Online Master’s in Nursing: Leadership in Healthcare Systems Emphasis

Course Description

This course examines nursing theory and the role of ethics for advanced registered nurses within the Christian worldview and through a leadership perspective focused on improving health care outcomes. Learners explore the moral/ethical responsibilities and legal and regulatory obligations of advanced registered nurses in health promotion and disease prevention. Learners also review evidence-based practice (EBP) literature and the research process with application to their program of study and learn to navigate scholarly EBP literature, resources, and guidelines.

Course Description

This course examines the role of leadership, organizational science, policy, and informatics in supporting safe, high-quality, cost-effective patient care within interprofessional, dynamic health care environments. Learners explore various organizational relationships within health care systems and prepare to participate in the design of cost-effective, innovative models of care delivery and practice change proposals. Professional leadership theories and how they shape the nurse leader in such things as collaboration, conflict resolution, decision-making, and negotiation are introduced. Learners discuss change management theories and evaluate the ethical, social, legal, economic, and political implications of practice change and health care informatics along with strategies for managing human, fiscal, and health care resources in a variety of organizational systems. Learners also examine the uses of patient-care, information systems, and communication technologies and discuss the design, implementation, and evaluation of electronic health record systems and clinical decision support systems. Prerequisite: NUR-513A.

Course Description

In this course learners examine the process of scientific inquiry, knowledge generation, utilization, and dissemination of evidence into advanced nursing practice in order to propose quality-improvement initiatives that advance the delivery of safe, high-quality care for patient populations. Learners critically evaluate evidence, including scientific findings from the biopsychosocial fields, epidemiology, biostatistics, genetics, and genomics, and apply levels of evidence and theoretical frameworks to design culturally appropriate clinical prevention interventions and population-based care that reduces risks, prevents disease, and promotes health and well-being. Learners also consider strategies to evaluate health policy and advocacy issues, the state of health care delivery, patient-centered care, and ethical principles related to health beliefs, health promotion, and risk reduction for diverse populations. Learners apply these strategies to work towards recognizing gaps in nursing and health care knowledge, identifying potential solutions or innovations for those gaps, planning and implementing practice changes, and evaluating the outcomes in order to improve practice. Prerequisite: NUR-514A.

Course Description

This course provides an opportunity for learners to complete their evidence-based practice (EBP) project proposal that addresses a problem, issue, or concern in their specialty area of professional practice. Learners previously identified a problem amenable to a research-based intervention, searched the literature, and proposed a solution. Now learners explore implementation considerations and various evaluation methodologies, complete the project proposal by developing a plan to implement the solution into the intended practice area, and design an evaluation plan that assesses the EBP project proposal's intended outcome(s). Prerequisite: NUR-550A.

Course Description

This course emphasizes the integration of advanced-level assessment, pathophysiology, and pharmacology in a variety of nursing practice roles. The course centers around eight foundational nursing concepts: clinical judgment; communication; compassionate care; diversity, equity, and inclusion; ethics; evidence-based practice; health policy; and social determinants of health. These concepts are well-represented in nursing practice and supported by nursing literature, while serving as essential elements to develop knowledge, skills, and attitudes at the graduate-level of professional nursing. The concepts create connections across multiple competency domains, defining and distinguishing nursing practice while connecting it to other health professions. Learners demonstrate the integration of these concepts within advanced pathophysiology, pharmacology, and assessment. Prerequisite: NUR-590A.

Course Description

This course focuses on the analysis of health care organizational structure and effectiveness. Topics include the distributive leadership model, decision-making through collaboration and teamwork, and the integrative analysis of how change impacts other components of the system. Prerequisite: NUR-600.

Course Description

In this course, learners study principles of health care financial management and the role of fiscal responsibility within health care organizations. Along with an overview of operational budgets, learners delve into the key aspects of the economic drivers and financial requirements impacting organizations, including the financial demands and implications of specific health care delivery models, efficient staffing models, and the management of operational expenses. Learners examine the challenges of aligning key financial performance indicators with safety and quality measures as required in the evolving health care industry. This course prepares learners to analyze key financial principles and economic drivers influencing health care organizations, evaluate the fiscal implications of various health care delivery and staffing models, and apply financial management strategies to align operational budgets with quality and safety standards in an evolving health care landscape. Prerequisite: HCA-545A.

Course Description

This course examines advanced models of performance and quality improvement in health care. Learners differentiate measures of quality and learn to apply industry standard tools and process improvement methodology to enhance safety and positively impact patient outcomes and financial performance. Learners work with their preceptors to perform a needs assessment at their practicum site and determine the topic for their comprehensive practicum project to be developed in their final course. This course prepares learners to evaluate quality improvement models, apply industry-standard tools to enhance patient safety and efficiency, and conduct a needs assessment to identify key areas for health care improvement. Practicum/field experience hours: 50. Prerequisite: Successful completion of all previous coursework in the program. Practicum/field experience hours: 50. Prerequisite: NUR-621A.

Course Description

This course provides learners the opportunity to integrate what they have learned in the program in a practicum experience related to nursing leadership. Learners are expected to integrate nursing knowledge and advanced critical-thinking and problem-solving skills in the development and implementation of a comprehensive project grounded in contemporary nursing leadership theory and practice. Learners develop projects based on their interests and practicum placement that can incorporate a range of leadership issues, such as quality and performance improvement, mentorship and coaching, interdisciplinary relationships and collaboration, and staff development. This course prepares learners to demonstrate advanced critical-thinking and problem-solving skills by working with a nursing leader for a minimum of 150 hours and developing and implementing a comprehensive nursing leadership project that integrates contemporary leadership theory and practice to address key organizational challenges. Practicum/field experience hours: 150. Prerequisite: NUR-630A.