NURS 721: Ethics for APN

3 credits. The purpose of this course is to explore ethical theories and principles and how they influence various dimensions of health care. Professional responsibilities of advanced practice registered nurses in clinical care, research, and healthcare organizations will be explored. Ethical principles are applied to delivery of care, scholarly inquiry and leadership. 

NURS 722: Informatics & Technology for Healthcare

3 credits. The purpose of this course is to explore the organization, collection, analysis and dissemination of information in health care. This course will serve as an introduction to clinical informatics with a focus on the electronic health record, telemedicine, and technological approaches to quality and safety. Ethical and legal dimensions of healthcare technology are examined. Students learn the basics of database design for the collection and analysis of patient outcomes data. 

NURS 723 Critical Appraisal of Evidence

3 credits. This course is the first in a series to prepare students to deliver patient-centered care that emphasizes evidence-based practice (EBP) and quality improvement (QI). The purpose of this course is to introduce students to the different types of evidence and the critical appraisal process. The philosophical underpinnings and methods of knowledge development are introduced. Descriptive and inferential statistics are reviewed. The key steps in the EBP process and its importance to advanced nursing practice are highlighted. 

NURS 724: Application of Evidence to Clinical Practice

3 credits. This course is the second in a series to prepare students to deliver patient-centered care that emphasizes evidence-based practice (EBP) and quality improvement (QI). The purpose of this course is to provide students with an opportunity to evaluate evidence in the context of practice-based decision making. Students will identify a clinical problem and apply the clinical inquiry process. The focus is on critiquing evidence for practical application. Implementation science, models and change theories used in translating knowledge into action are highlighted. 

NURS 725: Improvement Science

3 credits. This course is the third in a series to prepare students to deliver patient-centered care that emphasizes evidence-based practice (EBP) and quality improvement (QI) focusing on improvement science (IS) methodologies. The purpose of this course is to utilize improvement science to eliminate discrepancies between identified standards of care and clinical practice. Students will build core competencies in improvement science, including appraising the IS literature, differentiating IS methodologies, testing and measuring change, displaying findings and participating in continuous improvement activities. 

NURS 726: Health Care Economics and Finance

3 credits. This course will provide the foundation for assessing the financial impact of practice policies, procedures, and initiatives when meeting the health needs of the practice populations. The course will emphasize principles of economics and finance, the analysis of practice quality, and cost effectiveness of care. Strategies to design effective and realistic care delivery or practice initiatives are examined. 

NURS 727: Leadership & Health Systems

3 credits. This course is designed for the practical and integrated application of leadership and system theories to real-world problems in healthcare. Upon completion of this course, students will be prepared to understand and engage in healthcare leadership at the entry level. 

NURS 728: Health Policy and Population Health

3 credits. This course will provide an overview of healthcare policy at the state and national level and provide a foundation for evaluating its impact on health outcomes. Basic principles of population health will be explored within the context of epidemiology, determinants of health, health equity, and health disparities. Social, political, legal, and economic factors are used to understand the relationship between health policy and population health. 

NURS 703A: DNP Project Planning

2 credits. The purpose of this course is to plan an improvement science project for the terminal DNP benchmark. Students will work with course faculty and the specialty chairperson to design a project to meet program expectations. Students will write a project proposal and plan for Institutional review board (IRB) submission. At the end of this course students will submit the project proposal for faculty approval. Students move to the implementation and evaluation of the project in 703B. Alternate projects in program development/evaluation or centered on policy may be developed with specialty program faculty approval. 

NURS 703B: DNP Project

5 credits. The purpose of this course is to implement, evaluate and disseminate an approved DNP Project within the advanced nursing practice specialty. The project takes place within the context of the student’s practicum experience. It provides an experience that can be the foundation for future clinical scholarship.