|
Relationship between Clock/Credit hours
Course Descriptions
Requirements for Enrollment in Clinical
Courses
The FNP concentration consists of 18
credits of theory courses, 3 credits of research and 24 credits of
combined theory and practicum for a total of 45 credits. The
program incorporates 465 hours of didactic course work (computed at
15 clock hrs per credit) including thesis/project and 600 hours of
clinical practica and role seminar. Clinical practica is
computed at 45 clock hours per credit and role seminar is computed
at 30 clock hours per credit.
NURS 601 ADVANCED
CONCEPTS IN
PATHOPHYSIOLOGY
(3 credits)
The certified nurse practitioner
must combine an understanding of the complexity of biochemical and
anatomical alterations that culminate in disease, and the
corrective mechanisms of a wide range of drugs and other therapies
that will result in a best fit of diagnosis and treatment.
Since patients afflicted with major diseases present with diverse
signs and symptoms, the goal of the course will be to present
diseases from a multi-system approach and then explore the logic of
the current therapies known to cure or arrest the disease.
Offered fall annually.
NURS 602 PHARMACOLOGIC
APPLICATIONS
(3 credits)
This course will cover principles of
pharmacology as applied to advanced nursing practice. This
includes drug effectiveness, mechanism and interaction.
Emphasis will be on the pharmacological action of drugs on specific
organ systems and the clinical use of drugs in treatment of disease
conditions. Emphasis will be on critical decision-making
skills in the selection of drug therapy, doses of drugs, routes of
administration and preferred therapy. This course focuses
upon pharmacologic implications for the family nurse practitioner
in working with individuals across the life span. Offered spring annually.
Pre-requisite: Nurs
601.
NURS 605 EVOLUTION OF NURSING
THEORY
(3 credits)
This course focuses on selected
aspects of theory development in nursing science. Emphasis is
given to the study of epistemological issues related to the
evolution of theory in nursing. Varying levels and components
of theories are explored. Major strategies for theory
development including concept analysis, synthesis, and theory
derivation are analyzed. Students gain experience in
critically examining major existing theoretical models.
Offered fall annually.
NURS 610 ADVANCED CONCEPTS IN
NURSING
RESEARCH
(3 credits)
This course examines the
relationship and contribution of nursing research to the
development of nursing science. The growth of research will
be traced over the course of the last century, with particular
emphasis on the evolution which has occurred since
mid-century. Students will be assisted to increase their
ability to critically evaluate published research and to make
decisions concerning its application to practice.
Additionally, students will develop a proposal for an individual or
group research project which may become the foundational work for
the scholarly project. Offered spring annually and as needed.
Pre-requisite: Nurs 605 or by
permission of instructor.
NURS 614 HEALTH PROMOTION: FAMILY
AND COMMUNITY
PERSPECTIVES
(3 credits)
This course introduces the advanced
practice nurse student to health promotion and disease prevention
strategies for families and communities. Students will
explore principles of family theory, established models of family
development, epidemiology, and demography. An opportunity
will be given to develop intervention plans to improve wellness
based risk assessment and knowledge of national standards of
clinical preventive services. This course is a pre-requisite
to all other clinical nursing courses in the nurse practitioner
concentration, but may be taken concurrently with NURS 620. Offered
fall annually.
NURS 615 ADVANCED HEALTH
ASSESSMENT
(2 credits)
This course builds upon the basic
assessment skills of the nurse. It is designed to augment,
refine, and enhance the practitioner's ability to assess the health
status of individuals, to recognize deviant and abnormal findings,
to evaluate responses to illness and to identify health
risks. The course enables the practitioner to collect a
comprehensive health history and perform a complete physical
assessment in a systematic and organized manner. Course
content emphasizes a holistic approach towards assessment;
incorporating the client's response to wellness and illness,
sociocultural influences, and health seeking behaviors.
Specialized assessment tests and procedures and laboratory test
data are used by the practitioner to uncover client health cues in
addition to those identified by questioning and examining.
The practitioner's skill in assessing a client's resources,
strengths, limitations, and coping behaviors are intensified.
Two lecture hours weekly. This course must be taken
concurrently with Nurs 616. Offered fall annually and as
needed.
