Graduate Courses

Analytical methods will be examined to appraise multiple sources of evidence to determine its applicability for translating the evidence into practice to improve health outcomes and health delivery systems. Epidemiological concepts, statistical analyses and appraisal processes are foundational for this course.

The focus of this course is the content and skills professionals need to build leader behaviors. Personal objectives to cultivate professional skills, to lead critically, and to transform care are developed. Topics include defending a position, considering assumptions, leading people, leading change, business acumen, teamwork, coalitions, and empowering a sustainable person-centered workplace culture.

This practicum focuses on the development of the quality and safety leader through application. Student needs are identified and objectives are designed with a mentor, emphasizing preparation for quality and safety and management responsibilities. This practicum experience includes a minimum of 150 clinical hours.

This course focuses on policy development as a strategy for improving and shaping outcomes.  The course will articulate the interchange of federal, state, local and voluntary healthcare agency policies and the influence on outcomes. Opportunities for students to reflect, analyze and evaluate current policies and formulate recommendations for change will be explored.

This intensive course is a continuation of Reflective Practice I. Experiences to meet learning needs will be designed with a mentor. Students will apply the concepts studied in the program selecting one technique for environment scanning. This practicum experience includes a minimum of 150 clinical hours to include evaluation and dissemination of scholarly project.

Managing change and innovation in a complex environment requires workplace redesign. An overview of a system project innovation will be the focus of this course. Assessing an organization for innovation and the tasks of leadership for innovation will be explored. The student will declare a project that meets the Master’s degree Scholarly Project requirement.

The Scholarly Project courses provide an opportunity for students to reflect on their practice to identify a clinical issue, use evidence to design and implement an innovation, analyze the data, and create a sustainability plan. In this first course, the student will be assigned to a faculty member who will mentor the student in the innovation proposal and IRB application. Fee: $30.

This course focuses on complexities of healthcare organizational systems and their impact on approaches to care delivery and relativeness to quality and safety outcomes. Principles of organizational culture, resource management and organizational policy will be explored.

This is the second of three scholarly project courses in which, pending IRB approval, the student will effectively lead a team in the implementation of the Innovative Scholarly Project in the practicum setting. Written components of the scholarly project including methods and results will be completed.

This is the final of three scholarly project courses in which the outcomes of the Innovative Scholarly Project will be evaluated, a sustainability plan created, and project disseminated.  Students will be required to present their scholarly project internally to the University.

This course is the first of two practica that focus on developing reflective scholars, innovators and leaders through application. The student identifies objectives, emphasizing clinical inquiry collaboration, systems thinking, and innovation to transform patient, workforce and organizational outcomes. This practicum experience includes a minimum of 150 hours.

This course is the second of two practica that focus on developing reflective scholars, innovators and transformational leadership. This practicum includes 150 hours to support optimal care transitions, promote a learning organization and high reliability organizational culture, and complete the innovative healthcare scholarly project.

This course focuses on the role of theory in healthcare practice settings. Theories, concepts and models that inform cultural humility in practice to lead and improve business and clinical outcomes will be applied to complex systems. Expanding capacity to think critically using theory to influence policy and practice in organizational performance are advanced. Fee: $95

Interventions to improve service, outcomes, and resource stewardship are examined. Students conceptualize and identify a scholarly project topic to be developed in Scholarly Project I, refined, implemented and evaluated in Reflective Practice I and II. Methods for organization problem diagnoses, designing a plan of action and establishing performance measurement metrics are explored.

This course will link the strategic plan of health systems with technology use to drive clinical and business performance. Students will explore system tensions and the influence on key performance indicators. Trends and new developments in adoption, implementation and evaluation related to informatics will be critiqued.

This course focuses on the role of the Clinical Nurse Leader in health-care delivery systems. Content includes issues of nursing leadership, advanced nursing practice including advocacy, social justice, ethics and cultural care. Students design a professional portfolio to guide professional development.

Population health science and management will frame the course focus. Population-based assessment data and analysis of metrics including pharmacological, chronic disease management and care transition outcomes will be addressed. Leading interventions with organizational processes with at-risk populations will be examined.

Using the volume to value performance framework, this course is an overview of business analysis and decision-making in healthcare. Strategy priorities and the impact on business key performance indicators (KPIs) will be discussed. Topics will include highlights of the US healthcare system, strategy, payment, consumer driven healthcare, human capital, supply issues, price transparency and cost effectiveness.

The focus of this course is using data as a source to improve performance in healthcare settings. Broad exposure to sources of information for data collection for tracking, external reporting and bench-marking to support internal actions aimed at outcomes improvement will be examined throughout the course.

Promotes the implementation of innovative learner-centered teaching strategies within an optimal learning environment based on the diverse learners’ needs and learning styles.  Assessment and evaluation strategies for student learning outcomes for all domains of learning will be implemented.

