

Introduction to innovation as a concept, leading theories and applications to health care. This will be the first in a series of four courses for a health care innovation post-baccalaureate certificate program. The course will begin with an effort to define the concept of innovation within the first week. Beyond the concept analysis, this course will expose students to leading innovation theorists (e.g., Christensen, Drucker, Rogers, and von Hippel). Each theorist has a different approach and perspective on innovation. Students should be able to compare and contrast the key theorists, their perspectives, and identify real life situations (e.g., case studies) that can be supported (and not supported) by the concepts within these theories. While these theorists are not health care professionals, their theories have been used to explain phenomenon in the health care industry. Beyond the theoretical and conceptual understanding of innovation, the students will need to demonstrate an understanding of how to apply these theories to real life use cases. Lastly, this course will emphasize the relationship between innovation and evidence-based practice.

This course will follow the Healthcare Innovation Theory and Application course. In this course, students will be instructed on how to use the principles o the first course and identify opportunities in healthcare (e.g., problems to be solved). Nurses and health care professionals work around problems every day. Yet, rarely are these workarounds viewed as system level opportunities for improvements. This course will emphasize the critical thinking and creativity needed to identify a problem, and instead of determining how to solve for one, focus on how one might be able to solve for the many. By the end of this course, students should feel confident in their ability to recognize opportunities and begin to move toward a system (e.g., organizational) level thinking instead of an individual level thinking. This course is focused on the individual as the innovator.

This course will introduce the essential concepts of organizational change, leadership, and project management necessary to build and foster a culture of healthcare innovation. To innovate, one must also have an environment that allows innovation to grow and flourish. While we do need individuals to know how to think and act innovatively, we also need leaders who can embrace these behaviors and build a culture that supports such efforts. Traditionally, our healthcare environments have tended to reward "we've always done it this way" behaviors and stunt those who identify opportunities for improvement as disruptive. Through this course, students will learn the importance of effective leadership with any organizational change. Project management is an essential skill for any leader in healthcare and especially that of new changes being introduced to an environment.

In this course, students will need to identify a problem in the healthcare industry and propose a solution to that problem. Through the course of the semester, the student will have weekly instruction on essential steps necessary to take an idea through to solution development. The capstone project will serve as the culmination of what the students have learned through the program and provide evidence of their competence to take the theories, concepts and applications into their daily practice.

Students are required to plan, conduct, and evaluate individual and/or group reminiscence or structured life review sessions as applicable to their population of interest. Weekly seminars will guide the student through the experience.

The course will provide the students with the historical and theoretical perspectives of life story methods. The published research of leading contributors in the field will be critiques, Students will compare and contrast different life story methods and theories.

Under the supervision of a mentor, students will have the opportunity to explore an individual's, a family's, or group's past by utilizing a method such as personal history, narrative, memoir writing, guided autobiography or digital storytelling. Students will work with an individual, family or group to create a unique presentation (i.e. video, puppetry, artwork, memory book) reflecting the life story.

This is the second course in a five course sequence for the Certificate in Life Story Practice and Research. In this course students will acquire the knowledge, skills, and principles for conducting successful Life Story sessions. Interview techniques, strategies for conducting individual and group sessions, and cultural considerations will be examined. Students will apply concepts by conducting life story sessions with individuals, families, or groups by the end of the course.

National and international faculty specializing in guided autobiography, personal history, memoir writing, and other life story methods will present their innovations, research, and practice experiences in an online seminar format. Emphasis will be placed on preparing students for their fieldwork experiences.

Analysis of the financing of healthcare from the macro, meso and micro system perspective; a focus on governmental and private payers; an examination of systems, department and unit level budgets.

An examination of unit and system based health care outcomes; their identification, measurement and purpose along with principles of quality improvement processes and assessment and planning principles and concepts.

Introduction to the process of nursing leadership. Emphasis placed on theories of leadership, motivation, organization design and problem solving.

Application of management theories to nursing leadership focusing on staff development, labor relations, staffing and scheduling, patient classification systems, healthcare innovation, quality improvement management, performance and program evaluation and human resources management.

