MSN/FNP Degree Curriculum
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NURS 501 – Professional Role Development in Advanced Practice Nursing
This course explores the professional role development of an advanced practice registered nurse, focusing on the provision of primary care to populations across the lifespan. The social determinants influencing the advanced practice nursing role will be introduced and examined for their effects on patient care delivery. Students will begin formulating plans for an evidence-based, clinically-relevant quality improvement project that embodies the essentials of advanced practice nursing. 3 credits didactic
NURS 502 – Advanced Pathophysiology and Disease Management Across the Life Span
This course explores the concepts of pathophysiology and the holistic management of acute and chronic conditions across the lifespan, including the examination of risk factors associated with the development of disease states and the various diagnostic tools utilized by the advanced practice registered nurse for the development, implementation and evaluation of the client’s plan of care. 3 credits didactic
NURS 503 – Family Practice Management & Healthcare Policy
This course explores the practical and conceptual principles of practice management. The student will analyze the advanced practice nurse’s leadership role for adopting these principles that affect the legal and ethical standards for practice. An emphasis on how the socio-economic aspects of healthcare influence healthcare policy. In addition, students examine how health care management tools such quality improvement, risk management, interprofessional collaboration, and healthcare finance affect healthcare delivery models and will be utilized by the advanced practice nurse.3 credits didactic
NURS 504 – Advanced Health Assessment and Diagnostic Reasoning
This course explores advanced health assessment skills and diagnostic reasoning across the lifespan, including cultural factors that impact the health of populations. Students will be expected to perform a comprehensive assessment that addresses the biopsychosocial, cultural, and spiritual needs of the client. Students will begin to formulate differential diagnoses for accurately identifying actual or potential health problems for these populations. Experiential learning is enhanced through the direct application of the skills and knowledge offered from this course. This course includes a 3-day on campus residency experience. 5 credits didactic
NURS 505 – Advanced Pharmacotherapeutics I
This course explores the concepts of prescribing appropriate pharmacological agents for adult and geriatric populations. Principles related to pharmacotherapeutics, pharmacodynamics, drug interactions, incompatibilities, contraindications, and adverse reactions will be analyzed. 4 credits didactic
NURS 506 – Advanced Pharmacotherapeutics II
This course explores the concepts of prescribing appropriate pharmacological agents for special populations, including children, adolescents and women. Principles related to pharmacotherapeutics, pharmacodynamics, drug interactions, incompatibilities, contraindications, adverse reactions, and pharmacogenomics will be analyzed. 2 credits didactic
NURS 507 – Theoretical Foundations of Advanced Practice Nursing
This course explores the concepts of analyzing and critiquing established and emerging nursing theories which impact advanced nursing practice. The student will synthesize nursing and multidisciplinary theories to evaluate relationships between theory, research and advanced practice nursing. Students will continue to develop the capstone project. 3 credits didactic
NURS 508 – Health Promotion and Maintenance Across the Life Span
This course explores the competencies necessary for the advanced practice nurse to promote health and prevent disease for diverse populations across the life span. This includes the application of current evidence-based guidelines for promoting optimal health and disease prevention. The competencies will also be applied to the concepts of chronic disease management to address and reduce health disparities for individuals and communities. 3 credits didactic
NURS 509 – Advanced Practice Nursing I: Adult/Gerontology
This Block builds upon the concepts learned in prior courses and applies these to address the biopsychosocial needs of adult and gerontological populations, 48 emphasizing the management of acute and chronic conditions. 3 credits didactic. Prerequisite: All previous blocks
NURS 509.1 – Advanced Practice Nursing I: Adult/Gerontology Experiential
Students provide comprehensive care to patients in the management of acute and chronic conditions by addressing the biopsychosocial needs in the adult and gerontological populations while adhering to the standardized roles and responsibilities for advanced nursing practice (completion of a minimum 205 practicum hours). 4.5 credits clinical. Prerequisite: NURS 509
NURS 510 – Advanced Practice Nursing II: Pediatrics/Women’s Health
This Block builds upon the concepts of the practical applications of advanced nursing, focusing on special populations, including infants, children, adolescents, and women emphasizing the management of acute and chronic healthcare needs in these populations. 2.5 credits didactic
NURS 510.1 – Advanced Practice Nursing II: Pediatrics/Women’s Health Experiential
Students provide comprehensive care to patients in the management of acute and chronic healthcare needs in special populations, including infants, children, adolescents, and women. This Block builds upon the concepts of the practical applications of advanced nursing while adhering to the standardized roles and responsibilities for advanced nursing practice related to women’s health and the pediatric population (completion of a minimum 180 practicum hours). 4 credits clinical. Prerequisite: NURS 510
NURS 511 – Advanced Practice Nursing III: Family
This Block synthesizes theoretical and practical applications of professional advanced nursing practice as it relates to the healthcare needs of the family. Students will apply the concepts of health promotion and disease management for global populations across the lifespan. 2 credits didactic
NURS 511.1 – Advanced Practice Nursing III: Family Experiential
Students provide comprehensive, culturally competent primary care including health promotion and disease management for global populations across the lifespan. Students will apply these concepts experientially while adhering to the standardized roles and responsibilities for advanced nursing practice related to care for these populations. The student will be expected to complete the required experiential hours for graduation by the end of this course or during the remediation period as needed (completion of a minimum 140 practicum hours). 3 credits clinical. Prerequisite: NURS 511
NURS 512 – Nursing Research and Evidence-Based Practice
This course allows the student to apply the principles of evidence-based practice through examination and critique of existing research. Students are expected to identify and implement a safe, effective, and relevant evidence-based practice change that aims to improve healthcare outcomes. Students will explore various research methods to complete the evidence-based improvement project that targets a variety of healthcare settings, and will disseminate their final research findings. 3 credits didactic
In addition to the blocks described above, the students will be provided two (2) remediation periods to accommodate varied learning styles, and reinforce the concepts, knowledge, and application of the materials presented in the curriculum. During these periods, students will have the opportunity to clarify expectations concerning the remaining blocks and/or complete additional clinical hours.
Students will be required to complete approximately 525 clinical hours in a pre-approved setting. This program will also require students to complete two residencies before program completion.