The development, implementation and evaluation of health promotion/illness prevention programs and interventions for populations at the microsystem level are the foci of this course. Analysis of clinical and business data related to populations are examined as essential components of programs for population health.

This course focuses on developing a proposed scholarship project to improve the healthcare delivery performance of a population, organization, division, service line, unit or program. Introduction, theoretical underpinnings and impetus for the project to include major anticipated outcome benefits and measurement will be designed using a program/project management life cycle tool. IRB application will be completed. Fee: $30

The scholarly project designed in previous classes is adapted for implementation in the practice setting. Modification considerations focus on stakeholder relationships and complexity of the setting. Seminar topics focus on issues related to project implementation. The student will plan to effectively lead a team in the implementation of the project in the practicum setting.

This is the final of three scholarly project courses; the outcomes of the scholarly project will be evaluated, a sustainability plan created, and the project disseminated. Students will be required to present their scholarly project internally to the University that acts in accordance with an executive leadership project review meeting.

Practical strategies and tools to transform the health system environment to develop and support a learning organization and promote nursing excellence will be emphasized. Consideration will be given to performance management and supporting an evidence-based and high reliability organizational culture.

The evidence-based practice paradigm and process is assessed with its application to improving organizational performance. Emphasis is on initiatives using the science of change theory, and incorporating the values of the triple aim. Ethical principles related to research and its applicability to leading quality and safety initiatives will be examined.

The evidence-based practice paradigm and process will be assessed with its application to organizational performance. Emphasis is on initiatives using evidence, the science of change theory, and incorporating the values of the triple aim. Ethical principles related to research and its applicability to leading initiatives will be examined.

Effective and efficient healthcare resources management is a key to performance. The uses of human and non-human resources are investigated as a fundamental reflection of organizational aims and core values. Short and long-term organizational strategy is considered. Learning methodologies are explored. Patient and professional involvement and partnership are investigated.

Healthcare settings must be effective learning environments. This course will focus on decision making and problem solving in building and sustaining a learning ethos. Decision-making approaches including routine and innovative will be studied. Problem solving as a key method in balancing clinical and business challenges will be illustrated as one strategy to build a continuous learning environment.

This course focuses on the role development of the nurse practitioner as an advanced practice nurse prepared at the doctor of nursing practice degree level. Historical, legal, ethical, social, and policy aspects of the role will be examined. Topics such as hallmark competencies, professional behaviors, financial relationships with health systems and interdisciplinary relationships also will be included. Fee: $95

This course provides the theoretical and practical foundation that guides the formation of a DNP-prepared leader. Leadership theories and processes will be appraised for applicability within a complex healthcare environment. Factors that impact the leader’s ability to design and evaluate safe, quality, cost-effective care will be analyzed. The development of personal leadership will be explored.

The focus of this course is on family as client for family nurse practitioner students. Students will examine theories regarding the family unit with attention to how families experience and manage life and health transitions, engage in health promotion behaviors, and access resources needed to maintain balance during transitions. Application to the DNP prepared FNP role will be emphasized.

Scientific underpinnings from a variety of disciplines will be explored as they apply to the scholarship and practice of advanced nursing practice. Theoretical foundations of nursing and related disciplines will be applied to enhance health and healthcare delivery in a variety of settings among diverse populations.

Analytical methods will be examined to appraise multiple sources of evidence to determine its applicability for translating the evidence into practice to improve health outcomes and health delivery systems. Epidemiological concepts, statistical analyses and appraisal processes are foundational for this course.

Quality improvement concepts, principles, models and strategies used to improve processes for healthcare delivery and quality of health outcomes will be explored. The process of new program development and evaluation will be examined.

This course is designed to provide students with the advanced pathophysiological foundation required for understanding diseases and genetic implications across the lifespan. Focus will be placed on key pathophysiologic processes common to many diseases, specific pathophysiologic processes underlying diseases commonly encountered by nurse practitioners, and the human biopsychosocial response to these processes. Fee: $60

This course focuses on the clinical application of pharmacotherapeutics commonly prescribed by nurse practitioners in primary care settings, including drug selection, dosing, monitoring, evaluation, and patient education. This course examines the nurse practitioner role as prescriber.

This course explores the clinical indications, potential risks, and evidence for alternative approaches to herbal and dietary supplement therapies. Conceptual approaches to herbal therapy and botanical medicine are explored. Emphasis is on the safety of herbs and supplements.

This course focuses on the development of clinical decision making skills related to physical diagnosing. The advanced health assessment process includes appropriate histories, physical exams, labs/ diagnostic testing, use of screening tools, diagnosing physical variations and abnormalities, identification of health needs, and documentation for multiple patient presentations across the lifespan. Fee: $150

This course focuses on complexities of healthcare organizational systems and their impact on approaches to care delivery and relativeness to quality and safety outcomes. Principles of organizational culture, resource management and organizational policy will be explored.

