Course Descriptions

Clinical Nursing Leader

GCNL 501 - (2) (Y)
Introduction to Nursing Leadership and the Healthcare System
Prerequisite: Graduate standing or instructor permission.
The course explores theories of change, complexity, horizontal leadership, Microsystems, and decision-making, and their relationship to nursing and the health care system. Students apply concepts of leadership theory to actual or simulated problems.

GCNL 502 - (1) (Y)
Leading Teams
Prerequisite: GCNL 501.
This course introduces students to the nursing role in leading health care teams, and examines the principles of collaboration, coordination, and change. Students learn principles of delegation, interdisciplinary teams and group processes.

GCNL 503 - (1) (Y)
Leadership Seminar
Prerequisite: GCNL 502.
This course builds upon leadership and team design to explore the context of contemporary nursing practice and issues that offer opportunities and challenges to the nursing profession. Students examine career and practice environment issues and the role of the CNL in actively promoting problem solving and solutions.

GCNL 504 - (3) (SS)
The Clinical Nurse Leader in the Healthcare System
Prerequisite: GCNL 503.
The course offers a framework for a conceptual analysis of the CNL role with advanced application of leadership skills to actual and/or simulated problems. Students explore the context of professional nursing in the health care system, standards of ethical nurse leadership and higher level theories involving lateral integration of care and organizational culture.

GCNL 510 - (4) (Y)
Health Assessment and Clinical Interventions
Prerequisite: Admission to Clinical Nurse Leader program.
This course focuses on acquiring, analyzing, and refining health assessment data as a basis for the development of an accurate nursing problem list. Normal variations and abnormalities characteristic of different developmental, cultural, and ethnic groups are considered throughout. This course serves as an introduction to therapeutic communication, psychomotor skills, and interpersonal skills used in providing patient care. The laboratory portion allows students to practice assessment and clinical intervention skills in a simulated patient care environment.

GCNL 511 - (4) (Y)
Clinical Practice and Decision-Making I: Nursing Care of Adults and Older Adults
Prerequisite: GCNL 510.
This course provides the student with the theoretical knowledge necessary to provide basic safe and effective nursing care to adults and aging individuals. Clinical experiences focus on developing applying fundamental nursing skills.

GCNL 512 - (3) (Y)
Clinical Practice and Decision-Making II: Nursing Care of Children and Families
Prerequisite: GCNL 511.
This course provides opportunities for students to acquire the knowledge and skills necessary to meet the unique biopsychosocial needs of growing children and adolescents, and their families. Clinical experiences in community-based and acute care settings focus on applying the principles of family-centered care and offer opportunities to provide nursing care to children and families that promotes health and prevents illness and injury.

GCNL 513 - (3) (Y)
Clinical Practice and Decision-Making III: Nursing Care of Adults with Common Health Problems
Prerequisite: GCNL 511.
This course provides students with opportunities to acquire the knowledge and clinical skills needed to provide safe and effective nursing care to adults experiencing acute illness. Clinical experiences in acute care settings focus on applying the principles of family-centered care and offer opportunities to provide nursing care focusing on health promotion as well as health protection and recovery from illness.

GCNL 514 - (3) (SS)
Clinical Practice and Decision-Making IV: Nursing Care of Women & Childbearing Families
Prerequisite: GCNL 512 and 513.
This course encompasses the care of women through the lifespan with an emphasis on the childbearing period, spanning preconception planning and care through pregnancy, birth and family integration. The course presents the management of normal and high-risk pregnancy and explores the social, cultural, economic and other factors that impact the changing individual and family dynamics.

GCNL 515 - (3) (SS)
Clinical Practice and Decision-Making V: Community Health Nursing
Prerequisite: GCNL 512 and 513.
The course emphasizes application of concepts, theories and competencies that are the foundation for population-focused nursing practice in a community setting. Students have opportunities to engage in direct and/or indirect care to culturally diverse individuals, families, aggregates and communities.

