DNP Course Descriptions

NU 501 Theoretical, Ethical, and Profession Foundations of Advanced Nursing Practice

This course explores the historical origins of advanced nursing practice, its contribution to the contemporary health care environment and the role of the advanced nursing practice. Students explore theoretical knowledge and principles drawn from nursing and related disciplines that guide advanced practice. Students apply ethical theory, principles of moral reasoning, and legal regulations to analyze clinical scenarios and use information technologies to support scholarly endeavors. (3)

NU 510 Population Health

This course provides an overview of global and national population health with a focus on the determinants of health, health disparities, and population-oriented prevention. Using an epidemiological approach, students will examine the burden of disease within ethical, social, cultural, political, economic, and environmental contexts. (3)

NU 515 Accounting Basics for Health Care Managers

This course focuses on the financial and managerial accounting concepts that are fundamental to the career success of health care managers. Students will learn how to read and interpret financial statements and assess the financial performance of health care organizations. Students also will understand the behavior of costs in health care; cost allocation methodologies; pricing strategies; the relationship between volume, cost, and profit; and how to create a budget. Microsoft Excel will be used in both in-class exercises and assignments. (3)

NU 539 Global Service Learning for the Advanced Practice Nurse

This course will provide a culturally rich and diverse global service learning experience. Students will engage in didactic and experiential learning activities as part of a structured host country placement while serving vulnerable populations. This course will enable students to collaborate with community partners to enhance knowledge and skills in the areas of community-focused health promotion, cultural competence, capacity building, social justice, and advanced nursing practice. Prerequisites: NUF 502 and permission of the instructor. Enrollment in the one-credit lecture is required for the one- to two-credit immersion experience. (1-3)

NU 552 Advanced Pharmacology

An in-depth study of clinical pharmacology and toxicology. Drugs affecting the organ systems are discussed with emphasis on mechanisms of drug action and types and mechanisms of adverse drug action as well as drug interactions. The nursing implications of each drug classification are emphasized together with the implications surrounding the decision-making process used in prescribing drugs. Drug legislation and regulations affecting advanced-practice nurses are studied. Relevant research with implications for nursing practice is presented. (3)

NU 554 Advanced Pathophysiology

This course presents advanced concepts in pathophysiology to support advanced nursing practice. The study is wide ranging, from biochemical to systemic levels, and as such will include review of anatomy, physiology, and biochemistry. The increased depth and scope of the knowledge will provide a foundation for advanced clinical practice associated with primary, secondary, and tertiary prevention. Evidence-based practice serves as the framework for this course. Students will be provided with the most recent research and evidence in the areas studied. Emphasis is given to the interaction of these systems with other body systems. Students analyze data pertinent to clinical disease states and utilize the information in implementing the nursing process as a clinical nursing expert. (3)

NU 590 Health Care Data Analysis

Provides the student with a conceptual understanding of statistical methods in relation to the purpose, design, and methods of health care research. Both descriptive and inferential applications are presented, and students are introduced to the use of computers for data storage, retrieval, and statistical analysis. (3)

NU 599 Independent Study

Students investigate selected topics in nursing under the direction of a faculty advisor and/or the dean of the Malek School of Health Professions. Independent study enables students to pursue specialized interests and contribute to the advancement of knowledge in nursing. (1-6)

IPE 715 Critical Assessment and Research Methods I for Evidence-Based Health Care Practice

This course introduces students to principles of evidence-based practices across health, health care, and health promotion and the use of published research literature for guiding decision making. Students learn to locate appropriate primary and secondary literature resources and to critically analyze the quality, importance, and applicability of these resources in answering clinical and health-related questions at individual, system, and population levels. Published literature is explored in greater depth for constructing a relevant and researchable question and developing a background literature review. Research methods are introduced focusing on construction of research questions, selection and use of theories for grounding clinical questions, and development of a review of supportive background literature. This course is an interprofessional course. Students are expected to work in and explore interprofessional teams and outcomes. Prerequisites for NU, PHEP, and PT students: undergraduate statistics; PHEP students: HPR 501HPR 540, and HPR 555; nursing students: NU 590; and PT students: PT 700 through 702. (3)

NU 701 Innovative Models of Care Delivery

Prepares students to demonstrate clinical, organizational, and systems-level leadership through study and design of innovative models of care delivery. It emphasizes the application of continuous quality management (CQM) principles and business process improvement (BPI) strategies in model development. Attendant course content focuses on developing skills in organizational and policy arenas, applying principles of practice management, balancing productivity with quality of care, and encouraging a culture that emphasizes practice excellence. (3)

NU 702 Epidemiology

Students engage in a comprehensive study of the concepts of epidemiology and the science of public health. Students evaluate distribution and determinants of health problems and diseases in select aggregates with the goal of developing strategies to reduce the incidence and prevalence of identified health problems. Prerequisite: NU 705. (3)

NU 703 Research Methods and Applications

This course builds on prior knowledge of the research process. Students gain an increased understanding of the philosophy of science, nature of scientific thinking, and qualitative and quantitative research methods. Emphasis is placed on the identification of researchable practice problems. The relationship among theory, research, and practice is addressed. The course prepares students to be nurse leaders who are able to utilize nursing research to refine and improve nursing practice. Prerequisites: NU 702 and NU 705. (3)

NU 705 Multivariate Analysis

This course builds upon NU 590 Health Care Data Analysis and introduces students to selected multivariate techniques used in health care and epidemiological research, including multiple regression analysis, logistic regression, factorial analysis of variance, multivariate analysis of variance and covariance, factorial analysis of variance, path analysis, structural equation modeling, and select parametric techniques. The use of appropriate hardware and software is integrated throughout the course. (3)

NU 706 Policy and Advocacy in Health Care

This course focuses on current health policy issues in nursing, health care, and patient outcomes. Students will critically analyze and evaluate current health policy and the related political process. Influences in developing and implementing health policy will be discussed. (3)

NU 707 Leadership, Quality, and Ethics in Health Care

Students will analyze and demonstrate evidence-based leadership skills as core competencies in nursing to improve quality in patient care and strengthen nursing as a profession. Emphasis is on the theories of professional leadership, personal leadership, skill building, quality improvement, ethical values, moral agency, and change. (3)

NU 800 Residency

This course is an advanced nursing practicum that provides an opportunity for the student to integrate and synthesize knowledge and skills acquired in graduate coursework. Emphasis is placed on demonstrating increasing competency in the integration of principles of evidence-based practice and science-based theories when making patient-focused decisions. The curricular elements and competencies include evidence-based practice, interprofessional collaboration, leadership, organizational systems, principles of business, health care policy, evaluation of clinical outcomes, information systems and technology, prevention strategies, and health promotion. These elements are operationalized as the student develops competence in evaluating the links among practice, organizational, population-based, fiscal, and policy issues. Prerequisites: NU 700-level courses must be completed. (3-5)

NU 801 Doctoral Project

Provides an opportunity for the student to synthesize knowledge and skills learned in previous nursing courses and clinical practice to produce a product that makes a contribution to advanced nursing practice. The product may vary with the student’s interest and their assessment of gaps in nursing knowledge and practice strategies. It is anticipated that the student will work closely with an advisor and seek the assistance of experts outside the university community, if necessary. It is anticipated that the final project will be disseminated to the nursing and health care communities. Prerequisites: NU 700-level courses must be completed. (3)

NU 899 Independent Study

This course will enable students to do an independent study while completing their doctoral degree. Students investigate topics in nursing under the direction of a faculty advisor and/or the dean of the Malek School of Health Professions. (1-3)