Pre-requisite: Nurs 601
NURS 616 ADVANCED HEALTH
ASSESSMENT
PRACTICUM
(1 credit)
This course provides opportunity for
the student to implement the objectives identified in Nurs 615.
Students may select experiences from a variety of clinical
settings appropriate to the course focus. Three clinical
hours weekly. This course must be taken concurrently with Nurs 615. Offered fall annually and as
needed.
Pre-requisite: Nurs 601.
NURS 620 CLINICAL DECISION MAKING
I (2
credits)
This course emphasizes clinical
data-gathering skills, diagnostic reasoning, and clinical
problem-solving for application in Nurs 630 and Nurs 640 directed
toward the management of health problems of clients throughout the
lifespan. Critical thinking skills are emphasized and honed
and are used to amplify common sense, intuition, and simple
reasoning. Emphasis is placed upon the analysis and synthesis
of client data for diagnosis and for identification of appropriate
nursing and other therapeutic interventions to be used by the
advanced practice nurse. Two lecture hours weekly. This
course is required as a pre-requisite to all other clinical nursing
courses. This course must
be taken concurrently
with Nurs 621. Offered spring
annually and as needed.
Pre-requisite: Nurs 615 and Nurs
616.
NURS 621 CLINICAL DECISION MAKING
I:
PRACTICUM
(1 credit)
This course provides an opportunity
for the student to implement the objectives identified in Nurs 620.
Students may select experiences from a variety of clinical
settings appropriate to the course focus. Three clinical
hours weekly. This course must be taken concurrently with Nurs 620. Offered spring annually and as
needed.
Prerequisite: Nurs 615.
NURS 630 CLINICAL DECISION MAKING
II (3
credits)
This course focuses upon birth
through adolescence in regard to health promotion, wellness
maintenance, disease prevention, early detection of problems,
prompt treatment of acute illness, and support for management and
self-care during chronic conditions. All dimensions of
development and the total health of the child and family are
considered. Course theory seeks to expand the practitioner?s
base of knowledge and understanding while clinical practicum
provides an opportunity for the application of learning and the
enhancement of decision-making skills. Opportunity is
provided for the development of skill in selected therapeutic
interventions related to health care of the client from birth
through adolescence. The course provides for expansion of
knowledge for application in working with clients, families, and
colleagues in clinical practice. Collaboration with other
health care providers is fostered. Three lecture hours
weekly. This course must be taken concurrently with Nurs
631 and Nurs 632. Offered
fall annually.
Pre-requisites: Minimum grade of "B"
in Nurs 614, 615, and 620.
NURS 631 CLINICAL DECISION MAKING
II: ROLE
SEMINAR
(1 credit)
This seminar, a controlled
environment for deliberation on clinical situations encountered,
explores the role of the practitioner in advanced nursing
practice. It provides opportunities for discussion of
alternative approaches to diagnosis, advanced nursing, medical or
collaborative management. The seminar will include the
discussion of clinical based research questions, client
presentation, and effective treatment interventions. Two
laboratory hours weekly. This course must be taken
concurrently with Nurs 630 and Nurs 632. Offered fall
annually.
Pre-requisites: Minimum grade of "B"
in Nurs 614, 615, and 620.
NURS 632 CLINICAL DECISION MAKING
II:
PRACTICUM
(2 credits)
This course provides an opportunity
for the student to implement the objectives identified in Nurs 630.
Students may select experiences from a variety of clinical
settings appropriate to the course focus. Six clinical hours
weekly. This course must be taken concurrently with Nurs
630 and 631. Offered fall annually.
Pre-requisite: Minimum grade
of "B" in Nurs 614, 615 and 620.
NURS 640 CLINICAL DECISION MAKING
III (3
credits)
This course focuses upon adults
(young, middle-aged, and older) in regard to health promotion,
wellness maintenance, disease prevention, early detection of
problems, prompt treatment of acute illness, and support for
management and self-care during chronic conditions. All
dimensions of development and the total health of the adult and
family are considered. Course theory seeks to expand the
practitioner's base of knowledge and understanding while clinical
practicum provides an opportunity for the application of learning
and the enhancement of decision-making skills. Opportunity is
provided for the development of skill in selected therapeutic
interventions related to heath care of the adult. The course
provides for expansion of knowledge for application in working with
clients, families, and colleagues in clinical practice.