GCNL 516 - (3) (Y)
Clinical Practice and Decision-Making VI: Nursing Care of Persons with Psychiatric Illness
Prerequisite: GCNL 515.
The course provides an opportunity to learn and use bio-psychosocial concepts in the care of mentally ill of all ages and in a variety of hospital and community settings. The focus is on assessment strategies, plans of care, nursing interventions, medication management, and rehabilitative processes for individuals with a variety of acute and chronic mental health problems.

GCNL 517 - (3) (Y)
Clinical Practice and Decision-Making VII: Nursing Care of Individuals with Complex Health Problems
Prerequisite: GCNL 513.
The course focuses on the use of the nursing process in the management of complex health problems, with particular emphasis on the collaborative and independent functions of the nurse in an intensive, specialty, and technologically advanced care environment.

GCNL 518 - (5) (Y)
Clinical Practice and Decision-Making VIII: Synthesis Practicum
Prerequisite: GCNL 516 and 517.
This course provides students with the opportunity to integrate the knowledge and skills acquired from previous courses. Students refine clinical skills in group patient care delivery, priority setting and decision-making, explore the nurse’s role in the formal organization, the progression of leadership roles and responsibilities, and to begin the transition to leadership in professional nursing practice.

GCNL 519 - (5) (SS)
GCNL Capstone Practicum
Prerequisite: GCNL 518.
This course is an intensive clinical experience in an area selected by the student. The experience allows for full implementation of the clinical nurse leader competencies and includes a strong interdisciplinary practice focus. A capstone project is required and will be presented in a poster session at the end of the course.

Graduate Nursing

GNUR 520 - (3) (Y)
Complementary and Alternative Practices and Products
Prerequisite: Graduate standing or instructor permission.
Provides an overview of CAPP usage patterns in the US and evidence-based information about alternative medical systems, manipulative and body-based practices, biofield, bioelectromagnetics, herbal and natural products, and mind-body-spirit medicine.

GNUR 521 - (3) (Y)
Herbal Medications & Natural Products
The course focuses on the botany, history, chemistry, pharmacology, toxicology, epidemiology, legal and regulatory issues, manufacturing practices, and clinical parameters of herbal medicines. The purpose of the course is to explore the dilemma faced by conventional health professionals about the integration of herbal products into their practices from a logical and objective perspective in an attempt to prepare those in the health care field for the paradigm shift that is occurring and the major future role that herbal products will play in health care of the 21st century.

GNUR 540 - (3) (Y)
Nursing, Ethics, and the Larger Healthcare Arena
Prerequisites: Graduate standing or instructor permission.
This course emphasizes the unique ethical perspective of nursing in the complex heath care arena. Students are challenged to examine individual and professional values, as well as to critically analyze diverse perspectives on various ethical issues.

GNUR 545 - (3) (Y)
Care Environment Management I
Prerequisite: Graduate standing or instructor permission.
Students are introduced to the health care system as a laterally-integrated care environment, with a conceptual framework based on organizational theory. Emphasis is placed on the foundations of quality improvement, patient centered care, and evidence based practice deemed necessary to facilitate a culture of quality and safety. Students apply informatics in assessing the care environment and for improving clinical performance outcomes.

GNUR 546 - (3) (Y)
Care Environment Management II
Prerequisite: GNUR 545.
The course emphasizes the role of the Clinical Nurse Leader as a leader, educator, and advocate for safe, cost effective, and quality care. It examines active participation and communication strategies of the clinical nurse leader within the interdisciplinary system. Students develop competency in nursing informatics to monitor and improve organizational and clinical performance.

GNUR 550 - (4) (Y, SS)
Pharmacology
Prerequisites: GNUR 584, one year of relevant clinical experience, and admission to NP or CNS program.
Builds upon and expands the pharmacologic base acquired at the baccalaureate level and covers the action and interaction of the most commonly used drugs in advanced clinical nursing practice in the ambulatory care setting.

GNUR 551 - (3) (Y, SS)
Advanced Health Assessment
Prerequisites: GNUR 584, one year of relevant clinical experience, and admission to NP or CNS program.
Provides advanced knowledge and health assessment skills used in the primary care setting. Focuses on acquisition, analysis, and refinement of health assessment data as a basis for the development of an accurate data base and problem list. Considers common normal variations and abnormalities characteristic of different developmental, cultural, and ethnic groups. The laboratory portion allows the student to practice advanced assessment skills in a physical assessment laboratory. The course culminates with the student performing a comprehensive history and physical examination.

