Master of Science in Nursing - Nursing Education
The Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) program builds on the knowledge and competencies of baccalaureate education. Graduate courses focus on the development of scholarly, critical thinkers and leaders who develop the skills necessary to transform knowledge into advanced practice.
The Master of Science in Nursing program (MSN) is accredited by the Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing, INC. (ACEN), formerly the National League of Nursing Accrediting Commission (NLNAC), 3343 Peachtree Road NE, Suite 500, Atlanta GA 30326, 404-975-5000.
MSN Nursing Education
The 37-credit on-line graduate program* in Nursing Education prepares students for educational positions in healthcare, health-related, and academic settings. The Nursing Education specialization at La Roche University provides an opportunity for nurses to develop the knowledge and skills essential to the role of nurse educator.
Recent reports have indicated an increased demand throughout the country for masters prepared nurse educators in academic settings. Nurse educators are also utilized throughout healthcare and health related fields. Students learn the components of educational theory and practice, develop courses and curriculum for nursing students and staff, learn classroom and clinical strategies, and practice the nurse educator role. Courses required for Nursing Education are outlined below.
* International students must meet the on-campus component for this program.
Summary of Requirements
YEAR ONE - FALL SEMESTER: 9 credits
NURG5002RESEARCH AND EVIDENCE BASED PRACTICE
Credits (Min/Max): 3/3
This course is designed to provide the student with knowledge about the interaction of theory and research for the acquisition of knowledge and advancing nursing practice. The course will focus on the value of scientific evidence and nursing as a discipline as the basis for providing quality care and improving nursing practice. This course provides the opportunity for the student to acquire the knowledge and skills needed to critically evaluate nursing reasearch and evidence-based practice. Emphasis is on exploring the entire research process.
PREREQUISITES:
Graduate Nursing Students Only
NURG5004THEORY AND ROLE DEVELOPMENT
Credits (Min/Max): 3/3
This course provides the foundation for advanced nursing practice. Students are introduced to theories from nursing, natural, social, biological, and organizational sciences to frame their future practice. Key concepts are presented regarding leadership, adult learning, communication, professionalism, human diversity, and transition of the nurse to the nursing practice role.
PREREQUISITES:
Graduate Nursing Students Only
NURG5006HEALTHCARE DELIVERY SYSTEMS
Credits (Min/Max): 3/3
This course focuses on three main areas of the healthcare delivery system: healthcare economics (payers, providers, consumers, value based purchasing), health informatics (management of health data to improve aspects of health outcomes such as cost, quality, safety and satisfaction), and quality care and patient outcomes (as defined by various agencies and regulatory bodies such as NDNQI, AHRQ, CSM and private payers). The synthesis of these three important concepts will provide a foundation for the advanced practice nurse to make clinical decisions and to improve patient care and outcomes.
PREREQUISITES:
Graduate Nursing Students Only
YEAR ONE - SPRING SEMESTER : 9 credits
NURG5007ADVANCED PHARMACOLOGY
Credits (Min/Max): 3/3
This course provides the opportunity for students to acquire advanced knowledge and skills in the pharmacologic treatment of commonly encountered health problems. The role of the advanced practice nurse in collaboration with health team members in providing safe and effective drug therapy will be explored. Principle of pharmacodynamics, pharmacokinetics, pharmacogenetics, and pharmacogenomics as well as adverse drug reactions will be incorporated in the decision-making process to assess and monitor drug therapy and to teach patients safe and effective medication administration. The effects of culture, ethnicity, age, pregnancy, gender and economics on pharmacologic therapy will be emphasized. Assessment of the use of herbal and nutritional supplements, nutraceutical, and over-the-counter drugs on prescribed therapies will be addressed. In addition, current issues in drug therapy will be discussed such as the role of the advanced practice nurse in the current opioid epidemic and the use of medical marijuana.
PREREQUISITES:
Graduate Nursing Students Only
NURG5009ADVANCED PATHOPHYSIOLOGY
Credits (Min/Max): 3/3
This course focuses on the analysis of pathophysiologic and psychologic processes and concepts that serve as the foundation for clinical assessment and pharmacological management of patients with common disease states across the lifespan. The advanced practice nurse will interpret the results of diagnostic and laboratory tests used to diagnose and to monitor changes in selected pathophysiologic and psychologic conditions. The student is guided in assessing the influence of genetics, lifestyle, culture, gender, age, and economic status on the etiology and progression of selected pathophysiologic and psychologic alterations. In addition, current issues related to selected pathophysiologic and psychologic conditions are explored.