Integration of concepts, theories and principles pertinent to the student's specialty track, in an experiential learning setting, demonstrating integration of new knowledge and attainment of program outcomes.

This course examines fetal, transitional, and neonatal physiology. Embryology is also discussed, as the basis for neonatal development.

This course is designed to enable students to put into practice the principles and skills needed for advanced health assessment of the neonate.

The purpose of this first clinical course is to introduce the role of the neonatal nurse practitioner clinician in the management of normal and high-risk families and infants. The focus of the course is to develop skills in the physical and psychosocial assessment of high-risk childbearing families during all phases of the childbearing process: antenatal, intrapartum, postpartum, and the neonatal period. Special emphasis will be placed on events during the antenatal, intrapartum, and postpartum periods that impact the neonate.

Focuses on the acquisition and application of in-depth physiological and psychosocial knowledge to the nursing care of neonates and their families. Emphasis is placed on the role of advanced practice in nursing management of high-risk neonatal populations.

Emphasis is placed on advanced principles of pharmacodynamics, pharmacotherapeutics, and pharmacologic management for the neonatal population as appropriate for the neonatal nurse practitioner role and scope of practice.

Focuses on the acquisition and application of in-depth physiological and psychological knowledge to the nursing care of high-risk neonates and their families. Emphasis is placed on the role of the advanced practice nursing management of high-risk neonatal populations.

This course builds on the mastered components from prior clinical course work (NURS 5369). The focus of this practicum is on the acquisition and application of in-depth physiological and psychosocial knowledge in the management of the high-risk neonatal population and their families with a moderate level of independence and autonomy in the NNP role as appropriate for second semester students.

Focuses on the components essential for preparation of students for advanced practice in neonatal nursing.

This course builds on the mastered components from prior clinical course work (NURS 5369 and NURS 5379). The focus of this practicum is on the acquisition and application of in-depth physiological and psychosocial knowledge in the management of the high-risk neonatal population and their families with an advanced level of independence and autonomy in the NNP role as appropriate for final semester students.

Grounded in theory and evidence, this initial didactic clinical course focuses on developing critical thinking skills and evidenced-based practice processes to achieve primary care nurse practitioner core competencies and domains and standards of clinical primary care. The emphasis is on health promotion, disease prevention, risk reduction, and assessment, diagnosis and management of common health problems while considering context for populations, including individuals, families, and communities, specific to the adult-gerontology primary care and family nurse practitioners.

Grounded in theory and evidence, this didactic clinical course focuses on application of critical thinking skills necessary and evidence-based practice processes to achieve primary care nurse practitioner core competencies and domains and standards of clinical primary care. The emphasis is on health promotion and maintenance, and assessment, diagnosis and management of common and chronic health problems while considering context for populations, including individuals, families, and communities, specific to the adult-gerontology primary care and family nurse practitioners.

Initial clinical practicum and seminar focusing on developing critical thinking and psychomotor clinical skills necessary to cultivate advanced practice nursing core competencies and domains in the primary care clinical setting. The emphasis is on considering context while providing evidence-based health promotion, disease prevention, risk reduction, and clinical assessment, diagnosis and management of common health problems for populations, including individuals, families, and communities, specific to the adult-gerontology primary care, and family nurse practitioner. The role of the nurse practitioner in the current healthcare system is examined. Credits include seminar and 240 hours of clinical per semester (~2 days per week for 14-week semester).

Grounded in theory and evidence, this didactic clinical course focuses on integration of critical thinking skills and evidenced-based practice processes necessary to achieve advanced practice nursing core competencies and domains and standards of clinical primary care. The emphasis is on health promotion and maintenance, and primary care assessment, diagnosis, and management of common and co-morbid health conditions among populations specific to adult-gerontology primary care and family nurse practitioners.

