MSN Core Courses as of Fall 2013
NURS 561 – Information Technology & Data Management (3 cr)
This course explores the many uses of information technology and data management. The course provides learners with the knowledge and skills in information and healthcare technology needed to enhance communication and interprofessional collaboration in the current healthcare environment. The process of locating, accessing, and analyzing information and data is applied to advanced practice roles, enhancing patient safety, quality and outcomes, and improving population health.
NURS 562 – Theoretical Foundations for Healthcare Improvement (3 cr)
This course provides a theoretical orientation to become change agents in a variety of healthcare settings and diverse practice populations. The course provides learners with a foundation in theories significant to nursing practice such as complex adaptive systems, organizational and change theory, leadership and team-building models, and quality improvement and care models needed to assess, design, plan, implement, and evaluate a quality improvement project to promote patient-centered care and improve program outcomes.
NURS 563 – Evidence-Based Practice for Quality and Safety (3 cr)
This course provides learners with a theoretical and practical foundation for identifying and critically appraising evidence from qualitative and quantitative research traditions. The emphasis is on the examination of the essential elements of evidence-based-practice, including the formulation of answerable questions to address quality improvement and safety in a variety of advance practice roles and the systematic search for research evidence that can be used to answer researchable questions.
NURS 564 – Contemporary Healthcare Environment (3 cr)
This course explores the ethical and legal principles of healthcare and their impact on accessible, affordable, and quality care. This course provides learners with a framework for discussing ethical and legal issues with an emphasis on the ethical delivery of care to individuals, families, and populations. The scope and standards of advanced nursing roles will be examined along with current issues and policies that address health care disparities, health care organizations, financing, and quality. Strategies for analyzing and influencing public, professional, and institutional policies related to health care and its delivery will be considered.
NURS 565 – Clinical Prevention for Diverse Populations (3 cr)
The focus of this course is on the development of health promotion and disease prevention programs for diverse groups and populations. Selected concepts of epidemiology, broad determinants of health, population health, clinical prevention and cultural competence will be examined as they relate to the design and delivery of equitable clinical prevention and health promotion interventions and/or services to individuals, families, communities, and aggregates/clinical populations.
MSN Nurse Educator Direct Care Core
NURS 601E – Pathophysiology, Pharmacology and Assessment I (3 cr)
This course provides students with an in-depth analysis of concept-based pathophysiological problems with emphasis on assisting learners in understanding the cellular pathophysiological basis of disease, the pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamics principles of its pharmacological treatment and the refinement of physical assessment skills used to form the basis for critical thinking and decision-making when treating individuals with various pathophysiological problems.
NURS 602E – Pathophysiology, Pharmacology and Assessment II (3 cr)
This course is a continuation of NURS 601E and provides students with an in-depth analysis of concept-based pathophysiological problems with emphasis on assisting learners in understanding the cellular pathophysiological basis of disease, the pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamics principles of its pharmacological treatment, and the refinement of physical assessment skills used to form the basis for critical thinking and decision-making when treating individuals with various pathophysiological problems. Prerequisite: NURS 601E
NURS 603E – Advanced Clinical Practicum: Acute Care (1cr/60hours)
Students complete 60 hours of direct care activities with a master’s prepared nurse in an acute care setting. Particular emphasis is placed on safety, quality of care, and quality improvement activities. Students are provided with the opportunity to integrate previous knowledge and develop proficiency in a focused area of acute care clinical nursing. Prerequisites: NURS 601E OR NURS 602E
NURS 604E –Advanced Clinical Practicum: Population-Focused (1cr/60hours)
Students complete 60 hours of direct care activities with a master’s prepared nurse in a community setting. Particular emphasis is placed on safety, quality of care, and quality improvement activities. Students are provided with the opportunity to integrate previous knowledge and develop proficiency in a population-focused area of clinical nursing. Prerequisite: NURS 565 and NURS 601E OR 602E
MSN Nurse Educator Core
NURS 651E – Curriculum Development (3 cr)
This course addresses strategies for developing curricula, ranging in scope from individual teaching sessions, to courses, to complete programs of study. Emphasis is given to developing a curriculum that is congruent with institutional and program mission, philosophy, and goals; professional standards; needs and expectations of an educational program’s communities of interest; contextual variables; and learner characteristics. Students are introduced to “backward design” principles, the concept of “threading” content, strategies for sequencing content, using a theoretical/conceptual framework to inform a curriculum, and principles of curriculum evaluation, focusing on both content validity and outcomes achievement. Legal, ethical, and accreditation issues related to curriculum content also will be considered.
NURS 652E – Teaching/Learning Strategies (3 cr)
This course explores strategies for teaching in classroom, online, clinical and community settings and emphasizes linking teaching-learning strategies to desired learning outcomes. Theoretical frameworks for teaching-learning, assessing and accommodating learning styles, preferences, and readiness to learn will be considered. The course also addresses adapting content and teaching strategies for different groups of learners (e.g., students, health care consumer/patients, professional colleagues) and learners with different characteristics. A two-three day on-campus immersion focusing on simulation technologies is required. The course will explore strategies to enhance interprofessional collaboration through the educational process. Students will use their clinical specialty area as context for course assignments. (The course includes a two-three day on-campus immersion)
NURS 653E – Principles of Evaluation for Nurse Educators (3cr)
This course examines the basic principles of evaluation and provides practical guidelines for evaluation of learning in academic, clinical, and community settings. The course includes content on test construction and evaluation, developing and using rubrics, developing and grading written assignments, evaluating clinical performance, and evaluating personal teaching effectiveness. The course also addresses program evaluation and accreditation. Legal and ethical considerations related to evaluation and grading will be discussed. (One day test writing seminar included in the NURS 646E on-campus capstone immersion)
Nurse Educator Practicum – Total of 4 credits between two courses
NURS 655E – Nurse Educator Practicum in Clinical Setting (1-3cr/60-180 hours)
Students complete 60-180 of the required 240 hours of precepted teaching experience in an approved clinical setting providing student, patient and/or staff education. The experience will include classroom teaching, as well as supervised evaluation of participant learning and performance. The course includes on-line clinical conferences.
NURS 656E – Nurse Educator Practicum in Academia (1-3cr/60-180 hours)
Students complete 60-180 of the required 240 hours of precepted teaching experience in an approved academic setting. The experience will include classroom and clinical teaching, as well as supervised evaluation of student work and performance. The course includes on-line clinical conferences. (Three day on-campus capstone immersion focusing on issues of professional development, transition to the nurse educator role, legal and ethical issues inherent in academic and service settings. A one day test writing seminar is included during this immersion)
A nursing professional in this area typically gains employment in one of the following settings:
- Four-year colleges and universities
- Junior or community colleges
- Hospital-based schools of nursing
- Technical colleges
- Hospitals
- Community health agencies
- Home care agencies
- Long-term care facilities
- Online using distance learning technology
Nurse Educators in academic settings typically work on a nine-month faculty appointment during the regular academic year. Opportunities to teach during summer months are often available. Salaries vary depending on rank, education, institution type, and region of the country.
Nurse Educators take advantage of the many benefits of teaching, including autonomy, a flexible schedule, and the intrinsic reward of teaching future nurses.