GNUR 560 - (1-3) (IR)
Special Topics
Prerequisite: Instructor permission.
Selected areas of interest are studied under faculty guidance.

GNUR 564 - (2) (Y)
Nutrition in Health Promotion
Prerequisite: Graduate standing or instructor permission.
A required course in the primary care nurse practitioner program focusing on up-to-date nutrition information. Provides essential knowledge for educating people of all ages about sound nutritional practices.

GNUR 566 - (3) (SS)
Primary Care Seminar I
Prerequisite: GNUR 550, 551, 564, 580, 586, 584, 590, 702, and 707.
Focuses on (1) health promotion, health maintenance, and disease prevention for infants, children, adolescents, and their families; (2) nursing and medical management of common childhood illnesses; and (3) reproductive health and sexuality, including common health concerns. Considers issues in primary care and advanced practice role development.

GNUR 567 - (3) (Y)
Primary Care Seminar II
Prerequisite: GNUR 566 and completion of all core and APN courses.
Prevention and management of common acute health problems in selected populations. Explores the role of the nurse practitioner in primary health care. Models of collaboration, consultation, and referral are critically analyzed.

GNUR 569 - (4-6) (Y)
Primary Care Preceptorship I
Prerequisite: All Students: GNUR 550, GNUR 551, GNUR 584; GNUR 566 is required for FNP and PNP students; GNUR 592 is required for GNP students.
Focuses on application of theoretical knowledge learned in all previous course work with ongoing refinement of essential skills used by nurse practitioners in the delivery of primary health care. Students identify and manage a broad range of common acute health problems in conjunction with a consistent focus on health promotion and disease prevention. Interaction with patients, faculty, preceptors, and other health care professionals offer consistent challenges in strengthening critical thinking and decision making skills within the scope of the nurse practitioner role. The number of preceptorship hours is dependent on the chosen role specialization within the primary care program. A minimum of 224 clinical hours is required for GNP, and minimum of 336 clinical hours is required for all other programs.

GNUR 570 - (3) (Y)
Primary Care Seminar III
Prerequisite: GNUR 566, 567, and 569; corequisite: GNUR 571 and 575.
With a focus on Healthy People 2000, the management of chronic illness across the life span, as well as health maintenance and rehabilitation, is emphasized. Strategies are designed to help clients, families, and communities cope constructively with problems associated with chronic illness.

GNUR 571 - (5-6) (Y)
Primary Care Preceptorship II
Prerequisite: GNUR 569.
A culminating experience in which nurse practitioner students continue to develop the knowledge and expertise essential for delivery of primary health care to clients, families, and communities with a focus on common chronic health problems. Students experience continued growth in role development while assuming an increasing amount of responsibility in the decision making process for patient care. Each student has developed a philosophy to base their patient care that has evolved as a direct result of educational experiences in the program. The number of preceptorship hours is dependent on the chosen role specialization within the primary care program.. A minimum of 300 clinical hours is required for GNP,336 clinical hours is required for all other programs.

GNUR 574 - (1-2) (Y)
Role I: Acquisition
Prerequisite: Admission to the graduate program.
Introduces the history, competencies, and roles of advanced nursing practice emphasizing role acquisition. Explores models of independent, collaborative, and multidisciplinary practice. Addresses trends and issues that shape advanced nursing practice.

GNUR 575 - (2) (Y)
Role II: Transition
Prerequisite: GNUR 574; corequisite: GNUR 570, 759, 765 or 770.
Prepares students for assuming an advanced practice nursing role. Focuses on role transition and development, marketing oneself as an APN, and regulatory and economic policies that affect advanced nursing practice in the evolving health care system.

GNUR 579 - (8) (SS)
Psychiatric Mental Health/Primary Care Preceptorship
Prerequisite: GNUR 571 and 773.
A culminating experience in which students continue to develop knowledge and skills in all aspects of psychiatric mental health nursing specialty practice. A minimum of 400 clinical hours is required.