Clinical Practicum and seminar course that focuses on integrating critical thinking and psychomotor skills necessary to achieve advanced practice nursing core competencies and domains in the primary care clinical setting. Integrates content and clinical experiences from all previous primary care didactic and practicum courses with an emphasis on evidence-based health promotion and maintenance, and clinical assessment, diagnosis, and management of common and co-morbid health problems among populations, including individuals, families, and communities specific to adult-gerontology primary care or family nurse practitioners. Credits include online seminar and 240 hours of clinical per semester (~2 days per week for 14-week fall semester).

Grounded in theory and evidence, this didactic clinical course focuses on synthesis of critical thinking skills and evidenced-based practice processes necessary to achieve advanced practice nursing core competencies and domains and standards of clinical primary care. The emphasis is on health promotion and maintenance, and primary care assessment, diagnosis and management of more complex and co-morbid health conditions while considering context for populations, including individuals, families, and communities, specific to the adult-gerontology primary care and family nurse practitioner.

Clinical practicum and seminar course that focuses on synthesizing critical thinking and psychomotor skills necessary to achieve advanced practice nursing core competencies and domains in the primary care clinical setting. Synthesizes content and clinical experiences from all previous primary care didactic and practicum courses with an emphasis on considering context while providing evidence-based health promotion and maintenance, and clinical assessment, diagnosis, and management of more complex and co-morbid health problems among populations, including individuals, families, and communities, specific to adult-gerontology primary care nurse practitioners. Credits include online seminar and 240 hours of clinical per semester (~2 days per week for 14-week spring semester plus intensive).

The focus of this course on health promotion/disease prevention and clinical diagnosis and management of management of childbearing women and children. In addition, common acute and chronic health problems will be addressed.

Clinical Practicum and seminar course that focuses on integrating critical thinking and psychomotor skills necessary to achieve advanced practice nursing core competencies and domains in the primary care clinical setting. Integrates content and clinical experiences from all previous primary care didactic and practicum courses with an emphasis on evidence-based health promotion and maintenance, and clinical assessment, diagnosis, and management of common and co-morbid health problems among populations, including individuals, families, and communities specific to family nurse practitioners. Credits include online seminar and 240 hours of clinical per semester (~2 days per week for 14-week fall semester).

Clinical practicum and seminar course that focuses on synthesizing critical thinking and psychomotor skills necessary to achieve advanced practice nursing core competencies and domains in the primary care clinical setting. Synthesizes content and clinical experiences from all previous primary care didactic and practicum courses with an emphasis on considering context while providing evidence-based health promotion and maintenance, and clinical assessment, diagnosis, and management of more complex and co-morbid health problems among populations, including individuals, families, and communities, specific to family nurse practitioners. Credits include online seminar and 240 hours of clinical per semester (~2 days per week for 14-week spring semester plus intensive).

This course emphasizes pharmacodynamics and pharmacokinetics required for appropriate evidence-based pharmacotherapeutic management in primary care.

Grounded in theory and evidence, this didactic course focuses on application of critical thinking skills necessary to achieve advanced practice nursing core competencies and domains. The emphasis is on developing differential diagnosis skills, assessment, and management of common and chronic health problems. Students will also be introduced to developing differential diagnosis utilizing imaging technologies and laboratory data, including but not limited to radiographs, CT imaging, laboratory values and other pertinent diagnostic testing.

Grounded in theory and evidence based practice the first of three didactic adult gerontology acute care courses develops the students’ clinical foundation of advanced practice nursing management of common and chronic health care problems common to adult and geriatric patients. This course builds upon the student’s proficiency in comprehensive health evaluation within the context of acute care disease management of the adult and gerontology population. Emphasis is placed on the diagnosis and management of acute episodic and chronic conditions of adult and geriatric patients. Interdisciplinary collaboration among health care providers is promoted.

The first of three clinical practicum courses in the adult gerontology acute care nurse practitioner curriculum. This course is designed to introduce the role of the adult gerontology acute care nurse practitioner. Using an evidence-based practice framework, the student will assess and manage acute and chronic illnesses in the clinical setting, including demonstration of knowledge of pathophysiology and pharmacologic interventions according to current standards of care for the adult and older adult population in acute care clinical settings.

