NURS 320 · Health Assessment   3 Credits

Methods of health history-taking, data collection, physical exam, identification of alterations in health, and documentation of findings. The course helps students develop health promotion strategies, professional communication and interviewing techniques, and an advanced understanding of the responsibilities of the Registered Nurse in assessment, reporting, documentation, and patient education when performing health assessments.

Prerequisite: Nursing major.

NURS 330 · Nursing Research and Evidence Translation   3 Credits

Preparation to interpret and critically appraise research findings, and translate current evidence into nursing practice. Students accomplish this through the exploration of statistical analysis concepts and the evaluation of qualitative and quantitative research literature, considering the relevance to nursing practice and clinical practice guidelines.

Prerequisite: Nursing major.

NURS 350 · Pathophysiology   3 Credits

Exploration of pathophysiological processes of disease as they affect clients across the lifespan. Knowledge of the role of disease, risk factors, genetics and other dysfunction of the body systems, and occurrence type (acute, chronic, genetic) guides patient care planning. This foundational knowledge prepares the student to assess clinical manifestations, critically evaluate the rationale behind treatment protocols, and provide health promotion and prevention education to optimize patient outcomes.

Prerequisite: Nursing major.

NURS 360 · Ethical and Spiritual Decision Making in Healthcare   3 Credits

Exploration of the foundational Christian worldview as it applies to nursing care and ethical decision making. Students analyze situations that have potential to present the nurse or patient with a legal, ethical, or spiritual conflict. Students evaluate the appropriateness of holistic and culturally competent interventions while considering the risk versus benefit in a specific plan of care which considers a person’s mental, physical, and spiritual well being throughout the lifespan.

Prerequisite: Nursing major.

NURS 400 · Evidence-Based Thinking and Informatics in Nursing   3 Credits

Introduction to various informatics systems and the meaningful use of these systems for quality of care and promotion of patient safety. Students evaluate implications for nursing practice, privacy, access to care, education, research, and administration in relation to risk or benefit to the patient. Students examine developments in care technologies such as telehealth, e-health, and electronic health records to evaluate their contribution to improved patient outcomes. The course addresses legal and ethical issues associated with the use of these systems.

Prerequisite: Nursing major.

NURS 410 · Patient Outcomes: Quality Care and Safety   3 Credits

Examination of the process of quality improvement through the implementation of quality measures and safety mechanisms in clinical practice. In their effort to plan patient-centered, whole-person care, students will integrate the use of technological resources available in the field and utilize national standards for quality and safety in health care, as they examine initiatives necessary to improve patient outcomes. Students will exhibit leadership, professional communication, teamwork, and collaboration in plans for implementation.

Prerequisite: Nursing major.

NURS 420 · Healthcare Communication and Collaboration   3 Credits

Development of skills such as mentoring, team leading, delegating, and serving as support within a team, as a means for nurses to advocate for patients and lead from within their field. Students investigate how these skills lead to positive care outcomes through collaboration and effective communication between persons and professions. Students utilize these skill sets in collaboration and communication with patients, families, communities, and organizations to achieve shared goals for health and wellness.

Prerequisite: Nursing major.

NURS 430 · Cultural and Spiritual Diversity in Healthcare   3 Credits

Exploration of how to integrate the diverse cultural spiritual, physical, social, and psychological needs of patients into a plan of care that will meet their medical needs. This course focuses on patients in different stages of life and how a Christian worldview provides spiritual support in varying health decision situations. Students consider how one’s belief system around spirituality, culture and health can provide insight as to how best to optimize care for every patient.

Prerequisite: Nursing major.

NURS 470 · Nursing Leadership and Management Planning   3 Credits

Application of gained knowledge regarding leadership, management, collaboration, safety, professional practice, and legal issues in the nursing field through a student-identified evidence-based project. Leadership skills, effective communication, and interpretation of research aid the student in assessing the need and rationale for the project using experiential learning strategies to influence healthcare outcomes. Students plan an evidence-based project for implementation for an appropriate forum (e.g., healthcare facility, community clinic, non-profit healthcare-based outreach) as approved by the instructor.

Prerequisites: NURS 330, NURS 360, NURS 400, NURS 410, NURS 420, NURS 430.

NURS 475 · Nursing Leadership and Management Strategies   3 Credits

Emphasis on further development of the professional nurse role as the students continue to develop their quality improvement projects started in NURS 470. Students implement their projects including interaction with stakeholders and the population for which the project was intended, and evaluate their project showing pre- and post-state of the issue and the perspective of those whom the project impacted.

Prerequisite: NURS 470. Nursing major.

NURS 480 · Community and Public Health Nursing   3 Credits

Examination of population-centered health education for community and public health nursing in the students’ immediate region and throughout the United States. Students utilize the Healthy People 2020 Health Objectives to develop an intervention at the community level that promotes health and prevention of disease. Students identify and assess a need, plan for, and then implement, an educational intervention aimed to improve the identified gap in health or wellness in the community.

Prerequisite: Nursing major.

NURS 485 · Community and Public Health Nursing Practicum   3 Credits

Focus on public health issues to help nursing students develop a global perspective. The promotion of health and prevention of disease at the global level challenges the traditional population-focused methods, rationales, and evidence the student may have applied in addressing regional public health issues. Students relate issues such as sociopolitical factors, climate, natural disasters, terrorism, and communicable disease recurrence to care initiatives at the global level. Students consider the nurses role and ability to affect change at this level. PREQ BIOL.

Prerequisite: NURS 480. Nursing major. PREQ BIOL.