GNUR 580 - (3) (S)
Theoretical Foundations of Nursing
Prerequisite: Graduate standing or instructor permission.
Prepares advanced practitioners of nursing to intelligently interpret current literature on the discipline and its application to practice. Analyzes and critiques nursing literature and selected theoretical works, focusing on nursing theory, ethical principles, historical perspectives, and aesthetics. Emphasizes relating these dimensions to the phenomena arising from the student’s own professional nursing practice. Studies the role of praxis, empirics, ethics, and aesthetics in theory development.

GNUR 584 - (4) (Y)
Pathophysiology
Prerequisite: Graduate standing or instructor permission.
Selected physiologic and pathophysiologic mechanisms in health and disease.

GNUR 585 - (3) (S)
Epidemiology in Health Care
Prerequisite: Graduate standing or instructor permission.
Focuses on the distribution and determinants of health-related states or conditions in specified populations and on the application of this study to control health problems. Students are presented with epidemiologic models and methods in order to assess the health of individuals and populations and to study, prevent, or control health conditions, diseases, and injuries. Emphasizes application of methods to improve health care delivery, health policy, and, ultimately, health.

GNUR 586 - (4) (S)
Research and Biostatistical Processes for Health Care
Prerequisite: Undergraduate or graduate applied statistics course within the past five years.
Focuses on the methods of nursing and health care research and biostatistical analysis. Provides a foundation for informed reading and application of research findings, methods, and analytical tools, including biostatistical analyses and interpretation. Emphasizes critical appraisal of health research literature and evidence-based practice.

GNUR 590 - (3) (Y-SS)
Health Policy: Local to Global
Surveys policy decisions related to the organization, financing, and delivery of health care. Examines social, ethical, political, economic, and ideological forces shaping American health policy and the delivery of health care, as well as the roles and influence of providers and consumers of health care services, and government, corporate, and entrepreneurial interests. Emphasizes informed participation in policy-making processes and the impact of health policy on professional practice and health service.

GNUR 592 - (3) (SS)
Geriatric Nurse Practitioner Seminar I
Explores the multidimensional aspects of aging and articulates the impact of these interrelated components at both the individual and aggregate level. Examines the role of advance practice nursing in assuring high quality, cost effective geriatric care.

GNUR 593 - (3) (Y)
Geriatric Nurse Practitioner Seminar II
Prerequisite: masters level courses in pathophysiology, pharmacology and health assessment.
Focuses on assessment, diagnosis, and management of common acute geriatric signs, symptoms, and syndromes using and applying evidence based data where it exists.

GNUR 594 - (3) (Y)
Geriatric Nurse Practitioner Seminar III
Prerequisite or corequisite: GNUR 592, 593.
Focuses on assessment, diagnosis, and management of common chronic geriatric syndromes, illnesses and diseases and end of life care using and applying evidence based data where it exists.

GNUR 700 - (3) (Y)
Community Assessment
Prerequisite or corequisite: GNUR 585.
This course focuses on the health of communities and the process of assessment. Analysis of theoretical frameworks, assessment models, health care delivery systems, and special populations as they relate to current health issues. Two hours of seminar and four clinical hours each week (56 clinical hours).

GNUR 702 - (3) (Y-S)
Health Promotion/Disease Prevention for Individuals, Families, and Communities
Prerequisite: Graduate standing or instructor permission.
Focuses on the assessment of individuals, families, and communities in health and illness. Selected models derived from health promotion/disease prevention and family theories are integrated as a basis for developing and understanding the specific content and process of client assessment. In addition, research foundations of health promotion/disease prevention across the life span are examined. Emphasizes the use of existing knowledge to guide advanced nursing practice in culturally competent interventions for the promotion of health.

GNUR 703 - (3) (SS)
Human Genetics
This course will focus on providing students with a basic understanding of human genetics and its role in pathophysiology, diagnosis and management of disease. Students will interpret basic concepts in human genetics that contribute to an understanding of nursing or related health care problems, as well as apply knowledge of inheritance and immunogenetics in predicting the probable effect of genetics on disease processes. This course will also discuss the ethical, social, political and economic impact of selected genetic diseases, DNA-based genetic diagnosis, and gene therapy.