Grounded in theory and evidence based practice the second of three didactic adult gerontology acute care courses develops the students’ clinical foundation of advanced practice nursing management of complex and comorbid health care problems common to adult and geriatric patients. This course builds upon the student’s proficiency in comprehensive health evaluation within the context of acute care disease management of the adult and gerontology population. Emphasis is placed on the diagnosis and management of acute episodic and chronic conditions of adult and geriatric patients. Interdisciplinary collaboration among health care providers is promoted.

Principles and techniques of advanced health assessment including formulation of a clinical diagnosis based upon the health assessment findings of the adult gerontology acute care patient from adolescence to elder are examined and practiced.

The second of three clinical practicum courses builds upon the student’s proficiency in comprehensive health evaluation within the context of acute care disease management of the adult and older adult population. Using an evidence-based practice framework, the student will assess and manage acute and chronic illnesses, including demonstration of knowledge of pathophysiology and pharmacologic interventions according to current standards of care for the adult and older adult population in acute care clinical settings. This clinical practicum course focuses on integration of critical thinking and psychomotor skills necessary to achieve advanced practice nursing core competencies and domains in the acute care clinical setting. Students taking this course will be assigned a grade of S (satisfactory) or U (unsatisfactory).

Grounded in theory and evidence based practice the third of three didactic adult gerontology acute care courses develops the students’ clinical foundation of advanced practice nursing management of complex and comorbid health care problems common to adult and geriatric acute care patients. This course builds upon the student’s proficiency in comprehensive health evaluation within the context of acute care disease management of the adult and gerontology population. Emphasis is placed on the diagnosis and management of acute episodic and chronic conditions of adult and geriatric patients. Interdisciplinary collaboration among health care providers is promoted.

The third of three clinical practicum courses builds upon the student’s proficiency in comprehensive health evaluation within the context of acute care disease management of the adult and older adult population. Integrates content and clinical experiences from all previous acute care didactic and practicum courses with an emphasis on considering context while providing risk reduction and assessment, diagnosis and management of common and comorbid health problems among populations, including individuals, families, and communities, specific to the adult-gerontology acute care nurse practitioner. This clinical practicum course focuses on integration of critical thinking and psychomotor skills necessary to achieve advanced practice nursing core competencies and domains in the acute care clinical setting.

Emphasis is placed on advanced principles of pharmacodynamics, pharmacotherapeutics, and pharmacologic management for the adult gerontology acute care population as appropriate for the acute care provider role and scope of practice.

This course will introduce students to important principles of evaluation science, with a particular emphasis on formative and summative evaluations. The course will help students apply these principles to the practice of evaluating educational activities for health care professionals in various stages of education and training.

This course will introduce students to important principles of educational planning, reflecting the literatures of adult learning, curriculum and instruction, diffusion of innovations research, and health professions education. The course will help students apply these principles to the practice of planning educational activities for health care professionals in various stages of education and training.

This course will introduce students to important principles of implementation reflecting the literatures of adult learning, curriculum and instruction, and health professions education. The course will help students apply these principles to the practice of implementing educational activities for health care professionals in various stages of education and training.

This course is required of all graduate students in the Advanced Practice programs (APRN). The purpose of the master’s program is to prepare advanced practice nurses with specialized knowledge, skills and values. Graduates assume leadership roles in the health care system and advance practice and the discipline of nursing by applying existing nursing knowledge and using a spirit of inquiry to examine and test nursing knowledge. Exploration of the application of genetics and genomics to the delivery of precision healthcare.

Encompasses elements of needs assessment, statistics, research methods/design, and epidemiology/populations health serving as the foundation for subsequent development of clinical scholarship.

Exploration of theories applicable to the healthcare delivery system. Emphasis is on an in-depth examination of concepts and theories appropriate for practice change projects.

Development of skills in the translation, application, and evaluation of research, with an emphasis on evidenced-based practice. Skills in the integration of knowledge from diverse sources and disciplines and its application to solve clinical problems and improve health outcomes.