In this clinical course students apply the principles of patient/family assessment, diagnosis, and management of adults with acute and simple chronic illnesses.  The focused work-up format is used with an emphasis on differential diagnosis. Students complete 180 hours of supervised clinical experience. Course is graded P/NP.

In this clinical course students build on the competencies of FNP Clinical I and incorporate assessment, management and referral of patients with acute or chronic mental illness and management of conditions specific to gender (i.e. pregnancy and lactation). Students complete 120 hours of supervised clinical experience. (Graded on a P/NP basis.)

In this clinical course students build on the competencies of FNP Clinical I and II and apply the principles of patient/family assessment, diagnosis, and management of common acute and chronic conditions in pediatric patients. Focus is placed on clinical evaluation of pediatric growth and development, providing anticipatory guidance for well-children and adolescents. Includes 120 hours of supervised clinical experience. (Graded on a P/NP basis.)

In this clinical course students build on the competencies from FNP clinical I, II and III to apply the principles of assessment, diagnosis, and management of adults and older adults with complex and chronic illness. The expanded work-up format is used and includes assessments of self-management, living w/chronic illness, and interprofessional treatment modalities. Includes 180 hours of supervised clinical experience. (Graded on a P/NP basis.)

The influence of healthcare and other policies on organizations and the nursing profession will be analyzed from multiple perspectives including, ethical, social justice, financial and professional impact. The process of policy formation will be examined and applied. The roles of advocate and political activist in promoting innovative and just policies will be fostered.

This course addresses the application and critical impact of informatics on healthcare delivery and healthcare systems. Health information systems and technology to improve health outcomes and approaches to healthcare delivery will be examined. Current and potential future issues that impact the role and use of informatics and technology in healthcare will be analyzed.

The development, implementation and evaluation of health promotion/illness prevention programs and interventions for populations at the microsystem level are the foci of this course. Analysis of epidemiological and research data related to populations, concepts of public health including environmental, occupational health and disaster preparedness and determinants of health are examined as essential components of programs for population health.

In this course, students acquire knowledge, skills, concepts and strategies from implementation and dissemination sciences to translate evidence into practice.

In this first of three DNP Scholarly Project courses, students work with an assigned UP faculty advisor as they apply knowledge from previous DNP courses in the development of a practice change initiative. Students engage in the initial steps of the DNP Scholarly Project working with an identified mentor at a consenting organization. Emphasis is on the proposal completion. Course is graded P/NP.

This is the second of three DNP Scholarly Project courses. Emphasis is on the implementation, evaluation and sustainability aspects of the project. Course is graded P/NP.

This is the final of three DNP Scholarly Project courses. Emphasis is on reflection of the practice change process and dissemination of findings. Course is graded P/NP.

This course covers the assessment, diagnosis, and management of adults with acute conditions within a family context. The focused work-up format will be used with an emphasis on differential diagnosing. Fee: $100

This course addresses gender specific healthcare needs. Biological sciences and gender theories will be examined in developing and implementing appropriate health strategies. This course includes preventative care practices, assessment, diagnosis and management of common gender specific conditions.

This course focuses on the assessment and appropriate diagnosis of mental health conditions encountered in the primary care setting. Emphasis is on differentiating between appropriate referral to a mental health professional or management by the family nurse practitioner. Safety, ethical, legal and policy issues will be examined.

This course addresses well child and adolescent healthcare as well as the assessment, diagnosis, and management of acute and chronic conditions. Integrative perspectives for facilitating wellness, restoration of health, and the management of chronic and acute conditions in children and adolescents will also be explored.

This course covers the assessment, diagnosis, and management of adults and older adults with complex and chronic conditions. The expanded work-up format will be used and will include self-management, living with chronic illness, and multiple treatment modalities. Best practices for chronic care management will be emphasized.

This course prepares DNP students for independent, entry-level FNP practice. Clinical expectations include successful application of previous NP specialty and integrative health courses and progression of clinical knowledge and competencies with increasingly complex client situations. Students will also demonstrate integration and application of DNP program competencies. Includes 360 clinical hours.

This course explores integrative perspectives for facilitating wellness, restoration of health, and the management of chronic and acute conditions in adults. Strategies include mind body approaches, nutrition, spirituality, complementary and alternative modalities and botanicals. The course examines opportunities for nurse practitioner students to incorporate integrative health principles into their practices.

This is the first of two residency courses. Each course is devoted to the integration and demonstration of Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) program competencies for post master’s NP students. Students will demonstrate the most advanced level of NP practice and the application of DNP competencies within their personal NP practice and at the macrosystem level. Includes 180 residency hours. Fee: $30

This is the second of two residency courses for Post-Master’s NP students. Includes 180 residency hours.