GNUR 706 - (3) (IR)
Nursing Ethics for Advanced Practice
Prerequisite: Graduate standing.
Provides an opportunity to examine ethical concepts and theories at they relate to selected situations in advanced nursing practice.

GNUR 707 - (2-3) (Y)
Introduction to Health Informatics
Prerequisite: Basic competence in word processing, electronic mail, spreadsheets, graphics, and library information systems.
Explores the nature and functions of health informatics, the current state of the science, present and future applications, and major issues for research and development. Each student investigates a selected topic in health care delivery or management from the perspective of information science; describes the degree to which current information technology meets identified needs, and proposes directions for further development. Learning methods include readings, seminars, electronic communications, a term paper, and oral and visual presentation. Students who enroll in the course for three credits receive more in-depth instruction on the topics.

GNUR 711 - (3) (Y)
Managing Care in Systems and Populations
Prerequisite: Admission to graduate program.
The focus of this course is on the knowledge and skills essential for nurse managers and community and public health nurse leaders. An overview of management theories, processes, and their implications for nurse managers and leaders in a variety of public and private settings is provided. Financial management concepts and budgeting applications are introduced. The students are exposed to trends in integrated health systems, managed care, and care management for public and private partnerships. Emphasis will be on models that assure provisions of health care by linking people to needed services.

GNUR 722 - (3) (Y)
Health Care Systems Planning and Evaluation
Prerequisite: GNUR 700.
This course will focus on management and leadership strategies for improving the health of communities and individuals. The context and content of community, acute care, psychiatric, long-term care, home health care and public health systems are explored. The emphasis is on concepts and theories germane to planning, implementing, and evaluating health care programs and the provision of health care, to improve health and meet health care needs. Two hours of seminar and four clinical hours each week (56 clinical hours).

GNUR 723 - (3) (Y)
Community and Public Health Leadership Practicum I
Prerequisite: GNUR 585, 700, and 711.
Focuses on the application of specialized knowledge and the development of skills inherent in advanced community and public health nursing practice. Stresses assessment and interventions targeted at the individual, family, group and community/organizational levels. Community and Public Health Leadership interventions are designed in partnership to be consistent with the beliefs and values of the individual, family, group and community.

GNUR 724 - (4) (SS)
Community and Public Health Leadership Practicum II
Prerequisite: GNUR 723.
Focuses on the continuing synthesis and application of knowledge from preceding courses. Emphasizes further development of nursing care management and/or evaluation plans at the individual, family, group, or community/organizational level.

GNUR 744 - (4) (Y)
Wound, Ostomy, and Continence (WOC) Specialty Nursing
Prerequisite: Graduate standing.
Focuses on the knowledge and skills required for care of clients experiencing actual or potential wound, ostomy and continence problems. Prepares students for the management and rehabilitation of persons with these specific problems. Explores specialized knowledge of assessment, pathophysiology, products, and resources related to wounds, ostomy and continence care. Attention is given to evaluating the impact of selected therapeutic interventions.

GNUR 745 - (3) (Y)
Advanced Wound, Ostomy, and Continence Nursing
Prerequisite: GNUR 744.
Focuses on the management and rehabilitation of persons with wound, ostomy and continence (WOC) care problems by coordinating and utilizing human, product, and technologic resources. The student will integrate knowledge of setting, role, resources, client education, counseling and advanced care techniques to promote the highest practical level of functioning for the client.

GNUR 756 - (3) (Y)
Seminar I: Clinical Decision Making in Acute & Specialty Care
Prerequisite: GNUR 584, 551, or instructor permission.
Through seminar discussions and lecture, students learn to approach complex clinical situations systematically across the acute and chronic care continuum. Content specific to the cardiovascular, pulmonary, and neurologic systems guides students of developing skills in diagnosis, planning, and evaluation of patients with system failure problems. Emphasizes the most frequently occurring risk factors that contribute to the development of health problems; the physiologic, pathophysiologic, behavioral and experiential aspects of the problem; therapeutic interventions for patient management; and approaches to evaluating the outcome of the intervention. Three hours of seminar each week.