Assessment and diagnosis of organizations, facilitation of system-wide change, development of political skill for change, engagement in the process of quality and performance improvement methodologies, and application of leadership theory within organizations.

Evaluation and use of information systems/technology and patient care technology supportive of clinical and administrative decision-making relevant to patient care, care systems, and quality improvement.

The first of three residency and seminar courses, this course requires the student to complete a nursing practicum in the specialty area of their choice with hours as necessary for total of 1,000 post-BSN. Students must complete a doctoral residency and participate in seminars. Students develop individual objectives to support their identified DNP project, and, in collaboration with the agency, preceptor and DNP project committee, plan their DNP project.

The role of collaborative health care teams in health promotion and risk reduction and illness prevention for population health. Educational strategies necessary for transformation of clinical education to decrease preventable deaths will be incorporated.

The second of three residency and seminar courses. Students complete a doctoral residency and participate in seminars. Students implement their identified DNP project in collaboration with the agency and preceptor.

This course will encompass elements of leadership development, advanced practice management issues, and financial planning including budgeting and business planning.

The third of three residency and seminar courses. Students complete a doctoral residency and participate in seminar. Students evaluate their identified DNP project in collaboration with the agency and preceptor.

This recurring seminar series is designed to assist students in the development of the DNP Clinical Practice Dissertation (CPD).

A critical examination of the meanings, methods and logical structure of science. Contemporary and historical views pertaining to the nature of truth, explanation, law, theory, methodology, and innovation will be analyzed and compared. Examples drawn from nursing epistemology as well as that of other disciplines will be utilized to depict the prepositions of modern science.

A pragmatic exploration of the societal and professional realities of grantsmanship. Experiences are practical so as to enhance the development of knowledge, skills, and attitudes needed to secure funding for scholarly innovative research endeavors. Team science and grant writing are integral components of this course.

First course in a three-semester sequence that focuses on the study and application of quantitative research methods from design through statistical analysis for experimental, quasi-experimental, and non-experimental designs in nursing and healthcare. Options for the structures of experimental designs appropriate to research in nursing and healthcare will be emphasized, including a study of theories and methods of instrument development to support such designs. An introduction to methods for multivariate statistical analysis will occur concurrently.

Second course in a three-semester sequence that focuses on the study and application of quantitative research methods from design through statistical analysis for experimental, quasi-experimental, and non-experimental designs in nursing and healthcare. Limitations to the justification/feasibility of applying an experimental approach to human subjects will be reviewed. Research methods for quasi and non-experimental designs in nursing and healthcare will be emphasized. Basic psychometric properties and statistical methods underlying instrument development will be presented.

Third course in a three-semester sequence that focuses on the study and application of quantitative research methods from design through statistical analysis for experimental, quasi-experimental, and non-experimental designs in nursing and healthcare. Techniques of data analysis appropriate to study designs of varying complexity will be explored as well as emerging innovations in research methods. The theory and methods of meta-analysis will be introduced.

Designed for students in nursing and other disciplines to achieve an introductory level of expertise in selected qualitative approaches. Expected course outcome is a completed qualitative project.

The course is a critical examination of the development of nursing's disciplinary knowledge as it relates to the nature of nursing and its epistemic, ontologic, and ethical claims. This examination will include historical analysis and evaluation of nursing's meta-paradigm (meta language), conceptual models, and theories both grand and middle range.

This seminar is designed for students in nursing and other disciplines to achieve an advanced level of expertise in selected qualitative approaches. Expected course outcome is a completed qualitative project.

Presents mixed methods as a third paradigm that combines and complements the qualitative and quantitative approaches traditionally used in nursing research. Theoretical, paradigmatic, and programmatic issues, as well as practical application will be discussed.

The course is a critical application of nursing knowledge and teaching and learning science to nursing research. Each student will identify and justify the epistemology, theoretical perspective, methodology and methods that will provide a scaffold for his/her dissertation topic.