PREREQUISITES:
Graduate Nursing Students Only
NURG5011EDUCATIONAL STRATEGIES IN NURSING EDUCATION AND PRACTICE
Credits (Min/Max): 3/3
This course is designed to prepare the student to facilitate learning in classrooms, clinical environments, and healthcare facilities. Students explore educational theories, principles, and evidence-based practices and their application to the learning process. Various teaching strategies appropriate to the learner, learning outcomes, content, and educational setting are explored. Technologies used to support the teaching-learning process will be examined.
PREREQUISITES:
Graduate Nursing Students Only
YEAR ONE - SUMMER SEMESTER: 3 credits
NURG5012HEALTH CARE POLICY AND GLOBAL CONSIDERATIONS
Credits (Min/Max): 3/3
This course focuses on healthcare policy in the United States. Students critically examine the national health care agenda and nursing’s role in relation to the health of the nation, global health, and global health policy. Federal, state, and local political structure and function are examined along with the hierarchy of political involvement, interest groups and lobbyists, advocacy strategies and ethical issues and the public policy process. An overview of health care finance as it relates to health care systems/services is presented and strategies for influencing the regulatory process will be explored.
PREREQUISITES:
Graduate Nursing Students Only
YEAR TWO - FALL SEMESTER: 9 credits
NURG5015CURRICULUM DEVELOPMENT AND EVALUATION
Credits (Min/Max): 3/3
This course provides the student with the opportunity to explore the process of curriculum development that reflects regulatory and accreditation standards and guidelines through student examination of nursing, societal, and health care trends, educational theory, research, and technology. Students explore the role of faculty in evaluation and revision of curriculum based on learner needs, societal and health care trends and feedback from learners, agency personnel and accrediting agencies. This course addresses the application of leadership, change, communication theories, evidence-based and best practice.
PREREQUISITES:
Graduate Nursing Students Only
NURG5017COMPREHENSIVE HEALTH ASSESSMENT
Credits (Min/Max): 3/3
This course focuses on performing a comprehensive health assessment on patients throughout the lifespan and communicating the assessment findings to members of the multi-disciplinary health care team. The course builds on knowledge of anatomy, physiology, pathophysiology, pharmacology, and health assessment skills previously attained in undergraduate nursing education. Emphasis is placed on the collection, interpretation, and synthesis of relevant historical, genetic, biological, cultural, psychosocial and physical data for the development of a comprehensive and holistic health assessment. Evidence based practice concepts related to health promotion/disease prevention are applied. Diagnostic reasoning skills are developed to determine health and risk status, develop health promotion/disease prevention strategies, and establish priorities of care. This course will incorporate 30 hours of clinical experience with a preceptor focusing on health assessment.
PREREQUISITES:
Graduate Nursing Students Only
NURG5019ASSESSMENT AND EVALUATION OF LEARNERS
Credits (Min/Max): 3/3
This course is designed to introduce the student to processes of assessment, measurement and evaluation for the classroom and clinical setting. Test planning, construction, and use of a variety of types of test items, item analysis for test improvement, methods of summarizing test scores, derived scores for interpretation of performance, development and use of norms in evaluation are explored. In addition, assessment, measurement and evaluation of learners in an on campus and distance learning setting are presented. The importance of timely, constructive formative evaluation of learners is emphasized as is the importance of constructive self and peer evaluation.
PREREQUISITES:
Graduate Nursing Students Only
YEAR TWO - SPRING SEMESTER: 7 credits
NURG5021NURSING EDUCATION PRACTICUM
Credits (Min/Max): 4/4
This course focuses on the synthesis of knowledge and skills from prior graduate courses in a nursing education or clinical setting. A nurse educator with knowledge and experience in the educator role mentors the student. Students engage in reflection of experiences with peers and faculty weekly and implement a practicum project. This course requires 120 hours in a practicum setting.
PREREQUISITES:
Graduate Nursing Students Only
NURG6000CAPSTONE SCHOLARLY EXPERIENCE
Credits (Min/Max): 3/3
PREREQUISITE: NURG5002 (WITH GRADE OF B OR BETTER) This course provides an opportunity for students to apply theoretical concepts and skills gained from the MSN program to develop a capstone project or paper specific to their advanced nursing practice focus. Students demonstrate competence through writing and presentation of an evidence based or scholarly project. The student is assisted in the preparation of a project specific to nursing practice, administration or education.
PREREQUISITES:
Graduate Students Only & NURG5002