GNUR 757 - (3) (Y)
Seminar II: Clinical Decision Making in Acute & Specialty Care
Prerequisite: GNUR 584, 756, or instructor permission.
Through discussions and lectures, students learn to approach complex clinical situations systematically to care for patients with acute and chronic dysfunction of the immune, endocrine, GI, musculoskeletal, and renal systems. Emphasis is given to the most frequently occurring risk factors that contribute to the development of the problem/s; the physiologic, pathophysiologic, behavioral and experiential aspects of the problem; therapeutic interventions to patient management; and approaches to directing and evaluating outcomes. Three hours of seminar each week.

GNUR 759 - (5) (Y, SS)
Practicum I: Acute Care Nurse Practitioners and Clinical Nurse Specialist.
Prerequisite: All core and APN courses of the MSN Program, GNUR 756, 757, and 758.
The first APN preceptorship, for ACNP’s and CNS students, focuses on the acquisition of expert clinical knowledge in a specialty and the diagnostic and decision-making skills necessary to function in an acute care environment. The focus is on the student’s specialty and on the cardiac and pulmonary systems and management of medical patients. (280 clinical hours)

GNUR 762 - (3) (Y)
Immunocompetence in Vulnerable Populations
Examines the immune system and phenomena of concern to nurses who work with immunocompromised individuals. Focuses on the critical thinking and clinical decision-making needed to work with individuals whose immune system is compromised (e.g., cancer, AIDS, transplant, and septic patients).

GNUR 765 - (5) (Y, SS)
Synthesis Practicum: Acute Care Nurse Practitioner and Clinical Nurse Specialist
Prerequisite: GNUR 759.
A culminating clinical experience in the role of ACNP or CNS, emphasizing clinical decision making in an interprofessional environment specific to the student’s career goals and specialty interest. 280 clinical hours.

GNUR 770 - (3) (Y)
Biological Basis of Mental Health and Mental Illness
Prerequisite: Graduate standing or instructor permission.
Explores the biological correlates of psychiatric illnesses and examines neurostructural, neurochemical, psychopharmacologic processes relevant to psychiatric illnesses.

GNUR 771 - (3) (Y)
Psychiatric-Mental Health Nursing Seminar
Prerequisite: Graduate standing or instructor permission.
Provides a foundation for advanced psychiatric nursing practice based on a biopsychosocial model of mental health and illness. Emphasizes those who have moderate to severe impairments in emotional and/or behavioral functioning associated with major mental illness.

GNUR 773 - (3) (Y)
Theoretical Foundations of Psychiatric-Mental Health Nursing
Prerequisite: Graduate standing or instructor permission.
Reviews major theoretical approaches to psychotherapy and psychiatric nursing. The course begins with psychoanalysis and proceeds through current "self-help" and social system approaches.

GNUR 774 - (5) (Y)
Psychiatric-Mental Health Practicum I: Clinical Nurse Specialist/Nurse Practitioner
Prerequisite: All core and APN courses, or instructor permission.
Develops clinical competence in assessment and intervention with psychiatric patients. Application of tools assessing milieu, patient symptoms, progress in therapy, patient-nurse interaction, family structure and process, group process, and community placement feasibility. Requires a minimum of 250 clinical hours.

GNUR 776 - (3-9) (SS)
Psychiatric-Mental Health Practicum II: Clinical Nurse Specialist/Nurse Practitioner
Prerequisite: GNUR 774, or instructor permission.
A culminating clinical experience in the role of CNS or PMHNP emphasizing clinical decision making and advanced competence in selected areas of psychiatric-mental health nursing in interdisciplinary environments.. Requires a minimum of 250 clinical hours.

GNUR 782, 784 - (3/3) (Y-SS)
Administrative Practicum I/II
Prerequisite: Admission to the M.S.N./M.B.A. program or Health Systems Management Track within the Master of Science in Nursing Program.
Students integrate and apply administrative and management theory during a 15 week practicum experience. They participate in the planning, operation, and evaluation of a component of the health care system while working closely with a health care leader who serves as their preceptor. Field experiences are analyzed by the student with input from peers, health care leaders, and faculty.