Collaboration with other health care providers is fostered with
emphasis upon the coordination and continuity of client care.
This course must be taken concurrently with Nurs
641 and Nurs 642. Offered
spring annually.
Pre-requisites: Minimum grade
of "B" in Nurs 614, 615, and 620.
NURS 641 CLINICAL DECISION MAKING
III: ROLE
SEMINAR
(1 credit)
This seminar, a controlled
environment for deliberation on clinical situations encountered,
explores the role of the practitioner in advanced nursing
practice. It provides opportunities for discussion of
alternative approaches to diagnosis, advanced nursing, medical or
collaborative management. The seminar will include the
discussion of clinical-based research questions, client
presentations, and effective treatment interventions. Two
laboratory hours weekly. This course must be taken
concurrently with Nurs 640 and Nurs 642. Offered spring annually.
Pre-requisites: Minimum grade of "B"
in Nurs 614, 615, and 620.
NURS 642 CLINICAL DECISION MAKING
III:
PRACTICUM
(2 credits)
This course provides an opportunity
for the student to implement the objectives identified in Nurs 640.
Students may select experiences from a variety of clinical
settings appropriate to the course focus. Six clinical hours
weekly. This course must be taken concurrently with Nurs
640 and 641. Offered spring annually.
Prerequisite: Minimum grade of "B"
in Nurs 614, 615 and 620.
NURS 645 NURSING AND PUBLIC
POLICY
(3 credits)
This course examines the
implications of health care financing, structuring, labor market
trends, and current health care reform proposals for nursing in
general and for advanced practice nursing specifically.
Additionally, the student will be stimulated to appreciate the
critical need for nurses to engage in activities, individually and
as members of professional organizations that will enhance the
position of nursing in influencing health care policy and
legislation at all levels–local, state, and federal. A
pervasive theme throughout the course is the ultimate goal of
improving the health care of our citizens. Offered spring
annually.
NUR 675 NURSING CURRICULUM
DEVELOPMENT
(3 credits)
Examines curriculum development in
post secondary nursing programs. Focuses on philosophical
issues, learning theories, learner needs assessment, and curriculum
design for target populations in various nursing education
programs. Enables advanced practice nursing students to
develop and evaluate curriculum for selected nursing education
programs. Offered fall, every other year and/or as
needed.
NURS 676 EDUCATIONAL STRATEGIES
IN
NURSING
(3 credits)
Provides a comprehensive overview of
educational strategies for students who desire to function as
advanced practice nurses in the educational arena. Provides
the necessary theory to implement the instructional process with
various populations. Examines issues relevant to educational
strategies and their evaluation. Students design and
implement a lesson plan. Self-evaluation and critique of
others are used as a method to improve teaching. Offered
fall, every other year and as needed.
NURS 677 EVALUATION AND
ASSESSMENT IN
NURSING
(3 credits)
Provides a comprehensive overview of
evaluation and assessment in learning for students who desire to
function as advanced practice nurses in the educational
arena. Emphasizes current issues in assessment, establishment
and measurement of learning outcomes, and the development and
utilization of assessment tools. Students design and use
evaluation tools for clinical and classroom application in nursing
and health education. Offered spring, every other year and/or
as
needed.
NURS 750
INTERNSHIP
(3 - 6 credits)
Provides the opportunity to gain
competency in the multifaceted role of nurse practitioner or nurse
educator through a supervised clinical experience. Students enact
their chosen role in selected settings with target populations
while functioning under the guidance of certified nurse
practitioners, licensed physicians, or nurse educators who have
been approved by the department as preceptors. Nine to
eighteen hours of clinical experience weekly, depending on program
concentration. Pre-requisites include all program course work,
excluding scholarly project. Offered summer annually and as
needed.
NURS 800 SCHOLARLY
PROJECT
(3 credits)
Students will engage in group
research related to an aspect of care relevant to the nurse
practitioner or nurse educator professions. The scholarly
activity is supervised by a research advisor and committee.
Pre-requisites: Nurs 605 and 610.
In order to participate in clinical
site course work, students must keep the following items
current:
- Pennsylvania registered nurse
licens
- Verification of Professional
Liability Insurance showing coverage of at least $1,000,000 for
each incident and $3,000,000 aggregate
- CPR certification
|