GNUR 783 - (3) (Y)
Health Care Economics
Prerequisite: Graduate standing in the PHS program or instructor permission.
Reviews principles of economics most relevant to analyzing changes in health care provision, and applies those principles to current health care institutions and their performance, trends in health care service delivery, and methods of forecasting future trends.

GNUR 792 - (3) (O)
Resource Management
Prerequisite: GNUR 711.
Emphasizes using quantitative analysis in support of data-based management decisions. Focuses on decision-making from the perspective of health care managers and planners. Students use standardized measurements for quality of care evaluations; large databases, including clinical and administrative cost and utilization data; and the Internet. Data-based decision-making focuses on resource allocation at the individual, unit, organizational, and population level of analysis. Discusses using data to influence decisions relevant to health care clinical and administrative managers and leaders.

GNUR 793 - (1-3) (Y-SS)
Independent Master’s Study
Prerequisite: Instructor permission.
Individually planned study in nursing specialty, administration, education, or research.

GNUR 794 - (1-3) (Y-SS)
Independent Practicum
Prerequisite: Instructor permission.
Independent practicum to be established in selected areas.

GNUR 795 - (3) (SS)
Practicum in Wound, Ostomy and Continence Nursing
Clinical practicum for students specializing in WOC nursing. 168 clinical hours.

GNUR 800 - (3) (Y)
Historical Inquiry in Nursing
Prerequisite: Doctoral standing or instructor permission.
Broadens, and then refines through historical analysis, the student’s view and understanding of the current health care system. Explores the role that historical inquiry and analysis play in understanding the evolution and status of the health care system; the development of health professions (nursing and medicine) and institutions (hospitals and public health services); and the interplay of intellectual, social, economic, and political events that shaped the current health system.

GNUR 814 - (3) (Y)
Scientific Progress in Nursing
Prerequisite: Master’s-level nursing research course.
Through directed readings and seminars in selected areas, students develop an appreciation for, and understanding of, the evolution of nursing’s substantive research knowledge and the current state of the science in selected areas. These topical areas are broadly defined as Individual Responses to Health and Illness, Family Responses to Health and Illness, Environmental Influences on Health, and Therapeutic Interventions. Students also become acquainted with exemplary research programs, analyze and synthesize relevant literature, and develop a plan of studies to prepare them for a research career in the selected area.

GNUR 815 - (3) (Y)
Philosophy of Science and Development of Nursing Knowledge
Examines various philosophies of science as they have evolved over time and explores their ontological and epistemological implications for the development of nursing knowledge. Extant programs of research in nursing are critically analyzed to determine the philosophical traditions from which they arise and the consequences of those philosophical traditions for the kinds, and extent of, the knowledge produced by those research programs.

GNUR 820 - (3) (Y)
Quantitative Research Methods
Prerequisite: Master’s-level nursing research course.
Builds on master’s level competencies in research methods to provide an in-depth exploration of scientific methods of testing the effectiveness of nursing interventions. Students learn to design experiments and quasi-experiments suitable to the intervention to be tested, the population, and the clinical or other circumstances. They increase knowledge and skills regarding issues of design sensitivity and power, such as sampling, sample size, and measurement. Students integrate into all aspects of research consideration of ethical issues, including protection of human subjects, animal welfare, and scientific integrity.

GNUR 821 - (3) (Y)
Statistical Methods for Health Care Research I
Prerequisite: Master’s-level nursing research course.
Introduces data analysis for nursing research. Descriptive and inferential statistics are treated with attention to the application and choice of particular statistical tests. Emphasizes statistical problems and issues relevant to nursing research.

GNUR 822 - (3) (Y)
Statistical Methods for Health Care Research II
Prerequisite: GNUR 821 or instructor permission.
Applies statistical analysis models and procedures to nursing and health research. Focuses on simple and multiple regression, statistical power analysis, analysis of variance models, and quantitative research synthesis, stressing the application and choice of particular statistical models and procedures. Emphasizes statistical problems and issues relevant to nursing research.

GNUR 823 - (3) (Y)
Statistical Methods for Health Care Research III
Prerequisite: GNUR 821, 822 or equivalent, and instructor permission.
Focuses on advanced procedures for data analysis and statistical inference in nursing and health research. Studies major multivariate procedures and their applicability to nursing and health research, and special issues in measurement and statistics often encountered in, and specific to, nursing and health research. Emphasizes using the computer as a facilitative research instrument.

GNUR 824 - (3) (Y)
Qualitative Research Methods
Prerequisite: Master’s-level nursing research course.
Introduces a variety of qualitative research methods. Discusses the epistemological principles that underline interpretive and naturalistic research, techniques for data collection, and analysis and control of systematic bias.

GNUR 850 - (3) (SI-SS)
Selected Topics
Prerequisite: Instructor permission.
Advanced level individual study of self-selected topics under the guidance and supervision of a faculty member.

GNUR 860 - (3) (Y)|
Vulnerability and Resilience within the Nursing Context
Prerequisite: Doctoral standing or instructor permission.
Examines biological, psychological, and social phenomena that contribute to heightened vulnerability or resiliency in individuals, population subgroups, or communities. Emphasizes systematic analysis of current research findings that evaluate specific nursing interventions and their outcomes with selected populations.

GNUR 861 - (3) (Y)
Health Behavior and Health Promotion Research
Prerequisite: Doctoral standing or instructor permission.
Focuses on conceptual and methodological issues related to health and illness behavior and health promotion research. Explores directions for nursing science by critically analyzing theoretical foundations of health behavior and relevant research. Examines multidisciplinary perspectives and issues related to health and illness behavior for the advancement of health promotion through nursing research.

GNUR 862 - (3) (Y)
Concepts and Methods in Health Services Research
Prerequisite: Doctoral standing, a master’s-level health policy course (to be taken previously or concurrently) is recommended.
Builds on knowledge essential to conducting health services research, including social, economic, ethical, and political uses that influence health policy. Develops conceptual and methodological competencies related to research on health services organization, financing, and delivery. Uses evaluation research methods to examine the effects of interventions on outcomes, such as quality and cost. Discusses the role of databases and health informatics in service research.

GNUR 990 - (1-4) (Y-SS)
Research Practicum I
Prerequisite: Instructor and advisor permission.
Develops and refines research competency through actual research study. Students must register for GNUR990 one or more times for a total of four credits.

GNUR 991 - (1) (Y)
Professional Issues in Scholarship
Taken near the end of course work, this course provides a synthesis of prior work and incorporates a discussion of professional issues and strategies of scholarship, including grant seeking and grant management, publication, scholarly ethics, and scientific integrity.

GNUR 992 - (3) (S)
Proposal Writing Seminar I
Teaches the mechanics of proposal writing and introduces the student to the art and science of grant seeking. The course provides a hands-on, practical approach to proposal writing, including development and peer review of a proposal.

GNUR 993 - (2) (S)
Proposal Writing Seminar II
Prerequisite: GNUR 992.
Continues to develop and refine the research proposal begun in GNUR 992. Includes incorporating feedback from peers and a professional editorial consultant. The final product is a submitted grant proposal.

GNUR 997 - (3-12) (S-SS)
Non-Topical Research
Prerequisite: Permission of faculty advisor.
Students register for GNUR 997 concurrently with course work until the dissertation proposal is successfully defended. Credits from non-topical research are not counted in the total program hours of credit.

GNUR 999 - (3-12) (S-SS)
Dissertation Research
Prerequisite: Permission of dissertation chair.
A culminating experience that requires the student to plan and implement a research study of significance.

Biomedical Sciences

BIMS 710 - (1) (Y)
Research Ethics
This course provides an overview of ethical issues in research, including the protection of human subjects and the integrity of scholarship. It is designed to meet requirements of the National Institutes of Health for instruction in the ethical conduct of research. Such instruction must be included in the program of study as a condition of institutional or individual National Research Service Awards. Information available on the web at www.med.virginia.edu/gpo/research_ethics/home.html.